****I AM SO SORRY FOR THE TECHNICAL ISSUE I HAD BEFORE I HAD NO IDEA WHY OR HOW THAT HAPPENED BUT IT WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN****

Guys I'm not dead I promise! I'm sure you all hate me because I haven't updated in eons. But I actually have a legit reason! I was in a musical (Titanic the musical, look it up it's great) and it's literally ate up all of my time. It's the most complicated show I've ever worked on so basically all my free time was rehearsing. I also had a job as a councilor at a children's theatre camp that was very physically and emotionally draining (talk about drama in drama camp, geez). So basically my days went wake up, rehearse, work, rehearse, nap, rehearse, go to bed, repeat. I'm also still prepping for college (our mascot is a Viking and we'll called Vikings, lol!) and moving into dorm life. And to top it all off I just got back from a vacation. I've had half this chapter written but literally couldn't find it in myself to finish it. However, everything is kind of at a standstill now and I'm taking advantage of it. Okay, that's my speal. Enjoy the story!

Chapter 7

"Okay, so the rules of the game are simple," Snotlout said in a commanding voice to the crowd of young adults in the forest before him. "You fly your dragon over these trees of various heights. If you or your dragon touch the tree in slightest, you're out. It's a little game I like to call 'Flappy Dragon.'"

It was still early on the island of Berk. The sun had fully risen and people were fully awake. Among those people were the resident troublemakers, Snotlout, Fishlegs, Tuffnut, and even Ruffnut and Eret. All of them were all still shocked and sad about Hiccup's sickness but it didn't stop them from continuing their daily lives. And since neither Hiccup or Astrid were around to monitor their activities, things got pretty wild pretty fast. Snotlout had been secretly working on some sort of weird game that was supposed to be the hardest game known to man for the last few weeks. No one knew much about it other than it involved all of Snoutlout's brain power, which wasn't much, and a bunch of half-cut trees. Today was the perfect day to unveil it since no one would be there to stop him. Snotlout was sure that Flappy Dragon was going to be the next big thing to hit Berk since dragon training. Everyone would want to be playing it soon.

"So, this is what you've been working on for weeks?" Tuffnut asked.

"All day, every day." Snotlout confidently replied.

"Is it safe?" Eret questioned.

"Of course not, what do you take me for?" Snotlout replied again.

"Do we win anything?" Ruffnut asked. Another series of questions burst out from the small crowd mostly regarding rules and regulations. Snotlout tried to feverishly answer them all as they were asked but to no avail. Soon, the questions started to get more

and more ridiculous and all the voices blended into one. Finally, flustered, Snotlout yelled.

"Everyone, please, shut up! Look, I'll take a volunteer, just watch. Any takers? Fishlegs, good, thanks for volunteering!" He grabbed the larger boy by the wrist and dragged him over to his dragon, Meatlug, before he could react or protest.

"Um, Snotlout..." He started to say as he was forced onto Meatlug.

"Have fun!" Snotlout gave Meatlug a small push forward and off she went with a flustered Fishlegs on her back. Meatlug seemed to understand the game and actually play it very well. She flew close to the tree's but not close enough to hit them. She flew up when the trees got higher and low when they got lower. The first few were a breeze and she passed them with no trouble at all. Snotlout watched and smiled slightly, offering his dragon, Hookfang, a high five. Fishlegs and Meatlug got further and further away so the rest of the gang ran along the trees to watch them. Fishlegs didn't notice any of this since he had his hands over his eyes and yelped "Oh, Thor" the whole time. Meatlug was going strong and starting to feel a sense of pride when it was soon taken away. She wasn't paying attention and her claw accidentally scraped the top of one tall tree and made an unmistakable noise.

"You're out!" Snotlout cheered as the pair came down from their flight. Meatlug landed on the ground but Fishlegs still sat stop her, hands over his eyes and trembling.

"Earth to Fishlegs, it's over. You can get off now." Tuffnut said.

"It is," he asked. Removing his hands and taking in his surroundings. "That was fun!" He shouted cheerily as he dismounted his dragon.

"I wanna try, me next!" Yelled Ruffnut.

"You mean us." Her brother corrected.

"No I mean me."

"Us."

"Me."

"Us."

"Me!" It wasn't long before their fight turned physical and they were clawing at each other. Snotlout eyed Eret and spoke in a pretty normal volume confident the twins wouldn't hear over their fight.

"If you want to go, now's your chance."

"Aye, but I think I'll pass. I have things to go do so actually if you'll excuse me..." He turned to go but instead of meeting the clear path he came down he was face to face with a face he knew well.

"Any chance a little old lady can give it a try?" Valka asked sarcastically. She smiled at the group of kids she'd come to know so well and they smiled at her when they noticed her. Even the twins stopped fighting to acknowledge her presence.

"Hey," Ruffnut said, running over to her. "What are you doing here, I thought you were tending the wounded?"

"I was. And by the looks of it my work isn't done."

"Sorry, Valka." Tuffnut said, looking down and twisting his foot in the dirt like a child who knew he was in for it. These kids had come to think of Valka as a second mother to them. She cared for them and scolded them the way a mother would.

"Never mind that. I didn't come out here to ride dragons, surprisingly. I came to look for Astrid. Have any of you seen her?" Ruffnut and Eret gave each other a glance and spoke to each other with their eyes. They knew exactly where she was off to and knew that Valka wouldn't like it. However, they couldn't hide the truth for very long.

"She's, uh...," Ruffnut tried to think of a way to soften the blow without outright lying. "Doing some errands, she'll be back soon."

"Oh, like what kind of errands?" Valka asked, obviously not believing her lie.

"Like... Errand errands?"

"She's out retrieving an object of particular value that may or may not exist and may or may not save Hiccup's life." Eret covered for Ruffnut.

"She's what? Where? Is she alone, why would you let her go!"

"Look, Hiccup's Mom, I kinda found out about this gem on Outcast Island and kinda told her and now she's kinda getting it." Ruffnut answered her question. Valka just stood there completely baffled. Just a few moments ago she was told she could do nothing to save her son but now there was a way? And Astrid was risking everything, including her life, to get it?"

"I... Don't understand." She muttered. The rest of the band of misfits seemed confused as well. They didn't know a thing about Ruffnut and Eret's secret plan.

"Walk with me," Ruffnut said as she turned to Valka and started walking. "I'll explain on the way."

Toothless sat next to Hiccup and kept his eyes glued on him. He didn't entirely understand what was happening to his rider but he knew he was uncomfortable and going away. They two had an unspoken connection and could almost feel what each other felt. Toothless was a shadow of Hiccup's emotions. When he was happy, Toothless was happy. When he was sad, Toothless was sad. Toothless would never understand human problems but he knew enough to know when things were good or bad or when his rider was distressed. This was almost like the time when Hiccup defeated the Red Death. Toothless didn't know why his friend wasn't waking up but he knew it was bad. He sat there and tried to wake him up every day without fail. Now, all he could do is sit there and try to comfort him. He was smart enough to know that this human problem wasn't something flying could fix.

Hiccup had been passed out for about half an hour. When he slowly started to peel his eyes open he saw Toothless sitting next to his bed. He coaked his head at Hiccup and gave him a gummy smile. Hiccup couldn't help but smile back and scratch his best friends head.

"Hey, bud," He said, hoarsely. "Astrid's gone isn't she? And mom's not back? I guess it's just you and me for a while." He slowly rose himself into a sitting position and coughed a little. He glanced over to the empty chair in the corner and saw his metal leg on it. A flood of memories rushed back to him and threw him for a loop. He lifted the covers like he did that fateful day and looked at his amputated leg. He then looked back at Toothless who was giving him almost the very same look. Hiccup sighed and placed the blankets down. In response, Toothless laid his head in Hiccup's chest.

"This isn't like last time. No waking up, hobbling outside, and life being okay. I really am dying this time. And Astrid...well, at least we have hope. But she'll start a war, which is... What Alvin probably wants and..." He began to breathe heavier and heavier. Toothless noticed and made a low warbling sound to comfort him. Hiccup sighed and continued to pet Toothless.

"At least you'll never leave me, bud. Even if you can now." Toothless snuggled up closer to Hiccup when he said this. It was true. Toothless was never going to leave and would most likely follow Hiccup's funeral ship to the ends of the Earth.

"You've been there for me when I needed it most. With everything that happened with my dad and the Red Death, to Drago, to this. You were the first per...anyone to really love me," unbeknownst to Hiccup, Valka entered the room. She was ready to confront him about the new information she received but stopped dead in her tracks when he heard him talking. "You didn't think I was weak. You accepted me and trusted me. You gave me all the strength I never had, bud. You turned me into what I am. All of...," He gestured to himself. "This. I would hate my life if you weren't in it. I'd still be the laughing stalk of the town, a disappointment, and useless. But you... turned that around. Yea, you may have killed my dad but you also found my mom. You, bud, are my best friend. I love you as much as I love Astrid. Maybe even a little more but don't tell her I said that. You either, mom." At some point in her eavesdropping Valka had made herself known. Hiccup still continued to scratch Toothless and didn't even look in her direction. He knew she was there. Who else would be? Astrid was gone.

"Ruffnut told me everything." She blurted out while wiping subconscious tears off her cheeks.

"I didn't want her to go but I don't want to die."

"A chief protects his own and that's just what you're doing."

"Yea, protecting my own life. This will start a war and my men will get killed. And all for what? My life? I'd pick my life over a hundred my men's?"

"Hiccup, you're contradicting yourself."

"I don't know what I'm saying, I guess I'm going crazy."

"It runs in the family." Valka smiled at her son as he looked up to meet her gaze. They connected for a moment in a way only mother and son could. Valka, now with a newfound hope in her heart, hoped this wouldn't be the last moment they ever shared.

"And besides," Valka continued, breaking the moment. "Astrid is a smart girl. I'm sure she can figure something out to avoid a war." Hiccup nodded in agreement. His mind was all over the place but seemed to finally settle on the idea of this being okay. In a few hours time, Astrid was going to come home with a gem and his life would be saved. All the pain he thought he'd have to endure would be gone. He closed his eyes and leaned against Toothless. Next to his dragon, he felt a little stronger than before. He now had hope and more of a reason to fight. Astrid was coming back, he was going to live, and all this pain would soon be behind him. Soon, he thought, as he broke out into a cold sweat and started shaking uncontrollably.

A thousand putrid odors seeped their way into Astrid's nose as she flew over Outcast Island. The smell of Viking men, rotting flesh, and pure evil melted into one foul stench that filled the air. It burned Astrid's eyes, filling them with new types of tears. She flew high over the island but was still able to make out people. She saw warriors training for their next fight, she saw bandits robbing the poor, the strong taking advantage of the weak, and large, hulking men laughing at it all. It sickened Astrid to the core and made her think about just burning the place down with a few dragons. Outcast Island was truly Hell on Earth. But in all the despair and criminal activity, Astrid saw mothers and children and husbands and wives. She saw family; the family she wanted to have. Even though these brutes were the enemy, they had lives and their own people to live for. That's why Astrid didn't want to start a war. That's why she was doing this peacefully and protecting more than just her own.

Astrid made it over to Outcast Island in record time. All she wanted to do was get the gem while spending as little time on the island as possible. That's why she was circling above the island looking for Alvin as opposed to searching on foot. That and she didn't want to be noticed, caught, and most likely killed. She had been cleverly circling for a while now but Alvin was not in sight. That was partly due to Astrid's wandering mind. She couldn't stop thinking about how Hiccup was suffering and could possibly die if she failed. Then his death will be all on her and she'd never forgive herself. She had to succeed, for Hiccup and herself and the entire village. No one would benefit from Snotlout being Chief. She had to take drastic measures and if that meant giving Alvin the book of dragons than so be it. He wouldn't understand half of it anyway. And that was Astrid's ace up her sleeve. Point out that with Hiccup dead, Alvin would have no one to translate and help him understand the book. But Astrid hoped and prayed that it didn't have to come to that. However Alvin wasn't like the other brutish outcasts. He was actually clever.

Soon Astrid found herself a little way away from Outcast Island. Her train of thought drove her out of her circle and away from reality. But Astrid realized this and quickly got back on track. Recently, she's been slipping in and out of dazes. A heavy load of emotions were piled on her at once and she still felt as though it were a dream. As she flew, she began to think again. She thought the same thoughts and felt the same emotions. It wasn't long before as was off course again. She couldn't seem to keep herself in line. Giving up, Astrid decided that she needed to patrol on foot even if it was a risk. She wasn't going to risk Hiccup dying so she needed to do this. Once she found a safe place to land inconspicuously, Astrid took off on foot. Actually being on the soil Outcast Island was like a nightmare. It didn't compare to the nightmare Astrid was living but it was a nightmare nonetheless. The soil almost seemed to be like quicksand. The further Astrid walked the more she sunk. It wouldn't be long before she was actually a part of Outcast Island.

Astrid walked and walked and walked forever, dragging her feet and slightly hunching her back. She was absolutely exhausted and sick and tired of being sick and tired. As she walked she was met with stares and whispers from Outcast villagers who knew her. They looked at her like a piece of trash or a piece of meat. This sort of welcome is what she expected so she was not at all surprised. However, she was surprised when the infamous outcast chief was no where in sight. She trudged on more, head down and sinking into the ground. All should could state at was her own dark shadow. She looked at the larger silhouette of herself on the ground and thought it was the most accurate portal of herself she'd ever seen. She was dark and dead inside. As she walked and stared she became less and aware of her surroundings and almost forgot she was on Outcast Island. That was until a larger shadow appeared over her own and her ears rung with the awful sound of an all too familiar "'Ello."

Thanks for baring with me guys, I know I suck. I'm just gonna stop making promises I can't keep and see what happens then. But I will tell you that you will never be waiting this long for a chapter again. Maybe. Probably not. I hope. Y'all rock. And keep those awesome reviews coming, they're what keep me going! :D