"Morning Eret"

Astrid looked down questionably at the man before her. He was slouched over on one of the tables in the hall fast asleep, a plate of untouched meat beside him surrounded by buzzing flys.

Astrid let out a sigh and grabbed Eret's shoulder shaking the man awake. She nearly gagged as she smelt the man, it was obvious he hadn't washed in a number of days.

"Eret" she said firmly bringing the man to his senses.

Jumping slightly Eret looked around with tired eyes "w-what" he slurred with a yawn turning to face Astrid.

Astrid let out a small laugh and sat down beside him "and why are you so tired" she said with a smile.

Eret narrowed his eyes at her in annoying before slouching back down "if your just here to annoy me, leave so I can try and get some sleep" he groaned.

Astrid furrowed her eyebrows and her gaze hardened on Eret "Well for starters the hall isn't the best place to get some sleep" she said swiftly hastily getting to her feet "secondly Hiccup wants to see us all in the training arena in ten minutes" and with that she turned on her heel and stride out of the hall.

"Ughhhhhhhh" Eret groaned, not only was he tired, Astrid was now pissed off at him and he had to go put up everyone else in ten minutes.

Slowly getting to his feet Eret made his way out of the hall, he was tired, hungry and annoyed as he half heartedly grunted greetings to the few Vikings he had come to know on his way.

Not many of the villagers had taken to him

as quickly as Hiccup and his friends, most saw him as what he was once was, a dragon trapper which had resulted in the odd fight here and there and the constant glances and whispers from those around him.

Today though Eret couldn't care less, all that was on his mind was the wish that what Hiccup wanted would be over soon and that he could go home and sleep through the day.

This hope vanished as soon as Eret arrived at the training arena. Hiccup and Fishlegs were crowded together over a makeshift table which was just a barrel, looking at a map together discussing it inquisitively. Astrid was standing by Stormfly affectionately scratching her dragons scales, Snotlout was nowhere to be seen and Tuffnut and Ruffnut were at the tail end of one of their fights.

Eret couldn't help it, he found himself staring again. Ruffnut was sitting triumphantly beside her brother who was lying on the ground sobbing in pain, arm around his stomach which Eret could only guess was the result of one of Ruffs kicks and sporting s fresh black eye also the result of one of Ruffnut's hits. Ruffnut had a wide smile on her face as blood leaked down from her nose onto her teeth staining her smile red. She looked effortlessly beautiful as she let out a cackle of a laugh her blue eyes staring down at her brother "quit being such a baby" she remarked with a laugh before looking up her eyes catching Eret's gaze causing the man too look away as quick as he could and walked towards Hiccup and the larger man Fishlegs.

"Nice of you to join us"

Hiccup piped looking at Eret with a smile, he stood straight and rubbed his fingers through his growing beard and amusingly ran his eyes over Eret.

"You've seen better days" Hiccup chuckled looking at the notable bags under Eret's bloodshot eyes and his usually well groomed hair, unwashed and wild.

Eret shot him an annoyed look but didn't feel like pissing anyone else off that day as he felt Astrid's eyes burning into the back of his head.

"What's the problem?" Asked Eret looking down at the map Fishlegs was examining.

Fishlegs interrupted Hiccup before he could even answer Eret's question "Hiccup found this map at Dragos old fort" he said excitedly "it has a location on it that we've never seen and could potentially hold new dragons!" He stated excitedly.

"More importantly" said Hiccup with a sigh interrupting the large man, "Drago may be there"

Eret raised an eyebrow at the young chief in interest "what makes you think that" he questioned, "he could be anywhere"

Hiccup nodded his head "he could but this map was found in Dragos quarters, meaning that perhaps he didn't want others knowing of this location" he said.

Eret looked at Hiccup not convinced.

"I know it's a long shot" said Hiccup, "but it's the best lead we've had on him for months" he said looking at Eret.

Eret nodded his head "alright" he said patting Hiccup on the back "if you say so chief"

Hiccup smiled and turned to face the others, "Ruff, Tuff" he said.

The pair had gotten over their tiff and were now tending to their recent wounds, Ruffnut had washed her face and was holding the her nose to stop more blood from oozing out. Tuffnut was sitting on his dragons head hand over his stomach while the other covered his black eye.

"Where's Snotlout?" groaned Hiccup to the pair but more directly towards Ruffnut.

Eret noticed this and felt his stomach churn, why would Hiccup ask Ruffnut specifically?

Ruffnut shrugged "how should I know?" she stated letting go of her nose which had stopped flowing blood.

"I don't know maybe because you were with him last night?" Said Hiccup sarcastically with a sigh.

"What!" Fishlegs gasped his eyes wide.

Eret held himself back from a similar reaction as anger started to boil up inside of him. He clenched his fist to his side but kept a calm face as Ruffnut answered Hiccup.

Ruffnut and Tuffnut glanced at each other with an evil smirk "oh yeah" chuckled Ruffnut, "I don't know" she said.

Tuffnut grinned as well, "I also don't know and I defiantly know that he is passed out in a pile yak manure" he said earning a laugh from Ruffnut.

Eret felt his temper reside as it became apparent that Ruffnut was still far from interested in the Jorgenson boy.

"Guys come on" sighed Hiccup trying to hide a smile at the thought of Snotlout spending the night in a manure pile.

"And how did you guys manage that" said Astrid as she walked over beside Hiccup, hands on her hips, she was obviously amused by the situation.

"Oh you know, challenged him a drinking contest in which he obviously lost" Said Ruffnut smirking at Tuffnut. "Got him absolutely blind drunk and got Tuff to help me dunk him in the manure pile" cackled Ruffnut.

"Truely some of our best work" said Tuffnut forgetting about his black eye and winded stomach as he bowed on top of his dragon.

Hiccup suppressed a laugh and gave the twins a disproving look. "I'm going to go get Snotlout and fill him in on the situation" he said with a sigh. "The rest of you get ready to saddle up and leave in the next hour" he said.

Eret watched as Hiccup whispered something to Astrid before moving towards Toothless who was busy devouring a barrel of fish.

He smiled to himself at the thought of the twins antics and found his admiration for Ruffnut growing. A woman who could handle her drink, fight like an animal and manage to look good whilst doing it.

He was definitely falling for her.