Operation Phoenix

Chapter Two

Merida crunched hungrily into her Apple and looked at the map in frustration. She was currently sitting on the couch in the Runner's common room, studying the chart's twists and turns with a critical eye, making sure she knew which route on which the four were going to embark.

Placing her Apple to the side, she used a slender finger to trace a path along the paper.

Elsa had dropped this mission on them randomly, almost out of thin air. It wasn't uncommon for her to do this—it happened quite often actually. Someone in Peak District would screw up handling supplies or come up short with something they needed, and them being the best Runners were always volunteered (unknowingly of course) for the task.

The angry redhead had previously been practicing archery, teaching her three brothers to shoot when Hiccup (her boyfriend) had found her. He explained, rather begrudgingly, that Hans (a ginger who was in charge of supply count) had neglected to do a double take of the resources that were being taken to New World District. They were missing an entire box. She initially refused out of plain frustration, but agreed after Hiccup had promised that he'd convince Elsa for a day off after they came back.

Still, it was stupid.

Just as she was about to leave the room in annoyance, Jack and Rapunzel entered, looking irritated. She could tell they were as upset as she was, because they always spent the relaxation time with each other--Much like her and Hiccup, though Rapunzel and Jack weren't a couple (to the redhead's dismay). Merida knew exactly how much frustration it brought on. Always being outside, running for their lives and constantly in danger of dying took a tole on them emotionally. It was exhausting to always be worried about someone's life, so to be able to just sit and enjoy the safety with each other was always savored.

"The hell does she think she's doing?" Jack hissed, narrowing his eyes and stalking up to the table. He softly kicked it's leg in protest, as if it would somehow defy Elsa's requests. His hair was somewhat disheveled, and Merida couldn't help but think that he looked like he'd just taken a nap.

"I swear once we get back I'm goin' teh giver her a piece of my mind." Merida grumbled in response while she took a bite of her apple again. Her legs were crossed, both boots swung over the table in a lazy manner. She was trying to gather as much rest as she could for the trip a head, as much as she hated it.

Jack plopped himself down next to the redhead, mumbling something under his breath about 'bullshit' and 'inconsiderate people'. She wanted to nod in approval and agreement, but she didn't; her focus was on the wall across from her while she was deep in thought.

Rapunzel placed herself on the other side of Mer, sighing loudly. The blonde brought her knees to her chest and rested her chin on them, staring forward in sadness. "Where's Hiccup?" she asked after a short pause.

"He's talkin' with the Wench about the voyage." Merida replied, matter-of-factly.

As if on cue, Hiccup strolled down the stairs that led up to Elsa's quarters. His eyes looked pensive as his eyebrows and forehead wrinkled in what appeared to be a not-so-happy glare. In the beginning he'd thought the trip wouldn't be that bad--just a day's drive there and a day's drive back, not too rough, right? But that wasn't the case at all. Elsa had just dropped a bombshell on them, out of nowhere.

"What'd she say, Hic?" Jack asked after Hiccup sat in the chair across from them and rested his elbows on his knees.

He was nervously tapping the tip of a pen into the palm of his left hand, the 'tic tic tic' only making the group more nervous about the information he was going to pass over. He was obviously in distress, it didn't take a genius to see that, but he knew that spouting this would only receive an explosion of protests from the others. He sighed, sat back and looked at them. "Elsa doesn't want us to take the truck. We have to take the horses."