Httyd SPELL BOUND 💛

Like old times

Requests for oneshots welcome x

Can't believe this story is nearly over x

***

Astrid and Oakley returned to the village under the cover of night, the moon a pale guardian overhead. Their walk back from the cove had been quiet, but not tense — the kind of silence that comes when two warriors have already said everything that needed to be said. When they stepped back through the gates of Berk, their hearts felt a little steadier. Stronger. More determined.

It was time to switch shifts.

The A-team — older teens and adults, seasoned warriors, and villagers who had trained for moments like this — were already up and moving, silently taking over from the exhausted dragon riders. With the rhythm of a long-practiced routine, the younger generation handed off their duties and retreated, dragging their feet, shoulders sagging under the weight of both exhaustion and fear.

Despite barely sleeping in days, Oakley didn't head for her hut. She couldn't. Her mind was racing, her stomach churning. Sleep felt like a betrayal when her dragon — her partner, her best friend — was still missing. When war could arrive with the next gust of wind.

So instead, she slipped away to the one place she knew she could fall apart without anyone watching — the arena.

It was empty and quiet, the torches long extinguished. The sandy floor was cool beneath her as she lay down, not to rest, but to think. Her back against the rocky ground, she stared up at the stars — the same stars that used to comfort her as a child, back when things were simpler. Back when dragons weren't being stolen and minds weren't being controlled.

Back when she believed anything was possible.

Now, every star felt like a distant hope. Out of reach.

Her confident façade, the one she wore like armor, had begun to crack. Her chest rose and fell with uneven breaths as her thoughts spun in chaotic circles. Fear clawed at her ribcage, tightening like a vice.

No dragons. No Alpha. No hope. Just her.

How in Thor's name were they supposed to win this one?

"You'll figure it out."

Oakley bolted upright, startled. She turned just in time to see Lotus sauntering into the arena with her usual mix of grace and bluntness, her arms folded, her sharp eyes watching Oakley like a hawk. Behind her came Astrid, followed by the rest of the riders — Hiccup, Snotlout, Fishlegs, Heather, and the twins. None of them had gone to sleep after all.

It seemed like no one would be resting tonight.

"I hope so," Oakley admitted, pulling her knees to her chest. Her voice was quieter now, rawer. "I swear, if anything has happened to our dragons... I'll kill Drago myself."

"That's my girl," Astrid grinned, and before Oakley could react, she plopped down beside her and tugged her into her lap. Oakley didn't resist. She let herself fall back into the safety of Astrid's arms, her tension easing just a little.

"How are you holding up?" Astrid asked softly, brushing strands of hair away from Oakley's face.

Oakley sighed. "It's loud up here tonight," she murmured, tapping her temple and wincing as she rubbed at her temples. "Too loud. The fear, the panic — I can feel it. From the people. From the dragons. It's like everyone's screaming, and I can't turn it off."

Astrid gently began stroking her hair, slow and soothing. She knew better than anyone how overwhelming Oakley's connection to the dragons — and to Berk — could be. It wasn't just empathy. It was like she carried the emotional weight of an entire island.