Astrid felt like a fool and an idiot and whatever the combination of those two things was called. Darkness had set in with only the faintest line of red lighting up the horizon like a bloody cut across the sky and water. Her eyes were glued to the sky, where the first sprinkling of stars was making its appearance. She imagined what she looked like, just some pretty girl hanging around the dock in a romantic and poetic fashion, if anyone had the time to think much of such things. If she had seen any girl staring off into the water and sky she would have thought them way too silly. Could they not be more productive? Having a boyfriend had done little to make her into a romantic. Fortunately, she had brought her battleaxe with her, freshly sharpened and cleaned. She wasn't sure why she had brought with her. Would this Hrist demand a show? Was it some subconscious desire to impress the Valkyrie?

"She's late," Ruffnut said, throwing a rock into the water. It landed with a distinct plop. "Apparently Valkyries don't know punctuality. That's kind of cool. She'll probably surprise us. We're totally going to have to be ready."

"You think she'll come, then?" Astrid asked.

Ruffnut sighed and laid back on the dock, legs still crossed. The girl was unbelievably flexible. "I'm bored. Why are we doing this again?"

With an unbelievably short attention span. Astrid let the axe fall to the dock. "I thought it was your idea."

Ruff snorted. "My idea? How is this my idea? I walk up to you, all "Hey Astrid, remember that freaky incident with the Valkyrie tart?" And you gave me this dirty look, because you're excellent at dirty looks. And then I comment "Wow, you're more determined that usual to split that support beam in two and send the entire structure tumbling." Which would have been amazing to watch, I think we can both agree to that. And so you fling the axe away, nearly split someone's skull, and ask what I'm thinking about. You've been distracted all day."

That was true. She had been distracted all day. An immortal Valkyrie showing up would do that to a person. She took a deep breath, blew out it slowly, and picked up the axe again. The weight of it was trustworthy and familiar. There was nothing like a weapon she knew. "I guess I'm still distracted. Why are you here?"

"Why not be here?"

"Because it's crazy."

"I like crazy. I can't believe I didn't agree to this last night!" She laughed. "I'm pretty sure this is my destiny."

"Ruff, I don't think this is a game." She sighed again and made her way across the dock to Ruffnut. Her footsteps were so loud. They would awaken the entire village and send them all staring at her and wondering what she was doing. "What if she's right? We've heard all the rumors ourselves."

"We're Vikings," Ruffnut said. "It's what we're made for. It's glory. This is so your thing. Let's be honest, you kick ass. Everyone knows it."

"What about you?"

"I'm not too bad myself." She pointed to a brightening cluster of stars. "Is that supposed to be a constellation? Because I never understood this whole constellation thing. Are Valkyries expected to know these things?"

Astrid followed Ruffnut's pointing. "It looks like… stars to me."

"That's what I thought."

Astrid considered attempting to pick out an actual constellation. A breeze had kicked up from the ocean, and that sunset wound had finally faded, giving forth all chance for that night sky to do what it did best. Was this not the perfect opportunity? Or was she just supposed to stand around feeling irritated and impatient waiting for a woman who may or may not exist? It had been next to impossible to leave the house, her father's watchful eye always on the door. The Hiccup situation. Always the Hiccup situation. A boyfriend was a silly thing for a warrior to have.

But here she was in all emotions of irritation and impatience, with Ruffnut of all people who was not known for thinking at all. Except for the most trite and admittedly amusing things. Astrid had always liked that about Ruff.

"Now, that one," Ruffnut said, changing the path of her finger. "That one has to be a constellation. Who would confirm this for me?"

"You're here."

Ruffnut sat up quickly, and Astrid turned.

Hrist stood a small number of feet away, swan feathers floating about her. She smiled, and the first hint of warmth Astrid had ever seen from the Valkyrie entered that smile. "I almost didn't expect you girls to come. I hoped you'd come, but I almost didn't expect it to be real."

"Well, we're here," said Ruffnut, jumping to her feet with a stomp and a whip of her braids. "Waiting a long, long time."

Astrid nodded in agreement. She had no time for someone who took forever. "We've reached our decisions."

Hrist removed a curved blade from her belt—the spear was nowhere this time—and ran her finger down it as her smile continued. "I hope you've thought about it, good and hard."

Astrid nodded again. Yes, she had. She had thought at all about it. She had slept on it, dreamt of it, even almost mentioned it to Hiccup before becoming terrified at the idea of what his response could be. It wasn't every day a girl was hit by the opportunity to become a Viking. Why wouldn't she be thinking about it? And with the threat to Berk, it was something that should be considered. Berk could use this. If she became a Valkyrie, she could do anything for Berk. Be its hero like she was meant to be, like her father raised her to be.

"I'm doing it," Ruffnut said way too happily. "Give me the weapons, let me kill something, whatever I'm supposed to do, let's do this."

"Odin will be happy to hear of that," Hrist replied. Then she flung her arm back with the knife clasped in her fingers and threw it. Ruffnut's eyes went wide as she ducked just in time. The knife continued its path right into the ocean. "Good reflexes, Ruffnut. Most impressive."

Her eyes then turned to Astrid, and Astrid felt the shiver she wished she did not feel. "And you? You're a prize yourself, Astrid."

"I'm not a prize!" She was surprised at her own ferocity, but the Valkyrie kind of deserved. "Yes, I'm in."

"Perfect." Hrist flicked her fingers, and from the corner of her eye Astrid could see the knife zooming through the air, water droplets clinging to it. It landed in Hrist's outstretched hand. "It seems we're going to have quite the little group here. Wonderful. I have high hopes that it will be one of the two of you that will be selected."

"Not a lot of surety here, huh?" Ruffnut said.

"It'll be all up to you and the judges."

"Judges?" Astrid echoed. "Who's judging us?"

But Hrist's mind and focus seemed to be elsewhere. "Astrid, I see you brought a weapon. Always prepared. I like that about you, it will serve you well. Ruffnut, what did you bring?"

Ruffnut blinked. "Uh…"

"Unprepared. That's fine. Take this." And once again the knife went flying at Ruffnut, who that time managed to catch it, more out of a mix of surprise, instinct, and pure luck.

Ruffnut stared at it, panting from the near-death experience. "What are we doing?"

Astrid picked up her battleaxe.

"Fighting," Hrist said.

"Each other?" Ruffnut nearly dropped the knife. "In the dark?"

What had they just gotten themselves into?"

Hrist put her hands on her hips and laughed. The effect was a giantess who had just found herself an amusing game to watch. Pure sport enjoyment. No participation from her while she still radiated the ability to kill either of them without a single thought. "I have no intention of fighting either of you at this point, and we're here in the dark. Have you not been in worse scrapes."

"Uh…" Ruff again.

"We've fought each other before," Astrid explained. That familiar axe in her hand felt suddenly heavy. "All the time."

Hrist shrugged. The smile was sharp now. Cold. "Then do it again, if you're so experienced."

Well, it was obviously a good thing Astrid had the foresight to bring a sharpened axe with her, though she hadn't expected to be fighting anyone. But if the Valkyrie demanded it, she'd do it. She lifted the axe behind her and charged at Ruff. It was not much of a charge, just a quick run across a short distance, but in her mind it lasted much longer.

"Tyr's bloody eaten hand, I only have a knife!" Ruffnut screamed. But that one little blade clanged sturdily against the axe.

An axe blade as good and heavy as Astrid's should have slashed through that skinny little blade like it was butter. She pulled the axe back and swung again. She wouldn't hit Ruffnut hard. Too hard. She knew her well enough to know she could handle it anyway.

But Ruffnut dropped to the ground. The knife blade flashed in the starlight, reflecting the ocean waves, and Astrid felt a distinct loosening around her foot. Astrid brought the axe down, knocking Ruffnut's helmet from her head.

"How do you know who wins?" Astrid called to Hrist in the sudden fear this just might be a fight to the death.

"When I say you're done," Hrist said in a sing-song voice. "You'll know. Don't worry."

Neither of them had anything as intelligent as a shield. Why had Astrid not brought a shield? The most important thing she could have.

Ruffnut slashed that Valkyrie knife right through her other boot.

Swearing under her breath, Astrid swung the blunt edge of the axe blade into Ruffnut's arm, then reached down and tore off the remains of her boots. Her bare feet nearly froze to the cold wood of the dock. It was splintery and gritty with salt.

Ruffnut rolled across the dock before jumping back to her feet. That crazy feline grin was already on her face. "Such a bulky axe there, Astrid!"

Astrid was struck by how odd it was that both of them just agreed to this fight without a qualm. She gritted her teeth and ran toward Astrid, axe ready to swing again. She could be careful. Playfighting was the norm.

But the knife moved again, and a sharp pain pierced Astrid's forearm. She kicked, a low form of fighting, but it was instinctive. She kicked her bare foot hard into Ruffnut's leg and shoved the axe blade against her shoulder. The force of both things was just enough to send Ruffnut, with a surprised scream, off the dock and into the water.

Astrid stumbled back, gasping. She dropped the axe onto the dock and studied her arm. It wasn't a deep cut, technically a scrape, but it was long and bloody. Ruffnut was way too sneaky.

"Congratulations, Astrid! You've won!" Hrist set herself into her own personal round of applause.

"What about me?" Ruffnut called from below.

Hrist ignored her. "First winner of the night, though I have to say that was, excuse the language, a girly fight."

Astrid glanced into the water, where a soaking Ruffnut was climbing up the dock posts. "Girly fight? Did you want me to kill her?"

"She injured you," Hrist said lightly. "And I think you did something to her arm with that axe blade of yours. Very impressive. Your usual weapon?"

Astrid shrugged.

"I think I prefer night," Hrist continued, "If that's fine with the two of you."

Astrid nodded, unsure of what to say.

"We can't stay on the docks, though. Too much risk of drowning, being seen. I'll decide on it later. Practice, both of you. You hear that, Ruffnut?" Hrist called down to Ruffnut, who was not even halfway back up.

"Bite me," was Ruffnut's response.

"I'll take that as a yes." And with that, she was gone.

When Ruffnut was in reach, Astrid pulled her, dripping, onto the dock.

"That lady is crazy," Ruffnut said between gasps.

"Agreed."

"How's your arm?" Ruffnut began to twist the water from her braids.

The bleeding had stopped. "Fine. How's your arm?"

"I can't really feel it, actually. Great hit."

Was that supposed to be a compliment?