*VOLUME 2: Destiny*
SUMMARY (VOLUME 2): The riders, having all returned to Dragon's Edge Island with one new recruit from Berk, immediately come face-to-face with an obstacle that could potentially make them lose their home-base, the key to their dragon-saving operations. Through many challenges, they fight hard to try to save the island before it is too late. All the while, new relationships between the friends form, while some could possibly shatter forever.
SUMMARY: Mister Thorston heads off on a mysterious journey, feeling lonely without Tuffnut and Ruffnut.
CHAPTER 23
Mister Thorston packed the last of the supplies he normally carried on long, solo boat trips to nearby archipelagos for the markets into a sack.
A needle and leaf for a compass, food for boiling and eating, cotton bulbs for starting a fire, a few pairs of linens and coats with more holes than he cared for, a pelt, and his excellent bows and quivers that he only touched for hunting large game before the winters were all contained within the sack.
His small boat already contained a few additional sacks that he had roped to the holsters. He passed a kitchen drawer just as he was about to lock his house for the journey. He considered ignoring his angst, but instead opened the drawer and slid a rust-speckled wedding band on his finger.
For a weapon sharpening, Mister Thorston first went to the smithy. He once preferred to use his own stones to sharpen the tips of his arrows, but Gobber had a magical way with metals, and he wanted to make sure that they were sharp enough to kill immediately in the event that he were to be attacked while traveling.
Mister Thorston noticed as he got closer to the smithy that there was again a long line. Mister Thorston saw Stoick there, joking with Gobber about his son Hiccup as the early crowd dwindled. Mister Thorston complained to himself that he would have to have a civil conversation with the old leader, but when it was his turn, he pushed forward to Gobber's window.
Stoick stated, "now he's all grown up and running an island of his own."
"Seems like Hiccup is interested in running around e'ery isle but Berk," Gobber replied. "Are we really that bad?"
"Berk isn't the place he should be!" Stoick said with pride, "He is at home in the open ocean. Gobber, I've observed the difference in him while he was on the air. I know. He is his own man."
"Well, whaddo I know. Ye still can't say ye don't miss 'im as of now."
Stoick laughed muffledly. "Yes. I do." A new sight in front of Stoick excited him. "LaVerne? I haven't seen you in a very long time!"
"LaVerne?" Gobber spoke out. Like Stoick, he approached the window with awe.
Mister Thorston grunted as he dropped his quiver onto the shop ledge, "god morgon."
"Dear friend, how have you been doing lately?"
"Spare me yer sweet talkin' Gobber, or I'll lose me breakfast. I jus' need me arrows sharp enough to split a hair. I'm sailing at sunrise."
"You've got it!" Gobber exclaimed. While Stoick interrogated Mister Thorston incessantly and Mister Thorston impatiently tapped on the service window, Gobber quickly got to work.
Mister Thorston did answer some questions, like one about his work hauling cargo at the shipyards, which he said was just as hard as when he was a boy but getting harder every day because his joints weren't as strong as they used to be.
Since the plans for an upcoming winter hunting party would require much more skill than the village men had anticipated, Stoick's invited Mister Thorston to lead it, but Mister Thorston said he would need time think about it once he got back to Berk.
"Where are you headed?" Stoick stated later.
Mister Thorston quickly responded, "it's only for me t'know, keep yer nose out of it."
Mister Thorston noticed the wide hide of a yak. He only had pelts from smaller animals, which might not keep him as warm as the skin of a yak. "How much for th'hide?" Mister Thorston asked.
Gobber called, pumping the metal sander with his feet, "not for sale. It hasn't dried completely yet. I could finish twice as many per day if your boy were still here. He worked slowly, but I believe he had a gift: the right touch to ensure things were long-lasting!"
Mister Thorston remained still and appeared perplexed. "Tuffnut?"
"He worked for me for a short time before fleeing with Hiccup and e'eryone else. Ye weren't aware?" Mister Thorston remained silent about the question as Gobber worked on.
Mister Thorston stated, "if he caused ye any trouble, when I find 'is arse, I'll give 'im what it's worth-three times o'er. And that's no lie."
Gobber replied, "no, no, he did well! I delighted in havin' 'im. He was better than Hiccup in some ways."
"What do you mean?" Stoick cut in, more curious than offended.
"His work ethic. Focus was difficult for Hiccup; even when he had just finished his lessons, he was always working on something. Tuffnut listens very well."
Mister Thorston looked down. He tried as hard as he could to use the words "listener" and "Tuffnut" in the same sentence. He was surprised to find that he agreed.
Gobber polished the whetted arrows in front of Mister Thorston without his asking, and then startled Mister Thorston by returning his arrows on the smithy ledge.
When he was ready to leave, Mister Thorston grunted at Gobber, "took y'long enough." With some reluctance, he tipped his slender-horned helmet in farewell to his old friends, with whom he had previously performed his rites. In a similar manner, Stoick and Gobber wished him success on his journey.
Words: ~950
A/N: Thanks for reading! Please feel free to share your thoughts with a review.
