Cloud's Journey: Banished

From Tears to Laughter

"Cloud, just wait." Hiccup gripped my arm tighter.

"How did you find me? What are you doing here?" I demanded, struggling to pull free.

"I wanted to give Toothless a break, so we're walking." Hiccup said, being yanked back and forth by my struggling but not letting go.

Give Toothless a break. My eyes started to sting. Toothless still watched the scuffle, moving closer.

"Just let me go!" I shouted again, only this time I couldn't meet his eyes.

"No, we're talking this out." Hiccup pursed his lips, summoning up strength, before yanking me toward him. I hit his chest and my struggling stopped.

Gasping, I looked at Hiccup's face. He was waiting for me to explain myself. His eyes were filled with seriousness, no longer shining or filled with the desire he'd had to help me before all this. I burst into tears.

I didn't try to stop, even though I was upset with myself for crying so much lately. Hiccup let go of my arm and put a hand on my shoulder. I kept crying. My body shook as sobs tore it apart.

When my sobs quieted, I looked back into Hiccup's face. In his green eyes I could see my reflection. My face was red and my eyes puffy. It looked terrible, so I stopped crying, letting out one last sniff.

"I'm SO sorry, Hiccup." I whimpered, almost crying again. "I'm sorry for everything. I had to do it, and I'm sorry!"

"Who put you up to it?" Hiccup asked. His hand was still warm on my shoulder.

"Well... me, but--" I stammered, tears running down my face. "I wanted my parents to be proud of me."

After a pause, Hiccup pulled me closer, an arm around my shoulder. "Cloud, do you want to tell me what's been on your mind ever since you got here?"

I nodded before I could stop myself. Hiccup's eyes were filled with compassion again.

"My parents banished me for admiring dragons." I told him.

Hiccup's eyes filled with the most intense emotion I had seen in them. It wasn't anger or pity, but a kind of horror mixed in deep sadness.

"Dragons ruined my life, so I wanted revenge. I thought if I killed a Night Fury, the most powerful dragon, my parents would love me again." I said. Hiccup, still with that thick, thick sadness in his eyes, laid a hand on Toothless' head. Toothless cooed, looking up at his rider's face. His own yellow-green eyes shone with love and forgiveness. It made me choke on a sob.

"Go on." Hiccup said, still looking at his dragon. His best friend.

"It seemed so easy, yet so hard." I continued. "I thought it was right thing, but I was still afraid of hurting you."

"Cloud, I know how you feel." Hiccup looked me in the eye again. "It may seem a cliché thing to say, but I went through something like this."

I nodded, still picturing the grief and horror in his eyes.

"You ready to go home?" Hiccup asked.

"I'll never go home." I stared at my boots. They were muddy, the same being for my leggings. Actually, all of me.

"Cloud, Berk is your home now."

My head shot up. "No it's not. I don't live there."

"You have been for nearly a week."

"But--" I stared out into the forest. "My parents are home."

"Maybe that will be your home again someday," Hiccup pulled me around to Toothless' side. "But for now, your home is here."

In a daze, I climbed into the saddle behind Hiccup. On the flight home, I wept quietly. Hiccup let me be.

I had run farther than I thought, but the village was soon under us. Home. I had a home.

We landed beside Astrid's house and people started to run at me. The other dragon riders. Doubt grasped me. What if they didn't want me? What would Snotlout think about me using the dagger to attack his friend's dragon? What would EVERYONE think? I was a murderer, ready for prison.

"Where was she?" Astrid demanded. The twins were there, too, but Snotlout and Fishlegs were missing.

I ducked my gaze.

"It doesn't matter right now." Hiccup said. "Astrid," he pushed me toward her.

Astrid took my arm and led me inside, closing the door behind us.

"Will I go to jail?" I asked, not daring to look at the Viking girl holding my arm.

"I doubt it, Hiccup's too soft hearted."

Tears of relief flowed down my face. I wasn't a prisoner.

Astrid set up a bath for me, using Stormfly's fire to warm the water. I stripped my clothes and slid in, relaxing, feeling drowsy. It felt so good, so warm and safe. I never wanted to get out.

The water cooling, I at last got out. My clothes were dirty, so Astrid let me borrow some of hers: A blue shirt and a red skirt (with no spikes) that she had never worn. They were a bit small on me, since Astrid had thinner hips than me, but they were alright and I'm sure they looked good on me. Especially the blue shirt.

When we opened the door and stepped out, Snotlout pounced on me, grabbing my shoulders. I went stiff with surprise.

"You drove me insane! Why did you do that?"

I saw the bags under his eyes and realized he must have spent hours helping to look for me.

"I'm sorry." I told him.

"Where's the dagger?" He asked, looking hurt. I knew why: I had tricked him.

"I'll never use it for that again. I promise." I gave him a quick hug before walking off with Astrid.

As much as the hug did nothing for me, when I glanced over my shoulder, Snotlout was looking dazed. I smiled secretly.

"All cleaned up." Astrid announced as we walked up to Hiccup.

Hiccup smiled. "Feel better?" He asked me.

"A lot better." I tried to smile back. Toothless was beside his rider, this amazing man. I kneeled down beside the black dragon.

"Do you forgive me?" I asked, not feeling silly in the least because of the intelligence that radiated in him. A pink tongue shot out and slimed me in the face.

"YUCK!" I yelled, trying to wipe the goop off. "Gross!

Everyone was laughing. As I pulled off a string of mucus off my brow, I smiled.

I was forgiven.