Was it normal to be this tired? Ruffnut did not do well being tired. But the first time in she could not remember how long she was leaning against the chains surrounding the arena as they were the only things in the vicinity capable of holding her up. Sleep. Oh, but did she want sleep! But instead of sleep she had spent the past week of nights fighting Astrid, of all people, on the docks. Why was she just fighting Astrid? It wasn't like she had anything against a good midnight spar with Astrid, but it was certainly cutting down on necessary rest time which meant cutting down on health which meant cutting down on Ruffnut's notorious good mood. The first few days hadn't affected her badly; rather, the extra rush of energy and adrenaline had made her extra perky. But lately it took every little kid in the house to rouse her from her bed.

It was midmorning. At least, she thought it was midmorning. She was too tired to look at the sun, but it seemed not to many hours had passed since she had dragged herself out of bed. She yawned and stared down at the Viking warriors in the arena. She was supposed to be down there. That was how she avoided so many girlish chores these days, with the whole "Sorry, Mom, but I want to be a warrior" excuse that was a great excuse in Berk. Everyone wanted his or her kid fighting, or at least capable of ripping someone limb from limb.

There was Tuffnut, sword-locked with Snotlout. She couldn't tell who was winning and she didn't care. Guys fought so much more differently than girls. Or did they? She wasn't sure what she always thought when she was fighting, she couldn't remember. But Snotlout and Tuffnut looked like they legitimately wanted to kill each other. Cool, way cool. She yawned.

"Get down her, Ruff!" Tuffnut called up to her as Snotlout gained force on him, wild Snotlout grin growing by the second. Wow, but Snotlout could be insane. "You owe me!"

She stared at him, momentarily incapable of speech, and then decided he wasn't worth the reply. She couldn't think of anything she owed him. Yeah, watching him possibly get pulverized by Snotlout was just fine with her. She yawned again and glared at him. There. That was reply enough.

She really should be down there. She needed the practice. Desperately. Astrid was better than she had ever before realized. Already, Ruff had been knocked into the freezing ocean four times. Four ridiculously embarrassing times. And Ruff had even brought good weapons. Lighter ones that worked better with her body type and strength or whatever Fishlegs would yammer on about for her benefit. Maybe he was right, but it still wasn't helping her defeat Astrid as often as she would prefer. Oh, there had been a few glorious spars that had ended with Ruff standing above a fallen and slightly bleeding Astrid, weapon raised above her head. But match for match Astrid was still better.

And that was a problem. How strange. It had never been a problem before.

That thought gave her a little bit more energy. Probably not enough to move, but she grinned. Was there anything better than a challenge against Astrid?

"Why aren't you down there?"

Ruff sighed and turned around. She had not heard Hiccup approach, but there he was, right behind her. Hiccup. He was definitely Astrid's and Ruffnut was just fine with that, but did that at all change the concept of how freaking adorable he was? Dragon tamer boy. Now that was hot. She couldn't resist a smile meant just for him. She couldn't help it. All harmless, though if Astrid were there Ruff would certainly be on the ground at this time.

"Hiccup," she said. "Good to see you around. How goes life setting metal on fire or whatever it is you do?"

"Good, good," he replied with a nod. "Though technically the metal never gets set on fire. It melts."

Gods, he could be as dull as Fishlegs. What had she ever seen in this boy? "Good to know. Now I know everything I never wanted to know about metal."

But he had the good sense to respond with a smile. "Though I'd kill to see metal properly on fire."

"Wouldn't we all?" Well, now this had become supremely awkward. Standing above the arena, chatting it up with Hiccup. And the chat was not much of a chat. Maybe she should have stayed home and attempted chores like a proper female.

"So you're not sick or something?" he asked, scratching his ear. "I figured down there would be the first place you'd be. I don't know. You're just always supremely violent like that."

"I'm a little tired." A girl spends her life cultivating a reputation as a lunatic and when she finally gets caught not wrestling someone to the ground she has the plague.

"You look it."

The conversation was getting more dull by the second. She yawned, this time partly as a signal to Hiccup. "K, as joyous as it is to see you now and then, we both suck at small talk, so what do you want, Hiccup?"

He turned bright red. "Can't a guy have a friendly conversation?"

She glared at him.

He sighed and shook his head. "Fine. I wanted to ask you about Astrid."

Astrid. Huh. Okay, that made sense. Hiccup and Astrid were crazy about each other, why wouldn't the boy be asking about her? She glanced down at the arena, where Astrid was battling someone twice her age and size. Disgusting. "She's down there. Did you go blind?"

"Yeah, I kind of noticed her down there, Ruff," Hiccup said dryly. "Not blind yet."

"Good, because that would be a problem with you flying on dragons and all."

"Probably." He sighed again. "Great. Now I feel stupid."

"A little late." She could barely stand even with the support chains. "Just ask whatever you want to ask and maybe I'll answer."

He looked down at the ground. "I was just thinking that since you're both girls and that girls tend to talk about things and you two are pretty good friends—"

"Out with it, Hiccup."

"I was wondering if you knew what was up with her lately."

That made Ruff slightly more awake. "Huh?"

Hiccup shrugged. He looked oddly sad. Like a puppy. "It's like she's been avoiding me. She seems so distant."

Odin, how did she end up in this situation? She should have made herself march right down to the arena and break bones and make people bleed. She was Ruffnut Thorston. She was the one who was supposed to be dishing out sage relationship advice, especially for Astrid and Hiccup. "And you're asking me why?"

"If you know. I was thinking you might know."

And he expected her to answer? What was she supposed to say? That for the past some odd nights his little girlfriend had been staying up to all hours of the night practicing for the opportunity of becoming a legendary Valkyire? Yeah, the boy wanted to hear that. "Well, I don't know."

But Hiccup was relentless. "So she hasn't said anything to you at all? Like, did I make her mad? I didn't think I ever made her mad."

She sighed. "Hiccup. Boring. Don't care."

"Oh. Okay. Sorry. I just thought you might know something." Hiccup's face looked so sorrowful.

Immediately Ruff felt bad and immediately regretted feeling bad. But it was too late. She pushed herself away from the chains. "Look, I'm sorry. Didn't mean to react. I get tired and then I get moody. It's all good. She loves you and all of that. None of this has anything to do with you."

"You sure?" His face had brightened, but there was still doubt in those adorable green eyes.

She sighed. She really hated being in this position. Being sweet and gentle was totally not her. "I'm sure. You know Astrid. It's business first with her and she's really into this training thing right now. Everyone is, you know."

"Yeah, I know." It seemed he tried to hide his eye roll, but rolling of the eyes was a difficult thing to hide. "That's what everyone is doing these days. We have dragons. Amazing dragons. I think we'll be fine."

"You should be down in the arena," she said. "You're pretty good."

Hiccup gave a dry laugh and glanced down at his left foot, or what had replaced it. "Nah, I think I'll stay up here where I'm more likely to stay alive."

She nodded. "Understand completely. Maybe that's why I'm up here. Taking a morning to appreciate life. It's boring. I should go down there to kill people."

"It's where you belong. So you're sure about Astrid? She's not mad at me?"

"As far as I know, it's all good."

"Ruff!" Tuff's voice screamed up from the arena. "Get down here and help me!"

"He needs your help?" Hiccup asked as he looked down to where Tuff was fighting for his life against Snotlout's blows. "How pathetic is that?"

"Saddest thing I've ever seen," Ruff said, wondering if she should feel more sympathetic toward her brother's situation. "Well, I guess I should get down there."

"That's right, go save him." Hiccup's laugh was real that time. "Sorry for boring you."

Ruff turned back to the chains as Hiccup walked off. Did she really want to go down there? Tuff was an idiot, and it was highly doubtful Snotlout really would kill him. Snotlout was more bark than bite that way, even if he was good. And kind of cute, though she wanted to gag at that thought. Being the object of Snotlout's latest attempts at flirtation was a bore. What she really wanted to do was sleep. Yes, sleep would be the best.

Now where could she go to hide for a nap? She slunk away from the arena, happy for the risk that no one would ever wonder too much about what someone like her was doing.

There was a spot in the woods that she and Tuffnut had claimed years ago. Slightly off a common hunting trail, behind a rock and under a half-dead pine tree and only a ten-minute walk away from the village. Close, but hidden in so many ways. She made her way there, yawning all the while. She hated being tired. She was supposed to be full of energy and craziness. Wildness. That was her. Not the girl that wanted to have a nap all the time. Hence the reason for needing to hide her sleepiness at a time where everyone would assume she was somewhere else.

The woods were peaceful. Peacefulness usually disgusted her, but at this moment it suited her just fine. Peacefullness was good and sweet and cozy and the woods sure were pretty if she were allowed to think of anything in terms of prettiness. She loved the smell of the woods, the trees, the dirt, the scent of some dead or not-so-dead animal. Finally the crooked oak that marked the trail toward the nap spot appeared, and she made the turn. A quick trample through the bushes and bramble and there was that half-dead pine tree up ahead. She could hide out there for a few hours in the place that she and Tuff used to pretend was a dungeon or a pirate ship and she would be ready for whatever crazy spar Hrist would make Astrid and her do.

But something else was in the area. She could hear footsteps.

Damn. She should have brought a half-decent weapon with her. Why was she always stuck with a knife in the most awkward of positions? Still, she whipped it out as if there were nothing more powerful. "Who's there?"

A face appeared in the trees. A boy's face. No one she had ever seen before.

"I got a knife!" she screamed, suddenly very much awake. "And I know how to use it!"

The boy laughed and stepped forward. "I don't doubt that, Ruffnut Thorston."

Her heart went cold with fear. She wasn't used to feeling fear. It terrified her more than the thought off this strange boy in the woods. The knife felt slippery in her hands, and she gripped it tighter. No way was she dropping a knife. No way. Though if worse came to worse she was pretty sure she could claw out his eyes. "How do you know my name?"

The boy stepped even closer. A complete stranger. He was at least a head taller than her, with dark hair that seemed to have a touch of green to it. His eyes were black. His clothing was a gray tunic. "You're one of the Valkyrie candidates, aren't you?"

"You were spying one me?"

He shook his head. "No spying. I promise." When he spoke, she could see his teeth. They were slightly sharp. Not like an animal's or anything, but sharper than normal.

"What are you?" she demanded.

He tilted his head to the side to get a better look at her. "What am I? Good question. Intelligent question. I'm a Jotun."

First a Valkyrie and now a Jotun. And here she was with a silly little knife. "I can still carve you up."

"I'm sure you could. Allow me to introduce myself." He swept himself into a low bow. "My name is Frithjof, and I'm here to help to you."

She considered lowering her knife, but her arm wouldn't allow it. "Help me with what?"

He came close enough that she could dash forward and stab him. "You would be the perfect Valkyrie, Ruffnut. But I'm afraid no one would notice. I could…" He seemed to consider his words. "I could give you more training. Teach you tricks. Anything that would impress old Hrist."

Well, this situation just screamed sneaky. "Why would you want to do that?"

"Let's just say I have a good eyes for these kinds of things." He smiled, revealing those teeth again. "Come on, Ruffnut. Think about it. You'd love to sneak in and steal that position. Or legitimately win it. How cool would it be for you to be out here getting extra help without a soul knowing?"

She had to admit that would be pretty awesome. She lowered the knife. "What's in it for you?"

He shrugged. "Nothing, actually. But let me put it this way. Valkyrie selection is very rare. Why would I not want to have a hand in it?"

Ruff stared at the Jotun who called himself Frithjof. Was he serious? Hel, was he really even a Jotun? That was a question she would like answered. But she would be lying to herself if she insisted the concept did not appeal to her. Strange boy, extra fighting, being even more sneaky… Oh, but she wanted it!

She swallowed and nodded, not wanting to look too eager. "Okay. I'm in. When do we start? Because I need to get in the habit of carrying a better weapon around."

"Tomorrow," Frithjof said. "Same time, same place."

She nodded again. "Agreed."