Runaway Riders

Chapter 13

"What..?" the shock on his face couldn't help but make me laugh. 

"I left because of you," I repeated, "You and your night fury. You showed me the truth about dragons, and then it was you who pushed me away from Berk." 

"What? But how? I wasn't even-" 

Interrupting him I continued, "A year after you left on your sixteenth birthday it was announced to everyone that I was to kill Hookfang in your memory," my hands returning to my cheeks as more tears I didn't know I had fell to the ground, "I was to kill him the next day when the sun was at its peak. But I.. I couldn't do it.. I couldn't kill him Hiccup, I couldn't-" and in the blink of an eye I was once again in Hiccups embrace soothing words and whispers entering my ear as Hiccup let me cry into his shoulder. 

"Shh.. It's okay Astra, everything's alright now.. It's okay.." as I calmed down in his grasp I pulled away drying whatever tears were left I chanced a glance at the dragon boy in front of me before punching him in the gut, "Ow, why would you do that?"

"That was for leaving me," I gave him the infamous 'Hofferson glare' my fists finding there way to my waist, "Why did you leave?"

Hiccup groaned running his hands through his hair, "The same reason as you, I couldn't kill Hookfang, I mean how was I supposed to kill a monstrous nightmare when I couldn't even kill a night fury! A night fury Astrid!! If I can't kill the most feared dragon known to vikings how was I going to ki-" locking my lips with his I interrupted his little rant the rush of gratitude for not killing the stubborn dragon filling my entire being. As I was about to pull away Hiccup kept me there for just a little while longer before he finally let go. Our eyes locked green gazing into blue there was no need to say how we felt but we said it anyway. 

"I love you-" we laughed at how in sync we were as we spilled the hidden emotion of our hearts to each other. 

"It's, uh, it's getting late, so we should, I should, uh yeah." I stammered backing away as I began heading towards Heather's hut, I already knew which one it was because she told me that it would be the most armed one here, however before I even got five feet away a hand grasped my wrist and spun me around, "Hiccup-"

"Just, let me take you back, to Heather's hut I mean, I don't want you to get lost." his eyes almost pleading.

"Okay.." I breathed as our hands linked together. He lead me back to his outpost a comforting silence between us.

"Well, this is Heather's place, so uh, I guess this is where we part way-" 

With a single peck to his cheek I moved towards the door, "Goodnight Hiccup" I beamed lightly before stepping inside a single whisper returning my last words for the night. 

"Goodnight, Astrid" sighing I stepped further into the hut, silence engulfing me as I placed my axe along with my armor atop the desk beside the empty bed Heather prepared for me. Looking in the direction of said viking I noted her unconscious state thankful that I didn't wake her. Laying myself on the wooden bed I gazed lightly at the ceiling above me before letting myself be engulfed by the night.

Sunlight glaring on my face I tried to ignore it due to the late night I had when a shadow covered the light for me followed by a sharp tone, "Where were you?"

Eye's snapped open I yelped falling to the floorboards finding a stern and glaring Heather above me, "Heather! Hi, good morning, it is morning right? Oh Thor I didn't sleep in did I!?"

"No you didn't what you did do is ditch me last night. You didn't even eat dinner!" anyone who knows Heather like I do knows that when she's mad making it worse only risks your life.

Picking myself back up I rub my sore back "Sorry I guess I just lost track of time, there's been a lot on my mind lately." Her expression immediately changed as we both sat down on my bed. 

"You want to talk about it?"

"I barely even know what's bothering me, maybe I'm just stressed about everything that's going on, but what I do know is that I'm worried about Berk."

"Why would you be worried about Berk?" Heather looked at me incredulously, "What does Berk have to do with any of this?"

"Do you know the dragons nest in the archipelago that Hiccup defeated?" My eyes found their interest in the wooden floorboards. 

"Yeah, it's abandoned now what about it?"

"That's where I've decided to make our new sanctuary," I looked her straight in her shock filled orbs, "And if Berk finds out there's more dragons there we might have to fight them and Drago."

"That could destroy you! Why would you choose to go there!?" Heather resumed her standing position hands resting on her hips. 

"I chose it because it's big enough to hold our entire nest including the Alpha, and I don't know I just, I feel like I'm being drawn back there I don't understand it at all but it's the best chance we have to hide our nest from Drago and prepare for war whenever that may be." For a moment we just let the reality of it all hang in the air and with a simple sigh Heather broke it. 

"That's not the only thing on your mind is it?" Looking down I shook my head, then busied my hands with fixing my braid. 

"No it's not," I let out a heavy sigh, "Yesterday when Valka went on a walk she told me to think about where I truly want to be, and honestly I have no idea what she meant when she said that." I finished up my braid and grabbed onto my shoulder pads and clasped them on along with the rest of my armor. 

"I think what she means is that at the end off the day where is it you want to be? Like how at the end of the day you left Berk because it wasn't where you were supposed to be." With that said she walked over to the door, "Now come on it's time for breakfast." with a simple smile I was alone with my thoughts once again.