Berries, Boars, and a Boy *How To Train Your Dragon Fanfiction* (Snotlout X OC)

Chapter 6: Announcement and Departure

Sigyn slumped over the handles of the plow as Bertha stopped yet again. She was such a stubborn yak at times and apparently, today was going to be one of those days. Patting the stubborn animal on the rump as she passed, Sigyn made her way around to the front of the house. Her throat was dry and she wanted to check on her father who sat on the porch enjoying the sun on his face.

"Bertha giving you trouble again?" asked her father as she passed him and went inside the house.

"She wants to be out grazing rather than working," called Sigyn over her shoulder. Wetting a rag she washed the sweat and dirt from her face and hands. "I can't say I blame her either with all the green shoots coming up in the meadow but I want to get the garden planted by tomorrow."

"At the rate you're going, that's not likely to happen."

"That's for sure," she said, pouring herself some water. "I'll be lucky to get it in by the end of the week."

"When will Snotlout be around next?"

"I'm not sure," she admitted, biting a lip. Pouring another glass of water she took it out to her father. "He went with the other Dragon Riders to see if they could find the escaped berserker prisoner."

"Oswald the Agreeable's son?" asked her father, accepting the water that she pressed into his hand.

"Yeah, that one. Snotlout said something about going to a shipwreck graveyard and I'm not sure how far away it is or if they will come straight back."

"Hmm..." hummed her father, sipping at the cool water. "Seems like our few years of peace might be coming to an abrupt end."

"I hope not." She remembered how hectic and unpredictable their lives had been just a few years ago between the dragons and their enemies. She sat on the front step, trying to get the dirt from under her short fingernails. "But a bit of action might make Snotlout happier."

"How so?"

"It may mean reinstating the Dragon Riders full time again. Snotlout was a bit lost when Hiccup disbanded the academy just after Snoggletog."

"Isn't he working with Gobber at the armory now?"

"Yeah."

"I thought Hiccup worked there too," said her father.

"According to Snotlout, Hiccup is too busy chasing dragons around the archipelago to be much help to Gobber and Snotlout needed something to keep himself busy."

"What are the other riders doing?"

"Snotlout says Astrid is joining the Berk Guard and Mrs. Ingerman says Fishlegs is working at the school with the kids. I'm not sure what the twins have chosen to do other than to wreak total havoc on the village."

"Does Snotlout enjoy working with Gobber?"

"Eh... debatable. The work is dull but he likes the new title he has."

"And what title is that?"

"Oficial Weapon Tester of Berk," she said with a grin. "I think he's only told me 50 or so times. Anyway, I just hope they catch this deranged guy so stuff can go back to normal, or as normal as life ever is here on Berk." She stood dusting off her trousers though she was headed straight back to the garden.

15 minutes later and Bertha still would not move. The yak grunted lowly, her head turning toward the meadow where her calf was grazing quietly. Giving it up as a bad job Sigyn unhitched the yak and shooed her out of the garden before retrieving the shovel. Looked like she'd be doing this by hand. At least she had jumped on the garden first thing. It was still early spring and a few extra days would not hurt anything. Resigning herself to the task she pushed the shovel into the dirt.