Oh, yes, there was something I was going to tell you all...what was it...? Oh, yeah...!

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

*faints*

Have some chocolate! *throws them out to all of you* I have decided that this fanfic will be around ten or so chapters long. Not too long, but it's a decent size. :) Then, after that, I believe I will post somethin' else...I don't know what, yet. Kind of on a blank here...

ANYWHO, enjoy this chapter, look forward to the next (maybe?) and DO NOT kill me because then you will NEVER know how the story ends! *Dagur's voice* BWAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAAA!

Astrid hardly noticed when Snotlout came below the deck of the ship, looking weary and frightened. Toothless and Stormfly both growled when he entered, and then relaxed once they realized who it was.

"We'll probably reach Berk by daybreak," he announced to Astrid, his voice strained. "We can't exactly move much faster than we are already going-"

"What if the dragons tow us?" Astrid asked, trying to think of a way to get there even faster. "You know, we can give them ropes, and then tie the other end to the ship, and have them pull us. It'll be faster."

Snotlout looked at her, and then grinned. "Yeah, actually, that's a great idea!" he said. "I'll go get the twins and Fishlegs and get them to start working on it." Before he left, Astrid called out to him.

"Take Stormfly, too!" she shouted. Then, she said to her Nadder, "You go on ahead with Snotlout, girl. Help us get home." Stormfly chirped in agreement, and then followed Snotlout back to the main deck of the ship.

Fishlegs, Ruffnut and Tuffnut were working in a frenzy, running back and forth while trying to mand the ship on their own.

"Astrid had a brilliant idea!" Snotlout announced. He picked up a rolled up rope from the deck, and tossed it to Fishlegs, who leaned forward and caught it instantly. "We're going to tie these ropes to the bow," said Snotlout, "and then tell the dragons to pull us. It'll get us back to Berk even faster."

"Hey, yeah!" said Tuffnut. "That's a great idea!" He shook his head with a half-laugh. "That Astrid, always working in the solution!" he said.

"Well, yeah," said Snotlout. "Come on! Let's hurry up! The sooner we get these ropes hooked up, the sooner we can get home!"

None of them mentioned Hiccup. None of them had the heart. They busied themselves with distractions, rushing about to do random chores that they never would have done on any other day, just to try and keep their minds off what had happened.

Meanwhile, Astrid, Toothless and Hiccup were below deck. Slowly but surely, Hiccup began to show signs of waking up. Part of Astrid wished that he would, while the other part was worried about the pain he would be in.

In the end, Hiccup's eyes flickered open, and he glanced about his surroundings, looking first to Toothless, and then to Astrid.

"Wh...where are we?" he asked, scant of breath.

"We stole a Berserker ship," said Astrid. "We're on our way home, back to Berk."

"Mmmnn...good," Hiccup said faintly. "Are...are y-you and the others alright?"

"We're fine," said Astrid.

Toothless moved over slowly, sniffing Hiccup before nuzzling his side. Hiccup laughed weakly, running his hand over Toothless' smooth, scaly head.

"Hey, bud," he managed to say. Toothless cooed gently in response, leaning into Hiccup's hand before he stepped away for a moment, just to curl himself around Hiccup and Astrid a second later.

"We have a body guard now," Astrid said.

"L-lucky us," said Hiccup.

"Are you okay?" Astrid asked.

"Y-yeah...I-I think so," said Hiccup. He was shivering, though, almost as if he were freezing.

"You should rest some more," said Astrid. "You didn't lose a lot of blood, Hiccup, but enough to lay you low."

Hiccup nodded half-heartedly. "Y-yeah, I-I know," he said. He leaned up against Toothless, and shut his eyes. Just when Astrid thought he was asleep again, she heard him say, "And thank you, Astrid."

Before she could respond, he was asleep for real.

Hours passed like days, but they finally made it back to Berk. Astrid felt the ship stop at the shore, and then heard the shouts of the villagers, wondering why there was a Berserker ship in their docks. She heard Snotlout shouting to them, telling them to hold their fire while also half-way explaining what had happened.

She heard the other riders and dragons get off the ship while Snotlout walked below deck, rushing towards Astrid and his cousin, crashing to his knees once he got there.

"We're back," he said. "We need to get Hiccup to the healer. He doesn't look too good." Really, he didn't. He was pale, shivering, and sweating, all the color drained from his face. Snotlout bent over and scooped his weightless cousin into his arms while Astrid and Toothless stood beside him, following him back to the deck of the ship.

The sun was rising, indicating that morning had come. The village gasped at the sight of their heir, limp in Snotlout's arms, while some of them ran off, no doubt to get a healer, or Stoick, if he hadn't already arrived.

"HICCUP!"

Yes, Stoick had already arrived, Astrid confirmed. The Berkian Chief ran up to Snotlout, taking Hiccup from him with tenderness only a father knew. He then began to trek towards his house, followed by Astrid, Snotlout, Fishlegs, Ruffnut, Tuffnut, and their dragons.

Stoick laid Hiccup down on his bed once they reached the house, and then Gothi entered the abode, looking solemn as she made her way over to Hiccup. She put her hand on his forehead, looked inside his mouth (for reasons the others did not want to know), and then finally lifted up his shirt just enough to see the bandages wrapped around his stomach.

Carefully, while the others held their breath, Gothi began to undo Hiccup's bandages, which were now bloodstained and deemed useless. Gothi didn't appear to like the sight of his wound, and then turned back to the others, writing on the ground after sprinkling sand down on it.

Fishlegs reluctantly stepped forward to read the writing, wondering and worrying for his friend all the same. Then, he read it to himself first, and gasped.

"WHAT!?" the others shouted in unison. "WHAT IS IT, FISHLEGS!?"

"Speak up!" said Astrid. "Go on, Fishlegs! What is it!?"

"She...she says the arrow was poisoned," said Fishlegs. "Hiccup, he's...he's going to die."

WHOA WHOA WHOA CLIFFHANGER! SO SORRY! PLEASE DO NOT CHOP ME!