Mauled

6: Tackle

A/N: And even darker...

Six: Tackle.

The team were looking more and more concerned as they flew away from the latest raid. And it was a raid, not a mission. During every attack, Hiccup had located the most senior hunter and forced him to betray at least one other Hunter location-a depot, a shipyard, the next convoy, a village...maybe even a auction. Slowly, methodically, he was destroying the Hunter assets, sinking boats, freeing dragons-and killing. And that was the problem as they all shared worried glances as they flew behind their masked leader on his Night Fury.

In the last attack, they had ruthlessly rained fire and spines down onto a Hunter depot-just a post for provisioning ships with only a couple of trapped dragons who were easily freed. The Hunters-a poor selection-had known little but Hiccup had blown up their homes and destroyed everything they had, stranding them with nothing on a small and isolated island. But when Astrid had protested, he had rounded on her.

"I've given them a chance to fetch food and survive," he snapped. "They are free. These trolls planned to kill me, Astrid. They were a few hours from getting me to Viggo to die." Blinking, she stared as he accelerated away, ignoring the scornful look Snotlout gave her-but Heather and Fishlegs were looking more than concerned at the change. Hiccup had needed reminding to release the captive dragons, his entire focus on punishing the Hunters rather than rescuing their victims. Even Toothless had been unhappy and had folded his wings, taking him down to the cages to remind him. But Hiccup had some leads and was silently oblivious to his friends, deep in his thoughts. It was a very uncomfortable flight home.

Once they had reached the Edge, Hiccup dismissed them, leaving those assigned to tend the dragons and headed back up to his hut with Toothless in tow. The others headed up as well but Astrid and Heather-who were on stable duty-remained, unsaddling the dragons, giving them all fish and water and carefully locking them away in their cages. Astrid was always uncomfortable when they were locked up so early in the day but it was Hiccup's orders and no one was minded to argue with him. For a long moment, the blonde lingered with her dragon, gently stroking the Nadder's nose horn and murmuring to her. Heather watched, hanging back-because it was becoming awkward between them. Ever since they returned to the Edge, Astrid had been distancing herself from the other girl, the anger and disdain in her eyes growing by the day-until Heather stepped forward.

"Ast-we have to talk," she said seriously. Blue eyes flicked up and the gently stroking hands on the Nadder stopped.

"Why?" Astrid asked her directly. Heather moved closer, her green eyes worried.

"Because you're treating me like I'm the enemy," she said honestly.

"And you aren't?" Astrid asked her shortly, looking back at Stormfly. Taking a sharp breath, Heather deliberately stepped into her line of sight.

"No!" she protested. Astrid looked up, her face impatient. "Why would you ask that?" Blonde brows dipped in a scowl.

"Well, apparently I'm no longer what Hiccup needs any more-and he always partners himself with you now-so what am I supposed to think?" she asked sarcastically.

"Astrid-you know I..." Heather began but Astrid turned to face her, her face angry.

"Really? Why should I believe you? You've done this before, haven't you?" she snapped. Heather gasped: it was true that she had deliberately tried to isolate Astrid and make Hiccup think she was interested in him the first time they had met, back when her adoptive parents had been prisoners of Alvin the Treacherous but they had long since moved past that. Her shock began to give way to anger.

"You know that was a long time ago and I was forced to do that to get the Book of Dragons for Alvin!" she replied more sharply than she had intended. With a breath, she shook her head. "Astrid, you are my friend and I..."