How to Deal With Amnesia

Chapter 21: It Can Always Get Worse...

The next day was a little better. At least when it was about chiefs accepting dragons, because Hiccup's leg was still in an unbearable pain. And thanks to Dogsbreath at the previous night, he could barely walk all day; he had to ride Toothless to go from one place to another. Toothless didn't mind, obviously, but in general, the guest chiefs were uneasy with the presence of the offspring of lightening and death itself. It took them a while to get used to the cat-like dragon.

Hiccup, Astrid and Fishlegs, along with Stoick, had spend the day showing the guest chiefs and heirs all the changes they have made in the village and how they came up with everything, along with problems they solved along the way. They also told them how dragons helped them in their daily lives, in detail this time. Hiccup was obviously keeping quiet, trying hard to remember all of that, and he did had some flashes, he just didn't know it they were real of if they were just a product of his imagination. At lunchtime, Stoick took the other chiefs to the Great Hall so they could eat and drink mead, meanwhile, some heirs were too eager to see the dragons again, so they went to the arena, where some riders were taking care of the dragons.

The worst part of the day for Hiccup was having Dogsbreath once again coming to annoy him. This time, the three of them were sitting at a table in the Great Hall, eating lunch; Toothless was lying on the floor besides his human and growled as the obnoxious boy getting near them.

"You might have your girl doing your dirty work for you, but I know it was all a trick, and I know they are dangerous. And I know people are going to see it sooner or later. And where is Warthog? I haven't seen him all morning!"

"For someone who knows a bunch of stuff, I'd imagine you'd known where your own cousin was..." Hiccup couldn't help using that sarcastic tone of his. Fishlegs chuckled.

"Very funny! I bet a dragon got him! That ought show people their true nature! They're too powerful to be controlled forever, you know..." Dogsbreath huffed and glared at Toothless before he walked away.

Hiccup gulped and exchanged worried looks with Astrid and Fishlegs.

"You guys don't think that Warthog's disappearance is some kind of weird plan to show people that dragons can be dangerous, do you?"

"I don't think he's smart enough to architect a plan of any kind, but you never know, he might actually surprise us..." Fishlegs whispered.

"That was what I was afraid of... I want you to get the other riders and the A Team to search Warthog. But discreetly! I don't want anyone knowing about it!"

"In this case, maybe you should think about giving the twins another task, you know how they are, they'll end up saying something even if they didn't mean it..." Astrid reminded their leader.

"Right... Then, Fishlegs, tell the twins I want them to scout the perimeter around the island hourly. That might keep them busy and out of trouble..."

"I highly doubt it, but it's worth a shot..." Fishlegs shrugged.

"Good. Now, go. Warthog might be into some kind of plan, but he might also be just lost in the forest in the island for whatever reason. Dagur, Heather, Astrid and I will keep the chiefs and heirs busy and keep helping Cami and Thuggory with their dragons."

Fishlegs nodded and was about to finish his lunch to stand up, but he stopped as he realized the way Astrid was looking at Hiccup, as if she was about to murder someone.

"'Cami'? Is it serious? After yesterday you still call her like that?"

"She asked me to call her like that years ago when we met in a tribe's meeting. Besides, 'Camicazi' is just too long."

"Thuggory is long too but I don't see a nickname for him." Astrid said.

"I don't even know if he has a nickname!"

"Did you guys have a fight?" Fishlegs asked, astonished.

"NO!" Both yelled at him.

"And that's clearly a yes... Well, now that I'm done, I'm going to do what I have to do and you can continue to 'not' fight..." The chubby man said as he stood up and walked away, leaving the couple awkwardly looking at each other.

"You're an idiot."

"And you're jealous."

Both keep glaring at each other for a few seconds, until they burst into laughter.

"I can't believe we're going over this again..."

"Your fault, you should have known by now that I have eyes for only one girl! I've been into her since I can remember..."

"And that girl better be me."

"Hey, do you have any doubt?"

"I guess not anymore, now that you're starting to say the right things again." With a smile, Astrid stood up, leaning over the table to give him a quick kiss on the lips. "I'm gonna go talk to Heather and I'll meet you on the village's plaza, in about 20 minutes."

He nodded in agreement and watched her walk away. Then, he looked at Toothless.

"Come on, Bud, I need to give you something to eat as well."

The rest of the day was uneventful; Hiccup and Astrid just kept doing their best to help their guests and tell everything Berk has been through after the peace with the dragons.

Astrid was especially helping Cami and Thuggory get used to being in the air, and since Hiccup was too sore to fly, he just kept talking to the chiefs on land, watching the others flying.

In the evening, it was when things started to change, because the riders and the A Team didn't find any clue of the whereabouts of Warthog the whole day and then, the twins came with shocking news; a fleet of ships were coming their way, armed and with various catapults. Their sails bore the crest of the Hysterics.