As Always, I own nothing.
Also, I won't usually update this often, I was just a few chapters ahead and this story is outlined. I'll try to get on a schedule to update regularly. Hopefully.
The Boar Hunt (Day 2)
"Three days ago, we released seven wild boars into Berk's forest. We'll split into teams and head in different directions," Hiccup stood before the men, pulling his cloak around him to shield his face from the sleet shooting like tiny arrows from the sky. "To keep thing interesting, the Hooligans will not use our dragons."
There was a groan from Snotlout and Tuffnut, whose sloppy hair and bloodshot eyes made them look still inebriated.
Hiccup lifted his hand to feel the wind and watched the direction of the sleet, "We're at an advantage, men. The wind is blowing down from the mountains and through the woods, carrying our scent away, and if the sleet continues, it should wash it completely from the air. The biggest threat is sound, so try to stay quiet."
He broke the men that made it out into 7 groups, keeping his own group small with Eret, Dagur, Fishlegs, Snotlout, Tuffnut, Gustav, and Gunnar.
After setting groups he gave further instructions, "Each of you has an arrow dipped in a small amount of Monstrous Nightmare gel. Use your flint stone to spark it then shoot the arrow up. Don't worry about starting a fire, everything is too wet and the small amount of gel should burn out before the arrow falls."
The men started to coalesce into their groups. As they gathered their gear Fishlegs whispered to Hiccup, "I though you didn't like Gunnar."
"Can't stand the guy, but I'd rather keep him my problem." Hiccup put his hand on Fish's shoulder. "Besides I've got my best men on my team. I know you guys have my back."
000
Sisterly Confrontation
Astrid sat in the great hall outside the kitchen at one of the long table with Ingrid, Heather, and Gunnar's mother (Hiccup's Aunt Laga) peeling potatoes. Ruffnut also sat with them carving her potatoes into deformed heads.
"Where's mom?" Ingrid asked. Astrid noticed her sister's voice changed since last time she saw her. It had weakened, she sounded quieter and almost like a child.
Astrid tossed another sloppily pealed potato on top of her pile, which grew to twice the size of any other. "At home," she said without making eye contact. "She has things she'd rather do there. Away from me."
She yanked a potato from Ingrid's pile, stabbing it mercilessly with the knife in an effort to skin it.
"Do you have something against potatoes?"
"No."
"We're cutting them for one of your wedding feasts. Not sure why you're being hostile."
"I'm not-"
"Every question I ask since we sat down gets a curt response and you're cutting those potatoes like they wronged you in a past life."
Astrid threw the knife into the table. "Well, I might be just a tad upset about last night, you know your husband giving my husband-to-be some sex slave, who oddly looks like a younger version of me. I don't know, that just seem like the sort of think your sister's tribe, and her husband, shouldn't do."
Ruffnut put her potato aside, leaned forward, and became very interested in the current conversation.
"Astrid," Heather whispered. "Maybe you shouldn't talk about this here."
Astrid spoke louder than she meant to and a few other women in the hall stopped their food preparation, giving her an apprehensive look.
Gunnar's mother, snickered.
Knowing she was an elder, Astrid bit her tongue, but gave the woman a deadly look.
"Silly girl. Unappreciative. Naïve," Her eyes slanted, returning the glare. "One day, you'll learn having someone below you in your marriage, might be the only control you ever get. And the only way to keep a husband at home."
Ingrid looked down, suddenly more interested in pealing her potato than anything else.
Elder be damned, no one talked to Astrid Hofferson that way, she picked the knife from the table and pointed it at the woman. "Just because your people own slaves and don't respect their wives, doesn't mean Berk does that."
The woman remained un-phased, "That's only how you think it is."
Heather placed a gentile hand on Astrid's arm. "There are probably other things we could do in the kitchen, we don't have to sit here."
Astrid wasn't going to let this woman get to her, she sat back, picking up another potato.
Aunt Laga laughed to herself.
"What?" Astrid resumed her dirty look in the woman's direction.
"Your husband has a dragon, and he could just leave at any time, does he do that? Do you wonder where he goes?"
"He's out riding his dragon, where the Hel else would he go? Search the area, make sure there are no enemies out there."
"Does he ever come back different?"
"Different? Like with a haircut?"
"Oh, you know, does he sometimes return seem more experienced, more confident? In a better mood? Did his kissing just get better one day? Does he demand new things in bed? Does he insist on bathing when he returns and before he sees you?"
"I know what you're implying and I don't like it. He might be your nephew, but you don't know Chief Haddock at all!"
"I knew Stoic Haddock. Not in that way, but I maybe other women did. Maybe he didn't miss my sister as badly as she thinks he did. Twenty years is a long time to be alone."
"You're full of it!" Astrid pointed the knife back at her.
Ingrid looked up at her.
Astrid met her eyes, "Why? This isn't how we were brought up? You're going to have a baby and your husband is chief, you should be running the village doing important things. Not using slaves and living like a pampered sheep."
"I do important things," Ingrid said, unconvincingly as she watched her hands fidget in her lap. "And yes, before I left Berk, I thought the same, but, Astrid you'll learn things are different for Hiccup now, he's a chief, he's got power, and he's busy, and one day you'll wake up and he'll just be different and he might need more. More than you can do, more than you want to do. I'm not insulting you. You just don't know how men are, or how they change."
"You don't know him. You knew him as a kid, that's it."
"Maybe you don't know him. When he was a scrawny apprentice, a girl like you probably seemed like the best thing that ever happened to him. But now he can have anyone. And everyone knows it – how long do you think before he knows it? If he doesn't already. You might as well get to pick who he is with. Didn't you wonder why all those chiefs brought up their beautiful daughters? If you can't produce an heir quickly, they hope Hiccup will take other wives."
"Do you even hear yourself? Who are you? Other wives? I never expected you of all people to be so petty – you're unhappy with your sick husband, so you tear down mine? Hiccup and I are overjoyed with love. I'm sorry if you aren't."
Astrid glanced over at Ruffnut, who no longer seemed intrigued by the family drama, but rather worried as she and Heather looked at the sisters sadly.
"Oh, Astrid, you're a fool. Being married, especially to a man of power, won't make you happy. It will just make you a different type of slave."
000
The Hunt Wears On
Hiccups group had been tracking one particular boar for a few hour, when they decided to break beside a secluded creek.
"I feel sick," Snotlout moaned. "Hiccup how are you not dying, every time I saw you last night, you had a drink in your hand."
"Can we not talk about drinking or being sick. Or at all," Tuffnut held both sides of his head.
"I suspect my cousin's cup might have been laced with some extra water and weaker ale," Gunnar suggested as he lounged on a rock behind Hiccup.
Hiccup stood up and climbed on a higher rock, one where he could see Gunner, "Or, I know how to pace myself."
"I'm cold," whined Snotlout, "Why are we doing this without dragons? I could really use some Hookfang flames right now."
"Where's your sense of adventure? You can ride dragons anytime, but how often do we all get to bond in the woods and feel the true thrill of the hunt?" Hiccup smirked.
Gunnar got up and walked behind Hiccup, "Speaking of riding, how is that girl working out for you? Keeping the bed warm while Astrid stays with the in-laws?"
The other men looked at Hiccup uncomfortably.
Hiccup jumped down from the rock and stood very close to Gunnar. The two men were equal in height, but Gunnar was stockier. "It's getting colder and I don't think we all want to be out too long. Let's keep moving."
Gunnar walked up behind Tuffnut, "Good job with the entertainment last night."
The other man seemed so insincere Tuffnut felt apprehensive about the compliment, but also felt too hung over to do more than accept it. "Thanks, I guess."
"Although," Gunnar continued. "I have to say I think we're all looking forward to the after-wedding entertainment."
Hiccup kept walking, pulling his cloak tighter over his shoulders, the sleet stopped, but steam rose from his head as his body heat fought cold air. "Sorry to disappoint, my great- grandfather made a law against public consummation before his own marriage. Probably his wife's request."
"Ha! Too bad. Sorry you couldn't have been there the first time I had Astrid's sister."
"I'm not sorry."
"You know, cousin, you could always change the law back. That is, unless there isn't much for people to see."
Hiccup stopped walking and turned to his adversary, "Not changing the law. Not playing your game. Not sure why you've though that much about me down there, or anything I do, or will do behind closed doors."
Tuff interjected, "Besides, between the legs is probably one of the places Hiccup does not need to grow."
Hiccup groaned. "Didn't you embarrass me enough last night?"
"Hey, gotta defend my chief."
Tuff continued, re-energized by the attention, "So we were all playing, puke and punch…"
"I like this story already," Dagur added.
"Gustav is too young to hear this," Hiccup argued, this conversation lead nowhere good.
"The boy has to learn this sometime." Tuff counter-argued. "Anyhow, the rules are simple, you have to punch someone and make them puke—"
"Do NOT demonstrate that," Hiccup warned.
"Anyhow, I punched Hiccup between the legs once, because as we all know – if you hit a guy hard enough between the legs, he'll puke. Let's just say, when I went to punch Hiccup, what was there could not easily be missed. I told Snotlout and Ruffnut and they kept jumping out and punching him in the same area. He never puked, but the look of embarrassment on his face in front of Astrid – totally worth it."
Hiccup squirmed, a slight pain between the legs recalling the game. "Why – why are you telling this story?"
"Wow. Good job Hiccup," Dagur took a step closer to him, feigning to punch at Hiccup's manly area.
"I wouldn't do that," Tuff warned. "We had to stop the game after Hiccup punched me back. Oh, Lokie did that hurt."
Snotlout doubled over laughing uncomfortably at the memory, "Oh, he hit you so hard, you thought he broke your pelvis! Oh gods!" His laughter stopped, but he didn't rise back up. "Oh gods, I think I'm going to be sick."
"I was on bedrest for a week. It was so awesome."
"Like how big are we talking?" Dagur asked.
"It doesn't matter, we are not playing Puke and Punch," Hiccup let them have their fun, but wanted to change the subject. "Hold it together, Snotlout. Everyone else, forget the story."
"So that's how you got Astrid." Gustav looked at Hiccup with admiration.
"Especially you, Gustave."
Gunnar seized another opportunity to dig at his cousin, "That story is interesting and makes me wonder. Maybe I made a mistake. Should I have given you a boy instead last night? I didn't take you for that type, but hearing that story and pairing it with some of the things I've heard things about your men in Berk."
Eret glanced nervously at Hiccup.
"People like to make up crazy stuff. If I listened to all the rumors about you'd, I'm sure I'd hear worse."
The young chief turned around, "Eret, you're the best tracker, which direction?"
Eret searched for prints and signs of disturbed fauna. "Two tracks in opposite directions. Based on the size, not from the same animal."
"Split up," Hiccup ordered. "Eret, Daggur, and Gunnar with me. We'll take the bigger one."
Eret lead as the three men followed. Gustave, lead the others in the opposite direction.
Overhead a flaming arrow streaked across the gray sky, fading to black smoke as it fell from its apex.
Another came soon after. Then a third.
"Four left," Gunnar mused, "I do hope your friends find it. Not very useful without dragons – are they?"
"They do alright."
"Aren't some on your council? They don't see, so bright. And, I wonder how effective Vikings are, who've gone lazy from sitting on the backs of dragons all day?"
"I didn't see many of your men coming at the hunt." Hiccup replied.
"They're busy doing other things for me."
Eret ignored the conversation, concentrating on finding more tracks, made hard by the frozen ground.
"Times like this I don't feel so bad most of my family is dead," Dagur laughed uncomfortably.
"Didn't you kill them all?" Gunnar asked.
"I did start that rumor, but I didn't. I've killed people, but no one related to me. Although, if you were my cousin, I might make an exception."
Gods their both nuts, Hiccup thought. At least Dagur's on my side now.
Both Dagur and Gunnar laughed like two maniacs. Till Eret shushed them. They ceased their noise, exchanging glairs.
Another flaming arrow cut the sky.
"Down to three." Hiccup mumbled. The wet air leaked into his last layer of clothes, lifting more heat from his body and making him want to shiver. He sensed the others becoming just as miserable.
Off in the distance he heard someone from one of the other groups vomiting and the responsive disgust from the rest of the party.
Eret looked back, "Tuffnut?"
"Probably…" Hiccup muttered.
Another arrow flew overhead.
More commotion came from the direction of the other sounds – yelling, the wild sounds of branches breaking, and a boar screaming.
The sounds headed in their direction.
"Two approaching, Chief," Eret said drawing his bow.
The others followed suit.
Hiccup directed, "Eret and Gunnar, take the first one. Dagur, we've got the second. If you get open shots after they pass, take them."
They listened for the thud of hooves and breaking branches to get closer.
Hiccup closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath while listening and feeling the direction and speed of the wind as it pressed against his skin. He adjusted his arrow's trajectory accordingly to what the wind told him.
The sounds of the animals were almost upon them, then two brown blurs entered a clear spot in the woods.
Eret let the first arrow fly and the others followed. The sound of the bows releasing followed by the swift slice cut air.
The first boar screamed, falling to its knees.
"Got it!" Eret yelled running toward it.
The second boar continued, Hiccup's arrow in its back, blood trailing from a wound.
Dagur took after it, racing through the forest, cutting ahead to where the animal might go. Gunnar follow with Hiccup a few strides behind.
Hiccup saw Dagur stop on the edge of the woods, something not quite right. He rubbed his leg then cursed as he released another arrow. He crumpled over. "I twisted my ankle, oh Thor's hammer it hurts like Hel."
Gunnar looked down at him as he casually continued to the felled animal.
Behind him, Hiccup approached Daggur, who sat on the ground "But we got them. Good work. I'll get the dragons out here so you don't have to limp back."
Hiccup called for Toothless then knelt next to the groaning man, "He has to run since he can't fly without me, but when he comes he'll signal other dragons."
Dagur rubbed his ankle and tried to breathe deeply. There wasn't much Hiccup could do for him, so he just handed him a skin with a bit of mead, "Drink up."
A flaming arrow shot up from Eret's location.
Hiccup walked to Gunnar and the boar.
Gunnar stood over the injured beast, watching it squirm in pain. Its breath labored and the whites of its eyes showing at it frantically searched for relief. Blood seeped from its wounds pooling on the grass.
"End it," Hiccup commanded.
Gunnar moved closer to him, pushing his face into Hiccup's personal space, "You don't want to kill it, do you?" Gunnar whispered sardonically. "They say your weak, that's why you won't kill the dragons. Why don't you make it your friend? Maybe you can ride it through the woods or keep it as a pet."
Hiccup shoved him away with both arms, "You don't know me. You never did. So, don't act like it or try to get into my head. People, far worse than you have tried, and you're not smart enough to come close."
The animal wailed, its body flailed like it wanted to move in every direction at once.
"It's suffering," Hiccup stated forcefully.
"Do you ever like to look at the inside? All pink and warm. Like the sisters we both know. We could cut it slowly at watch it -"
Hiccup unsheathed his sword, flinging it by Gunnars face, before plunging it into the boar in a swift deadly swing.
The animal's sounds and movements ceased.
"What is wrong with you?" Hiccup exploded yanking the sword from its mark. "You're not right in the head - the questions you ask, the thing you say. And don't think I don't know what game you're trying to play with that girl last night."
He wiped the blood from the sword in the wet grass, trying his hardest to not let Gunner notice his trembling. "We're done here."
Toothless came barreling through the woods to meet him.
"Signal the rest of the dragons." Hiccup instructed and Toothless did so with a blue plasma blast.
The others from their group started emerged from the woods to join them, Eret had a smaller boar slung across his solders, while Fishlegs held Tuffnut up with one arm and Snotlout with the other.
Dagur came limping to them and Hiccup reached out to support him, "Oh God, what is that smell. Was the boar rotting before you killed it?"
"Snotlout got sick," Fishlegs said while looking like he was trying to hold it together himself.
"And then I Got sick," announced Tuffnut. "Not by way of Punch and Puke, though. In case you were wondering, because I know you want to bring that back."
Hiccup just looked down at their vomit and mud covered boots.
The dragons arrived and they packed up the boars. However, Hookfang refused to let Snotlout aboard while he smelled so bad. The rider chased after his dragon for five minutes, before Hiccup ordered him to leave his boots. There was no salvaging them anyway.
Hookfang set himself ablaze as soon as Snotlout mounted up, "At least you're not a complete jerk," he mumbled. The dragon responded with a hoarse laugh.
"If he's leaving his barf encrusted boots behind so am I!" declared Tuffnut, yanking his off.
"Ah! Not sure if your feet smell better with them on or off." Fishlegs gagged.
"Alright, anybody else want to shed anything before we get out of here?" Hiccup asked.
Everyone shook their head.
"Gunnar, ride Barf with Tuffnut." Hiccup ordered.
He snorted, "You call it 'Barf'? And no, I won't ride it. I'd rather walk."
Hiccup waved the others away and they took off toward Berk. Toothless watched the others go then made a curious grunt at Hiccup.
"Ride with me." Hiccup ordered.
"No." Gunnar started walking back.
"Don't be stubborn."
"Stubborn? I'm being a real Viking. You know, walking like our people have done since the dawn of time. Riding dragons is unnatural. Besides," Gunnar stopped and looked at him as coldly as the sleet, which started falling again, "didn't that dragon kill your father?"
Neither said anything further as the man walked off into the woods.
Hiccup and Toothless took to the air. The shards of ice started cutting at his face as they flew forward. Hiccup began to shake and feel sick, not just because of the cold.
Once again, I apologize if there are any typos. I hope you enjoyed the new chapters. Thanks for reading.
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