HTLANF: Race to the Edge

Chapter 21 ~ Unexpected Friendships (Part 1)

After Dad and I mended things between us, and I promised to stop hiding away and being hard on myself, he made his way back to Berk. I saw him off before I made my way to the clubhouse to finally eat something like he ordered as he mounted Skullcrusher's back.

Kala was the only one in the room when I entered and I smiled when I saw she pulled out some fish for both of us, but I raised a brow when I noticed my pile was bigger than hers.

'Does she know I haven't eaten anything lately?' I thought, but knowing my mate of course she would know if I had eaten or not.

"How'd you know I'd come in here?" I asked as I made my way over to the table and sat next to her.

"Just a hunch." She giggled. "I had a feeling that talking with Stoick was exactly what you needed to get out of that funk, so I left him to it and decided to do things around the Edge while you conversed. Figured you'd be hungry when you emerged from the hut sooo."

I smiled and kissed her cheek. "Well you were right. Can't remember the last time I actually ate something to be honest." I admitted as I ripped into the fish in front of me.

"Five days ago you had a bit of Icelandic Cod, but you didn't finish the whole thing." Kala mentioned as-a-matter-of-factly and I chuckled.

"You kept track?"

"Well yeah. I was worried about you. You would do the same thing if it were me that wasn't eating and you know it." She chided jokingly and I laughed with a nod of my head.

"Yeah you have a point, milady."

She smiled and kissed my cheek. "That I do. From your mood walking in I assume the talk went well?"

I nodded as I swallowed the fish I had just torn off the bone. "Yeah it did. And you're right. Talking with my dad was what I needed. I just didn't want to admit it to myself I guess." I looked down at the table as I set down the fish in my hands, paying little mind to the scales and blood that was left behind. "It made me realize that I wasn't doing my part in fixing our relationship as father and son. So that's what I'm gonna do now." I stated as I looked at her with determination glimmering in my eyes.

Kala smiled and nodded. "I'm glad to hear that you two are finally working towards fixing things my love. I know how difficult it's been for both of you these last few years. The tension was so thick between you two that it could be cut with an axe." She said as she rubbed away some of the blood and scales on my face.

I blushed a bit as she did so and nodded. "Yeah it was pretty bad wasn't it? Guess I was just so lost in my anger about being disowned that I didn't realize just how bad the tension was. Or just how much Dad was showing he was working towards being a better father." I sighed and looked down again.

Kala lifted my head to lock eyes with her, a soft smile on her lips. "Don't blame yourself for that. It's not your fault that you did not see the signs. But now you do and you are willing to contribute to fixing things between the two of you now. What happened, happened and there is nothing we can do to change that. But what we can do is move forward and work towards fixing things that were broken from the past to ensure a better future."

I smiled and kissed her gently. "You never cease to amaze me, ya know that?"

Kala purred and rested our foreheads together. "I do indeed."

I purred softly and enjoyed the moment, but I pulled away from her after a couple of minutes to finish the fish Kala pulled out for me. She giggled as I ripped apart the cod that was in front of me.

"Well now you know not to starve yourself, huh?" She asked and I rolled my eyes playfully.

"Yeah, yeah. No more starving myself. I learned my lesson." I joked and that earned more giggles from my mate in response.