AN :

Here we go guys and girls, another chapter. Before we start I would something. I started a poll on my profile about the next story. I currently have 3 ideas, but more are welcome!

Anyway let's get back to the skies.

On the deck of the Berkians ship, a pattern was covering the wood, it consisted out of a heavy and thick footprint and a small dot form a wooden leg. Gobber was walking around the ship, very annoyed. "What do they want with her?" He asked no one in particular. "Why wouldn't they help us?" Gobber walked around the ship like Mildew when he lost his sheep. His crew was watching him. "Eem, Gobber?" Fishlegs asked calmly, scared that he might send the smith into a state of berserk. "Yes," Gobber responded a lot calmer. "What is it?" "Well with the engine being molten, we can't continue the pursuit. So what will our new course be?" "Dammit!" Gobber yelled. The old smith used to be a calm and understanding individual, but that had changed when Hicca left. He blamed himself mainly, he should have seen the signs, he should have been there for her. Hicca was like the daughter he never had. Gobber though for a second, calming himself, and realized that there was no other option. "Steer her to back to Berk fish. We'll rest and get her repaired, then we'll try again." Fishlegs responded with a "Okay, Sir!" and hurried off to the maps to determin the course.

At this point Snotloud, who had heard the conversation, decided it would be time to speak first and think later. "Why are we looking for her anyway? The hiccup probably dead anyw" Before he could finish the sentence he was answered by a fist to his face, throwing him a good meter back. He felt his jaw to check if it was dislocated, luckily for him, it wasn't. He looked up to see a fuming Gobber stand over him. "Berk has already given up on her once on my watch! I will not make that mistake again! So don't you ever even dare to suggest that we halt the search. Or you can tell that to Stoick personally." Snotloud froze when he thought about that. The chief had taken it the hardest of everyone. He buried himself in work, and thanks to that time wasn't being kind to him. He imagined him standing before the big, red-haired man, and telling him that his daughter was dead anyway. He slowly got up and hurried to the back of the ship, sitting down on a crate. Meanwhile, Aster was leaning on some railing, watching the small black speck on the sky, that was the ship that contained information about Hicca, slip out of their reach and into the clouds, never to be seen again. What would they know about Hicca. Roamer was seriously offended when Gobber suggested hunting her down. And that look in his eyes, he had respect for her. But why? These questions started a fierce battle with Asters thoughts, giving him a headache. "Why don't you want to be found Hicca."

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Meanwhile the 'Skywhale' had arrived at a small cove, located on a island called 'Thor's rest' since with some imagination, you could make a hammer out off it. Hicca carefully lowered the ship into the cove, until it was just above the ground. She signaled her crew to start tying the ship to hold it in place, they couldn't have it drifting off now could they. Once the ropes were tied her crew assembled on the deck. Hicca still stood at the wheel. "Sith' and Ray, you go look for something to eat, we still have some potato's and bread. But that's for emergencies." Ray swung his satchel around his neck and zip lined down one of the thick ropes connecting the ship to the ground. Sithera was about to go but she was stopped by Hicca. "Take your time, we'll be making a surprise here." "Okay-dokay!" Sithera responded, as she also zip lined down to Ray, before they both disappeared into the thick tree line.

Hicca then turned to her remaining crewmember, who was looking curiously at the boxes on the deck. "What's in these anyway?" She asked. "A new front gun." She answered. "A typhon?" Brynn asked. "Well yes, why do you ask." Hicca responded, trying to pry information loose about Brynn 'ideas' towards Ray. "Ray kept talking about it." Brynn answered, before putting on a heavier voice and imitating the currently absent gunner. "This peashooter is fun, but it's no use against serious opponents. What we need is a Typhon, that's a real beauty." Hicca tried not to laugh at how close Brynn came to imitating the gunner. But she still had her goals in mind. While she was breaking some of the boxes open with a crowbar, she asked Brynn. "I never thought you paid so much attention to Ray." Hicca had to be blind to not notice the dark red shade Brynn got as she said that, a large grin formed on her face. "It is true!" She exclaimed. Brynn, fully realizing what she was on about, decided to play dumb. "What do you mean?" She asked. "Oh nothing." Hicca began calmly, but continued slowly "You have your crosshairs on the guy with the crosshairs." before bursting out in a fit of laughter. Her laughter was cut short when Brynn pulled Hicca to her face. "Not a word about this. Got it?" She asked. Hicca nodded, trying her best to not burst out laughing again, because Brynn might kill her. Once she was released by her hold she said. "Well, we best get building then, I'm sure you'd love to see him happy." And she was answered by a piece of wood, being thrown her way.

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On the far side of the island Sithera and Ray were currently sneaking through the forest, they were tracking some deer prints in the hopes of finding a nice meal for the night. Sith' was tracking the prints, which were still quite fresh. While ray was looking around them, making sure nothing sneaked up on them. "What do you think about the Berkians?" Sithera asked while inspected some broken twigs. Ray didn't face her as he answered. "Too ambitious for their own good." "Yea, they're not going to stop are they?" She said. Ray responded with. "I wouldn't count on it."

They continued in silence, Sithera following the track while Ray kept checking their surroundings. After a while the forest started clearing up, and made way for a open field of grass, with a small creek on the far end. Sith emerged from the trees first, scanning the surroundings for the deer that she had been tracking and spotting said animal at the far end of the opening, drinking from the creek. She turned to Ray who was just waiting on the edge of the clearing. "Ray, they're on the far side." She whispered. "Pick a big one and we can go back." Ray crouched next to her and grabbed his rangefinder from his satchel. He only had one shot, because it would scare the other animals away. Once he was content with the readings from his equipment he grabbed his rifle again. Zeroing the scope the 300 meters where the animals were drinking. He rested the stock of the gun in the split of a nearby tree and took aim. Taking deep breaths to slow his heartbeat he scanned the group for the biggest animal. Once he found it he held his breath, waited for the interval between heartbeats and fired. The loud sound of the shot rang through the air, and all the animals in the woodland scattered, all but one. For a large deer was lying dead near the creek, a bullet hole in its side, piercing the heart.

Ray glared through his scope for a few more seconds before calling out to Sithera. "It's dead!" He said, before he swung his rifle back on his back and starting the march towards the fallen animal. Sithera quickly joined him in the short walk towards their dinner. "So, want to skin it here or back at the ship?" Ray asked her. "We'll skin and cut it here, and leave some for the predators." Sithera answered. Ray handed her the proper tools from his bag. "I'll take overwatch." He said as he pulled back the bolt of his rifle and let the still shell tumble to the ground. "Fine by me." Sithera answered as she started cutting the meat from the animal. They usually took enough for one meal, the leftovers would be thrown away or cooked into a stew. But they never stored meat, since it would quickly go bad on the ship.

While Sithera was busy cutting sizable meals for the 4 of them. Ray was checking the surroundings from a tree in the middle of the clearing. If anyone was nearby they would have definitely heard the shot. He kept scanning the area while Sith' was giving her full focus on the messy task that she got. "Hey Sith!" Ray yelled after a while. "Care if I take a leak?" Sith stopped working for a second to look at her crewmate. "Go knock yourself out!" She yelled back. Ray quickly disappeared into the woods. She continued cutting the deer, she had 3 sizable pieces and was working on the last one. "Always way too much." She muttered to herself. "Well, ah' could take it ya' when ya' done with tha'." Sithera turned around in a flash upon hearing the strange voice. She saw a older man, probably late forties standing there, holding a walking cane. "I 'eard a shot when I was walking 'ere. We don't get many visitors on this isle." Sithera was observing the man, making sure he wasn't a treat. "You're not tha' one who fired the shot now 'ere you?"

Sithera decided that the man was not planning on bringing her harm. And if he was planning on doing so, he probably couldn't. "No I wasn't." She answered, still being careful about what she gave away to the man. "Oh, where are my manners" He begun. "The name is Toby Tobias Cutterson, it's a pleasure to meet ya'." "My name is Sith'." Sithera answered. "Okay Sith', I'll cut to the chase her." Toby spoke. "When I heard the shot I was already heading here. I come here every day you see." "To enjoy the scenery?" Sithera asked. Toby chuckled. "No actually, although it's quite a view isn't it?" He said laughing. "I come here in the hope that a young boy that I last saw some years ago will be here again. You don't happen to have seen a lad in his twenties 'round 'ere?" He asked. Sithera was thinking about what to answer to Toby when she noticed Ray emerging from the treeline, his rifle aimed at Toby. "Toby, I need you to put your hands up in the air, right now." Sithera said calmly. "Ah, the gunners back I guess." Toby responded before doing as asked. "Who's he?" Ray asked Sithera, who was now wrapping the pieces of meat in leather. "Say's the names Toby." She answered. "Toby?" Ray asked slowly. Sithera wanted to respond but noticed the question was not directed at her. She looked up from her work and saw how Ray had dropped his rifle, something she had never seen him do before, and was staring at Toby. "'Ey there boy." Toby said. "Been a darn long time."

"You know each other?" Sithera asked when she was done wrapping the pieces of meat. "Yea." Was all Ray managed to answer. Toby who had now lowered his hands and picked his cane back from the ground said. "Why don't ya come to ma' place. It's not too far." Sith looked at Ray, waiting for his answer. "Yea, sure. If that's okay with you that is." He looked at Sithera, who merely nodded. Toby walked towards the creek, following it into the forest. There, a well worn path, probably from the daily visits from Toby was carved through the woods. They walked in silence. Before reaching a small cottage with a water wheel. The first half meter of the cottage was stone, from there, large wooden pieces rose until they connected with the straw roof of the building. It had a small garden with some vegetables at the side, and a large waterwheel was turning in the back.

"Hmm, hasn't changed a bit." Ray mumbled when they walked into the cottage. They sat down at a table near the fireplace. Toby got some tea for the both of them, before joining them at the table. The silence was killing, Ray kept darting his eyes around the room while Toby had his gaze fixed at his drink. Sithera was growing nervous from the silence. She's never been good with new people. "So, how do you know each other." She asked quietly. Ray just kept silent, so Toby decided he'd have to answer that one. "Ray grew up here, I'm 'is old neighbor." Upon hearing this Sithera lit up. She looked at Ray "What? Why didn't you tell? We have to see your parents!" she exclaimed. Suddenly Ray stood up and walked out the door. Sithera looked at Toby, who shook his head. "He never told you did 'e?" He asked. "Told us what?" Sithera asked out of curiosity. "What happened to his parents."

Toby let out a deep sigh. "It doesn't surprise me really." He said. "Ya know, that he didn't tell ya. It were some a his darker days." Sithera didn't like the idea of being left alone with this strange man, but curiosity got the better of her and she decided to stay and listen to his story. "It was about 3 days after he sunk that ship, and he was still on the run." Toby began. "It started out as a calm day, and I found myself indulged in a book about beekeeping, since I keep ma own bees in a meadow not far from 'ere." Sithera was annoyed at how easily the man got sidetracked. "But then I smelled smoke. A lot of it. I looked out the window to see a giant cloud of grey rose from the tree line. And it was coming from the Roamer family's farm." Sithera could guess where this was going. "I 'urried through the forest to find meself joining a group of other inhabitants, and we all watched with sheer 'orror. The Roamer's farm was ablaze, and soldiers were keeping everyone from extinguishing the fire." She had heard of such acts before, but not by the hands of the military. It was common for brutes and mercenaries. If they couldn't find you, they would find your family. "Once the fire died and the soldiers left, we made a pyres for Roamer family, and gave them their rites."

Sithera was shocked. Why hadn't Ray them. Why would he keep such a horrible secret hidden from them. Then she remembered something. "Was the slaughter commanded by a certain general Debaul?" She asked. "Yes, yes that's the very devil himself." Toby answered. "Why?" "We pried that bit loose from him and we're trying to track him down for him." She replied with a sigh. Toby looked at her with a blank expression. "Well he had you chasing a ghost. He killed the man shortly after the incident." Sithera listened with confusion. "What? How? Why?" She asked. "You'll have to ask him yerself." Toby said. Before he handed her a map of the isle, with Roamer farm still marked on it. She looked at Toby with even more confusion. "Gather yer friends lass, you'll find him there." Sithera was speechless, so she nodded, stood up and made way to the door. "Toby," She said before she left. The man looked up. "Thank you."

AN :

So here it is, very Ray centered but I would like to add a rich background to each off the crew. I hope everyone enjoyed it!

Take care everyone!

R4y