The Night Rider: Book Two

Chapter 20: Information

ASTRIDS POV.
1 Week Later

Astrid was standing on one of Berk's many wooden ship docks. The sun gleamed high up in the blue sky, but a large black thundercloud cloud would soon cover it. Birds of darker colors crowed out loudly almost like they were trying to warn Berk of the impending storm.

Stoick was standing beside her, well, more like pacing beside her. After she and the other riders had returned to Berk with Toothless in Hookfang's claws, and only Toothless, she had to unfortunately be the one to inform Stoick that his son had been captured and they had no idea where he was. The news crushed him. After so long of thinking his son was dead only to figure out he wasn't, then his son left, and then his son returned temporarily only to be kidnapped. It was torment for the chief.

Another Viking, a woman a few years older than her named Vintara, had suggested that she tried to have Stormfly and other Nadders follow Hiccup's scent to try and track him down. The idea had given her hope at first and appeared like it was going to work but the smell of the sea easily overwhelmed the tracking dragons' senses, and the trail went cold before they even exited the Archipelago.

That was six days ago. Since then they've had no luck. Well, hardly any. The other riders and her had flown all over the Archipelago looking for Hiccup but as far as they knew he might not even be in it. He could be on an island far beyond the fog cliffs of Hellhimens Gate. Astrid had thought about flying beyond it and searching outside the Archipelago, but she knew hardly anything about what was beyond it, only being outside it when a Nadder, her Nadder, had taken her to Hiccup's dragon island. She knew that she'd get lost if she left and probably wouldn't be able to find her way back to Berk.

But, there was one promising lead. Fishlegs while searching for Hiccup near the boarders of the Archipelago had encounter Trader Johan and told the babbling trader about how the Night Rider had been kidnapped by Hunter's and they couldn't find him. Trader Johan had instantly offered his services, swearing that he would ask around the vast sea's he traveled for information about the rider, and in four days he'd go to Berk to share any information he'd collected with them. That was four days ago. Trader Johan should be arriving to Berk at some point today. But at what time? That was the question.

Stoick huffed next to her. His rapid footsteps shaking the wooden boards of the dock they stood on. "Where is that insufferable man? What better things does he have to do?"

"He'll be here soon. The storm is getting close, and no ship could sail in it successfully. He said he'd be here with information; he will be here with information." Astrid didn't actually believe anything she said. She was saying it just to give Stoick hope that maybe Trader Johan would have some news of his son.

The two of them stood there quietly next to one another for a while. Watching the water turn choppy as the dark storm clouds grew closer. Within the gray black of the cloud's bright white flashes occasionally showed through. Lightning.

"How is the Night Fury?" Asked Stoick without taking his eyes of the horizon. "Toothless I mean. How is Toothless?" He corrected himself.

Toothless wasn't well. He was just as worried, maybe possibly more worried about Hiccup than anyone else on Berk. The dragon was barely eating or sleeping. All he did was pace all day or growl at the sky, probably wishing that he could fly on his own to try and find Hiccup. Astrid knew that Toothless felt just as powerless in their current situation as she did. "He'll be better when we get Hiccup back."

"There!" Exclaimed Stoick, pointing to a trading ship pulling towards the docks from around the side of the island. "That must be him!" Stoick began to walk down the dock more towards where the newly appeared ship would dock itself. When he was out of earshot she whispered quietly.