The Cookie Savior

A/N: Yes. This really happened. Seriously, the only difference is that they sent me text messages and not dragons. The rest is really based on true events. XD I love these guys…

"Do you know where Hillevi and Alva are?" Hiccup asked as he raised his spoon to his mouth.

Audun looked over at the doors to the Great Hall, which were closed as they had been the past twelve times or so he'd checked. "No," he said with a sigh. "But I'm sure they're around somewhere. Probably getting into mischief as usual."

"Oh, great," Fishlegs said with a roll of his eyes. "You think Alva's going to bring home another Terror?"

"Thor Almighty, I hope not," Audun replied. "I mean, yeah they've got a new house now, but that doesn't mean it will hold up any better than the last one if she keeps bringing dragons home."

"Uh…speaking of Terrors," Astrid remarked, and everyone looked around to see a familiar green dragon flying their way. Its eyes fixed on Audun and it squeaked happily as it swooped toward him, landing in the center of the table.

"Hey, isn't that…?" Snotlout began.

"Ichi," Audun finished, feeling confused. "One of Hillevi's Terrors, yes. But what is she doing here?"

"She has a note," Hiccup pointed out, gesturing to the dragon's leg, where a little scroll of paper was tied.

Frowning, Audun untied the note and unfurled the paper. It was a short message, written in Hillevi's familiar hand. Though what really alarmed him was the hurried, urgent way the words had been scrawled across the scroll.

WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY AND NEED YOUR HELP NOW!

Audun read the letter twice through before its meaning sank in. His heart pounding in fear, he leapt to his feet, letting the paper fall from his hands. Hiccup read it quickly and looked up at Audun, who was scrambling off the bench. "Do you think they're in some kind of trouble?"

"I don't know," Audun replied hurriedly. "But I'd better go and see. I'll take Phantom around the island and look for them. If there's something I can't handle I'll come back for you, all right?"

The other dragon riders nodded, their faces set in grim determination. "Let's just hope it isn't that bad," Fishlegs remarked.

"Gods, I hope not," Audun said, and he turned to leave.

But then he froze in his tracks, for another Terrible Terror, golden-brown in color, was heading his way. "Ni?" he asked.

"Hillevi sent you another one?" Astrid asked, frowning in confusion as the second Terror joined the first on the table and started eating Audun's unfinished meal.

There was a note tied to Ni's leg as well, and Audun pulled it free and read the note. He blinked, and then he moaned, "Oh you've got to be kidding me!"

The second note read:

WE'RE MAKING COOKIES AND WE NEED VANILLA!

"Huh…" Fishlegs remarked, reading the note for himself as Audun tossed it to the table irritably. "Well, at least they aren't in any danger."

"I wouldn't count on that," Astrid said under her breath, looking up at Audun's expression. He looked as if he didn't know whether to be relieved or furious so was settling for a mixture of the two.

He sat down at the table and said to Hiccup, "Can I borrow your pencil for a moment please?"

Hiccup nodded and handed it over, and on the back of the second note Audun wrote, Not having vanilla is hardly what I'd call an emergency. He then tied it to Ni's leg and sent her back to Hillevi.

They weren't waiting for long before a reply came, this time attached to the leg of Hillevi's third Terror, the dark blue Go.

PLEASE HELP US! THE FATE OF OUR COOKIES RESTS IN YOUR CAPABLE HANDS!

"Wow," Hiccup remarked. "And they accuse me of having a dramatic flair…"

Audun sighed and stood up again, pausing only to scribble, On my way across the back of this latest note and attach it to Go's leg. "I guess I'll see you guys later," he said.

"Look on the bright side," Hiccup called after him. "At least you'll get some cookies out of this deal!"

Audun left the hall and headed straight for the marketplace. There, he picked up a bottle of vanilla and then headed back home. Phantom was sleeping, so he saddled up Mojo and climbed onto the gelding's back. The old horse snorted unhappily but broke into a trot obediently as his rider directed him toward the cliff where Hillevi and Alva's new house stood. It was a lot nicer than the previous one. At least the walls were all relatively straight and the structure wasn't hanging off the cliff.

Audun slid down from Mojo's back, allowing the horse to lower his head and graze, as the door opened. "You got it?" Hillevi asked at once.

"Not even a 'hello'?" Audun said, raising his eyebrows.

"Hello," Hillevi said. "You got it?"

Audun reached into his pocket and pulled out the little bottle.

Hillevi squealed happily and promptly threw her arms around Audun in a hug that almost sent him toppling backward. He managed to maintain his footing and couldn't help but chuckle as he returned his friend's hug. "I'm happy to see you too," he remarked.

Hillevi drew back and snatched the bottle of vanilla from his hand. "Alva!" she cried, running back into the house. "He got it!"

From where he stood outside, Audun heard Alva's answering whoop of delight. Audun rolled his eyes but was still smiling as he followed Hillevi into the house, barely glancing at the swarm of Terrors that collectively crawled over each and every surface inside. When he entered the kitchen Alva hurried forward and took her turn to hug him in gratitude. "Thank you!" she cried. "I was beginning to lose hope!"

"You're welcome," Audun replied. "Though for future reference, the term 'emergency' should not be used in reference to being able or unable to bake cookies."

"Pft!" Alva scoffed. "Of course it should!"

Audun wisely chose not to contradict her. Instead he helped his friends with their task, and half an hour later they had a tray filled with delicious-smelling chocolate-chocolate chip cookies. And, as Audun savored the first bite of one, he reflected that perhaps Hiccup was right. Emergency or not, it was worth getting the vanilla for a taste of these sweet treats.

And then, looking from Hillevi to Alva as they started arguing about Alva's newest "rescued" Terror – which was currently chewing on the woodwork – Audun realized that it was worth coming out here to the cookies' rescue even without the indulgences.

Friendship was always worth it.

A/N: I love you two, you know that right? Seriously, I couldn't ask for better friends. :)

Hope you all enjoyed that!