"I Do.... NOT!!"

Chapter 5: Toothless

                        ..... Astrid's  POV......

"MOTHER!!" I can't handle this right now. I yelled, shaking from exhaustion. My wounded leg was still useless, a massive gouge now barely laced in new scar tissue covered more than half of my thigh. I was balancing mostly on my other leg, working on the family's wash. It was going well until my mother started talking about my wedding... I knew everyone expected me to marry Snotlout, but I had other plans.

      My mother huffed at my busy ignoring game and stood right next to me. "Well sit down and talk with me about this Astrid!" She told me. "Look. I've already told you. I will not marry Snotlout. I dont like him. In fact, I can't stand him!" I said. "Oh you'll be fine! just give it a few years and you'll like him just fine. Of course if the chief's son hadn't disappeared you could have him. As I remember you two were friends... Ah it's to bad Snotlout is the only option now." My mother replied.

      
        "Snotlout is not the only option! I am challenging Snotlout's position as Chief in waiting. And as I take Snotlout's position and train to be a chieftess I will find someone I actually want to marry!" I snapped. "That's hogwash! You aren't allowed to do that!" My mother stammered. "I've ben reading our histories and I talked with Stoick. It isn't against the rules!" I replied.

         
     "Ah. So that's why you've been in such a hurry to walk again." My mother said despondently. "Yep." I sighed, and then fell to the floor, unable to put weight on my injured leg any longer. "Call off the wedding," I groaned. "I can't believe this.." my mother sighed. "Look. I will allow this on one condition: you marry Snotlout if you do not beat him out for the position of chief in waiting." I gritted my teeth and took a deep breath. "Fine mother, " I finally growled. She nodded and left, finally satisfied. I knew this was ludacris... how could my leg heal in six months? But I had to try. That's when the official announcement of Snotlouts position as Chief in waiting would be announced. That was the time he could be challenged for the position.

....

           The sunset was gorgeous this evening. I was seated on the cliff I first saw the Night Fury and Boreal go down from during the last dragon attack. I felt tears forming as I looked down at my leg. It hurt badly. I was worried it was only getting worse... I was pulled from my thoughts by a sudden rush of air and a thud behind me. I jerked and groaned in pain at my leg as I caught a glimpse of a familiar dragon. I couldn't run, just clamber onto one knee and inch back. I paused to look carefully at the Night Fury. This was the one that saved Boreal and I, but I couldn't fathom why it did. The beast tipped it's head and grumbled quietly at me, motioning toward my leg with his paw.

   
    I shook my head. "What do you want? I don't know why you saved us... Or what you want with my leg. But you better leave before someone tries to kill you," I said quietly, wiping tears from my eyes. The sudden movement of my legs had caused a throbbing pain. The dragon rumbled quietly and shook it's head. I gasped as it drew in the dirt with it's claw a few words I could easily read- let me show you something I cocked my head and nodded. I knew of no dragon who could write... this was getting stranger and stranger. The Night Fury then circled around me and rubbed up against my side. I realized it was telling me to get on it's back, so I slowly struggled on.

        I gasped and held onto the dragon's back fins for dear life as it gently dove from the cliff and leveled into a low glide over the forest. I felt a surge of wonder and excitement as I stared at the ground far below me. I was riding a dragon... I may have been the first viking ever to ride a dragon- one that probably was not trying to eat me. We flew down into the tree cover and landed roughly, which sent me sprawling over the Night Fury's back. It moved quickly and wrapped me into a protective cover to stop me from crashing into the ground. I sat up, my teeth gritted in pain. The dragon sniffed at my leg and then began trying to take off the bandage. I yelled in pain and jerked away, which caused the Night Fury to jerk away. It rumbled apologetically and ducked It's head.

       I winced and carefully unwrapped the bandage. My wound though mostly covered in scars still had a deep gouge on the side that was not healing like the rest of my leg. The Night Fury lunged quickly at me, pinning me before I could move. My scream was muffled heavily as the dragon's wings smothered me, I felt it licking my wound ferociously and couldn't handle the ensuing pain, so I quickly backed out.

....

         I came to at the noise of deep purring. I sat up, stopping suddenly as I remembered my wound. To my surprise only a dull pain followed my move. I turned to the purring sound and realized the night fury was right next to me, twitching ever so slightly in it's sleep. It was curled close to me, one big wing draped over me. I shifted It's wing to look at my bare leg, the wound looked less swollen and infected... and it felt much better. I realized with a start that the saliva of the night fury must have caused this. I took a close look at the sleeping beast and began to admire it. It's scales glinted in the fire light, and I could feel heat radiating from it as it's breath rumbled in and out of a deep chest cavity.

    I turned and looked at it's tail, a double finned, powerful weapon. Stubby fins ran all along it's back and tail, with the exception of the place where his neck and back joined. "I never thought I would say this... But thank you for saving my brother and I" I whispered, stroking the dragon's underside. I scooted a little closer and began to pet the dragon's large ears. At least they seemed like ears. They were big, thick, round edged fins with bumpy ridges lining the outsides that framed it's squarish head and seemed to function in the sound department. The dragon had a permanent pleasant smile shape to his jaws, and very big eyes. Currently they were twitching rapidly, and I realized it was about to wake.

        My mind began to race as I realized that with this dragon's help I might be able to beat Snotout! I layed back down and tried to get more sleep. When the dragon was awake I had questions to ask. I didn't wait long, soon It lifted it's head and looked at me, large ears perked forward. I admired it's large green eyes for a moment before asking my questions. "Ok. First question... Are you a he or a she?" I asked. The dragon wrote in the first next to us- He "why are you helping me with my leg?" The dragon scratched again in the dirt- my saliva will stop the infection In your leg and heal it faster

"Why do you want my leg to heal... Do you know who I am?" I asked. He made a half smile and lowered his head. Astrid. I know you need your leg. I can help you keep it. Let me help. He wrote. "How on earth do you know my name?! What is your name?" I asked him. We have a long history. You are not ready to hear it yet... If you knew who I was I don't know what you would do. I can't risk that He wrote. I shook my head and looked intently at the night fury. Who could he possibly be? I cocked my head to match his curious gaze at me, "well... maybe we can make the cliff our meeting place. If you can help me with my leg every evening I may be better very soon. Maybe you can tell me your name later on when we learn more about each other." I told the night fury.

   He straightened quickly at that and a goofy grin spread across his... toothless? jaws. "Oh... Well I'm gonna call you Toothless until you tell me your real name," I said, feeling a grin spread across my face. I never imagined a dragon could have a contagious smile but this one sure did. He bobbed his head and purred, I took that as a sign that I could call him toothless. We conversed back and forth for a bit longer, me asking questions and he writing answers in very good handwriting. We started our flight back to Berk about an hour later, but before landing Toothless took me on a breathtaking tour of the night skies.

        As we flew I snuggled close to his warm back and watched in awe as the Aurora borealis danced around us. Blue, green, and pink danced across Tothless's black scales as the cold wind ruffled my hair and his ears. The puffy clouds lit with different colors around us and stars twinkled in clusters and constellations. "Wow... this is incredible... You... are amazing" I gasped, reaching down to rub toothless's neck. He purred softly and we began our descent back to the village. Before I left toothless to head home, he gave me several handfuls of fur leaves he had licked well. We hoped that would tide me over until we could meet again. I left my new friend with a hug and a thank you, then carefully slipped through the back into Boreal and I's room. I wrapped a few of the fur leaves from toothless around my leg and carefully positioned myself to sleep. I couldn't shake the warm excited feeling from flying that night...how did Toothless know my name?