Starting Over

Chapter 8: Eret

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"Uhh!! They're not here! Hiccup, we've looked everywhere!"

Astrid, angry and scared for her dragon, chucked her axe blindly. It wedged itself into the tree, right above Hiccup, who had ducked just in time. Hiccup blinked, stunned, at the quivering weapon above him, then laughed nervously.

"Well, why don't we--"

"I don't wanna hear it!!! All I want is my dragon, who might be severely injured!" Astrid then sank to her knees and sobbed into her hands. Hiccup smiled at his girlfriend sympathetically. He walked over to her and sat next to her, putting a hand on her shaking shoulder. Then Astrid whipped around and wrapped her arms around Hiccup, crying into his chest. Hiccup, who had his arms lifted in a surprised way, tentatively put his arms around Astrid.

"We'll find her, Astrid," he whispered soothingly in her ear. "Don't worry. Stormfly is pretty tough, and I think Eret can help her. He has a soft spot for that dragon." Astrid muttered a shaky acknowledgement and nodded, still with her face buried in Hiccup's chest. Hiccup couldn't help but give a small laugh; Astrid was adorable when she was angry, and completely and entirely lovable when she was in this condition, for it was rare you got to see her like this.

Hiccup held Astrid a little tighter and stared into the sunset, rocking back and forth to soothe Astrid. The sunset reminded him of that first flight six years ago, the one that had brought them together. Hiccup was glad he had shot down Toothless in the woods; otherwise, he wouldn't have an amazing best friend, a beautiful and loving girlfriend, or his mother. Granted, he'd still have his father, which made him a little sad, for he missed Stoick, but the old chief still wouldn't accept him for what he was if there had been no shot-down Night Fury. And, Toothless wouldn't have a possible mate. A Viking would have just found Paintsplash, and killed her on the spot.

Hiccup looked down as he noticed Astrid had gone still. She was fast asleep, tired out from traveling for three days straight without sleep. She was snuggled up against Hiccup's chest, and had her arms pulled in close to keep warm. Hiccup grinned down at her tiredly, and leaned against the tree, still holding Astrid in his arms.

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The day started out like all the other ones that Hiccup and Astrid had gone through in the past two weeks. They walked along silently, Hiccup's hand constantly hovering over his firesword and Astrid holding her axe in a clenched, tense fist. The two were jumpy and reached for their weapons at every suspicious noise, ready if it was Cinderpaw and her pack. At one point, Astrid swore she saw a flash of scarlet and gray and swung her axe as a reflex, and accidentally killed a small tree. Hiccup had laughed at her while Astrid blushed sheepishly.

Now, though, they walked in heavy, dark silence. Earlier in the night they had heard the roar of a Stormcutter, but it didn't sound anything like Cloudjumper's, and it sounded entirely evil and dangerous. After living with the constant attacks of dragons for their first fourteen years of life, Hiccup and Astrid had finely tuned their ears to decipher what a dragon's roar meant, and that mysterious Stormcutter's roar didn't sound safe.

A twig snapped in the forest, and Hiccup whipped around, holding out a hand in front of Astrid to shield her. Then, a familiar voice.

"Hiccup? That you, lad?"

"Eret!," Hiccup sighed, relieved. Astrid ran forward as Eret emerged from the trees, followed by a despondent Skullcrusher.

"Is Stormfly with you?," she asked hurriedly. Eret nodded and stepped to the side, revealing the beautiful blue Nadder with an ugly red gash on her right leg. Astrid gasped and ran to Stormfly's side.