How to Be a Dragon Star 1

Chapter Fourteen - Romantic Flight

"—leaving!" Hiccup finished dejectedly, entering the pit after a long struggle of getting away from the cheering vikings. "We're leaving." He sighed. "Let's pack up! Looks like we're taking a little vacation. Forever." He exhaled again. "Estrella? Toothless? Hello?" He paused for a moment. "I'm ready to go to the Hidden World!" Where are they?

The scratching sound of rock on metal reached his ears, and he turned to see Astrid, sitting cooly on a boulder and sharpening her already-polished axe.

That's why.

"Whoa! Whoa, whoa. Astrid. Astrid! What... What are you doing here?" What did she hear?

Astrid leaped off of the boulder and began advancing on him. "I want to know what's going on," she began, as he began stepping backwards. "Obviously I didn't make myself clear yesterday."

"You, uh—"

"Nobody just gets this like you do," Astrid continued steadily, ignoring his continual stuttering. "Especially you."

"Astrid, that doesn't even make sen—"

"Start talking."

"I— uh— I am—"

"Are you training with someone?" She jerked her axe in his face threateningly.

"Training? Me? I never—"

"It better not involve this!" She grabbed a fistful of his flying suit he had changed into as soon as possible.

"This? Well, see, there's a story behind this. You see—"

A stick cracked in the far corner of the clearing. Fear flooded Hiccup. Please, keep quiet....

It was too late. Astrid gasped, dropped Hiccup, and started pacing over there to investigate.

"You're right!" Hiccup cried desperately, running after her. "You're right! I'm—" He laughed nervously, trying to step in front of her, "I'm through with the lies. I've been... making... outfits!" Oh gosh, that sounded awful. He cringed. "It's time everyone knew," he continued rambling desperately. Hiccup grabbed Astrid's hand and placed it on his shoulder. "Go ahead. Drag me back. Here we go— Owwww!" She had twisted his hand backwards and he found himself slumped on the ground once again. She turned around angrily and stepped on him. "That's for stealing the fight offs from me." She dropped her axe handle on him, ignoring his groans of pain. Gritting her teeth, she finished, "And that's for everything else."

A yowl of indignance sounded. Astrid gasped again, stumbling backward and raising her axe. The atmosphere changed abruptly. As Toothless showed himself, baring his teeth with anger at Hiccup's mistreatment, she screamed. "Run! Run!" she yelled to Hiccup, nervously raising her weapon.

"No! Astrid, no!" Hiccup lunged at her, ripping her axe and throwing it away from them. "Stop! Calm down!" He grabbed her arms to prevent her from panicking and running away, back to the village, to spill the beans. "Toothless!" He placed himself between Astrid and the black dragon. "Cool it, bud. She's a friend." Hopefully.

Astrid was still gasping with adrenaline. Her eyes were larger than Hiccup had ever seen them before. "You just scared him," Hiccup explained to Astrid, holding Toothless back.

"I scared him?!" Astrid repeated, gaping at the pair. "Who... is him?"

Hiccup grimaced. Now for the hard part. "Astrid, Toothless," he said, gesturing to them both. "Toothless... Astrid." Toothless huffed and a spark of flame escaped his mouth. Hiccup stamped on it and laughed nervously.