To mend a Valkyrie's heart (HTTYD fic)

Chapter 22

AN: OMG OMG So many reads. So many votes!! You guys are amazing. 

Astrid's POV

The following morning I made my way towards the kitchen hoping to get breakfast. Hiccup would be back later after taking Toothless on a morning flight. As I enter the kitchen I see Heather, Snotlout, and Fishlegs already busy making stew.

"Morning" I greet them cheerfully, getting greetings in return. Suddenly my stomach growls showing them just how hungry I was.

"Sit down Astrid, food's almost done." Heather tells me. Ruffnut stomps into the room just as I take a seat near the fire pit. She seemed to be grumbling about 'evil birds'.

"Ruff what's the matter?" I ask as she takes a seat next to me.

"That's what's the matter." Ruffnut says as she points to Tuffnut standing in the doorway with a chicken under his arm.

"You guys meet Chicken." He introduces, holding the chicken in front of him for us to see.

"Tuffnut did you hit your head again?" Fishlegs asks worriedly.

"Maybe, dunno." Tuffnut comments. "Anyway isn't Chicken awesome." The chicken clucked at us, and ruffled her feathers. "She would have enjoyed her sleepover a lot more if Hiccup wasn't such a cranky pants, and let her ogle him more."

"Ogle him?" I ask as I watch the chicken puff out her chest at me. 'Was I being challenged by a chicken?' I thought.

"Oh yeah. Apparently Chicken loves to watch pretty boys, and Hiccup was only wearing a towel.... So you get the picture." Tuffnut says oblivious of the death glares I was shooting his chicken.

At this point Tuffnut had set Chicken down, and she was clucking at me with a puffed out chest, and ruffled feathers. 'There is no way I'm being challenged by a chicken.' I think once again, but this time I grab a nearby knife, and hold it to the chicken's throat. A deadly gleam in my eye as I said "Listen here chicken, if you so much as ogle my husband again, we'll be having roasted chicken for breakfast."

The chicken squawked indignantly, but ran to hide behind Tuffnut. As I put the knife down I notice everybody looking at me. A nervous chuckle escapes, and from the doorway I hear "Astrid?"

Turning suddenly I see Hiccup, who is back early from his flight along with Valka, and Gobber behind him. "Did you just threaten a chicken?" He asks me with a raised brow, looking from the terrified chicken behind Tuffnut too me.

"Eh...... Nevermind that. Why are you back early?" I ask.

"Mom was awake when Toothless, and I were going for a flight so she came with us, and we talked it out." Hiccup tells us. "Unfortunately we had to cut the ride short, because Sharpshot came back without a message." Hiccup says, and shows us the green Terror. "I lend him to Camicazi, and Eret who were going to Berk."

"Maybe he just got lonely?" Snotlout asks, but Hiccup shakes his head. "He wouldn't have come without a message, and when he found me he looked frantic." Hiccup replied while giving the Terror a scratch. "Something must have happened on Berk. Mom told me Drago's armada was heading in that direction."

"So are we going to investigate or what?" Snotlout asked.

"That's the idea." Hiccup tells us. "Now about the kids."

"Don't ya lot worry about the kids." Gobber interjects. "I'll be more than happy to babysit."

"Gobber, are you sure?" Hiccup asks giving Gobber a skeptical look.

"I babysat you Hiccup." Gobber says jabbing Hiccup in the ribs.

"That's my point." Hiccup mumbles.

"What's that mean Hiccup?" Gobber asks giving him a critical stare.

"Where should I start..... with the burning building, troll hunting or the rock slide?" Hiccup asks calmly.

"Oh Hiccup, let Gobber look after the kids this time." Ruffnut tells him. "I have no problem with it, and I'm itching to go blow something up. It's been way too long."

"You said it sister." Tuffnut cheers, and hi-fives Ruffnut..

Hiccup who knew he couldn't win said with resignation "We'll leave after everyone has eaten."

Gobber, and Brigid send us off after breakfast when it was time to leave. "Don't you lot worry, I have everything under control here." Gobber said as he, and Brigid waved goodbye.

The trip to Berk would take around two hours. During the flight Hiccup had been wondering about something. "Mom how are you certain that Drago is heading for Berk? There are other islands on the way." He asked.

"Drago has a grudge against your father. When I was held prisoner I overheard him finding out that Stoick was alive." Valka explained from her seat on her Stormcutter Cloudjumper. "Drago wants to finish what he started all those years ago."

"What happened all those years ago if you don't mind me asking?" Hiccup asks his mom with curiosity in his eyes.

"I don't really know but Drago is the only man that I have ever seen Stoick fear." Valka replies before flying ahead a bit, and ending the conversation.

The rest of the flight was mostly spent in silence. At one point Snotlout got hungry, and decided to roast his meat using Hookfang's flames. Unfortunately those flames were too strong, and Snotlout was left with a charred bone.

No sign could be seen of Drago's armada as we neared Berk, but there also wasn't any sign of villagers. There were no bolas shooting at us, which in itself was abnormal.

Hiccup directed us to the cove, where he, and Toothless bonded. We made our way through the forest towards the village almost as soon as we had landed. Hiccup led the way, because he knew these woods like the back of his hand.

Coming closer towards the edge of the village I noted that it seemed like a ghost town. "Where is everybody?" I wonder out loud.