Runaway Riders

Chapter 1

Astrid's POV

It's been a year since Hiccup left. The whole village thinks he's dead but I know for sure and certain he's not. Dragon training was postponed and no one has gone into the arena since. Well no one except me.

After I got over the fact that Hiccup left after I had him promise me he wouldn't I started sneaking out on the nights we didn't have a dragon raid and went to the arena. I started training the dragons there I started with the terrible terrors and once I got the hang of it I went straight to the Deadly Nadder because something told me that she was meant to be my dragon. As the months went by I had trained all of them and they slowly taught me their language. I had found the dragon nip one day when I was out in the forest and that definitely helped.

Each time we had a dragon raid whenever no one was looking I'd train at least one dragon and got them to leave the village. It's night time right now and I'm in the arena with all the dragons. They're teaching me more of their language, dragonese is what they call it. I finally have all of their names down. The Gronkle is Meatlug, Hookfang is the Monstrous Nightmare, Barf and Belch are the names of the Hideous Zippleback, then there's Stormfly, the Nadder, her and I have been getting along perfectly. Then there's the Terrors, Sneaky, Iggy, Pain, Head and Butt (don't ask) and finally Sharpshot.

I said goodnight to all of them as they went back into their cages and snuck back into my house and went to sleep. My mind thinking about Hiccup and how he could be doing. Each time I learn more dragonese I can't help but wonder if Hiccup is learning the same thing.

Bright morning rays of sunlight woke me up from my dreamless slumber. The morning went on as normal, vikings waking up starting chores, eating breakfast. That is it was until Stoick, Hiccup's father and the chief of Berk, gathered everyone in the Great Hall. It wasn't till then I remembered what day it was, it's Hiccup's sixteenth birthday.

"Now I've gathered you all here for a special announcement!" Stoick spoke up as everyone quieted, "I have decided that in honor and remembrance of my son, may he forever be in the halls of Valhalla, that Astrid Hofferson, being second in Dragon training gets the honor of killing her first dragon!!" the hall echoed the thunderous cheers of the vikings that surrounded me while I was frozen in place. 'This must be what Hiccup felt when he was chosen last year' I thought to myself. The crowd of vikings grew quiet once more and I was broken from my thoughts.

"Now, this shall take place tomorrow when the sun is at its highest giving her the rest of today to train!" with that he excused everyone and I immediately left for the forest.

I was throwing my axe at every tree in frustration and sadness when I finally broke." I can't.. I can't do it.. I won't kill him.. I can't kill Hookfang. As much as he reminds me of Snotlout I can't kill him." I had fallen to the ground crying when I forced myself to get up and threw my axe at a large oak. For the first time in many years I missed.

I wiped away my tears and went to fetch it when I got an idea. I picked up my axe and dashed back to my house where I went straight to my room. I'll leave. I wrote a note for Hiccup and silently packed all of my belongings. When night fell I snuck out and put the basket with all my stuff, along with the note for Hiccup in the arena then snuck away to the storehouse and took one of baskets of fish.

Opening all of the cages I told them my plan. They agreed with me and were all happy to join me. After attaching the baskets to the dragons I walked over to Sneaky.

"Sneaky I need you to do something for me okay?" I growled in their language.

"Of course what is it?"

"Here I need you to take this note and find a Night Fury with a prosthetic tail fin and a young rider by the name of Hiccup okay? After that come find me."

"You got it Astrid! Night fury with a fake tail and a rider named Hiccup got it!"

"Thank you" I watched as Sneaky disappeared into the night and then I hopped on Stormfly and the rest of us took off. As we were flying away I noticed that a dragon raid had started. I wish I could be there to help but I can't stay any longer. Taking one last glance at my old home I turned away and we flew off into the darkness.