Our little Girl

5. Blindsided

Astrid and Hiccup flew to the valley of pain.
The Triple Stryke was already waiting for them. The dragon attacked them directly.
"Astrid! Watch out!" Hiccup yelled.
Stormfly shot her spikes and Toothless his plasma blast.

They fought until Hiccup fell off Toothless and both landed on the ground.
"Hiccup!" Astrid screamed.
"I'm fine, Astrid! I'm fine." For a moment, they looked at each other's eyes. They were paralyzed.

Suddenly, the Triple Stryke attacked them again.
But Astrid's fantastic reaction saved them.
Astrid distracted it and tried to drive it away.
Again, shoot Stormfly her spikes.
Then the Triple Stryke ran away.
The Hofferson girl landed on the ground, too.

"You were amazing, Astrid!"
"Thanks, Hiccup. But I don't think we can train that dragon." Hiccup sighs.
He nodded.

In that moment came Fishlegs on Meatlug.
"Guys! A storm is coming soon and..."
"...and we have to secure the Dragon's Edge." Astrid finished.

They flew to the Edge.

"Mom! A storm is coming!" Mara ran to her Mom. Astrid got down from Stormfly.
"I know, sweetheart. I know. Please stay at the club house and wait there, alright?" The little girl nodded. Astrid lifted her up and walked with Mara to the club house.

"Did you put enough food in the places?" Astrid asked.
"Yes, the jugs are all full." Hiccup answered.
Fishlegs entered the club house.
"Have you closed the main doors?"
"Oh, Astrid. As if I'd forget something like that... but then again, there's always a first time..."
Fishlegs wasn't sure if he had closed the main doors or not.

"Ugh! I'll go check."
"Astrid, wait!" Hiccup called her after, while he held his daughter in his arms.

Astrid ran out of the club house and headed to the stables. She ran in.
"Come on, guys! You have to leave!" She said to the other dragons.
Suddenly, Astrid noticed a little Night Terror, which was caught in its own cage.

The Hofferson girl saved the little guy, but in that moment, a lightning shot directly in front of her.

It blindsided her.

Astrid fell backward and passed out.

"Astrid!" Hiccup yelled in worry. He found her laying on the ground. Her hair, her face, and all her clothes were black and dirty.
He lifted her up and brought her to the club house.

"Hiccup, what happened?" Snotloud asked.
"I don't know. We found her like that."
"Mom,..." Mara began to cry. Hiccup hugged her.
"It's okay, sweetheart. She'll be fine. I promise." Mara hugged back and cried into his chest.

Suddenly, Astrid moved. And then, she tried to sit up.
"Easy there, Astrid." Hiccup held her back.
"Hiccup? Why's so dark in here?"
"Umm, it's actually not..."
"What are you talking about? It's pitch-black!"
"Astrid-?"
She stood hectic up.
"Hiccup!"
"Mom?"
"Mara!" The little girl ran to her Mom and hugged her legs. Now Astrid knew exactly where her daughter was. She knelt down and hugged her back. Mara still cried.
"It's alright, sweetie. I'm here."

The others were just there and looked at the situation.
"Guys, let me talk to her." Hiccup said.
All nodded.
"Alone?"
They went away with Mara.

"What's happening to me?"
"I'm sure it's only temporary." Hiccup tried to calm her down. Astrid hugged him.
She groped his shoulder, and then also his cheek. He closed his eyes.
"Astrid, you need to rest. Later, we go to Gothi." He laid her down and watched over her.
"Hiccup? Are you still there?"
"Yeah! Yeah, I'm here, Astrid."
"Can you and Toothless stay here a little while? Just until I had fallen asleep?"
"Sure! We aren't going anywhere, are we, bud?"
Toothless placed his tail protective around Astrid and Hiccup.