Riders of B E R K

Part 20: Getting to know the Oswaldsons

I paused at the door that evening, unfamiliar self-consciousness surging through my body. It had been ages since I went to a girls' night and I was aware I wasn't really friends with any of these people. In fact, I had been astonished when Heather had come to my room, apologised and asked me to come over to get to know 'the girls'. I shook myself: what was the worst that could happen? If I wasn't enjoying myself, I could just walk out! I knocked.

Heather opened the door and gave a smile. "Come in, come in!" she invited and ushered me into a room that was far cosier than mine. She had her bed against the wall at the far end with Ruff and Cami already there, having a shoving fight on the bed and there was also a bean-bag against the long wall and low table in the centre of the room. She handed me a paper cup with what was undeniably wine in it and dragged me to the chair. "Have a seat!" she grinned and plumped down on the beanbag, sipping her wine and inviting me to tuck into the tortilla chips on the table. I gaped: how the hell had she got hold of all this stuff?

"Thanks," I said and took a sip. Heather gave a much more genuine smile and I wondered if she had been acting-but why would an adult act like a stupid High School kid, trying to keep in with the cool crowd?

"There are so few of us girls we all need to stick together," Heather started. "I know we kinda got off on the wrong foot-and we have to put our hands up for that. We didn't exactly welcome you, Astrid. But you are one of us and we oughtta try to get to know each other." I inspected her: her delivery was clear and she was clearly trying to reach out. The others were nudging each other but I knew I had been hard on them as well and I shrugged.

"I agree," I said and sipped my wine. And then they all looked expectantly at me. I sighed. "You want me to start?" I guessed and Ruff grinned.

"Yeah-spill the dirt, sister!" she encouraged and I sat back. Eventually, I told them pretty much everything-though not in excruciating detail. But they were sympathetic about the loss of my family and astonished when they heard what I had achieved. Cami frowned at me and put a finger up.

"Let me get this straight," she said. "You entered the army at seventeen, did Sandhurst at eighteen during your first year of Uni, are actually really a commissioned officer and have led exercises and been all over the country and you've just finished your medical degree and are already partway through a trauma internship with Gothi?" I nodded.

"Um, that's about it," I admitted. They stared at me.

"And you just bonded a dragon as well?"

"Stormfly, yeah," I smiled.

"And you thought the General may not want to keep you?" Heather's voice was astonished.

"Er, yeah?"

"No wonder you chewed us a new one!" Ruff sighed. "We must look like a bunch of cadets to you!" She actually looked downcast and I felt a twinge of guilt.

"No, just amateurs," I murmured and drained my cup, stretching over and refilling my wine. "But I realise this is a different kind of unit and you interact a bit differently. What was happening, though, was totally unacceptable. I just hated seeing you picking on Hiccup!" All three of them rolled their eyes.

"Puh-leeze!" Cami scoffed. "He's got 'kick me' written all over him. He comes over all meek and pathetic but he can't resist breaking rules and getting away with it." I listened more closely.

"Oh?"

"He plays the geeky dork perfectly," Heather said, "but he's pretty manipulative all the same. He just 'wandered' into the hatching pit during the first hatching? Yeah, I really believe that! The little bastard was waiting his chance and just managed to walk in as the Night Fury hatched? My brother tried to stop him but he shoved past and went straight for the little black hatchling. It was so impressionable that he bonded before anyone else could get near. And once there, he was in!"