Tampered With (HTTYD Fanfic)

Wrapping Up

Hiccup watched the Night Terrors as they flew out towards the horizon. Their black bodies provided a pristine silhouette against the pink, orange and purple sky. He heard a distinctive sniffling behind him and knew that Tuffnut was crying over the loss of "Smidvarg and the Gang".

"Are you depressed yet?" a voice asked from his right. Hiccup looked over to see Astrid smiling at him.

"Ha ha," Hiccup laughed sarcastically, trying to play into her lighthearted joke. But the noise sounded flat, and he knew the emotion showed on his face.

Astrid walked closer and put an arm around his shoulder. "What's up?" she asked. "I'd know the look on your face anywhere."

Hiccup sighed. Truth be told, he was a little sad to see these dragons go. He knew they'd be traveling to a safe place, to grow and repopulate, but the memories and bonds that the entire group had made with the small dragons would never be forgotten.

With all of the cleaning up and rebuilding that the Dragon Riders had been doing after finally defeating Johann and Krogan, there were a lot of bitter-sweet goodbyes.

First, with saying a real goodbye to Garf at his new home. That had probably been the hardest for Astrid.

Then there was Fishlegs at Dark Deep, Snotlout to the Wingmaidens. Well, Snotlout gloated while the others said farewell. There was the goodbye to everyone on Defenders of the Wing Island, and the twins had made a personal goal to say goodbye to every other island they'd made a trip to since leaving the archipelago.

Hiccup hated having to leave - the thought did make him kind of depressed, but he knew that once they had shut down the Edge, and found new homes for all of the dragons, Berk would be a safer place for his team.

Admitting that to Astrid though...

"Actually, I am kind of depressed," he said, answering Astrid's earlier question. "But I think it could be considered a good depression."

Astrid laughed, a true sound, and nothing like the pitiful noise Hiccup had achieved earlier.

"Well, in that case, we've received a Terror Mail from the team sent to check up on the Singetails and their island is all clear," Astrid reported.

"Good," Hiccup acknowledged. "Now we only have the few other islands to check up on before we head home. Melody Island, and the older Death Song, Glacier Island and the Snow Wraiths. I still want to run a check up to Vanaheim, and to Auction Island, as well as Viggo's old base, to round up any remaining Dragon Hunters." Hiccup sighed again. "We're also running out of supplies, Astrid. I want to have everything wrapped up before we go back to Berk, but we don't have enough resources and I don't want to set the farms up again."

Astrid began to gently massage Hiccup's shoulder and down his arm. "Well, if you don't want to put the farms up again, let me go to Berk on a recon mission to get supplies. Easy trip, there and back, three days if I prep Stormfly right."

"Are you sure?" Hiccup asked. Astrid's safety was becoming a pressing concern. She was competitive and stubborn, and sometimes too much so.

Astrid stepped back and put her hands on her hips. "You worried?" she inquired sardonically. "I've only made that trip a hundred times, yet here I stand." She arched an eyebrow.

"Astrid, any number of things could happen out there, there might still be hunter ships, or a wild flock of dragons, or..."

Astrid cut him off. "Yeah," she agreed, "there could be those things, but there won't be." She walked over to him, grabbed his hand and laced her fingers through his own. "Hiccup, I love that you care, and I love that you're worried, but times have shown that that won't pay off. I've done this mission before, and I'll do it again. You don't have to stress about me." And with those words, she leaned in and kissed him.

The motion was brief and warm, and it was probably just Hiccup, but the sun seemed to flare even brighter as it dipped below the horizon.

And then it was over, Astrid's hand left his and she was running off towards the stables, most likely to start saddling up Stormfly.

Hiccup watched her leave, admiring her bravery and chastising her stubbornness. But she was right. They needed more supplies in order to finish all of the business that was yet to be completed.

But there were still threats out there. The Dragon Riders had still fought off at least a dozen hunter ships because the convoys still were unaware that their leaders were defeated.

Hiccup briefly thought about talking Astrid into letting him go, but then knew that wouldn't turn over so well. She would get offended that he didn't trust her with the mission, and then tell him that he was needed more here.

Which Hiccup assumed was true. Someone would need to keep the Defenders of the Wing and the Wingmaidens informed, as well as keep the twins and Snotlout from destroying any of the work they'd completed so far.

So he turned away from the stables and headed to the clubhouse to assign the rest of the team their new jobs.