Daggers and Daffodils

For the Best

Hey everyone, So quick update. Guess who's going back to school! Which as you could imagine was the culprit for the late release. I had this sitting at about 500 words for a bit while also having to balance my second fic which had been un-updated for about 5 months. As a result, I'm rotating to have longer chapters to make up for the slow-release schedule. That being said, I do currently have the next chapter already drafted, so it should be coming somewhere in the next 10 days or so (hopefully). Sorry for the wait. And again, thank you for reading my cringy little fic <3

_________

Pain is becoming a concept too common for your liking. Emotional, physical, both? You were definitely experiencing both. The following week of your run in with the hunters was easily the second worst of your life. Only topped by having to wait at your brother's bedside after he lost his leg. 

Silver Tongue had always been your war horse. Your strong, brazen, and bullheaded friend who was there to be strong when you couldn't. Which was why seeing him in his current state was heart breaking. 

Wincing as he moved between his food and his bed. Which in itself was saddening, seeing as his species preferred to sleep upside-down. It was a shock when you had woken as a large weight covered you in your sleep. Only to be Silver Tongue, quietly howling as the sheets brushed against his raw and recovering wings. 

It infuriated you to no end, not only what had been done to your poor dragon, but how avoidable it was. Had they removed the arrows with the slightest amount of care, it would have been easily treatable. 

The fact that the hunters would have so little care for a dragon's wellbeing disgusted you to no end. All they saw was faulty merchandise they could sell at a discount. 'His hides already damaged beyond worth' Ryker's words sat ill in you. Oh, you would show him damaged beyond repair. You'd leave him nothing more than a stump to be hung on a mantle. The exact same treatment he no doubt gave to other unfortunate dragons.

You sighed, pausing in your ministrations. All father above, you were starting to sound like Dagur. Looking down at her hands, covered in oil she took a step back, grabbing a cloth to wipe them with. Too aggressive, both your mindset, and your grinding. Your poor mortar and pestle would be either empty or rubble at this rate.

Hiccup had tried to talk to you about what had happened on the hunter's ship but... It didn't get anywhere productive. Heather's betrayal was heavy on everyone's mind. Though some were in higher spirits than others. Fishlegs had taken to stop mentioning her all together. Likely to preserve a feeling of willful ignorance.  

Snotlout cried for a few minutes before returning to his usual annoying self. You don't doubt he took it personally, but it was a relief that he was taking it in a way that didn't seem unmanageable. 

The twins were being their usual selves, making light of the situation. Something you were grateful for, watching as the group either lightened or became annoyed. Anything was better than how you and Hiccup were taking it.

Your brother has a habit when it comes to stressful and harmful actions; blame himself and repress. Pointing this out to him of course does nothing but make him more upset. But the younger sister in you makes you do it anyways. Who else was going to call him out? Astrid?

Honestly, yes. But she was taking it a lot better than you thought she would. Though the fact that she was distancing herself from Hiccup was strange. Usually, the two were always together, something you teased the both of them for. 

And you... You would just have to get over it. Silver Tongue was hurt, the others could get themselves hurt at any time, and you were the only doctor on the edge. Just the other day Tuff was attacked by a wolf and was convinced that he was going to turn into a Lycan wing. And it took ages to get Snotlout back to full health after the days of venom, poison, and possible rabies that Ruff had subjected him to for punishment.