White the Cursed

21 - Festival closure

Astrid went along with him to the festival. He neevr really got a chance to appreciate it during the week, and even hisexcursion with Ruffnut had only given him a glimpse of it. So he took great pleasure discovering the shopping stands along with the competitive sports.

Unlike the first time when Ruffnut had dragged him everywhere without giving him time to appreciate or really see anything, this time it was Toothless who put them in a hurry. Indeed, if Sharpshot was staying put in Jack's hood – sometimes climbing on his shoulders to get a better look or ask for some petting – the Fury couldn't stay still and was running so fast he was constantly loosing the rest of the group. Luckily, he also was noisy and caused enough agitation for Jack and Astrid to know where he was even when eh was out of sight.

The tall, clumbsy dragon even toppled a stand, spreading at least five crates of apples in the grass. The seller saw red and forced them to pick it all up, thought it proved as difficult to do so as to prevent Sharshopt from helping – the merchant couldn't decently sell apples if they were marked with dragon's teeth and half-covered with drool.

At least, they laughed of this mishappn, but certainly not as much as they laughed of Snotloutand Dagur when they spotted them taking their chance at the oxen rodeo. The two guys spent more time on the ground than on the beast's back, one refusing to accept defeat and the other taking great pleasure in giving the rebelious mount threats of death. Heather, among the crowd watching from outside the pen, waved at Jack and Astrid, who joined her. She assured Jack that threats were part of the sport for her brother. Jack learnt more about the Berserker clan and their traditions, they used to be so extreme that death threat could be taken as compliment or even simple greeting.

''Is it why Snotlout and him are constantly insulting one another ?'' Jack asked.

As they were talking, the both aforementioned were doing just do. Each in a neighboring pen, the stocky dark-haired guy wipping dirt from his pants, they had stopped the contest to yell at one another, letting out some colorful swears and defying the other to do best at the next round. If Snotlout was so infuriated he was spitting, Dagur was snickering like a maniac. Heather snickered too, the sound way different despite the fact she was wrinkling her nose just the same way as her brother.

''No,'' she explained, '' that's just their usual dynamic. Snotlout is always competing with the other men surrounding him. He's a little – well, a lot – self-conscious about his height so he tries to prove he's the strongest. And he trains so much he did become the strongest, hense his show.''

''True,'' Astris norted. ''He felt so threathened when Eret came along, he gave him a hard time. He was persuaded that Eret's suprem goal was to outstage and humiliate him.''

''I don't even remembered how it had been settled,'' Heather smiled, before stopping herself so she could cheer her brother and boyfriend up.

''Look at me, babe !'' Snotlout bragged, ''I'll beat th'shit outta 'im !''

''Unless I eat you first !'' The redhead bellowed back.

Jack was almost expecting him to climbg the fence to jump at the dark'haired' throat, but he simply laughed and jumped on the oxen's back, which kicked him back to the ground. Another giggle rippled through the three other performers from the circus. Astrid then went back to their previous topic : ''I think he only calmed down when he beat Eret to the wrestling arm. He soundly beat him, twisted Eret's elbow.''

''Oh yeah, I remember now ! Poor Eret. At least he was left alone after that. Dagur still had to put up with Snotlout's constants jabs.''

''Maybe that's because Snot still feel sthreathened ?'' Jack offered.