5 Years Later - Astrid's POV
"Remind me again why we're going to Sharkslane Village?" I heard Fishlegs asked. "Because our forge was burned down in the last dragon raid and that is the closest village in where we can get more weapons and that are weapons will be fixed" I said. I swear to Oden he's been complaining about this journey for nine hours now. It was an eighteen hour trip by ship and it was well into the night now. We'd be arriving in the morning tomorrow to the village. Nothing much has changed in the last five years, except that dragon raids had become more frequent...and that we had all changed.
Snotlout still had his arrogant, bashful personality which I hated...and he still tried to hit on me, even after countless attempts at injuring him...he still didn't get the big picture of how I would never ever go out with him. He also had sprouted a small beard and had grown a bit taller and put on a bit more muscle. It was the same with Tuffnut. He was still his...dumb self I guess you could say...his hair style hadn't changed much and he also was growing a beard. Fishlegs had lost a bit of weight and in place of it was more muscle. He had grown a bit taller and also had a small beard as well. Tuffnut's and Fishlegs' personalities were still intact, as were most of our personalities.
Me and Ruffnut had grown quite a bit as well and it was evident on our bodies. Our outline was more defined now, but as we've grown we've still retained the shape from when we were fourteen. I'd say out of the five of us, me and Ruff had matured, well Ruff had matured a lot but still she argued and fought with her brother every once in a while. But I knew this trip had something more in it. Stoick was looking for Hiccup...I wouldn't say looking but to make sure he's still alive or if he's anywhere. So far the villages we visited in the past had stories of two boys coming to their aid with their dragons. I remember only seeing Hiccup and his...dragon, but maybe Ripper also got a dragon of his own. Either way I didn't care because it was none my business and that they had been marked as traitors for life in our tribe, although I had to admit it...I did miss Hiccup...a little. He was the only one who didn't act tough and strong, he acted himself even though all of us didn't like it.
"Hey Astrid, do you want to bunk with me tonight?" Snotlout called from the deck. I sighed and I threw a harpoon right at the railing at where he was. He squeaked a bit and fell back down. "Does that answer your question?" I asked him and turned back to Ruffnut.
"Will he ever stop?" she asked looking at him getting back up and dusting himself off. "You and I both know he'll never learn" I said not paying attention to him. "What do you think we'll find at Sharkslane?" she asked. I didn't know much about the tribe, except that their chief and ours new each other well. They were friends. "I don't know Ruff, it's mainly a business trip right now, just to ask them to repair our weapons and we'll pay'em and leave" I said. "Yeah, we'll be staying there for a about four days. Enough time to see if they're any hot guys" she said leaning against the railing. "Why don't you ever go out with any one Astrid?" she asked.
"Because I don't want to Ruff. Snotlout it just...ugh...and Fishlegs and Tuff are not anywhere near my type. "What about you?" I asked.
"Well, out of them...Fishlegs seems pretty cute" she said and I don't think she even realized she said it. "Cute, someone has a crush" I said smirking. "So what, I'm looking for a guy Astrid, and you should do the same. We're that age where we are supposed to be married off and I'm looking at my options. Fishlegs doesn't seem all-Viking but he's nice and sweet. People say you and Snotlout should go out" she said and I almost lost my meal when she said that.
"It's because you two are the best Vikings in the village and you two would make a good match" she explained. "There is still no way in Hel that'd I go out with him" I said. We looked out on the horizon and I sighed. "Someone's meant for me...and he's out there somewhere...I just wish I knew who he was" I said to myself and we went below deck to get some rest for tomorrow.
The Next Day - Ripper's POV
It was another day on Sharkslane Village and I loved every single day of it ever since we came here. I rose up from my bed slowly as the sun's ways made its way through my window. I looked to my left to see my wife sleeping peacefully beside me. I smiled to myself. I still wonder how things would have been if he was still here. I looked out the window. "I'm sorry bud" I said, remembering that day. It was the happiest day of my life, but it was also the saddest.
"Ripper" I heard my name being called and looked to see Heather getting up. "Is everything alright?" she asked, looking at me with concern in her eyes.
"Everything's fine Heather, I was just thinking about him" I said. She also smiled sadly. She missed him too and she noticed the change his departure left on me. But that was over a year ago and now I have a wife to take care of and I'm in charge of the forge. "I miss him too Ripper, but he wouldn't want you moping about his absence" she said placing her hand on my shoulder and giving me that smile of hers I loved. "You always know how to cheer me up" I said getting up out of bed. "Well I think since we've been living together for a year I would know you better than anyone" she said.
We then heard a roar from outside and saw Bladewing come up to the window looking at us. "Really bud, do you know what privacy is?" I asked jokingly and watch him cock his head to one side. "He's hungry Ripper, you better give him his food before he loses it" she said getting out of bed and going up to the window. "Get back down there and wait for him to come out" she said sternly and Bladewing did just that. "He's my dragon and he listens to you?" I asked as I got my shoes and shirt on. "Well most guys do because they know what happens if they don't" she said looking back at me. "Oh yeah, and what's that?" I asked, not believing that she could be tough. "Do you really want to find out?" she asked crossing her arms and staring at me with a deadly glare. "No ma'am" I said and I bolted downstairs to feed Bladewing.
When I came out I saw Bladewing waiting at his stable for his barrel of fish which I was rolling to him. I pulled the barrel upright and removed the lid and the first piece I threw into his mouth was an eel. You see me and Hiccup discovered that a Whispering Death doesn't like sunlight but once when we gave it an eel, it came out and we came to the conclusion that an eel helps with its weakness to the sun. Ever since then Bladewing could roam wherever he wanted to without worry.
"It's going to be a long day Blade" I said as he dug into his morning meal. "So what do you have to do today?" Heather asked me coming out, all dressed, it still amazes me how she gets dressed, straightens her hair and get refreshed so fast.
"Well I have to repair some of Meathand's butcher tools, I have to repair the mesh for the fishing nets, and I have to fix up your father's garden tools. And that's just the morning work" I said. It gets really busy here on this island so it keeps me busy and I earn a lot as well. "Well leave your night free" she said picking up a basket. "Why?" I asked.
"Because I have plans with you tonight" she said with a wink and I laughed. It has been a while since we did that. "Where are you going?" I asked. She had a basket and I remembered she didn't have any chores.
"I'm going into the forest to pick a few wild berries and flowers" she said. "Take Bladewing with you" I said and I gestured Bladewing to go with her and he gladly made his way to her. "Don't you need him at the forge with all your work?" she asked as the dragon joined her side.
"Well I don't need him today because I'm not doing any heavy work, and plus there are wolves out there and I don't want you to be on your own...remember what happened last time?" I asked, recalling the last time she went alone. "I did not know that baby wolf had parents...it came to me" she argued. "My point is that I don't want something like that to happen again" I said and she smiled.
"Thanks for caring so much" she said and gave me a soft kiss on the lips and turned around to the forest path with Bladewing behind her.
"Today's gonna be a long day" I said as I took my sword and keys and began my walk to the forge.
Docks of Sharkslane - Astrid's POV
"Get those ropes ready!" Stoick yelled. We were at the docks of Sharkslane Village and just needed to tie the ropes and could disembark. The dock's foreman came out with a few others and helped tie the ship. Gobber raised the gangplank for us to get off.
"Welcome to Sharkslane, I'm Griplock the foreman, and you are?" he asked looking at all of us. "I'm chief Stoick from the Hairy Hooligan Tribe and we've come here to fix some of our weapons because ours was burned down in a dragon raid" he explained. "Dragon raid huh? Never had that here in over five years" he said.
"Really?" Stoick asked. "Yeah, we only had one dragon problem but that was taken care of" he said. Before Stoick could ask another question, "The forge is not in the village, it's down that path through the forest" he said pointing to the path. "Thank you, come on all of you" he said and Gobber and Snotlout proceeded to push the cart they brought their weapons in.
"They had a dragon problem?" Tuffnut asked. "What do you think they did with it once they killed it?" Snotlout asked. Since they said they took care of the problem the only solution was that they probably killed it. "Whatever they did with it, it isn't our business, now com' on al of you" Stoick said as he led the group to the forge.
"Ruffnut do you see that?" I asked. "See what? All I see is a normal village with people minding their own business" she said looking around. "That" I said turning her head to a stable that had no animals but had a huge amounts of fish in a sort of dish inside. "Don't animals eat grass, not fish?" I asked. She also looked thought it was strange. "Well whatever lives in there I don't think it's livestock" she said. "Wait, are those spikes?" she asked, and pointed to a few spikes embedded in the walls of the stable.
"Yeah, must have been the dragon they were talking about" I said, not giving it a second thought and followed the others to the forge. I couldn't wait to get back to Berk because in all honesty, there's no excitement here at all.
Ripper's POV
I had already set a fire going and was outside now cutting some wood for the smelter and fireplaces. Today was a really beautiful day. I saw a few birds flying about and chirping their music and this place wasn't as cold as Berk. It was warmer and I liked it a lot. There was always a cool breeze that refreshed you every time you took a step outside and it never got old.
It's times like these that I wish Hiccup was around. We enjoyed the life we led here for over three to four years. I felt bad because I believe it was my happiness that caused him to leave. I told him I wouldn't do it but he didn't want to stand in the way of my feelings but he said that he couldn't live here. The thing is he pushed me to do what I wished because he wanted me to be happy. He was being his usual self, always caring about others more than himself.
"You still haven't visited mate" I said to no particular. I wish he would drop by and see how we were doing, but I just tell myself he'll come...eventually. After I finished cutting the necessary pieces of wood, I picked them up and headed back to the forge.
Normal POV
The group was now near the forge and they could see the smoke coming from the chimney, indicating the smithy was already there. "Ok everyone, we just hand him our weapons, tell him what needs to be fixed and to buy a few more ok?" Stoick asked and all the teens and Gobber nodded. He knocked on the window doors that gave a view to inside the forge.
Ripper heard a knock coming from the window counter. "Never get anyone this early" he said to himself and went up to the counter.
"Hello and how may I help you..." he said as he opened the shutters and stopped when he saw who was on the other side of them. The whole group from Berk was staring at who was in front of them. Five years might have gone by but certain features stay the same.
Ripper saw everyone; Stoick, Astrid, Fishlegs, the Twins, Snotlout and Gobber all there, with mouths wide open. Ripper was in total shock to have his mouth open. "Oh boy" he said and which everyone heard. He slowly reached out to the handles of both the shutters and closed the window. He slowly turned around, and removed his apron and hung it on the clothes rack. He then saw the side door which was open and bolted for it.
At the same time the group of teens and the two adults were also in shock. "That was Ripper wasn't it?" Snotlout asked. "Uh-huh" everyone answered. And just at that moment they saw bolt out of the side door that they didn't see and into the forest. "After him!" Stoick yelled and soon all the teens were hot on his trail.
Ripper ran as fast as he could. He took a quick glance back and saw that the teens were also close behind with Astrid in the front. "Seeing that I know the terrain, that's my only advantage" Ripper thought and tried zigzagging through the forest, but the teens were close behind. The terrain was just like Berk so there was no real advantage...only for them because they had the numbers.
"Ruff, Tuff flank him!" Astrid said and without hesitation the twins went off into a direction with the other three still close on Ripper.
They had been running for a couple of minutes now when Ripper turned around again and saw only three of them. "Wait, where are the..." his question was answered when he was tackled onto the ground by the Twins.
"Well, well, well...look at what we've found" Snotlout said as the other three stopped. "How long did you think you could hide from us traitor" Tuffnut said. "Well let me see...forever" Ripper answered as he was pulled up by Astrid. "What are you doing here?" she asked. "Living my life away from all of you...what does it look like?" he spat back. Ruffnut took some rope she had with her and bound his hands behind his back. At that point Stoick and Gobber caught up with them.
"Never thought I'd see you again" Stoick said. "Same here" Ripper mumbled. "You do know you're still a traitor right Ripper?" Fishlegs said, in a more friendly tone. "I know that...now what are you going to do with me?" he asked. "Take you back to Berk for another trial" Stoick said as he gestured Astrid to lead him back to the village. "This time you're not getting away" she said as she pushed Ripper in front of her, with everyone heading back to the village.
Sharkslane Village
Treeroot was just coming back from the Hall after a discussion with the elders when he bumped into Griplock. "Hey chief did ya' know that ther was a ship docking today?" he asked. "No I didn't, who was it?" he asked. Normally the foreman would know if there's a ship docking because they inform ahead of time. "A ship from Berk. It had the chief and a bunch of young adults. Thought you knew something about it" he said and continued on his way.
"From Berk. Oh no...Ripper" he said but just at that moment he saw the group from Berk enter the village with Ripper and his hands bound. "Stoick what is the meaning of this!" Treeroot said as he blocked the way to the docks.
"Treeroot, we this man was a traitor to our Viking way of life and escaped his death sentence and now must be taken back to Berk to be trialed again...wait...did ye' know that he was here?" Stoick asked. "Yes I did" Treeroot answered, unafraid of how Stoick would respond. "What you were hiding him!?" he yelled. "No Stoick I wasn't and he wasn't hiding...he was living here" Treeroot replied calmly.
"Dad?" they heard a voice come and they saw Heather with...with...a "DRAGON!" Fishlegs screamed as they saw a Whispering Death behind the girl. "Don't worry miss, I'll protect you!" Snotlout said and ran up to Heather and tried to get her away from the supposed beast behind them. "Everyone, your weapons..." Stoick said but then when he reached for his hammer he realized that they all left it in the cart that was at the forge.
"EVERYONE CALM DOWN!" Treeroot yelled at the top of his lungs and everyone did stop panicking, except for Heather and Ripper because they didn't see the need to panic.
"What do ya' mean calm down, there's a dragon behind her" Gobber said. The Whispering Death was now growling at the visiting party because it saw a stranger trying to take Heather and that Ripper's hands were bound. "Snotlout will you please get your hands off her" Ripper said, not liking the idea that Snotlout was touching his wife and trying to show off because she caught his attention.
"And why should I traitor?" he spat back, still not releasing his arm from hers. "Because she is my daughter...and Ripper is my son-in-law" Treeroot said and everyone stood with mouths open again that day. "You mean...that..." Snotlout started but was cut off. "I'm married to Ripper...now let go" Heather said kicking him in the knee and he limped away on one leg back to the crowd.
"And Stoick you better let him go because his dragon ain't too happy to see his rider tied up" Treeroot said. "His rider?" Astrid asked and they looked at Ripper and back at the Whispering Death who looked like it was about to charge at them but was being held back by Heather.
"Yes I'm his rider, and will you let me go because he will attack if these bindings aren't cut" he said gesturing to his hands. "Let him go Stoick, we can talk about this in the Hall" Treeroot said. "You have a lot of explaining to do Treeroot" Stoick said and cut Ripper's bindings off. He immediately walked away from them and Heather came running to him and hugged him tightly. "Next time, you're taking Bladewing when you go to work" she said with a smirk and as if on cue, Bladewing nudged his master's shoulder, asking whether he was ok. "I'm fine bud" he said scratching the dragon's chin.
"Now please come" Treeroot said as he walked to the Hall with Ripper, Heather, Bladewing and the Berkians behind him. This was going to be a long night.