Berk was enveloped in darkness and a chill was spreading through the village. But there was something else on the air that night, something besides the cold, and it was keeping Hiccup awake. He tossed and turned in his sleep causing Astrid to groan beside him.
"Hiccup would you stop moving. It's freezing and you keep tugging the blanket off me and moving around." She grumbled as she pulled the blanket back over herself. Hiccup groaned and slid out of the bed his legs over the side of the bed and sat up, rubbing his eyes with his palms.
"Errr, don't get out of the bed... Now I'm really cold." She rolled over again and tried to pull him back down onto the bed.
"I'm going to take a quick walk, check on a few things... Something's up, I can feel it."
"Switch off the paranoid father and chief thing please. I need my husband to curl up and sleep next to me and keep me warm." She tugged on his arms trying to get him to budge. He stood up and pulled on his tunic.
"I might be able to sleep after I've checked a few things." He whispered turning around and kissing her on the forehead. She made a vague noise and Hiccup smiled. "I'll definitely be able to sleep after I've checked on things. I promise."
"Eurgh, fine, just be quick about it." She smirked and lay back down. Hiccup smiled more and walked out of the room. He'd check on Finn first, and then Camicazi, she was sleeping with Stormfly and Toothless at the moment, at her own insistence. She'd refused to let anyone give up their bed for her and said she'd prefer it to sleeping on the floor. Hiccup pushed open the door of Finn's room and poked his head inside; the young Timberjack raised her head sleepily and looked at him with weary eyes. He put a finger to his lips and tiptoed in a little more, he stroked her head softly and crept over to Finn's bed and looked down on his sleeping son's face. Finn's face was ever so slightly screwed up and Hiccup could tell he was dreaming. Smiling he left the room to check on Camicazi.
He crept out to where the dragons were curled up asleep, Hiccup gestured to a sleepy Toothless to raise his wing so Hiccup could see Camicazi... But she was not there. Hiccup was about to panic and scream out to the whole village when he noticed a small figure darting towards in the direction of the academy.
It suddenly occurred to Hiccup that she probably wanted to see Sparky, he was still in the academy for safety. He patted Toothless on the head and gestured that he wanted Toothless to join him. The dragon yawned and stared at him.
"Come on bud, I want to go check she's ok, and that everything is ok. Maybe it's just having Dagur on the island but I feel like something is up." Toothless let out an annoyed grumble that clearly said he didn't want to get up. "Toothless come on bud, please. I'll give you extra cod for breakfast." He bribed. The Night Fury shifted slightly but didn't get up. "Oh come on bud, I need to check on her. Please?" Hiccup tried his hardest to get a sympathy vote from Toothless but the dragon ignored him. Hiccup sighed... It was time to stoop to the low level... "Stormfly?" The Nadder chirped and flicked Toothless lightly with her tail, he growled and she chirped again and he slowly stretched standing up and giving Hiccup the most evil look he could muster. Nuzzling Stormfly he stepped over to Hiccup and allowed him to climb onto his back.
"Females huh bud? Make you do things you don't want to." Hiccup chuckled patting his friend; the dragon grumbled his agreement and took to the skies searching for Camicazi.
They flew low over the academy... but she wasn't there, and the people Hiccup had left to guard the Skrill were unconscious.
"Oh no..." Hiccup said as he looked down at the scene... "Bud..." But Toothless already knew what Hiccup was going to say and flew into the academy to check for the Skrill before going to find Camicazi. "Sparky? Are you here? Cami?"
The restraining chains were undone and the Skrill gone... and there was no sign of Camicazi at all. Hiccup panicked, Dagur was still on the island... he wanted that Skrill... what if he took her? Or what if everything this afternoon had been a smoke screen, what if she was leaving anyway? He had to find her.