So, I won't lie. Part eight is a lot of time progression, moving life along so I can get to writing things that are more action/adventure related. That said, I had to include a little bit from our other friends warm and safe in Berk, and I like how it came out. Won't spoil anything else for you and as always, enjoy! *Insert note here about only the plot and the monsters in the blizzard being mine.*

Watching the view outside turn from pitch black to a flat grey, Hiccup knew that dawn had come. It had been a very long night, but thankfully an uneventful one. Hiccup and Toothless had taken it in turns to try and sleep, but neither felt rested. Fatigue was beginning to takes its toll, and the boy knew that he was reaching his breaking point. He could tell by the slump in his Nightfury's shoulders that Toothless was worn down as well.

"Hiccup?" Weariness briefly shed, Hiccup turned to look at Astrid, and saw worry and confusion. At least she'd slept through the night. Peacefully at that. The gods had felt generous enough to grant her that, at the cost of his shoulder tingling all night. Still, she looked somewhat better when compared to yesterday and that was a positive sign well worth the slight pain to his shoulder. He watched carefully as Astrid briefly looked towards the cave entrance and blinding snow before looking back to him.

"Your shoulder makes a really hard pillow." Despite himself, he couldn't help but chuckle.

"Yeah, well, your head isn't exactly soft either. My shoulder's still tingling. And don't you dare try to hit me for that, your arm's hurt." There was silence for a long moment, and then a small nod.

"Just this once." Astrid being sensible, and quiet. She was still hurting bad then, no matter what her voice might indicate. Perhaps not dying, thank the gods, but the longer they were trapped in this cave the more likely that chance came back. Equally in Hiccups mind was the very real thought of the particular injuries to his friend. He'd never quite been told how bad his leg had been broken and burned on that cloudy miserable day not so very long ago, but it'd been bad enough to entail him being better off without it.

Not being medically inclined, Hiccup had no way of knowing just what was broken and beaten in Astrid's leg and hip, but if it was bad enough… Best not to think such things though, deal with that in the future once they were safe again. For now, they just needed to stay put and stay warm- an issue that was going to grow much harder now that he was almost out of wood. Still, things could be much worse, no attacks from the driving snow, no injuries to Toothless other than the broken tailfin, and the knowledge that as soon as the blizzard halted there would be more searchers. They just had to wait it out.

On cue his stomach began to rumble for breakfast time was breakfast time, no matter if one was at home in Berk or trapped out in a blizzard. He'd been prepared enough to bring along supplies for a meal or two, but this would be it. Hopefully, the storm wouldn't drag on much longer. They'd not starve, at least he wouldn't, but a full Toothless was a happy Toothless and a hungry Astrid was one who would get progressively weaker in quick time.

"I'm going to slip out real quick and put some water on to boil for breakfast." He saw Astrid's nod and making sure she was propped up against the cave wall, slipped out from under the blankets. The cold air was a rude awakening after the warmth of another body, and Hiccup took time to note his shiver before grabbing the pot from where he'd left it the night before. Not bothering to strap on his leg, he half crawled half slid over to the nearest pile of snow and scooped a pile into the pot. Best to save the drinkable water he still had until the wood was gone. Another short crawl and the pot was situated next to the fire, the snow melting.

Realizing at that point, he'd not spoken but a very few words to Toothless in the past half day, Hiccup moved over to his dragon to correct that. The Nightfury turned away from the cave entrance, and Hiccup could see the fatigue weighing on his dragon. Drawing close, he leaned against Toothless' flank to rest, eyes closed and totally worn down. Something had to give sooner than later, and making up his mind, Hiccup spoke.

"Well done boy, well done. We can take a rest now I think, once we get a bit of food in us." He received a rumble in acknowledgement and a nuzzle of affection as well. Drawing strength from the embrace, and his amazing friend, Hiccup nodded once. He opened his eyes to see the Nightfury mimicking his nod. The determination had returned, he could see it in his dragon's eyes and thus emboldened, Hiccup returned to the fire, and started making breakfast.

Some good distance away from the cave as the dragon flies, on an island surrounded by crashing waves and hidden in the driving blizzard, the village of Berk had resigned itself to a good long wait. The wise women had spoken at sunrise, and for some very concerned friends, the words were not good, "Three days of snow, then sunlight." They had gathered around a fire, after the prediction and amidst the usual jostling, arguments, and inevitable scuffles, an uneasy quiet had settled amongst the four Vikings and their dragons.

"If this storm lasts three days, I estimate their survival chances to be-" He never got to finish, being dogpiled by the other three Vikings.

"Shut."

"Up."

The twins, coming to a rare agreement, looked at each other in shock before clambering off Fishlegs. They were followed by Snotlout, who after a rare moment of hesition, added.

"Yeah, I bet they're fine. Probably together, talking about how I'm going to have to rescue them once the snow stops- Ow!" The twins had again agreed and pinned him to the floor.

"Us."

"You idiot."

"It's a group effort,"

More silence, and after a moment there was a general untangling of limbs as the various Vikings sorted themselves out. This was all much to the amusement of their dragons, who had deigned to forgo the fun of a fight and instead huddle as near to the nice warm fire as was possible. Slowly, the four young riders drifted over to join them, and as various bruised were examined and dismissed, each was lost in thought, wondering where the missing four members of their group might be.

Not so very far away, in another warm hut that was buffeted by the blowing snow and driving wind, an old woman sat in her chair. Slowly rocking back and forth, she closed her eyes and listened as her body complained. Gods, she was too old for the changing weather anymore. Her left knee was aching something fierce, and despite what her counterparts claimed, the left knee had never lied to her yet. There would be a short break in the weather later today. Not anything sunny, not anything calm, but for a few hours there would be no snow. Her knee knew that much.

For Hiccup, sitting in the cave watching the fire burn down, he knew his stump hurt and knew enough about the weather to realize this meant something. What it meant he couldn't say and it frustrated him to no end. Gently massaging the aching leg he looked to the side at Astrid- again asleep after their meal, and stopped feeling sorry for himself. The toughness it must require to not cry out every time she moved something made his sore stump pale in comparison.

'Positive thoughts, c'mon Hiccup.' Returning his attention to what he'd been doing, Hiccup gazed upon the broken piece of work that was Toothless' tailfin. As best he could tell, during the desperate fight earlier, ice had finally worked its way into the pedal joint and made the metal brittle to the point that when he had shifted the fin for a turn, the joint had shattered. There would be no makeshift repairs; he'd need to make an entirely new joint back in Berk to fix it.

Pushing the broken tailfin away, the boy decided there was nothing left to do but wait it out. No more wood left to put on the fire, no more meals to cook, only huddling under the blankets and watching their water supply, the ever helpful Toothless able to melt snow if they ran out. The Nightfury had earlier abandoned his watch post, and realizing that Astrid was leaning against the rough cave wall, gotten Hiccup to scoot her far enough away from the wall for him to interpose himself between wall and girl. Both dragon and girl were now fast asleep, each far more comfortable than they had been earlier.

Sliding back the few feet that separated the fire from the two fast asleep, Hiccup slid under the blankets and readjusted them so that there wasn't any exposed skin. Then, leaning back against his dragon, he allowed himself to relax slightly. Maybe he'd be able to get some sleep as well. Nothing was going to happen until the snow stopped falling anyway. Eyes closed he did his best to relax, head resting on Toothless arms at his side, easy breathing. Everything would be just fine. They would be found as soon as the snow stopped, be rescued, go home, get well, and life would go on as normal. For now there would be real sleep, and, if at some point during the day one person's hand found the other's hand, there was no shame in that either. Together they would wait.

And there we go, all's well for now, if you count being trapped out in a blizzard counts as being well. Perhaps a rescue attempt next chapter. That said, onto review responses.

Omar: Caffeine donations are always welcome.

Alsarnia: Thanks for the well wishes, and good luck to you as well if you're taking the plunge. Glad you've enjoyed it thus far, and hope to hear from you again.

Voldyne: Pretty much, yeah. Pride hath it's own dangers and all. We haven't seen the last of the two though. Give me a few chapters. (Bwuahaha) And yeah, Astrid needs to get home to help ASAP.

That's all for now, and I'll through the standard review plead and note that November is upon me, so don't expect anything unless I'm really on my game.