Chapter 10: The Agreement
Cami walking down her path in the woods towards the clearing where she practiced shooting. As she walked, she thought about the past few months in Berk.
The healer said Astrid was due to have her baby any day now. Hiccup and Astrid were very nervous, but excited. Stoick told Cami that he had no idea how he felt about a new sibling, but he wanted it to be a boy.
Hiccup asked Cami everyday to tell him where the dragon hunters were. And everyday she said no. Some days she told him her reasons, others she just said no and walked away. The past few days, he started telling her why it would be a good if she told him where the hunters where, not letting her tell him her reasons why it would be bad.
Allen tried to annoy her every time he saw her, but she just started talking to Deathclaws, and even taught the dragon how to pick up Allen, throw him in the air, and catch him. Stoick thought that trick was hilarious.
Astrid had started to warm up to Cami. She would invite Cami to her house on afternoons when the healer said to stay inside. They would talk about different things, and most days Cami would cook supper after the day Astrid threw up in the soup. (And because Cami knew that Astrid was an awful cook and Astrid didn't want to admit it.) Cami only stayed for supper a few days, preferring to catch fish with Starblaze and roast them, even if Astrid was disappointed when she left. Sometimes Astrid would tell her stories of the dragon hunters she and her friends fought when they were young. Cami only told her a few of her own stories, not wanting Astrid to hear too much about the evil men. Cami hadn't told anyone else these stories, but Stoick always asked her what it was like.
She always told him that is was like a nightmare.
Lost in her thoughts, Cami burst into the clearing and shot three arrows at her makeshift target without thinking.
She practiced all morning, some on the ground and some on Starblaze. Cami had been teaching herself to aim while Starblaze was flying. Cami looked at the sun, it was almost noon. Astrid asked her that morning if she would come over earlier today.
Sighing, Cami said, "Well Starblaze, time to go to the Haddock's."
.: Ugh, but you go over there everyday! :.
"I know, but I said I would! Can you give me a ride?"
Starblaze got up from her patch of ice that served as her bed and huffed. .: Sure. :.
"Thanks!"
Cami was walking up the hill when she saw Astrid opening the door and leading Stormfly out of the house. She could hear the dragon yelling.
.: We are going flying right now! If I don't get out of this stinking house soon, I'll- :.
The dragon's voice was drown out by Astrid. "Oh hello Cami, we were just about to go get you so we could go flying!" Astrid's belly was huge, and she wasn't supposed to fly.
"Astrid..."
"Listen, I know what you're going to say, but Stormfly is starting to go crazy and once I have the baby I won't go fly for a long time, and this is my last chance!" Astrid said quickly.
Cami saw how much Astrid wanted to go flying. She said, "Ok, I'll go with you, but we have to take it easy, alright?"
Astrid nodded and jumped on Stormfly. Stormfly and Starblaze launched through the air at the same time, Starblaze doing a flip, and glided over Berk. After a few minutes, Hiccup and Stoick flew beside them.
"Astrid! Your not supposed to be flying!" Hiccup called to his wife. Stoick flew beside Cami, and winked.
"Hiccup, I'll be fine!" Astrid called back, then turned to Cami, "Race you to the cliff!"
Starblaze shot forward, much faster that any other dragon. Except maybe Toothless, but Hiccup stayed behind with Astrid. She landed on the cliff and watched the others fly closer.
As the riders got closer, Cami could tell something was wrong. Astrid was laying her head on Stormfly, and Hiccup and Stoick were getting as close as possible to her. They landed, and Hiccup helped Astrid off Stormfly. Astrid's face was tight with pain, and Cami knew immediately what was wrong.
"Stoick! Go get the healer! Hiccup, I'll help Astrid. Can you get some fresh water?" Stoick turned towards Berk, and Hiccup ran to the stream by the trees. Cami took her bow off her back and unlatched the quiver from her belt. Then she helped Astrid to a sitting position with her back on a rock, and said, "It's ok Astrid, you're going to be fine." Hiccup came back with the water and some bandages and set the items on the ground, and took Astrid's hand.
Stoick came back with the healer riding behind him on Norbert, her Terror on her shoulder. When they landed, he saw Cami washing her hands in the stream, and Astrid holding a baby in her arms. His new brother or sister. The healer rushed to help, and Cami walked to Stoick.
"It's a boy." Cami told him, and Stoick grinned.
"How did you know what to do?" He asked her.
"Well, I was the closest thing to a healer at the dragon port, so I did this kind of thing a lot." As Cami talked, Stoick listened carefully. She hadn't told him anything about her life before Berk.
Astrid motioned for Stoick to come to her. When he sat down beside her she said, "His name is Caiden."
Stoick grinned and looked at Cami. She had her back turned to them, trying to distract the dragons so the Haddock family could have a moment. He turned back to his mom, then asked, "Can I hold him?"
Astrid nodded, then gave Stoick the baby. He held Caiden close to his chest, watching his brother sleep. Hiccup wrapped his arm around Astrid, and Astrid sighed.
The healer said, "We need to get back to Berk."
Astrid nodded and stood up. "I'll ride with Hiccup," she said, taking Caiden in her arms. "Stormfly can follow us."
Stoick got to his feet and walked to the dragons. He helped the healer climb on Norbert, then climbed in the saddle. They all headed to Berk.
Cami was sitting on the grass outside the healer's house, talking to the dragons- except for the healer's Terror of course, he was helping inside.
.: Is she going to be ok? Why did she have a egg with no eggshell? :. Stormfly worriedly squawked.
"That's how humans have their babies, Stormfly. We don't have eggs." Cami told her for the third time.
.: Stormfly, Astrid is going to be fine. Hiccup is there, he will take care of her. :. Toothless told her and made a circle heating up the ground with his fire, then laid down. Starblaze did the same behind Cami, except with ice of course.
Right then, Deathclaws walked up behind Cami and blew into her hair.
"Oh! Hello Deathclaws, where's Allen?" she asked him.
.: Right behind you. :.
Cami spun around to see Allen standing over her, his arms crossed. She shivered at bit as the image reminded her of the dragon hunters, but she pushed the feeling away as she stood up.
Even when she was standing up, Allen was at least six inches taller than her. He was the same height as Stoick, but somehow Allen's posture made her feel smaller than she actually was.
Allen looked around at the dragons laying on the grass, and Stormfly pacing and stretching her wings. "So, Astrid had her baby?" Allen said, his voice sounding annoyed. Cami nodded and walked to Deathclaws and rubbed behind his horns.
.: Ahh yes, right there. That's the spot. :. He said, purring with pleasure. Allen looked very uncomfortable, which made Cami fully face Deathclaws so Allen didn't see her smile.
Stoick walked out the front door and towards Allen. "How's your mom?" Allen asked.
Stoick shrugged. "She's fine, just tired."
Allen shrugged and said, "That would make anyone tired. See you around. Let's go,
Deathclaws."
Cami sat back down on the grass, crossing her legs. Stoick sat beside her, and asked, "Can you really talk to the dragons?"
Cami picked at the skin on her fingers, but said, "I guess anyone can talk to dragons, the hard part is understanding what they say to you."
Stoick sighed, "You're as stubborn as Mom. You didn't answer my question."
Cami didn't want to talk about it. Fortunately, right then Hiccup opened the door and said, "Stoick, I need you to come in here for a few minutes."
Two days later
"Cami! I can't stand it anymore! Caiden won't stop crying!" Stoick yelled as he ran to her. Cami jumped when he got close enough to touch her, Stoick stopped and said, "Oh, sorry Cami, I didn't mean to-"
"It's fine," she interrupted, not liking Stoick apologizing for something that wasn't his fault. "So what did you say about Caiden?"
Stoick dramatically sighed and ran his hands through his hair. "He won't stop crying! I'm going to go crazy if this keeps up!"
Cami laughed. "I'm sure its not that bad. Can I go see him?"
Stoick nodded and lead her to his house, where, sure enough, Caiden was crying.
"Cami! I'm so glad you're here!" Astrid said loudly over Caiden.
Cami outstretched her arms, and without hesitating, Astrid handed over the baby. Cami hummed a tune that her friend from the dragon port had taught her, and swayed Caiden back and forth. After a few minutes, Caiden sniffed and fell asleep.
"Wow Cami, you need to just keep him!" Stoick whispered, and Cami laid the baby in a cradle in the corner and rocked him. When she stopped rocking, Caiden started to wake up. Cami rocked more, and he fell back asleep.
"Stoick, will you rock him?" Cami asked. Stoick sat down beside his brother and rocked the cradle. Then Cami turned to Astrid. "You should get some sleep. I'll cook supper for you guys."
Astrid said, "Thank you so much Cami."
A half a hour later, Hiccup walked in the door. He looked around to see Stoick sharpening his axe and rocking the cradle with his foot, and Cami mashing potatoes. "Is Astrid asleep?" Hiccup asked Stoick. Stoick nodded and put his axe down. Hiccup sighed heavily, "Cami I need you to tell me where the hunters are. Everyone is upset that there are still hunters out there."
Cami turned around, holding the bowl of potatoes. "Hiccup, I'll tell you what you want to know, but-" she said, pointing her spoon at him, "we have to do this my way."
Hiccup nodded seriously and said, "We will hold a meeting tomorrow."
We made it to double-digits! So Astrid had her baby and Cami's going to tell Hiccup! Now y'all get to sit on that cliff hanger for a while! (Insert evil laughter here) Thanks for reading and please review!