Sigrid shook out her long, wet hair and winced when pain shot through her side. "I guess the injury was worse than I figured" she thought to herself. She could hear the dragon riders conversing upstairs and smiled. They really didn't know what to make of her. She couldn't blame them, most people didn't. She knew her beauty had grabbed the attention of everybody, even Astrid and Ruffnut. She was used to that; people were always gaping over her looks, especially men. As she had told Hiccup, it was a huge asset to her when gaining information. It wasn't that she was vain, but when you'd been told that you were the most beautiful girl in the archipelago more times than you could count, you started to believe it a little bit. The other side was her connection to Toothless. No one, not even Astrid could dismiss that. Sigrid didn't know whether they really believed her story or not but all of it was the exact truth.
She sighed and picked up her clothes from next to the fire. She'd rinsed them off and then laid them practically in the flames since they were made of dragon scales. There were still patches of Night Fury scales from clothes she'd outgrown. She couldn't bear to let them go, especially after she and Toothless had separated. It would've been like losing them all over again. She slid her legs into her slim fitting pants which were made out of molted black and red Tighten-wing Monstrous Nightmare scales. Since she often found herself running through fire, literally, the extra flame and heat resistant scales helped. Her boots were made from the same. Her shirt was mainly made of Night Fury scales and was quite worn. She'd have to see if she could get more from Toothless to sew a new shirt before she left Berk. She'd just finished pulling on her left boot when the door swung open and in walked two Viking men. One she recognized; he had been tending the Monstrous Nightmare she flew in on and the other...she squinted at him. He looked almost familiar to her, but she had no idea why.
"I take it Hiccup invited her to stay here then." The one said. He had a heavy accent with an even heavier red beard. He had a certain authority about the way he walked. Add that to the fact that she knew Hiccup was the chief's son, she guessed this was Stoick the Vast.
"Weel I'd imagine so. Ah didn't gie a good look at 'er but-," the one legged Viking with a hook arm froze when he saw her sitting by the fire, silently observing them. The chief noticed his pause and turned to look at her himself. His eyes went wider than the other man's.
"Don't mind me gentlemen, I was just washing up." She smiled and then continued to dress, pulling her shirt over her head and smoothing it over her bandaged torso. She shook her hair again, which was drying rapidly by the fire. She stood up straight and smiled, approaching them with her hand outstretched.
"You must be Stoick. It's an honor to meet you chief, Hiccup was kind enough to let me stay here while I recover, if it is alright with you that is?" The large man didn't take her hand, just continued to stare at her with something akin to awe in his expression.
"Valka...," He whispered. Sigrid was taken aback and was about to correct him when Hiccup charged down the stairs and hurried over to them.
"Dad, Gobber! I was wondering when you two would get here. This is Sigrid, the girl who crashed with the Nightmare." That seemed to awaken the chief from whatever was going through his head and he blinked a couple times before clearing his throat and taking Sigrid's still outstretched hand.
"Welcome to Berk. You are more than welcome in my house as long as you need." Sigrid smiled apprehensively, still a little unnerved.
"I appreciate that." She said. Hiccup gave her a smile and she relaxed a little. The chief marched into the house and took a seat in a large chair, almost a throne.
"So, tell me about yourself lass. I'd like to know more about you in case-,"
"In case I'm lying to you all and decide to betray the entire island and you all have to hunt me down? Yeah I understand. Plus Hiccup filled me in on your last surprise guest." Hiccup scratched the back of his neck.
"Actually dad, can that wait? I wanted to show her around and let her see the arena." Stoick studied his son for a moment before nodding.
"Aye, it can wait till later this evening." Hiccup whistled and Toothless leapt down the steps in one bound, instantly knocking against Sigrid when he was on the floor. The others quickly followed and they all mounted on their dragons to show Sigrid around the island of Berk. Sigrid climbed on behind Hiccup and settled herself. It felt good to be on a Night Fury again, even if she wasn't in the driver's seat. They made a slow loop, pointing out various places in town and telling short stories.
"And that's Mildew's house. Glad we don't have to see him again." Snotlout called as they passed the smelly old man's former home. Sigrid gave Hiccup a questioning look and he shook his head.
"I'll tell you later." She smiled and closed her eyes, reveling in the feeling of the wind through her hair. Eventually they made it to the arena and landed in the huge space. Sigrid dismounted and did a slow circle.
"Well, it's not much to look at, but everything considered it's great that you have a space all your own to train." She gave them a backwards smirk over her shoulder. "This is where you used to kill them isn't it?" Everybody flinched. "Ironic." She walked to the cages and ran her hand over the thick metal bars, then retracted it, seeming rather disgusted at what she had just touched. She turned back to Hiccup. "Well? Am I gonna see you guys run some drills or not? I wanna see what you guys are made of." She said as she crossed her arms with a smirk. Hiccup shrugged and smiled.
"Why not. Guys, why don't we start with measuring everybody's speed? It's been a while and something tells me we've gotten slow."
"Oh we'll see who's slow when Hookfang and I leave you all in the dust!"
"Oh please! Stormfly is the fastest dragon and we all know it!"
"Any dragon is faster than Meatlug."
"Yeah she and Fishlegs are about as slow as a yak in tar tied to a tree. Wait...,"
"What she lacks in speed she makes up for in spirit!"
Sigrid observed the scene, trying to control her laughter. She could tell they made a good team but the level of competitiveness was off the charts. If Hiccup and Toothless couldn't settle this argument when their turn was up, she would.
"Guys! Enough bickering! Get in positions. Fishlegs, you go first, I'll time you. And it's not every day we have visitors, especially one so familiar with dragons, so feel free to show off." Fishlegs nodded to Hiccup as he and Meatlug prepared to take their run. "Ready...set...go!" Hiccup called and they took off. This continued through all of the riders. Meatlug performed a couple hover moves, Snotlout tried to make Hookfang do a super duper looper and ended up in the ocean, and the twins just blew up an entire cliff while making the pass. Astrid performed admirably on Stormfly, executing several difficult spins and drops while flying. She had the fastest time by far. Astrid hopped off Stormfly and gave Hiccup a challenging look. Well, Sigrid would classify it as half challenge, half seductive.
"Beat that." She stated and patted the Deadly Nader on the neck. Hiccup's lips twitched as he tried to hold back a smirk. He slid onto Toothless and gave a mock salute to Sigrid. She leaned back against the arena walls, preparing to watch the show. The two did not disappoint. They performed mid flight barrel rolls with blasts and the echo of the wind under Toothless's wings could be heard through the trees. When they landed Hiccup looked to Fishlegs at the sundial.
"Well?" Fishlegs was grinning ear to ear.
"Still faster than Stormfly. Much faster in fact. Stormfly hasn't gotten slower but it seems Toothless got faster."
"Well now, kind of makes up for the whole chicken debacle, wouldn't you say Astrid?" Hiccup threw a taunting look to the blonde and she just huffed.
"What, have you and Toothless been doing extra training?"
"No, you guys have been doing less." Hiccup stated. Before Astrid could respond he looked to Sigrid. "What did you think?" She pretended to look deep in thought for a moment.
"Well, my evaluation is that...you all are excellent flyers and I wouldn't want to be on your opposing side in a battle." She smiled. "Really, I'm very impressed. While some did go overboard with showing off-," she threw a sideways look at Snotlout and the Twins who looked away and whistled innocently. "It's clear you all have skills that have been well tested and tried. And for as much as you argue, my guess would also be that you work very well as a team." She cut a glance at Hiccup. "Which is due in no short amount to your leader."
"Well, Hiccup is technically the leader but I mean, we all know I'm the one that comes up with the great ideas." Snotlout boasted. She eyed him and he winked at her. She cleared her throat and walked calmly up to Hookfang and looked up at the stout Viking on his long neck. She smiled coyly, seductively, then without warning, placed two fingers on the side of Hookfang's neck and applied pressure. The dragon cried out, though not in pain and reared his head, sending an unprepared and screaming Snotlout into the wall of the arena face first. Hookfang's tongue lolled out in pleasure as Sigrid continued to apply pressure, now cooing to him. The others were in tears from laughing. Hiccup came up behind her.
"What did you do?!" He asked, trying to catch his breath back, a few chuckles still escaping. She smiled innocently.
"I thought Hookfang here looked tense and needed a pressure point massage. How was I to know he would be so sensitive and bunched up that he'd react on reflex?" Hiccup snorted another laugh as Astrid and the twins guffawed behind them. Snotlout picked himself up from the wall, straightening his helmet and not quite meeting her eyes, though grumbling, trying to maintain his tough guy image. Sigrid looked at Hiccup when she felt his hand on her arm.
"So, its been over 6 years since you've ridden Toothless, huh? Why don't you show us what you got up your sleeve?" He gestured to the Night Fury, who seemed to understand and immediately started slapping his tail against the ground like a puppy, eyes alight and animated. Sigrid looked at Hiccup in disbelief.
"You'd...you'd let me ride him? By myself? Are you sure?" Hiccup grinned and pulled her over to the black beast. She held her hand out and Toothless met her palm with his head. She cradled it for a moment in her other arm and then smiled. She slowly mounted the dragon and Hiccup came to her left side.
"Let me show you how to work his tail." He went through the different positions and then stepped back. "Toothless can help I'm sure, if you don't know what to do." Sigrid smirked.
"Oh I think I'll be ok." She leaned down and put her lips next to the dragon's ear. "You ready to show them what you can really do?" Toothless growled in satisfaction. His wings slowly raised and she crouched down till she was flat against the dragon's back. All was still for a moment until she shouted "Now!" Before any of the riders could even blink, they had shot out of the arena entrance and did a triple barrel roll right out of the gate, his wings abruptly opening over the sea, and then they took off like a bat out of hell. Sigrid didn't look back to see what the other riders were doing, all she was focused on was the sting of the wind, the cold on her cheeks and the magnificent beast below her. She hadn't ridden him in so long, she'd almost forgotten the raw, untamable, unholy energy of the Night Fury. She was home again.
The riders ran out of the arena to the edge of the cliff to watch the display. It was like nothing any of them had ever seen. Hiccup was in shock. The way Sigrid handled his tail and maneuvered him, it was thought she'd been riding him with that tail for years. And he knew that Toothless was the most powerful dragon on Berk, possibly in the entire world, but what he was seeing his dragon do was nothing short of unbelievable. They completed a lap around the island in record time and flipped midair, plummeting headfirst towards the sea. At the last second Toothless's wings opened and they cut across the water, leaving barely a ripple behind. After a short distance they started in a circle, the circle growing bigger, them climbing higher, the waves crashing and rising within it, their speed increasing to the point where they were nothing more than a black blur. They had practically made a water tornado when Toothless broke the circle and fired a plasma blast into the center, sending water rocketing into the air in columns around the dragon and rider. When the waves fell down again, there was the Night Fury, hovering, great wings flapping. Hiccup couldn't breathe. Nobody said a word. The two flew back to the group and landed in front of them on the cliff. Sigrid blew her wild, wind blown hair out of her eyes and grinned at them, her expression one of pure joy. Toothless looked happy too, happier than maybe Hiccup had ever seen him.
"So? How'd we do?"