Hey, guys! :D

So, I was just wondering, do you guys like this take, or do you like the original Race to the Edge episode better? Or do you like them both? I just wanna know, you know, just so I can determine whether or not you guys want me to do more episode what-ifs. :)

With that being said, a few of you were wondering if my other story, "Ouch!", was completed, or if there are going to be more chapters. The answer is: yes, there will be more chapters. It is not finished. I will probably post more in "Ouch!" over my hiatus months. Throughout the months where I'm not on hiatus, I'll be focusing more on writing full-stories instead of one-shots. I hope you guys don't mind. ;) And that doesn't mean that I won't update "Ouch!" AT ALL this month. It just means they won't be as frequent. :)

On another note, due to school, I might have to shorten my posting time. Instead of two months of posting and one month of hiatus, I'm going to have to post one month and take a one month hiatus. I know, guys, I'm sorry, but I have to do good in school...that's important. Hope I do well! :D Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy chapter 8! :D BYE! :D

"Sire!" Savage ran to Dagur, panting as he did so, his hands placed on his knees as soon as he halted in front of his leader. "The dragon riders took out almost half of our ships! Should we retreat-"

"NO!" Dagur snapped, spinning around to face Savage. He looked ready to grab the ex-Outcast and throw him overboard for thinking such a thing. Savage shrank backwards as if hoping he could quite literally sink into the floorboards and be gone forever.

"If we don't have all our ships," Dagur said, "then get me the smallest one we have, the sharpest weapon we've got, and I'll go in myself. If the arrow didn't finish Hiccup off, I sure will." He took out his knife and held it at Savage's throat threateningly. "Now," he said, "did I hear you say something about retreating?"

"N-no, Sire!" Savage stuttered. He lifted his hand to his head in a fear driven salute, his mouth curved in a nervous smile. "I didn't say anything like that!"

"Good," Dagur said. "I would fear for your life if you had." He turned towards the rest of the men and lifted his hands. "Empty this ship!" he said. "I will go alone to finish what I started!" He looked down at the knife in his hands and smiled. "Soon, Hiccup," he said. "If that arrow hasn't already finished you off, then believe me, this will." He smiled at the dagger, lifted his head, and waited for his men to finish the task he had given to them.

…

"Is he okay?"

That one question in it of itself had become almost a second language to Astrid. It didn't matter that she had been asking the question practically every five seconds. She never stopped asking. It never crossed her mind to.

Gothi had arrived at the scene not too long after Snotlout and Fishlegs half-dragged Hiccup inside the Haddock abode. Removing the arrow hadn't been pretty; in fact, it may have been the most gruesome scene the riders had ever witnessed. Snotlout and the twins paced in the background helplessly while Fishlegs helped Gothi with anything she needed and Astrid remained by Hiccup's side as if she had been glued there. No one could pull her away or convince her to leave.

So far, no one had tried either option.

The blood had been the biggest issue, in all honesty. Stopping the blood flow had taken longer than what was hoped for, and now, Hiccup laid limply on blankets spread out on the floor with another blanket brought over his frame. Although the arrow had penetrated his lower rib cage, the bandages were wrapped around the wound and up to his chest. Astrid couldn't help but look at the tightly bound gauze and feel guilty.

Snotlout was right. It was her fault this happened. There was no one to blame except her. If she hadn't stayed behind...if she'd just gulped down her fear and got on her dragon's back...maybe she could have prevented this. No, she was sure she could have prevented this.

And yet, while Hiccup and the other riders left to fight Dagur, she'd stayed behind.

What a great friend I turned out to be, she thought bitterly.

"Is he okay?" she asked again for the utmost time.

"Well, the arrow didn't hit any organs, so he should be fine in a few weeks," Gobber translated as Gothi wrote out in the dirt. "Except, what we really need to worry about now is infection. Removing that arrow wasn't pretty. The head was carved jaggedly. It was forged to make the removal of the arrow even more painful than the wound itself. I would know. I used to make 'em back when we killed dragons. They're...well...horrible."

Astrid winced. And to think, Hiccup had one of those driven through his lower chest. She glanced to the side; the arrow was lying on the floor where Gothi had cast it after its removal, the arrowhead stained with blood. Astrid saw what Gobber meant; the head of the arrow wasn't smooth. It was jagged, the jagged parts of the arrow folded towards the shaft, so any attempt to pull the arrow out of skin would be beyond painful.

Astrid understood that.

It made her want to be sick.

They were lucky Berk had a good healer, or she really didn't know where they would have been. Gothi had to practically dig the arrow out of Hiccup's skin with a dagger.

Probably the main reason Astrid marked it off as the most gruesome thing she had ever had to witness.

"We took out half of Dagur's ships, though," Snotlout said from the other side of the room. "He won't be able to attack, and if he does, he won't be able to do any damage."

"How many men does he have with him?" Stoick questioned. For the most part, Hiccup's father had remained quiet, probably just as horror-stricken as Astrid was about this affair.

"Somewhere around one hundred fifty," Fishlegs spoke up. "Most of the weapons sank with the ships, though, so attacking us now would be foolish on Dagur's part. He's not a fool. He won't attack unless he knows he can take us."

"I hope he attacks," Stoick growled. "That way, I can wring his throat for doing this to my son."

"You might change your mind about that, Stoick," Gobber said matter-of-factly. "Right now, our problem isn't Dagur, and it'd probably be best if we were to keep it that way. Revenge can come later. Right now, our main focus is Hiccup."

No one argued, only because they knew Gobber was right. Right now, they had to focus on keeping Hiccup safe and well. If they couldn't do that, then it didn't matter if they beat Dagur or not, because Hiccup would be gone.

Astrid didn't want that to happen.

She couldn't let that happen, not to Hiccup. Especially since it would be her fault. If he died now, she would be the only one to blame. Not Snotlout, or Fishlegs, or the twins, or Stoick, or anyone.

Just her, because she was too afraid to help the riders.

"He'll be alright," Gobber said. He motioned to Snotlout, Ruffnut, Tuffnut, Astrid, and Fishlegs with his hook of a hand. "You kids should go off and get some rest."

While most of them nodded and headed away, albeit reluctantly, Astrid shook her head and remained stubbornly at Hiccup's side. "No," she said. "I...I want to stay, if that's alright…"

She'd expected an argument, but Stoick and Gobber only nodded. "Alright, lass," Gobber said. "As long as Stoick doesn't mind."

Stoick shook his head. "I don't," he said. "Just let 'im rest, Astrid."

Astrid nodded, thankful that Hiccup's father agreed with letting her stay. "I-I will, Sir," she promised. "Thank you."

"Thank you for taking care of him, Astrid," Stoick said. "If Hiccup were awake, he'd thank you as well. You're good to him, Astrid."

Astrid looked down. No I'm not, she thought to herself. It's my fault he was hurt in the first place.