When Worlds Collide

Chapter Four

Annabeth woke up and came beside Gale, looking at the sky for more signs of the dragon.

"That kid'd trade his own two arms for wings if he could." Gale said. "Me, I feel more suited to the ground."

"I wonder why he left in the first place." Annabeth replied, looking up at Hiccup.

"Who knows. The kid's something else."

"Just don't say that when he's down here." Annabeth told him, looking over at him.

"Still. Maybe I'm judging, but it seems like there's something going on he hasn't told us. Why else would he run away?"

"He'll have his reasons. Like you said, if he hasn't told us something, it might be something he just doesn't want us to know." Annabeth told him.

"I don't get it." Gale said, shaking his head. He stood up and turned to Annabeth. "Are you on watch now? Because if you're awake, I'm going to sleep." He asked.

"Yeah, sure, I'll go on watch." She replied, pulling out her dagger and sitting down in a good spot to observe the area around her.

Gale walked away into the darkness, not wanting to be around anyone right now. He found the remnants of 13's Hall Of Justice in the woods. He sat down on the edge of the stream, where almost twelve years ago, he and Katniss had sat. He turned around and saw Brom walking through the woods toward him. He was still wary of the old man because he didn't know much about him.

"What do you want old man? How'd you find me?" Gale asked, staring out over the stream.

"I watched which direction you went and followed you."

"Why?" Gale asked, shifting nervously when the old man sat beside him.

"Because I wanted to talk about you and Hiccup."

"That has nothing to do with you."

"As we're all in this little group together it kind of does. I don't think you guys should be talking about him like this. It might place prejudice and it's not helping." Brom retorted.

"Why am I the one getting blamed for this?" Gale yelled, "He's the one who's keeping secrets."

"The one who might be keeping secrets." Brom snapped. "And there's no need to yell. You'll wake the others."

"They can't hear us out here, and I don't think anyone would pay attention to my voice anyway."

"You need to stop thinking that nobody cares about you. Katniss cares, Annabeth cares, we all care. It seems to me that you don't want to be cared about." Brom said, a touch of annoyance in his voice.

"Katniss hasn't cared for almost eleven years." Gale said, still not looking at the old man.

"But she cares now."

"I think she just might be playing the 'nice card', so no one will dislike her. She did that in the arena. She's just playing in the games again."

"I don't think so. I don't mean to act like I know about your past or really know anything about you but, it does seem like she cares."

"Can we just get off this subject?" Gale asked.

"Sure. Do you have any food in that truck of yours?" Brom asked with a growling stomach.

"No, but I can get you some." Gale said, slinging the bow off his shoulder and notching an arrow.

"There's no need. I can get my own. I just wanted to check if you had any first." Brom stood up and started to walk into the woods.