IV.
The wild, excited roar of hundreds of Vikings burst into screaming adulation. Above them all bellowed Stoick the Vast's overenthusiastic voice, rejoicing the thrilling end of the dragon racing game. Astrid's rapidly rotating world stabilized as her dragon, Stormfly, completed her upside-down loop-de-loop and shot off to fly a victory lap around Berk. Laughing, Astrid climbed on top of her saddle, standing upright and pumping her fists into the air, basking in the glory of yet another win. Today had been a close competition. That just made the win all the more glorious to her, though. All across the village, Vikings, standing on top of the highest points of buildings, raised celebratory fists to congratulate Astrid, while the other competing riders slowed their dragons down and glared glumly at her through their face paint. Ruffnut especially sported a potent glower; the young Hooligan woman had been in the lead until this last round in the game.
In part because Snotlout and Fishlegs gave her half her points. Astrid shook her head in bafflement. Hiccup would never cater to her in such a manner – on the contrary, he was her greatest dragon racing opponent, and always excessively teased her when he won a game. As did she whenever she defeated him.
At this thought, she glanced off toward the southern horizon, wondering yet again why Hiccup had uncharacteristically missed today's competition. No one had seen the chief's son the entire day.
The large, webbed wings of a red Monstrous Nightmare flapped toward a clearing at the north end of the village, joining the double-headed Hideous Zippleback and chunky Gronkle which had already landed. Astrid followed suit, alighted beside the other dismounted dragon riders, and once she climbed off from her saddle, affectionately embraced her dragon's beak, murmuring, "Great flying, Stormfly. Couldn't have done it without you." Tuffnut and Snotlout nodded slightly in reluctant congratulations toward Astrid, while Fishlegs, more good-sported, outright stated, "Wonderful job, Astrid." Then, turning his wide face toward Ruffnut, crooned, "But you played wonderfully yourself, darling. I'm sure you'll win next time."
"Tuffnut, if I loosed some gas, would you mind having Belch spark it?"
"Sure thing, sis." Tuffnut grinned widely, always eager for the opportunity to blow anything up, especially one of the annoying men futilely attempting to win over his sister's heart. His face appeared especially manic and ghoulish underneath the thick layers of yellow and black face paint.
Fishlegs backed away from Ruffnut and Tuffnut's two-headed dragon hurriedly. "That's okay, no worries, sweetie," he gasped. "I'm busy anyway. I'm heading off to the Academy to study one of the new dragons I brought in, the Venomous Vorpent."
Astrid stood on the green turf with her arms crossed. "The Venomous Vorpent?" she asked, leery. "Isn't that supposed to be incredibly poisonous?" It seemed slightly strange that Fishlegs, even with all his love of dragon species, would so incautiously approach a creature which could kill him with a small scratch from its stinger.
Thankfully, Fishlegs did not launch into a longwinded lecture regarding the poisonous nature of the dragon, instead simply answering, "Don't worry. You know I wouldn't do this if it weren't completely safe. Hiccup figured out a cure in case I get stung."
"Hiccup found a – how does he know that's a cu – do I even want to know?" Astrid had believed she knew everything Hiccup had been into over the last few days – which was quite a lot, and which admittedly was much of her fault as well – but apparently this event had somehow escaped her attention. She would have to demand her boyfriend to recount what dangerous, idiotic adventure he had plunged into this time. Once she found him, of course.
Why would he possibly miss today's dragon racing competition? He's been looking forward to it all week.
"Speaking of Hiccup, have you seen him around today?" Astrid asked Fishlegs and the group in general.
"Nope. No idea where he's at." Snotlout appeared far more interested in smiling charmingly – or at least what he believed was charmingly – toward Ruffnut than engaging in conversation with anyone else. He looked more like a seasick troll than an attractive suitor. Everyone else likewise denied any knowledge of Hiccup's location, so Astrid, shrugging, hopped back onto Stormfly and urged, "Come on, let's go find him."
She checked all the areas he often retreated to when he wished to be alone, first swooping over a small cove filled with memories of her teenaged years. Only fish splashed in the lake's shallow waters, so she turned to the east, flapping up to a craggy peek where she and Hiccup often looked out together toward the ocean waters. No sign of him there, either. Feeling more than slightly frustrated at this point, Astrid again wheeled around toward the village, when out of the corner of her eye she suddenly noticed a characteristic flash of black. A Night Fury.
There he is.
Hiccup and Toothless raced frantically toward the village, the young man crouched low into the saddle to urge on a bit more speed. Stormfly, however, could fly more than quickly enough herself, and at Astrid's bidding soon rushed right alongside Toothless.
"Where have you been all day?" Astrid yelled. She hoped she could carry her voice above the sound of wind whipping in her ears.
Hiccup's body jerked. Glancing over, he exclaimed, "Astrid!" Apparently he had been so concentrated on reaching the village neither he nor Toothless had noticed Stormfly's presence at all.
"We missed you at the dragon racing game today. Why weren't you there?"
Astrid had to listen intently to understand Hiccup's shouted reply. "I was avoiding my dad!"
Oh no. What happened now? She would have to ask more later when they were in a more conducive setting for extensive conversation. Instead, she just called out, "And what are you doing now?"
"Trying to find my dad!"
"Well that makes sense!" she barked sarcastically, wondering if he even realized the contradiction of intention between his last two sentences.
He ignored that last remark. "Follow me!" he answered instead. "Both you and my dad have to hear this!"