Rise of the Dragon Master

Chapter Eighteen

"How?" Was all the dumbstruck Astrid could say. "I assume you want to hear the whole story." I said half questioning. She nodded vigorously. I sighed and sat down leaning up against Toothless. "You may want to sit we're gonna be here for a while." At this she sat down next to me also leaning against Toothless. "Well I suppose I should start from the beginning." I then proceeded to tell her about shooting down Toothless, training him, and then making the decision to run away. Astrid was a good listener and mainly sat there dumbfounded by my tale. As my story went on Astrid leaned up against me as she fought sleep. After I finished we sat there quietly for a while. I was about to suggest we head back when I noticed her deep even breathing she then adjusted herself so that her head was in my lap with her face turned away from me. For the first time since I left Berk I was completely caught off guard with no idea of what to do. Toothless wrapped his tail around us protectively. I ended up draping my arm over Astrid awkwardly. I couldn't see it but at my action Astrid smiled from ear to ear as the three of us drifted off to sleep in the clearing.

Astrid woke the next morning laying in the soft grass. Her back was up against Toothless. She looked over and Hiccup was nowhere to be seen. She stood up and stretched. "Well look who decided to get up." I said while seated on Toothless' back holding my sketchbook. I closed it and looked at her with a smirk. "If Milady is ready we can head back and get some breakfast." At this Toothless looked at her his eyes seeming to say
"Yeah, let's do that."
"I'm starving." Astrid responded. At this I held out a hand to help her mount Toothless as the dragon stood up and stretched, letting out a yawn. I then placed my helmet on my head as Toothless took to the air heading for the hangar.

We landed in the hangar and I hopped off holding out a hand to help Astrid down. We then started to walk towards the kitchen when and object came whizzing towards us with lightning speed. Instinctively I shoved Astrid out of the way and dropped to my stomach rolling to my left. I turned to see an axe... no wait my axe buried in a post behind me. Upon seeing my axe being used by someone else I suddenly became hot with anger. There is only one way they could've gotten my axe and that would be by breaking one of the only two rules. They had gone into my room. I turned back to see Snotlout charging at me letting out a Viking war cry. In my peripheral vision I saw Toothless tense up and get ready to pounce. "No bud". I said not wanting him to kill Snotlout. I turned my attention back to Snotlout who was only a few feet away. I tensed and at the last second vaulted over him almost touching the high ceiling of the hangar. I turned and faced him again in a fighting stance however upon having no contact he had run full speed into one of the wooden posts supporting the hangar. He stood up after his collision and shook his head violently. He then struggled to pull the axe free from the beam eventually falling on his butt from the effort. He then turned toward me glaring as he prepared for another attack. "Snotlout what are you doing?" I asked trying to end this before I had to hurt him. "You lied to us, you and your stupid dragon killed my cousin!" He then charged brandishing the axe. His statement caught me off guard causing me to have to do a sloppy somersault out of the way. Luckily he wasn't exactly a brainiac and once again went charging right past where I had been. I recovered quickly and asked "What could possibly make you think I killed your cousin?" I asked bewildered yet touched by his statement. He stopped trying to kill me for a second and thrust his hand into his pocket pulling out a chain necklace with a large circular pendant. "This." He yelled as tears streamed down his face. I immediately knew what it was. It was my father's betrothal gift to my mother which he had passed down to me to give to my future wife someday. "This was Hiccup's and you took it after your dragon killed him." He then charged as hard as he could. Prepared this time I slid under his legs hooking him with my good leg as I passed causing him to fall flat on his face. I quickly rose to my feet and stood over him as he tried to roll over I snatched the axe out of his hand and held it against his throat. "Will you stop trying to kill me so I can explain?" I asked even though I already knew the answer. "Never." He spat at me. I sighed "fine, I'll just explain when you wake up." At that I punched him lightning fast in the jaw knocking him out instantly.