Lost and Found: Family

Nightmares

Astrid was breathing heavily by the time she reached the village. She stopped to listen for Stoick the Vast's voice, but didn't hear it.

"Oi! Astrid!"

She turned her head to see Gobber running towards her.

" 'ave you seen Hiccup? I don' know where he's gotten off to-"

"Gobber, Hiccup-Hiccup's dead!" Astrid then burst into tears.

"Calm down, lassie. How do 'ya know?" Gobber asked. Astrid responded, but all he could make out was, "Night Fury, Hiccup, Axe, and Woke up."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Repeat tha'?"

"I followed Hiccup into the woods, and there was a Night Fury, and I threw my axe but somehow I got knocked out. When I woke up I saw claw and scorch marks and I found Hiccups dagger and my axe, but I couldn't find Hiccup or the Night Fury!" Astrid could no longer contain herself and burst into another wave of tears. Gobber took her hand and led her to Hiccup's house. He pounded on the door.

The chief of the tribe answered.

"Gobber! And Astrid! Always a pleasure to see you!" he bellowed.

"Uh, Stoick? Young Astrid here has sometin'- sometin' to say."

Astrid looked up at him, then burst into tears again, she couldn't tell him, she just couldn't!

"Why don't we go inside," Stoick suggested.

Gobber nodded and led a sobbing Astrid into the house. They sat down around a table, but couldn't get Astrid to speak. Finally, Gobber told him.

"Astrid has found strong evidence that your son - your son is dead."

Stoick pounded his fist against the table. "Show me."

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Hiccup was soaring over a large sea. Ice bergs were scattered every which way.

He laid down on Toothless' back, wondering where they would go from here, when suddenly, Toothless' head shot up. He glanced around and warbled nervously.

"What is it bud?" Hiccup sat up. Suddenly, Toothless jolted back and a huge dragon appeared in front of them. He immediately recognized it as a Monsterous Nightmare.

It was a beautiful shade of sunset pink. But beautiful didn't mean it was friendly.

"Whoa, bud. Calm down. Maybe we can tame it," he suggested. He had never tried to tame a dragon in midair before, but he was willing to try.

He turned Toothless to the side, and slowly approached the dragon. He held out his hand, but Toothless jerked again, almost throwing Hiccup into the sea. Hiccup turned around and saw an even bigger Nightmare, this one, a lighting blue.

Suddenly, the pair was surrounded by five large Nightmares. They hovered, surrounding them, growling.

It happened in a flash, a yellow Nightmare swooped under Toothless, sending him straight up. He crashed into the blue one, and the securing strap on Toothless' saddle snapped.

Hiccup was tossed into the air. A searing pain coursed through him, and his vision tunneled as he felt air rushing past him.

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Astrid walked through the woods, the chief and Gobber in her wake.

"I followed Hiccup here, we - talked -, and then the Night Fury appeared. I threw my axe at it, but it somehow deflected it, and it hit me in the head," Astrid said as she led them to the top of the cove. She would have led them to the shield, but she was pretty sure they wouldn't fit through.

Stoick jumped over the edge and slid down the wall.

"Welp, here goes," Gobber mumbled before he followed. Astrid slid down after them.

When she got to the bottom, Stoick was already rushing around looking at the evidence. Gobber was staring around.

"A dragon couldn' hav' picked a prettier place to destroy," he said, gazing around.

Astrid glanced back at Stoick. He was getting more frantic by the second. Finally, he stopped and fell to his knees.

"My son, my only son...," Astrid heard Stoick mumble. She walked closer to him and noticed that he had found Hiccup's dagger.

Gobber walked up to him and put a hand on his shoulder. "Aye, let's go back to the house, I'll put ya' on a pot o' tea," Gobber said.

Stoick reluctantly got up and, pocketing Hiccups dagger, trudged back to the wall. He climbed up it and was led away, sobbing, by Gobber. It was the saddest thing Astrid had ever seen.

She stood, alone, in the cove for who knows how long. It was actually quite a beautiful place. It was a shame what had happened. It was terrible that Hiccup had to die. Sure, he came in first in Dragon Training, but no one really had a chance with a Night Fury.

Astrid's vision clouded as she tried to hold back more tears. Now, more than ever, she would have to be tough. She picked up her axe, and, ducking under the shield, she walked away.