Daughter of the Wing [ON HOLD]

<Chapter 7>

"Anything?!" Hiccup demanded as soon as they returned to the arena. Tora and him had had no luck over their side and she had watched as slowly, Hiccup got more and more dispirited.

"Nothing" Astrid answered. "I checked the clubhouse, your hut, even the stables! He's not there!" Snotlout hung back from the conversation, not commenting on anything.

The other two dragons landed with dull thuds, the three riders disembarking and relating the same news.

"We have to find him!" Hiccup demanded. "Or do we" Tuffnut mused. "Yeah, why are we worried?" Snotlout finally chose the moment to voice his opinion and by the sound of it, Tora guessed that he had been thinking along these lines for a while. "Shouldn't we be celebrating the fact that he's gone?"

"Not until we know he's safe" Hiccup countered. Snotlout opened his mouth to retaliate but was interrupted by Ruffnut. "Well, we could ask Fanghook" She suggested nonchalantly. "And how do you suppose we do that?" Snotlout asked sarcastically. "Turn around" She replied.

All the groups heads whipped around to watch Fanghook land rather hurried and ungracefully on the arena floor. He was panting, shaking his head from side to side like he was stressed or scared. Toothless bounded over and sniffed the air around him, growling slightly when he recognised the scent.

Ruffnut attempted to communicate with the dragon, practically demanding he tell them where Gustav was. The poor dragon began to get even more distraught. "Hey hey, Fanghook" Hiccup reasoned in a calming voice and walked toward the dragon with his hands out. "It's ok, easy boy. Easy" He reassured the dragon and patted his scaled snout to calm him down.

"You guys, look!" Fishlegs pointed to a scroll that was tied to one of Fanghook's horns. Hiccup took it out of the bindings and relayed the information back to the group. "Dagur. He wants to make a trade. The Dragon Eye, for Gustav" Tora watched the groups reactions, from Fishlegs' gasp to Astrids scowl.

"Well, what are we going to do?" Tora finally asked. The all turned to look at her. "We don't have a choice. We give him what he wants" Hiccup replied.

He began to pack his rucksack despite their protests. "Hiccup, I don't like this idea" Astrid stated. "We don't have a choice Astrid" He sighed.

"Are you sure we have no choice? Like none? Zero? Zilch!" Tuffnut tried to argue but his words fell on dead ears. Hiccup turned, this time the one with the mirthless expression. "This is all my fault anyway. I never even gave the kid a chance!" Tuff continued to list of alternate words for zero in between Hiccups sentences. "Tuff, that's really not helping!" He finally snapped before sighing and then glancing back down at the Dragon Eye on his hands.

"If I wasn't so busy tinkering with this thing, I don't know, maybe I could have kept him busy" He thought aloud. "Yeah, no one can keep Gustav busy" Fishlegs remarked. Tora nodded and looked at the glum boy. "Hiccup, there's nothing you could have done. From what I've seen of the kid, he's as stubborn as a yak in a bad mood. And he's got a crazy, boundless energy to top it off"

Hiccup nodded a small thanks to the pair and hopped on Toothelss. "At least let us back you up out there" Astrid argued. "Dagur was very clear, I have to come alone. We don't know what Dagur will do to Gustav if I don't follow his demands to the letter. We can't risk it" Hiccup reminded her, despite the girls protests. 'Poor Astrid' Tora thought, 'Not being able to help Hiccup would be killing her'.

Astrid must have given him a worried look because he reassured her that he would be careful before taking off with Fanghook in tow. Astrid watched after them until they faded from eyesight.

"He'll be ok Astrid, Hiccups smart and with Toothless by his side, those two are unmatched" Tora tried to assure her. Astrid smiled at the brunette and shook herself.