They had left.
Hiccup and his people stood on the cliff and watched after the dragons until they got out of sight.
They flew directly towards the setting sun.
At last they looked like a tiny flickering cloud, that disappeared behind the edge of the world.
The most people left and headed to their huts, each full of feelings. Many were relieved to not having to share their houses, beds, food, space, life anymore with the reptiles. And there would be no more the evil ones raiding the village to steal, harm or kill the dragons.
They were looking forward to the calmness.
The most felt sorry – they would have to walk or use the bullock cart to get where they wanted. Life would become more exhausting, demanding without the dragonly helpers.
Later all had gone. Except the friends.
There were the dragon riders.
Hiccup wasn`t able to believe what had happened yet.
It had been the only wise decision, everything else wouldn`t have been decent, but selfish.
Luckily the others shared his thoughts.
The dragons would go to where they were safe.
But it hurt.
It hurt so much, that Hiccup believed his heart tore apart.
The sun went down finally and it became dark.
Summer was not even gone, but fall hadn`t fully arrived. The air was cool and clear and helped Hiccup to keep his mind straight. He had to as the chief.
But the sorrow wouldn`t go away and he wanted to believe that the air was still full of the dragons` breaths. He wanted to share this air and fill his lungs with the very last remaining of the mystical creatures.
Astrid stood by his side, tears running down her pale face, the eyes were red and so was her nose. She sniffed and sat down.
Then she reached for Hiccups hand and he also sat down on the cool grass that was trampled by the dragons. They both ran their hands over the broken stalks and sighed after a long, deep breath.
Fishlegs still held the carrier of his baby dragon in his hands. He had dedicated his life to the dragons, there was hardly a thing he didn`t know about them.
Full of disbelief he looked down to the empty carrier and finally he took place near behind Astrid and Hiccup and waited. He waited for the pain to come, but there mainly was an overwhelming gratitude.
For 6 years he had the greatest time of his life, which he never could have dreamed of this way.
Sad but glad he leaned back and looked up to the stars.
Snotlout was glad Fishlegs sat next to him – he orientated on his behaviour. If Fishlegs took it like a real man he could do it, too.
Inside he was crying and sometimes he couldn`t stop a tear from falling. He felt confused. Mostly angry! What gave Hiccup the right to send all the dragons away? How could he dare? But they haven`t been safe, haven`t ever since.
First the tribe fought the dragons, then they tried to protect them from the people who threatened them. No, the dragons never had been safe. They belonged to their world, hidden in the sea. Snotlout understood. But he was so damn upset. Better kept his mouth shut.
„We`ll never see them again, will we?" Tuffnut mumbled and took off his helmet.
He stood several feet behind the group.
He had taken his „thick beard" and stuck it at the back of the head.
Ruffnut shook her head.
Then she whispered, barely hearable „No, we won`t, bro."
Then there was silence, until this noise!
It sounded like a wounded animal, a dry cry out of Tuffnut`s throat.
He sunk to his knees, bending over, trembling and shaking, while crying in deepest grief.
Frightened Ruff knelt next to him and pulled his head onto her lap.
She stroke Tuff`s back in a pathetic attempt to soothe him, but Tuff wasn`t there. Ruff had to pull herself together for not to lose her shit as well.
Immidiately the gang gathered around the twins.
Hiccup was briefly overstrained. He hadn`t expected Tuff to react like that. There was the word „tough" in his name, for Thor´s sake! Now the young viking sobbed bitterly and shed more tears than Hiccup thought one person could shed without running dry.
But within seconds he knew, what to do. He also knelt and held his friend.
And so did all the buddies.
There were no words, just hugs.
Even Astrid felt heartbroken at this pile miserable.
They all squeezed together, stroking each others faces, patting each other on the backs, laying their arms around another.
Snotlout had to breathe in a very controlled manner to avoid a breakdown on his own.
Time went by, the stars sparkled bright at the cloudless night sky.
The friends all laid in the grass which slowly became moist, hands on Tuff`s back or legs, while he laid like an embryo, his head still rested on his sister´s lap.
It was cold and all froze.
Tuff had calmed down.
He got out of the pile and stood up, wiped his face and breathed intensely.
„Gotta get out of this suit! I feel like in a roaster. And I gotta pee really bad. Hey Ruff, I need your helping hand, let`s go home." he said and reached for his sister´s hand to pull her up.
„Ugh!" Astrid snorted.
„Help for getting out of the suit, lady! The shutter is on my back. Come on Ruff, otherwise I can`t make it!"
Ruff got on her feet and rolled her eyes. „Welcome back, big baby! Thought I lost you and got a still tinier version of you instead!" „Yeah, fine sis, no time for mocking!"
The twins left, Tuff pulled Ruff roughly at her arm behind him.
She complained and scolded the whole way, but her voice abated soon.
The gang stared after them.
„When you think you have experienced all of them they actually manage to surprise you." Fishlegs said.
„Yep. I bet he´ll pee his pants!" Snotlout grunted.
„Lout!" Hiccup exhorted him. But then he had to laugh.
He laughed and held his belly which started hurting. And everyone else fell into laughter.
Fishlegs dried his eyes. „ I would like to bet against it," he spluttered, „but I don`t think he`ll make it either." When he was ready chuckling Fishlegs added „I actually meant this outburst!"
Snotlout stated „yep, he WILL burst."
„Oh come on, seriously!"
„Sorry, I´m beyond tired. After tired comes stupid."
Hiccup took a deep breath. „Time to go home. Will you come over to my hut, Astrid?" he asked and Astrid nodded. „Yeah, no good night to spend too much time on my own." she mumbled.
And so they went home to find some sleep.
They didn´t look to the stables which laid abandoned in the dark. They didn`t listen to the silence, where no dragon snored or growled. They tried not to think about the dragons at all.
Fishlegs didn´t have the power to undress, he just laid down and stared to the ceiling.
There was nothing to hear and this silence roared in his ears.
Snotlout fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow, but his sleep was restless and the dreams were cruel. All the tears he didn`t manage to release while awake found their way out that night, as he cried unconsciously.
Astrid and Hiccup helped each other out of the suits and quick slipped into linen shirts, washed their faces and rinsed their mouthes.
Then they laid down on Hiccup`s bed, sharing the blanket of yak fur.
Astrid trembled in Hiccup`s arms as the inner cold and the efforts of the day made their way out of the depth.
Hiccup pulled Astrid as near as he could.
"Sleep well, beloved!" he said and fell asleep immidiately.
He didn`t notice Astrid cried herself to sleep.