Snowfall on Berk

Chapter 18

~Hiccup~

It's midnight and the moon is high in the sky. We have tomorrow to find this dragon. If not there's no saying what will happen to Astrid.

It isn't long until I see Hookfang send up a destress signal. I quickly get on top of Toothless and we fly to Hookfang. Sure enough Snotlout and Hookfang found the Buffalourd.

"The Buffalourd!" I say.

"Wow. So no thank you, nice going Snotlout. Nothing?" He says.

"I'll thank you after this works."

I take my canteen and go up behind the dragon. His saliva is green which is good. I get what I need, and go back to the Riders. I make sure I have the solution. Sure enough I do.

"Alright gang. Let's go back to the Edge," I say.

We all take off and head back to Dragons Edge. It's almost midday when we get to the Edge. Astrid and Gobber are already there which is good. They even brought Gothi. The three of them were sitting outside the old hub. Astrid propped up on a large rock.

I jump off Toothless not waiting for him to land. I rush over to Astrid. She's a too pale for me. Almost transparent it seems like.

"Okay Astrid. I've got the antidote. All you have to do is drink it," I say.

She moans. I open the canteen and lift it to her lips. She drinks the saliva. She coughs but no color returns. Instead she gets paler then I though possible. She coughs more, and more. Finally spitting out a little blood.

"It's not working," I cry out.

Gothi writes in the dirt. Gobber reads it aloud, "She says mix lavender, tree sap, and pine needles with the saliva. It's her way of curing unknown things."

I look back down at Astrid. Now pale, spitting out blood, and struggling to breath. Any minute now she could give out on us. I bend down to her level. "Astrid pull through. You can do this. I didn't lose you then. I'm not losing you now," I say. "Fishlegs, see if the lavender in your old rock garden is still growing," he gives a nod and runs off. "Ruff, and Tuff find pine needles." They go their own way. "Snotlout find a tree that produces sap and bring me back a jug of it."

"I'm on it," he says taking off.

"What are you going to do?" My mother asks me.

"Go faster then the speed of light and get more saliva. I'll be back really soon," I say.

I hop on Toothless and take off. Faster then any other time I've ridden him. We're at the island in a matter of minutes. The Buffalourd is right where I left it. I get the saliva, cap the canteen, and go back to the Edge. "Come on bud. We need to hurry."

We get there and everyone is already back. I hand off the saliva to Gothi who is mixing the ingredients together. Worry is displayed on everyone's faces. I go back to Astrid. I can now see why there is worry. Every breath looks like a struggle. Then a pause. Then the next breath. Soon the pauses between breaths become longer. This could be her last breath.

Gothi comes over with a bowl. In it is the mixture. "Okay Astrid. Last time I promise. All you have to do is drink this."

She gives one last groan. I raise the bowl to her lips. She drinks the first half before slowly giving up. I stop pouring to let her take the first half. Then after a few seconds, I raise the bowl again and let her finish the antidote.

Then we wait.