"I Do.... NOT!!"

Chapter 13: Miracles

        
                             ------Hiccup's POV----
      

       I growled in disbelief and shock while pulling Astrid further away from the now breathing babies. Her hands shed pale blue whisps of light. Her face was terribly pale and her breathing ragged. She had been crying in pain moments ago and now she was eerily still. I wailed softly and began vigorously licking her hands and face. She felt so cold. I sparked my fire deep with in and pulled her close to my now hot, glowing chest. Perhaps she would wake up if I could keep her warm. I wrapped my wings tightly around her and prayed she would be OK. I pondered, shaking with exhaustion and fear, and staring in awe at the now breathing daughters  of Hookfang. Windshear. How long ago did the dragonets have their necks snapped? I asked her. She moved slightly and moaned in pain.

    Maybe an hour... the sun hasn't moved its position between the time of their attack and your arrival. She said. I gulped, we had to get out of here. Just then welcome peeps sounded from the dragonets. They were awake and examining their surroundings. Bwuther bwuther!! Bad hoomans was hewr. We were dead but now we are alive! They said, running over to me. Relief filled me as I saw they were healthy as ever. Want to meet the one thay saved you two? She saw you were hurt and she fixed you I told them quietly. They nodded and wiggled with excitement. I lifted a wing to show them Astrid. Hooman!! They yelped, and jumped back, their tiny toothless gums showing. They looked from Astrid to me in confusion. But hoomans are scary. Is this one a nice hooman? They asked. Yes. She is a very nice human. You don't need to be scared of her. You can trust her. I told the babies. They shared a look with each other and waddled up to Astrid, sniffing and licking her pale face. Why is she cold? The dragonets asked me. She used all her strength to help you two I answered.

     Just then, I heard the enraged roars of Hook fang. She was coming in hot. I gulped and motioned to the dragonets to go back to their nest in the corner. Hook fang landed just inside the cave in a flaming fury, growling death to the humans. Hookfang. Calm yourself. We have to talk. Your dragonets were killed by bad humans. This human brought them back to life. She saved your babies I roared, crouched over Astrids still form. Hookfang flamed down and stared in shock at Astrid. What. That was the human that freed us in the arena. What is she doing here?! Who hurt my babies!! Hookfang roared. Just then her little ones raced up to her and began squealing for food. She regurgitated a fishy meal for them and hurried over to windshear. Who hurt you? What happened?  She hissed.

     Toothless brought the girl here. She brought your babies back to life, possibly at the cost of her life. Bad humans with a mark different from the others attacked us. They nearly killed me and broke the dragonets' necks. It was wise of stormfly to move her babies last night. Hopefully they are still safe.  Windshear wheezed.

     Hookfang snorted in disbelief. So. Will the human last the night? Shouldn't we take her back to the humans? Maybe they could help her. Hookfang growled. I shook my head, knowing that viking medicine was more primitive than dragon's. Her best shot is staying with us until she regains her strength. Till then we need to get out of here, I replied. I will not ignore sound counsel again Hookfang said, and began looking around the cave. We must find a sling of some kind to put windshear in. Her wings are to damaged to fly. The dragonets will need to ride with you Toohtless. They'll be safest that way if we get attacked. Hook fang said. I nodded and stood, looking down at Astrid. She looked so sick... I was worried sick for her. The thought of losing my  friend broke my heart.

     Just then welcome cheeps and worried grunts sounded near our sea stack. I poked my head out to see stormfly and spiketail with their dragonets in tow. Meatlug and the zipplebacks followed behind. We are leaving immediately. We are going back to the nest- we will stay near but not on it. As far as we can from the queens influence. Toothless will come up with a way to kill the queen, and then we can hide our babies safely at the nest. We are going whether or not you follow Hookfang hissed at them.

      We will all come  spiketail agreed, his head low. I was surprised. Normally he'd kill me if I said something like that... but then again this was Hookfang. She only did things when She decided it was a good idea, which was usually not what or when other dragons told her to. But the human goes back where it belongs, now. Toothless is welcome back to the pod so long as he doesn't bring human baggage. Spiketail added. No. She's not baggage. She saved the babies lives. And we will need her if I'm ever going to fly again. The girl can heal things broken beyond repair. She stays with us. Windshear groaned from behind us.

        Spiketail looked at Astrid and then windshear. It's true. The evil humans broke their necks. They were dead until that human saved them. I said. Stormfly called Hookfangs dragonets to her and sniffed at their tiny necks. It was then I noticed scar marks on their necks that hadn't been their before. They had come back from the dead with just a few scars... incredible.

     I believe him. Stormfly said. I believe we should have taken his counsel last night, we would have kept spike from breaking his leg. Now will you let Hookfang lead us to safety? Stormfly asked her mate. He nodded and we quickly got Windshear situated comfortable on Hookfang. Her dragonets clung to my back and I held Astrid close. We took off from the sea stack and rose high into the clouds, hoping to stay out of reach of any viking eyes.

       The air became thicker and darker as we approached the nest. My echolocation picked out a small sea stack far enough from the den to elude the queen, with a cave easily disguised. If the queen did send dragons to look for us, they'd have a hard time finding us. We spent the next few hours resting and catching prey. I got some particularly nice looking sea weed and kelp closer to the edges of the mist for Astrid, and finally was able to turn in for the night. My side ached and I stumbled from exhaustion.

       I carefully sat Astrid up and fed her the boiled juice from the kelp and seaweed, using a hollowed out rock. She was at least swallowing tiny amounts, which was more than I had hoped for. Stormfly and Hookfang used the other things I gathered to tend to  Windshear's wounds. Finally, a sense of calm dropped over us and I focused on keeping Astrid warm. My podmates sensed her need and gathered around us, adding thier warmth to our temporary home. The dragonets scrambled on top of us... except spike. His little red and green scales looked dull and scuffed. He had clearly been kicked around. Spike, grab my tail buddy. I'll put you in the pile  I rumbled to him. He perked up and grabbed onto my tail with his mouth. I carefully lifted him up over sleeping dragons and gently set him next to my side. He snuggled in and placed his head on Astrid's stomach.

    I sighed and looked at his small leg  sadly. It was badly injured. He would never walk on that leg unless Astrid made some speedy recovery and healed him before the bones set crooked. I tried to shut off my worries for the night and slept deeply, feeling strangely calm and safe with Astrid under my wing.