Where I Belong
Author: Nightstar Fury
Rating: M
Pairing: Hiccup/Astrid
Disclaimer: I don't own the HTTYD movies, or any of the HTTYD series such as Riders of Berk, Defenders of Berk, or Race To The Edge.
Rescued & Captured
Astrid and Stoick were concerned for Hiccup, he hadn't said a word since they left the nest headed West to apparently search for Valka. It had been strange, Hiccup felt as soon as the sun rose that something was wrong. He wasted not a moment finding the map of Valka's usual rescue spot and locating where she would have been for this rescue. All he said was that even with two people it was difficult to escape, did that mean Hiccup knew she was in some kind of trouble? He wouldn't talk, just kept his eyes forward ahead of them leading the arrow formation again. Up until a few hours ago, they thought he hated his mother but finding out she went to an assumed dangerous area his whole demeanor seemed to change to one of worry and protection. Not wanting to aggravate him, they just stayed quiet following him West of the ice nest to where ever this location was.
"When we get there, stay as high up as you can." Hiccup said a little too calmly. Finally they both looked to Hiccup who was still facing forward. "This is dangerous, beyond the training I gave you because I felt you'd never need it of this magnitude. My mother and I have faced off against this guy before and he's a complete psychopath. Not in the laugh manically way either. He's smart, calm, quick and travels in 100 ship armadas."
"Then...how are you going to beat him?" Astrid asked.
"I don't intend too. I know I can't, I've tried before and at the time...I just wasn't strong enough. If he has my mother...Its going to be really hard to rescue her...As I said, you are not trained for this and I don't want either of you getting captured as well. Stay up and out of arrow, net, and grappling hook range. I'll deal with saving mom..." Hiccup told them.
"Alright, Hiccup. Just...be careful." Stoick nodded, Astrid did the same. Toothless warbled to Hiccup as he stroked the top of his dragon's head. Hiccup glanced back only a second at them, an almost sad but determined too.
"Don't worry about me. Just get to safety if you have too...Let's go Toothless." Hiccup said as before they could ask him what he meant, Toothless dove down below the clouds. Filled with worry Stoick and Astrid flew slightly lower in order to see what was going on, only for them to see Hiccup headed towards the mass of ships but nowhere in sight to be seen by people. He was flying low between the boats weaving in and out as if he were looking for something. They watched in amazement, such stealth and precision flying. As they watched more, they saw he was tapping on each ship with the hilt of his Inferno then he'd keep flying before someone spotted him when they looked over the side.
While Hiccup was doing this, he was listening closely until he got his response. A tap back. From Astrid's and Stoick's view they saw a total of five ships, one being the lead while the other followed a few feet behind to avoid colliding with one another. They saw Hiccup pull something from his bag, it looked like a small brown bag that he shot at the ship side as it exploded with some pain marking the ship with a red splotch on it. Hiccup now backed off as he pulled Inferno off his hip again and turned to release the side with Zippleback gas. Stoick and Astrid had no idea what he was doing but they were curious too. Hiccup unleashed the gas, he flew around the boat several times at high speed until there was a huge cloud of it then he went above the sides where he could be seen and grinned almost. "It's the boy!" Someone yelled.
"Flames away boys!" Hiccup sparked the gas cloud and did a back flip as it exploded and rocked the ship making the men fall or have to hold onto something to avoid going overboard. Hiccup stood on Toothless's back then jumped down onto the deck with Inferno pulled, suddenly Astrid and Stoick could see Hiccup taking on the men by himself with hardly and trouble at all. Hiccup was skinny, agile, and flexible but strong too. Astrid personally had a good look at the muscles under that armor of his. She couldn't help but smile wide seeing him in action like this. Hiccup made it below and he was out of sight from them. Toothless stayed up and out of range blasting and taking out other ships by blasting holes along the sides of them and making them slowly take on water but it was fast enough that men couldn't stop it.
Now below deck, Hiccup found his mother laying near unconsciousness in a cell. Using his dagger he pried the lock off and rushed inside to get her out. "Come on, get up. Don't you dare knock out on me..." Hiccup urged his mother, but she was weak and looked injured. Hiccup crouched down and got her on his back, she forced herself to hold on to him.
"How did..." She began.
"Escape now, questions later! Where's Cloud Jumper?" Hiccup asked quickly. He didn't need her answer, he saw the ceiling above them crack open. Looking up he saw Toothless and Cloud Jumper there looking down at him. "Great work guys, lets get out of here." Hiccup smiled as he climbed on Toothless and they headed up and out. Hiccup headed towards his father and Astrid but a grappling chain shot up and wrapped around Toothless preventing them from flying away."NO!" Hiccup yelled, "Cloud Jumper...Take her! Go, get out of here now." Hiccup yelled, the four winged dragon swooped in and grabbed his mother them flew out of range.
"Hiccup! What about you!" Astrid yelled.
"Don't worry about me! Get to safety! GO! Get back to the ice nest, I'll meet you there!" Hiccup yelled. Stoick and Astrid looked at one another. "GET OUT OF HERE!" Hiccup yelled loudly, they quickly turned and left on their dragons. Cloud Jumper leading them towards the nest, but both filled with worry for Hiccup. The last thing Astrid saw was Hiccup get dragged onto the ship, Toothless muzzled and restrained while Hiccup had his arms tied behind his back and forced on his knees.
"Don't worry...He'll be alright." Valka forced out seeing Astrid's worried face.
"Says the woman who neglected her own son for dragons!" Astrid huffed, "He came out here to save you, and he got himself captured!"
"Astrid, enough..." Stoick said as he glanced to Valka who was looking miserable, "How can you be so sure, Valka..."
"It's happened before, he saved me and got himself captured doing it but somehow he got away and returned to the nest...No matter how I treated him, he still...kept me safe and returned..." Valka said.
"How long did it take him?" Astrid remarked.
"A day..." Valka replied, now filled with more worry all they could do is keep flying to the nest and prayed Hiccup would make it back soon. If not, Stoick already had plans to find these people and save his son. "Trust him, Stoick...He'll get free and he'll come back..."
"I hope you are right." Stoick and Astrid said together. They reached the nest in three hours, Stoick of course tended to Valka's injuries and then they sat around waiting for any sign of Hiccup and praying he was alright, and hopefully finding a way back to the nest.