Secrets of the Wilderwest (Httyd fic)

Chapter 2

AN: Hello everybody! I hope you'll enjoy this story as much as I did writing it. XD There are many twists to come, so sit tight.   

Astrid's POV

It was already past sunrise when I limped into the slums. I instinctively clutched the bundle closer to me. I see people coming out of the huts to start their day. They were instinctively trying to ignore me as I wobbled down the narrow streets not wanting the sort of trouble I was likely to bring them.

I took a look at myself in a half broken window. My hair was a mess and I started to pick the twigs out of it. My dress was ripped in various places and I was covered in mud, bruises, and scrapes. Some spots of blood were also visible on the once grey dress.

As I turn my eyes back to the narrow street I hear my stomach growling. I hadn't eaten since lunchtime yesterday. I walked further through the streets trying to find a way to get some food, clean clothes, and medicine for the wounds, but I had no money since everything we earned at the compound went to the leader.

I let out a sigh and before I could continue on I hear a commotion behind me. I turn and see a big muscled man throw three lanky and raggedly dressed men onto the street.

"Now don't ya come back until ya paid your tab!!" The muscular man yelled at the men who were shakily standing up.

"And how we gonna do that ya sod!" One of the men yelled back.

"Figure it out yourselves!!" The muscular man yelled and closed the door to his bar with a slam.

As I was turning back around to continue on my way one of the men yelled in my direction. "Hey, it's rude to stare!!" I stilled and looked over my shoulder to see all three of the men leering at me.

"Wh..what's aaa pretty lady like ya doing here." One of the men slurred.

"She'd fetch a mighty penny right Lars?" Another asked and elbowed his friend.

"Yo pretty lady, come here for a minute." Was happily slurred by one of the drunk men. "Let's have some fun."

I ran away before any of those men got closer to me. I could hear them shouting behind me. "Hey come back here!!" and "We'd not gonna hurt ya."

I heard their rapid footsteps as they were trying to follow me through the morning crowd. At one point I managed to slip into a small alleyway and hide behind the dumpsters. I saw the three men run past me but I didn't want to move for fear of them coming back and chasing me again.

The exhaustion of yesterday's and this morning's events finally caught up with me as I slumped back against the wall of my hiding spot and fell asleep.

I was jolted awake when I felt something poking me. I wanted to scream but I stopped when I noticed that it was a young boy who had woken me up.

"You shouldn't sleep here." The young boy said as he crouched in front of me.

"Huh?" I asked perplexed as the boy simply cocked his head to the side.

"This place is Outcast territory." The boy said. "They'll snatch ya up and make you work for them if they find you."

"I got no place to go." I mumbled wearily.

I see the boy scrunch up his face thinking for a bit and then he gives me a big smile. "Ya can come with me." The boy says and grabs my arm trying to haul me up. I couldn't help but let out a laugh as I watch the boy try to pull me up but wasn't succeeding.

I stood up shakily resting my other hand, which was still clutching the bundle, against the wall as support. "You sure your parents wouldn't mind?" I ask as I now got a good look at the boy. He could be no older than 7 I surmised and he was wearing rags, whose color had faded, for clothes and fingerless gloves.

"Don't got any." The boy mumbled as he began to lead me out the alley.

"I'm sorry." I tell him but the boy just shrugs.

"Don't worry about it. Never knew my dad, and my mom ignored me all the time." He said so nonchalantly that it brought a pained feeling to my heart.

"Come on this way." The boy said and pointed to a little shack at the end of the street.

As we entered the little shack I could see small cot and a blanket on one side and some boxes and a little table on the other.

"You can sit right there." The boy said as he pointed to the cot and then he sprinted back outside only to return moments later with a little bucket of water.

"You should drink and clean those cuts." The boy said and I watched him go to one of the boxes and take out half a loaf of bread.

"Here" He said and handed me the loaf. "The lady at the bakery gives me leftover bread sometimes." He explained. "Don't worry I still got lots."

"T...Thank you." I tell him and take a bite to quench my hunger. "Can I ask. Why are you helping me?"

"Because it looked like ya needed help lady." The boy simply replied.

"Astrid, my name is Astrid. What's yours?" I ask him.

"Don't know. Everyone just calls me boy." He grumbled.

"Your mother must have called you something?" I ask hesitantly but he only shakes his head. "I told ya. She would ignore me. She worked for the Outcasts and then they killed her."

"Well I'll think of a name for you if you want?" I ask him quietly.

"Ya will lady.........I mean Astrid?" He asks hopefully.

"Sure" I tell him and move the bundle I had off my lap and onto the cot.

"Why you keep that?" The boy asked as he pointed to the bundle.

"My sister Alexi entrusted it to me." I tell him. "A very bad man wants to use it, and if he gets his hands on it we'll all be at his mercy."

"Everyone?" The boy asked looking a little afraid.

"Yes everyone. Humans and dragons alike." I confirm.

"What could be so powerful to do that?" I was asked.

"Tell me, have you ever heard of the legend of the Wilderwest?" I ask and the boy shakes his head negatively.