The storm was coming faster than they expected. Valka and Hiccup landed inside a cold deserted cave. They thought that they would've made it back to Berk two days ago. Hiccup jumped off of Toothless. He glanced outside, seeing the snow storm slowing down. He placed his arm around his pet dragon.
"Storm-after-storm," Sighs Hiccup as his arm fell back to his side and walked to the basket full of fish, "I'm sure Astrid has everything under control."
Valka heard a sound coming from the back of the cave. She jumped off her dragon and walked towards the sound. She thought it was strange to hear something sound like this.
"Mom?" Hiccup asks.
"Oh dear, what are you doing here?" She pauses, "Oh, you're injured. Do you have a rider?"
The dragon moans in pain, it glanced at Hiccup. Toothless turned his head towards it.
"What's the matter bud?" Asks Hiccup again.
"Hiccup, you might want to see this." Valka stops, "It seems like this dragon knows you."
He walked towards where his mother stood. He looked at the dragon's injured foot and tail. The scale color reminded him of something. The dragon sniffed Hiccup, it seemed to be crying.
"Stormfly?" Questions Hiccup.
The dragon nodded it's head. Valka aided the injured foot and tail. Hiccup placed his hand on the dragons head, he noticed that it was just her in the cave; she didn't have a rider. Toothless made a sound towards Stormfly. She made a soft sound back.
"Stormfly," Hiccup pauses, "how . . . What . . . Why . . . Where?"
He tried to find the right words, he didn't know if she just escaped or if Astrid had came to find them.
"How did you get up here?" Valka asks.
Stormfly made a saddening grunt. Toothless knew what happened.
"Where's Astrid?" Ask Hiccup.
Toothless came up to him and nudged his arm. The young dragon master glanced at him.
"What?" He asks, "You want me to follow you?"
Toothless nudged Hiccup's arm one more time, he followed Toothless to the fading storm clouds and fog. Outside the cave he looked around.
"I don't think Astrid is out here Toothless." Hiccup says.
The night fury bowed his head down towards the cliff. Hiccup held onto the dragon as he peeked his head down towards the bottom of the cliff. There were three unknown ships down there. He knew that they were dragon trappers; they probably had Astrid in their nest.
"Mom, you need to get here." He called out.
"What is it?" Valka asks, as she ran out of the cave slowly and looked down towards the ships, "Oh no."
"Does this mean Astrid is . . ." Hiccup begins.
"If we don't hurry, then yes." Valka pauses, "Hiccup, I want you to head back to Berk, see who she left in charge. I'll head down there and get her."
"No, I am coming with you." Hiccup grabbed Valka's arm.
"Hiccup, this isn't the time to argue."
"You, Astrid, and Toothless are all I have left." He pauses, "She's in danger, I am going!"
"Fine, keep Toothless here with Stormfly." Valka says.
The dragon shook his head.
"She's right, you need to stay here." Hiccup pauses, "We'll be back. Stay with Stormfly."
Toothless rolled his eyes and walked back into the cave.
"Let's go." Hiccup says.
….
Astrid couldn't escape from the rope that were around her wrists. She glanced at the tall men around the room, blocking the candle light. She had lost her battle against them; but she knew that she couldn't defeat all 20 of them. These dragon trappers kept her at bay. They were talking about things that Astrid knew weren't good. She had to save herself and get out of here alive. Her eyes were drawn towards the door that was far away from her in this wooden room.
"What do ya think we should do about the lass?" One of the trappers smirks.
"Keep her whole and sell her?" Another one adds.
"No, she's the fiancee of the great dragon master." The tall darker haired man pauses, "She's dangerous and worth nothing for our cause."
"Then what do ya say we should do?"
The man glared at the other who spoke.
"Oh."
"Take the weapon she brought with her."
Astrid knew that she was in trouble now. Her screams became more intense. She saw the man come up to her, with the axe she brought with her. She struggled in her restraints, trying to break free. Her braid came out, her hair came down upon her back as she continued to fight back.
"The dragon master and the woman are aboard the ship!" Someone screamed from the top.
Astrid inhaled deeply. She felt hopeful now; Hiccup was coming. The man slammed the axe down into Astrid's chest. Red substance flowed out of the wound; it blended into her shirt. She tried to scream, they were silent calls for help. There was pain in her chest leading down her abdomen.
"Abandon ship for now!" She heard a voice call.
Her vision became blurry; the room was shapes and shadows.
"Astrid!" She heard her name being called.
"Hic . . ." She called back before falling unconscious.
Hiccup ran into the empty room, he saw the blood on the floor.
"Astrid." He called out before his eyes were drawn to the body of Astrid, "ASTRID!"
He ran to her.
"Hold on, I know you will!" He glanced at Valka as she ran into the room.
"Oh my . . ."
"Is she gonna be okay?"
"It's hard to say," She pauses, "we need to stitch up the wound. Hopefully it didn't do a lot of major damage."
"Astrid." Hiccup pauses, "You came to find us . . ."
"Gather some material for bandages Hiccup," Valka pauses, "we are going to need a lot of them."