Sigrid The Relentless - How to Train your Dragon

4. Horrendous Haddock

"Alright recruits." Gobber greeted the teens as they entered the arena. 

Sigrid could see the excitement on some faces, whilst the others seemed nervous. They were right to feel that way. 

"Today I won't be teaching alone, as I've invited a special guest to join us."

"Oh no..." Hiccup mumbled, it didn't take a genius to guess who Gobber might've brought in.

 The boy only knew of one stubborn viking who just couldn't sit still. Astrid glared at his blasé attitude, what did he know? 

"Our special guest is not only a great viking, but also the winner of the last dragon tournament." Oh yeah, Hiccup was right. "Allow me to introduce; the slayer of demons, snapper of spines, and firstborn child of our own Chief.-"

"Perfect." Hiccup mumbled sarcastically, whilst the others seemed to stare with wide eyes and anticipation. 

It was obvious that the twins had no clue what was going on, and probably didn't care. Fishlegs looked anxious, no matter what, and Snotlout was stood arrogantly with a puffed out chest. As the only exception, Astrid seemed to almost be excited, but also slightly twitchy. Hiccup could swear it was the first time he'd seen her eyes shine with something other than bloodlust. 

"-Sigrid the Relentless!"

With heavy steps, the tall viking stepped forward from the shadows of the arena's entrance. Feeling all of their smaller eyes on her, she smirked, her cheeks tinting pink with a slight flush at the sudden attention. 

Glancing towards her brother, she noticed that he stood awfully uncomfortable besides the others, but perhaps he was just embarrassed to have his sister watch him train. Fair enough. Sigrid remembered when her father insisted on watching her, and how tense she felt to have him witness her every movement. His questioning eyebrow raise still send shivers up her spine...

"Morning everyone." Sigrid greeted.

"Morning." The group responded in harmony, making the redhead smile.

Gobber stepped forward, taking over the room with a gleeful voice, you could tell he was excited for today's lesson.

"Sigrid will be watching you closely, so be sure to not embarrass yourselves." He grinned, watching some of their faces fall. 

Astrid could almost feel herself sweating, and they hadn't even started yet!

---

"Zippleback, huh?" Sigrid asked.

She and Gobber stood from outside the metal ring, looking down at the awkward teens as they paired off in two's, each a bucket of water in hand. 

"Yep." Gobber spoke, picking his ear with his pointed hook. "Can't wait to see this mess."

Sigrid chuckled, remembering her own training days. 

"It's not an easy dragon, that's for sure." She studied the figures below, watching them bicker back and forth. "And they don't seem very...close."

She was absolutely correct. Not one of them seemed to get along, and to be successful in the battlefield they'd have to work together. Suddenly, Sigrid had an inkling on why Hiccup seemed so tense to see her; this was embarrassing. 

The teens fell one by one, failing by their own lack of attention. Not one seemed to find the correct head, all wasting their only savior; the water bucket. She saw Fishlegs throw the water at one of the heads, soaking it. 

It was amazing... if it was the right head. 

But Hiccup was lucky. He was the only one left, and he just confirmed which head he had to get. Sigrid was at the edge of the seat, and she couldn't help but yell.