The Vigilante's War

by kingofthewilderwest

A mysterious, antagonistic dragon rider dubbed "the Vigilante" has been attacking dragon trappers' boats, and her increasingly violent actions appear to leading to full-scale war that threatens not only Eret and Drago's people, but the dragon riders of Berk, as well. A HTTYD 2 alternate universe in which Valka is Hiccup's greatest foe and Drago an ally, not an enemy, of Berk.

38. XXXVIII This Frozen Wasteland

XXXVIII.

Astrid leaned over the railing of the ship, staring out into the ocean. Nothing but water stretched all around her, a glittering, lolling mass of deceptively calm blue waves. Even the sky lacked any distinctive features, for not a single cloud dotted its wide expanses, not one bird or dragon flew overhead. Only the sun shone above. And so the world consisted of the sun, the sky, the ever-stretching waters, and a large fleet of migrating Viking sails coasting along a slight northeastern wind.

Agitated, with a heavy sigh, Astrid straightened herself and began pacing along the length of the ship. In the past five years of flying on Stormfly, she had forgotten how relatively slow sailing was in comparison. At the start of the voyage, she had assured herself that she would become re-accustomed to traveling the seas, scudding along ocean waves, yet as the days had passed and she still remained fidgety and restless, she had at last resigned herself to the fact she never would feel comfortable amongst the boats. If anything, the journey tried her patience more and more every day.

Of course, stuck on the same deck with Ruffnut and her unreturned love interest would try anyone's patience. Astrid glared over at the Thorston twin, who was trying to engage in small talk with Eret son of Eret, who was staring desperately out to the waters as though the sharks skimming along the ocean floor would be better company than the woman beside him. Astrid overheard Ruffnut make some comment that included words like "Terrible Terror," "flames," and "ass."

Yeah, I don't want to know. Don't want to walk any nearer to those two. She still did not fully trust the ex-dragon trapper anyway, no mind what defenses he provided for why he deserted Drago and the Visithugs. Ruffnut fully seemed to accept them, though.

Of course she would.

Slightly disgusted, Astrid turned away from them, marched up to the other end of the ship, and again stared out to the ocean.

She knew it was more than the slow ship journey which provoked her restlessness. Why she habitually, agitatedly paced back and forth. Why she perpetually stared out into the ocean waters. Looking north. Always looking north.

The direction of the Vigilante's fortress, of their lost battle.

It was the last place Hiccup had been seen. Over a month ago.