Riders of B E R K

Part 13: Unhealthy Exercise

I woke very early and was showered, dressed and breakfasted in good time for deployment with Lieutenant Ragnar, Gothi's senior assistant. We were to provide medical support for the training exercise and we shot across the icy ground in a nicely inconspicuous jeep. It was really cold and though we were bundled up warmly, my face was freezing as we skidded round another corner. Behind us, a truck rumbled along sedately, carrying Toothless, his Rider and the General. A further jeep of observers followed them.

Hiccup had been allowed to come-but only because they had put one on of those ankle tags they use on criminals. Toothless had been injected with four different trackers in various spots over body to prevent the dragon and his rider easily removing them. Hiccup had been unhappy at the act and had protested but had been told bluntly he would never see his dragon again if he protested any more and he had subsided, though he looked withdrawn and guilty again.

We parked up on a outlook on the road through the glen and I leapt out of the jeep, grabbing some binoculars and scanning the sky. I heard the truck pull up and I turned to see the door being opened and Toothless jump lightly down to the ground, arching his back and stretching like a giant cat. Hiccup clumsily hopped down the steps from the cabin and he landed badly, his leg buckling. I started forward but Toothless was quicker and Hiccup gratefully caught his dragon and leaned on him heavily until his crutches were handed to him. "Thanks, bud," he murmured. Then I arrived and grinned at him.

"See?" I told him smugly. "I told you they would need you!" He gave me a slight smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"They need him," he sighed, stroking the Night Fury, who looked up at me with big green eyes. He gave a little croon and I gave him a pat as well. Then Hiccup looked me up and down. "Excited?" he guessed. I nodded. My stomach was dancing and I felt so edgy. I could barely keep still and kept searching the sky for the other riders: I couldn't help it. This was what I had become and I was really eager to see them in action for the first time. They had been really impressive when they had rescued Hiccup but it had been almost dark and I had seen very little. He pushed himself up onto his crutches and moved carefully to my side, nudging me. He handed me a small earphone/mike and I fitted it into my ear so I could hear and speak to the riders. He showed me how to activate the transmit facility though I left mine on receive only: I was just an observer, as he was. He smiled at my expression: I looked like a child on Christmas morning.

"They'll come over the western flank of the mountain," he murmured, gesturing. I shivered so he pulled me closer and leaned against me, his arm wrapping around my shoulders. His contact and warmth was reassuring. "Watch and observe," he said gently. "Tell me what you see, Astrid. Not what you think you should see but what you actually see. Flying a dragon isn't like a combat aircraft. They handle differently, they have minds of their own and they are infinitely more manoeuvrable. And the pilots on most of them...wouldn't pass the psych evaluation for any air force in the world!"

"Snotlout?"

"Actually, I was thinking...the twins," he suggested. The ones on that two headed dragon...what was is...Hideous Zippleback? Wow, the Ministry of Stupid Names was working overtime! Ah-the screaming, cursing, head-banging blonde boy-girl pair...

"I think you're right," I murmured, leaning back against him. It was cold and he was only in his jeans, shirt and leather jacket. I had a military issue cold weather jacket, woolly hat and gloves and I was still cold: he must have been freezing. I checked my watch: 0703. They were late.

And then there was a loud whooping from overhead and I rolled my eyes as the cry sounded: Snotlout! Snotlout! Oi! Oi! Oi! I caught Hiccup's expression and he looked as exasperated as I felt. "Stealth mode, right?" I murmured and felt him chuckle against me.