The Night Rider

Chapter 30: The Rustling in the Bush's

ASTRIDS POV.

Astrid walked up one of the busy morning streets of Berk weaving between the crowds of Vikings busy hauling around heavy pieces of wood and stone repairing various destroyed buildings and structures that had been damaged or burned to the ground in previous dragon raids. All throughout Astrid's life and long before that her home had been under constant dragon attacks. The shortest amount of time they got between attacks was three days too three weeks. Never less, and never more. The sight of her village being damaged in the dragon raids and rebuilt in bulk was something of second nature to her and all the other Vikings.

But the sight of it, the sound of the dozens of metal hammers bashing nails deep into wooden beams, and large wooden logs being mutilated into planks. She had never gotten used to it, and probably never would. No building in Berk could ever be classified as old. In the past eighteen years almost all of the houses and other various buildings of Berk had at least been damaged or fully burnt to the ground at least once or twice.

"I think he's dead." Astrid heard a Viking murmur to another as she passed by them. "Please Angus, they were keeping him in a tent they were." Responded another Viking with fear lacing his voice, making it slightly quiver. "He slipped past Astrid and now he and his dragon are gone and he's probably bringing his whole dragon army back here! Head my warnings Angus! Berk will burn with dragon fire!" Angus and several other Vikings quacked under his predictions of the future which Astrid simply rolled her eyes at and continued on her way. Even before Hiccup had been captured the Night Rider had been a popular topic of conversation, but now that he was in Berk it was as if he was the only thing anyone could, or was aloud to talk about.

As if to illustrate that point a frantic Snotlout ran into her view and immediately started to bombard her with questions about the Night Rider. "Astrid" He exclaimed. "What happened to the Night Rider? Him and his dragon are gone! Are they going to attack?" Snotlout picked a small  wooden board off the ground and held it over his head feebly. "Do you think we need to hide?" Astrid let out a displeasured sigh and pushed past the irritating Viking continuing on her way.

When Hiccup had been unconscious in the medical tent healing from his injuries Stoick had assigned her to guard him because other than him she was the only one that really knew what was going on. But since then everyone assumed that she knew everything about the Night Rider. Which of course was true because she did know more about what was going on with him than almost everyone else but she had to keep up appearances. "He and his dragon have been moved to a safer location." Astrid said to Snotlout who she knew was still trailing behind her.

Earlier that day Stoick had found her and told her about the new story that she was to tell other Vikings if they were to ask where the Night Rider and his dragon where. 'He and his dragon had been moved to a safer location.' Just another lie. "But where." Asked Snotlout his voice back to his normal cocky tone now that he knew there was no immediate danger. "I mean isn't it better for Berks best and most capable fighter to know where the Night Rider is?" Astrid stopped in her tracks and turned around to face Snotlout. In a huff and irritation she placed her hand on his face and shoved him to the ground then proceeded to storm away from him. "Fine! I'll find out where he is on my own!" He yelled from behind her.

A small smile formed on the side of Astrid's mouth, as annoying and irritating as Snotlout was it was in a way entertaining to see him make wild allegations just to fail and fall on his rear in embarrassment  when he tried to complete them. After minuets of walking Astrid arrived at her destination, the Haddock house. She made her way over to the front door, Stoick wasn't home but he wasn't the reason she had come here anyway. Hiccup was.

There were probably better things she could do with her free time like train, help rebuild the village. But for some unknown reason she felt like she needed to spend time with Hiccup. She raised her hand up to knock on the front door but stopped herself. She couldn't go through the front door, the numerous Vikings around would see Hiccup when he opened the door and with his appearance so would appear more questions then she could answer. Astrid casually made her way around the side of the house to the back door and waited a second to knock to make sure no one had followed her out of curiosity.