The Night Rider: Book Two

Chapter 19: Only One

ASTRIDS POV.

The cold wind billowed through Astrid's hair making it flap like the wings on a frantic dragon. It bit at her eyes with its cold fangs making them water although that could also be because of the situation she had gotten herself and Hiccup into. She was an idiot! Astrid had thought that her and Hiccup plus Stormfly and Toothless would be enough to defeat the two Hunter ships. They probably would have been if she hadn't had been so cocky and gotten Hiccup and Toothless captured. All that was on her mind now, 'what horror's where Hiccup and Toothless enduring because of her actions?'

Hiccups final order to her replayed and echoed throughout her mind. 'Run! Leave! Go get help!' The only reason they needed help was because of her. But Astrid wouldn't let Hiccup down again. She'd get back to Berk, find help wherever she could, fly back to the ships, and save the two of them.

Berk was growing larger on the blue horizon. Stormfly was soaring quickly high in the sky. They'd be there soon.

"Common girl just a little faster please!" Astrid begged to Stormfly. Her dragon was already flying faster than Astrid had ever seen her go but she needed more speed. The Nadder squawked and beat her wings faster. Within moments they were landed on Berk next to the rest of the riders. Thank Odin they were all together.

Astrid frantically scrambled off Stormfly's saddle and ran over to the riders, who were all leaning against a building playing a game that included stones and several sharp objects. "I need your help!"

"You've looked better." Ruffnut mumbled blatantly to her twin.

"No, no, no! Get your dragons we need to leave! He needs our help!" She continued to explain but the other riders just continued to give her confused looks.

"Astrid what's wrong?" Fishlegs asked approaching her with a caring and concerned expression on his round head.

"Hey look Astrid. I'm a little busy winning and they're a little busy losing so could you come back a little later?" Said Snotlout picked up a stone on the ground and throwing it trying to continue whatever game they all had been playing.

Astrids face contorted and she balled up her fists. "You don't get it!" She yelled, kicking all of their stones away ruining their game. Snotlout and the twins exclaimed in annoyance but when they saw her face they all quickly fell quite and didn't dare object. "Me and Hiccup were flying."

"Why? Does Astrid have a boyfriend?" Tuffnut teased nudging Ruff with his shoulder. The female twin shuffled away from her brother just in time to avoid being pinned to the ground by a furious Astrid who held him down by her boot.

"We saw two Hunter ships and we--I got into a fight. I wasn't paying attention and I got him and Toothless shot down! They captured them and I can't get them back without help!" She explained, her chest heaving up and down after all of her yelling. All of the other riders went silent, but they all had the same shocked, yet determined expression. Even the pinned Tuffnut.

"Then we have to get them back." Fishlegs said.

"I agree but... two Hunter ships." Snotlout gulped between his quivering sentences. "Can we even do that? You heard what Hiccup said. We aren't good enough."

Snotlout made a valid point although Astrid would die before admitting it. At what point does them helping turn into more of a problem than a solution. What if they try to help and all end up getting captured? Who would save?

Astrid shook her head and tears began to well up in her eyes. She had already lost her parents; she would not lose Hiccup to. "Please." She said, "we have to try."

"I say we go kick some Dragon Hunter butt." Ruff said slamming a fist into her palm.

"Yeah!" Yelled Tuff crawling out from beneath Astrids foot.