Never Belonged

Chapter 24: Has Anyone Seen Astrid?

Jack

It's been days since I last saw Astrid and I'm starting to get a bit worried. She isn't the type of person who would just disappear without telling someone where she was going. It's been about a week almost already and people are starting to notice that something is off. Well when I say people I mean Snotlout and the gang along with Rapunzel and I. Everyone else just gets on as normal.

We were all gathered in the Great Hall at the moment, Rapunzel had her hands on her head thinking hard, the twins were...well they weren't messing around like they usually would it was like they were coming up with ideas in where she may have gone, Fishlegs and Heather were talking immensely, leaving me sat next to an empty seat where Astrid usually sat, unlike Snotlout who kept pacing back and forth muttering about Thor knows what.

"Snotlout would you please stop pacing," I groaned, he stopped immediately and looked directly into the eyes of all of us as our head all turned in unison in his gaze. His eyes were fixated on ours and it was sort of deathly like if he didn't get what he desired most. And of course we all know what that is? "Oh well I'm sorry, but my one true love is out there missing and no one is doing anything about it!" he screamed.

All of us moaned at his comment, until Tuff piped up and mentioned "Then why haven't you come up with a plan oh great lover," we all smirked over at him, he tensed up showing the signs of awkwardness, "Uh I just haven't had time to think yet," he came up with an excuse "Oh come on Snotlout you've had all the time in the world think about where she may have gone and how we can get her back," Heather answered him, that kept him quiet.

Suddenly, a huge gust of wind came through the doors of the Great Hall. Our head spun to see that this figure was coming towards us, but it was only one figure, we knew who it was that's why were confused why there was only figure. "What's up Hiccup?" I decided to ask as everyone felt awkward around him. "I was just wondering if anyone has seen Astrid lately, I mean we were in the woods and I said something and she suddenly ran away as if she was afraid of something and I haven't seen her since?"

That's strange, although I guess we did just get our first clue. "I think she was into the woods with her axe again, maybe you should try there," that was all I could say, I mean I couldn't abruptly admit that she was missing, that would probably throw him off the rails. He nodded and left the Great Hall letting the gust of wind fly back onto us making everyone shiver from the cold.

"Did anyone else notice that?" We all looked at Ruffnut, "Did we see what?" Fishlegs ask confused, I also was indeed confused at what she was on about. "Duh he was alone," Tuff laughed at his twin "Sis what did you think, he'd be with the witch Merida of course he wouldn't be, you're so stupid," he carried on laughing, but what he said did make me think "You two are absolutely right," I said. Everyone looked at me wide eyed "Wait we are?" Tuff asked shocked.

"Hiccup never usually walks around unless Merida is with him," I carried on "Starting from the day that Astrid disappeared so did Merida and Hiccup always said that she went off to do target practise alone, but the question really is why would you need target practise when you're already a perfect shot? Heather finished for me. We all looked at each other. "So what you're meaning to say is that Merida did something to Astrid and every time she disappears it's to check up on her?" Snotlout summed everything up.

We all nodded. Snotlout looked dumbfounded. Tuff started laughing "You can't be serious," Ruff gave him a serious look which made him shut up, "Okay so how do we get proof?" Tuff finished, "Easy, we follow her steps, next time she comes back we follow where she goes, but don't make it obvious," I told them. They all nodded.

Now we have a plan.