They arrived to statues frozen mid run. Screams and chitters abound, coming from every direction. Blurs zipped by. Another Viking stilled. Three Speedstingers rushed a Viking guarding a fallen and still woman. Purple fire slammed stone. The Speedstingers halted. A shrill screech reverberated. Astrid watched the Speedstingers jerk. They wheeled. Ran away. Astrid glared at the black blur. That was not staying in the shadows. She pointed to the Vikings instead of hollering. They were more important than the new Night Fury.
"Grab them," Astrid ordered.
Meatlug, and Boulder lifted both. Astrid's eyes narrowed. It was Baneson and his mother. Hilda did not move. Baneson hissed and snarled but remained still as well.
"Now what?" Fishlegs asked.
"To the cove."
Fishlegs nodded. Meatlug and Boulder flew up and out of the village. Astrid looked around. More screams and more chitters. More shrill screeches. More still Vikings. Roars inland echoed. Dragons rose. A wave of scales and wings thundered towards the village. Astrid welcomed the sight.
"Get everyone out!"
"Left. I see a mast!"
Toothless banked left. Hiccup eyes studied Johann's ship, spying the merchant near to a stack of crates. Toothless hovered over the ship then landed.
"Oh, Master Hiccup, you are a sight for these weary eyes. I almost hopped overboard and walked to Berk."
Hiccup smiled, happy to find the man still alive and little worse for the wear.
"Now you don't have to," he said. "That is if you don't mind a ride back."
"Oh my, will that be too much for the dragon?"
[Why does everyone assumed I can't carry them?]
Johann backed up, looking from Toothless to Hiccup. Hiccup lifted a hand.
"It's okay. He's just making noises. He's a very talkative dragon. As for being able to carry you, he's carried myself and my dad at the same time."
"Oh, well, then thank you, Master Hiccup. I would relish getting somewhere warm. Had to hunker down below buried under furs I picked up at Breakneck Bog. Came up only to see if I could sail. I hit ice in every direction."
"Climb up and grab my shoulders, Johann. We'll get you to Berk and by the fire in the Great Hall in no time at all."
"Oh, that does sound lovely," Johann said as he gingerly mounted the dragon and gripped Hiccup's shoulders.
Hiccup tapped Toothless' neck. Toothless hopped onto the ship's railing and then lifted into the air.
"Oh, my," Johann exclaimed when Toothless leveled out. "I have seen you all ride whenever my travels bring to Berk, but to be here, now, words fail me. Master Hiccup, you have opened a door to something marvelous. Vikings all over need but to be lifted to the clouds and no dragon would ever be killed again."
"If only that were so," Hiccup said sadly as Toothless banked back towards Berk.
"How long will it be until we arrive?" Johann asked.
"In time for morning meal. You almost made it."
"I see. Well, we shall just have to pass the time with stories of my journeys. I am sure they shall warm your heart, Master Hiccup, and stoke the fires of your imagination. Did I ever tell you how I faced off against the man-eating metal masons of Minorri Majjori?"
Toothless tilted his head. Hiccup stared down at his brother with a resigned look upon his face. Toothless chortled. Hiccup gave his brother a half-heated glare while Johann droned on seemingly unaware of the silent exchange between rider and dragon.
"Fishlegs," Astrid began, "go back to the village and make sure we got everyone."
"Wait, why me?"
In answer, Astrid gestured to the other Riders. Snotlout had gotten stung when Hookfang dove to pick up Phelgma. Wingblaze caught Snotlout and both dragons made a beeline for the cove. Now Snotlout stood, unable to stop Ruff and Tuff from using his own hands to smack his face repeatedly.
"And what about Gyda?"
Astrid's eyes narrowed. Fishlegs sighed.
"Okay, okay," he said. "Let's go, Meatlug."
He clambered into the saddle. Boulder glanced at Astrid. She nodded. Boulder lowered his head but did not spread his wings. He then turned to Meatlug and when she lifted into the air, he followed her. They rose above the rim of the cove's walls and banked for the village.
"What gives ye the right ta give orders?" a new voice asked.
Astrid spun, finding the helmsman from the Shivering Shores standing just behind her. She stared at him, eyes narrowed.
"I'm Hiccup's second in command in the Dragon Riders."
The man frowned. "But it be only Stoick dat be stung. Da Council not take over?"
"You are very inquisitive," Astrid said, turning and walking away.
To her annoyance, the man walked along beside her. She heard the tread of Stormfly and Windwalker following behind. Dragons from the nest, all who came to aid when Iggy and Buttercup reached Lorekeeper and told him of the attack, watched her walk by. She felt their eyes. Before the war that would have unnerved her. Now, it served to give her measure of safety. Should the helmsman's intention switch from questioning to something more unwelcomed, Astrid knew all the dragons would rush to her aid. The helmsman would be lucky if he survived their desire to protect her.
"I am just confused," the man said as they walked through the cove. "Back home, ifen da chief be unable ta be chief, his second step in. Far as I've ever known, Gobber be Stoick's second."
"She be chieftess 'long side Hiccup in time," Gobber said, intercepting them. "Might as well get da experience now."
Astrid smiled at Gobber, grateful. He tipped his head. Astrid took that moment to slip away. She headed for Gyda and Shadowfire, who sat near to the Fireworm's cave. Several of the small dragons dotted the cove floor. Iggy and Buttercup once again proving their insight into what was needed when. They had flown into the caverns and spoke to the older Fireworm. Now the small dragons kept everyone warm.
Gyda looked up as Astrid sat down. Astrid looked around, finding no one nearby. She turned back to Gyda.
"Where?"
In answer, Gyda looked up to the rim above the cave and then laid her head back against the rock behind her. Astrid sighed. Just after the dragons of the nest arrived, the new Night Fury managed to run the Speedstingers out of the village completely. His shrill screech somehow disorienting them to the point the biggest one squawked, spun, and ran. The pack, which seemed to consist of hundreds, followed.
Astrid had no idea if the Speedstingers would return, so she did rescind her order that the village be moved to the cove. At least there, they could have a line of dragons around the rim, and at the sea opening of the cove. Let the Speedstingers come then.
The Night Furry had followed, but seemed wiling to remain unseen now. That actually took a weight off of Astrid's shoulders. With the Night Fury out of the cove, there would be less question from the Vikings able to move and speak. Right now was not the time for any of that. Right now everyone needed to regroup. Plans of a counterattack could come after the injured were treated. The un-paralyzed settled. Inquires about another of a species once thought so elusive that many believed Toothless the only one would wait until the threat was elimated and the tribe returned to their homes.
"How are the hatchlings doing?" Astrid asked, looking around.
The Nadder and Gronckle Dervla was housing had aided Frostfire and Palewing in getting their hatchlings out of Gyda's house and to the cove. She spied the Nadder and Gronckle watching over the Nadder's sleeping siblings halfway down the cove, near to the rock where Hiccup first told Astrid he loved her. Astrid turned back to Gyda, forcing her mind away from that memory. Hiccup was still out with his brothers looking for Johann. Remembering that day would only cause the longing for Hiccup's presence to threaten to overwhelm her. That was something she did not need either. She had to remain strong. She had to keep everything together. She owed it to Hiccup to not let his nest fall apart.
She smiled when she found Wildfire and two smaller Fireworms chasing each other in the grass. Icewing stayed right beside Shadowfire's foreleg. Shadowfire had his head curled near to Icewing and he crooned softly to the hatchling. Astrid frowned. She could not see Snowfire. Gyda pointed to her right arm. Astrid tilted her head, noting Gyda held the arm as if it was broken and she had to keep it tucked close to her.
"He's in there. Everything scared him."
Astrid reached over and placed a hand against what she now could see was a lump in the robe's sleeve. A lump the exact size and shape of a small Ice Terror hatchling. Snowfire jerked, shuffling away and back as best he could.
"It's okay," Astrid whispered.
Snowfire stopped. He chittered softly. Frostfire, hopped onto Astrid's left shoulder. Her right sported Sneaky who had not left her since Hiccup, Toothless and Sharshot flew off the island. Frostfire crooned. Snowfire's small muzzle poked out. He looked around then looked to Astrid and half whined, half chittered. Frostfire lowered his muzzle to Astrid' ear.
[He's asking where his alpha is.]
"Hiccup will be back," Astrid assured the hatchling in a soft voice. Soon, I hope.
Aniarty: Hi, welcome and thank you for reading and reviewing. I'm so glad you gave the first book a chance and I'm impressed you read all the way to here in four days while having schoolwork to do. So long as nothing really bad happens, I post each day. I am glad you find the series amazing.
SnowBriar: Hey. I'm glad you like the Scauldrons and that about Gothi is interesting. I didn't actually know that about Gyda. I really chose it because I found it on the Behind the Name sight when I was making my character for School of Dragons. My character's name there is Gyda. I had heard of Golden Sun, but never played it. And didn't know you could read fanfic on a 2DS. Learn something new every day.