A Fire Burns Within Me Version 2

Memories and Trust

Previously:
Toothless seemed to understand slightly where I was coming from. "Same one that looked like her gave you those scars, didn't they?"

That made the dragons freeze.

"Not all of them," I confirmed, "but most. And not all of them visible."

Immediately, the stable was crowded with dragons trying to comfort me as I very nearly broke down. Toothless must have communicated something with his rider because Hiccup gasped.

"A human that looks like Astrid hurt him?" He said to clarify, causing the other humans to gasp. Astrid, whom I was still staring down, got tears eyed and her hands leapt to her mouth in shock.

I grunted as I was tackled by a now familiar weight. My back had healed and my time here in Berk- as they call it- has been interesting to say the least. Toothless and the other dragons have done their best to get me comfortable around Astrid despite my growing dread as the days past.

It was getting closer to my birthday. While it was at the most, six months away, I could still feel it coming and it made me increasingly uneasy around the blonde girlfriend of Hiccup the dragon master. The fact that Stormfly and the others were trying to force me into Astrid's company wasn't helping either.

Whenever we were in the same immediate vicinity, I never took my eyes off her, convinced she would take off the mask of kindness and put another curse on me. The more time I spent around her, the more she reminded me of Annabeth. Astrid was a warrior. That much was clear. She thought on her feet and had a compassion in her that allowed her to think of others before herself. She also seemed especially proud of Hiccup, the chief of this small village. I could see she really cared. And when I left the area when I saw her coming, I know it hurt her.

But not, I think in a personal way. The few times I met her-thankfully not grey- blue eyes, I could clearly see anger. Albeit, strangely, I knew it wasn't directed at me. Rather for me. Later, it turned sad. As if she got over her anger and eventually she seemed to almost empathize with me.

Anyways, I would avoid the Viking warrior as much as I could. She seemed hesitant to give me space or try to interact with me. Like she couldn't decide what to do

She, of course, would try to change that. Every time the group went out flying, I would tag along at Toothless' insistence. I grew increasingly comfortable with them as a result of that. Except for Astrid. I would stay as far away from her as possible. Yet she would do her best to protect me.

I loose concentration and I'm about to fly into a tree? (This, unsurprisingly happened quite a bit) Astrid and Stormfly are the first to warn me. I stray into dangerous areas with unfriendly dragons? Astrid and Stormfly are there to warn me yet again. They mothered me.

One time she took down one of those monsters that follow me everywhere. Strangely, she killed it, turning it to gold dust. I have yet to figure out how she did that with out Celestial Bronze or Imperial Gold. Maybe they strangled it.

It got annoying after a while and I still didn't trust her very much.

Everything changed one day, on a very slow day. I was relaxing on a cliff, looking over the sea, finally having found a spot where no one can find me so I can get away from everyone. My dozing time seemed to have risen since I found this spot. The sound of the waves and the heat of the sun always lulled me into a meditative state.

Then, I was yanked out in a panic when I heard a voice. Astrid's voice. The thing is, though, my brain has started to make connections with her voice to Annabeth. My stupid brain couldn't stop making connections between the two. Both their names started with 'A'. Both were blonde, both were fierce fighters. Both were very self confident...you get the idea. Although, Astrid had a quality that Annabeth never had but I can't quite put my finger-well, claw-on it.