Meeting at the Crossroads

Chapter 22

Merida was about demonstrate to Jack how a punch felt when they all heard Rapunzel scream, "Where's Toothless?"

They all froze and slowly turned to look at her. "What do you mean, where's Toothless?" Jack demanded. "He's bounding around somewhere."

Rapunzel shook her head frantically. "No! You don't understand! I haven't seen or heard him since we stopped."

Merida saw Hiccup go pale under his freckles. "Toothless!" he yelled wildly. They all took turns calling the beloved dragon's name. No answer except for the cold, eerie wind snaking through the dead trees.

Merida shivered. The forest seemed much more dark and sinister without noise to cover it up. She turned to Rapunzel who seemed to be near tears. "He cannae be far, can he?" she asked, more trying to convince herself than anyone. "Ah mean, we only stopped fur abit-"

"Ten minutes?" Jack interjected sarcastically, before walking over to console Rapunzel.

Merida swallowed hard. Ten minutes was a perfect amount of time for someone to wander off. Toothless could have gone any distance in any direction. She saw Hiccup give up calling for his friend before sinking onto a rock and covering his face with his hands. His shoulders began to shake.

Merida felt terrible. Arguing and making fun of the boys distracted them all long enough for Toothless to slip away. Without Toothless, they were at the mercy of whatever horrors this forest could cook up. Worse yet, they now had no way to get out. Merida turned in a full circle. Yep, she couldn't even remember which way they had come.

Jack was holding Rapunzel as she cried into his shoulder. As he stroked her golden locks, she could see the worry etched into his usually smiling face. The two had come to the same conculsion as she did.

"We're lost," Merida whisphered.

Hiccup was still crying on his rock. Merida approached him awkwardly. A second ago they were fighting and now they were friends again? Not likely. She sat on the ground in front of him. Hiccup glanced up breifly before hiding his face again, but not before she saw it streaked with tears. She wasn't too sure how to handle this. She wasn't exactly the sensitive type. Merida could hardly remember the last time she cried.

"Oi, Hiccup," she began uncomfortably.

"What?" he sniffed. He glowered at her with watery eyes.

Any of the faintest inkling of what she was going to say next, left her in an instant. "Errr... is thaur anythin' Ah can dae?" she asked.

"Can you make Toothless reapear?" Hiccup snapped. "Oh, right. You can't. So no, I'm good, thanks."

But Merida knew he was far from it. She scooted a little closer to the rock, not ready to give up.

Hiccup peeked at her. "Why are you still here?"

"Coz, " she began and faltered. "Coz, Ah want tae say..." Hiccup raised his eyebrows at her. "Ah want tae say, Aam sorry."

Merida could hardly believed she had gotten the words out. Merida had a lot of pride, so she rarely apoligized for anything. But she couldn't stop now. "Aam sorry fur everythin'. Fur fightin'. Fur losin' Toothless. Ah jist want tae say-"

"Hold it." Hiccup held up one hand to silence her. "I forgive you, okay? But-"

He couldn't get another word out before Merida tackled him in a hug. For a moment, Hiccup was completely stiff, then he relaxed and hugged her back.

Merida was so relieved, she could almost cry. Almost. "Thank ye," she said gratefully. She opened her mouth but Hiccup cut her off.

"Toothless is not lost," he said firmly. Merida stared at him. Hiccup continued before she could interrupt. "Dragons have a great sense of smell and a great sense of dirction. Toothless once found me miles away on foot. If he couldn't see us, all he'd have to do was sniff me out."

"Sniff what?" a voice said. The two turned to see Jack and Rapunzel come over and sit down next to them. "Oooh, is Uncle Hiccup telling a story?" he teased.

"No." Hiccup said this so firmly and humorless, the sideways grin that had momentarily reaturned, slipped off Jack's face yet again.

"I was saying how Toothless couldn't have gotten lost," Hiccup continued.

"What-?" Jack tried.

"Toothless is too smart for that. Remember, this is supposed to be a dangerous forest. While we were...uhhh....occupied, Toothless could have went a little exploring and when he got far enough away, it would have been the perfect time."

Rapunzel wrinkled her brow. "Time for what?"

Hiccup lowered his eyes and Merida saw them swim with tears again. "Enough time for the shadow creatures to attack and take him."