First Friends

Chapter 38

I crouched and got ready to spring. A rabbit wouldn't be an issue for me. I brought it down and picked it up. I carried it maybe ten feet before Biscuit found me.

"Oh, thank, Scorpion! Tiger, we were worried about you!" she scolded. I rolled my eyes. I couldn't respond for the animal in my mouth.

I set it down on the cart that she had with her. I licked my lips as I turned to her. "Sorry, I just couldn't stand being cooped up for one moment longer. It was killing me to be stuck there," I said to her. She zipped up to me, dropping the cart in the process. She put her muzzle under my chin and nuzzled me.

"Hiccup is worried sick about you," she said quietly. "You really should be resting."

"I'm fine, Biscuit. He needs to learn that I recover fairly quickly. I got really sick once when I was young and was able to bring down a boar, a strong one too, only two weeks after I got over the illness," I replied. I used my tongue and groomed her. "Thank you for your concern, though."

She relaxed. She hitched herself up to the cart again and said, "I'll wait here for you. If you need me, call." I smiled and headed back into the forest to hunt.

Six rabbits and an injured deer later I called for Biscuit because I wouldn't be able to carry it all to the cart. She helped me load it and we headed back to the village.

Hiccup was pacing and running his hands through his hair. Toothless was watching him with a bemused expression, as though finding it funny that his rider and our best friend was worried about me. He sighed and lay his head down on his paws.

Toothless knew I wasn't in any real danger I couldn't handle. He knew that in spite of my age I was still strong and skilled, and my injury wasn't going to hold me back. He glanced over when I yawned, and Hiccup followed his gaze.

"Tiger!" Hiccup cried running up to me. Just before he reached me he hit his knees and wrapped me in his arms. "Do you have any idea how worried I've been? I couldn't find you anywhere! Don't you dare do that again, and what is Biscuit dragging...? Oh." He sobered up when he realized I had been hunting. I pulled out my journal and pencil.

He helped me by flipping it open to a fresh page. I picked up the pencil by the wrong end and hissed and spat in disgust. He leaned back in alarm as I picked up and chewed rocks, dirt, and grass in a vain attempt to get the taste out of my mouth. I gagged and he had to physically restrain me and prize my jaws apart to wipe the offending material out of my mouth. I settled down and licked my curled lips and wrinkled nose. He laughed and ruffled my head. He handed me his pencil and I picked it up. I wasn't used to his pencil, so I had to write extra big.

Sorry for scaring ysu. Hate bfng cooped up in house. Feels like cage. I wrote. He looked at me quizzically. I set the pencil down and looked at him. He picked it up and wrote, "Sorry for scaring you? Hate being cooped up in house? Feels like cage?" I nodded.

"Oh, Tiger. I'm sorry for making you feel like you were cooped up. I was just trying to help you feel and get better," he said. I purred and nuzzled him.