To The End - A Tuffnut Love Story (HTTYD)

15. Sick and Tired

***

Iris had just finished combat training the next day when she began to feel extremely tired. She was on her way back to her cabin to rest when Hiccup stopped her. "Iris, the twins are looking for you--" he paused when he got a closer look at her, "are you okay?"

"Um, do I look like I'm not?" Iris questioned curiously.

"You just, look like you haven't been sleeping," Hiccup told her, concern in his voice.

Iris scrunched her eyebrows, "I sleep every night, I'm just tired from training I guess." She then shook her head as if to clear her thoughts, "could you tell the twins I'm here? If they want to drop by they can."

"Alright, I'll do just that," Hiccup assured her. He hesitated to leave and added, "you should rest." Then he was gone.

Not long after she settled in abd made a fire, the front door opened and Tuffnut entered. "Hey," Iris greeted, "I thought Ruffnut was coming, too."

Tuff shrugged, "nah, she said it wouldn't be any fun if you're too tired to help us paint Sphen's sheep."

Iris laughed lightly, "you were gonna paint Sphen's sheep?"

"Oh yeah," Tuff answered as he took a seat on the ground by the fire beside her, "still going to, too. Just need to find some paint."

"Well that shouldn't be too hard," Iris assured him.

But Tuffnut frowned as he explained, "actually, we were banned from owning paint a couple years ago for painting Mildew's yaks." He laughed at the memory, then looked at Iris and confessed, "Hiccup said you looked sick, so I wanted to make sure you're okay."

"I'm sure it's nothing," Iris told him with a thoughtful smile, "I'm just tired." She scooted closer to him and leaned her head on his shoulder.

Tuffnut smiled down at her and wrapped an arm around her back. However, when his hand came in contact with her bare arm, he frowned, "you're skin's really hot."

Iris sat back up and furrowed her eyebrows. "Is it?" She asked, pressing her hand to her fourhead.

Removing her hands from her head, Tuff replaced it with his own, "woah; yeah, you definitely have a fever. You should probably see Gothi."

He was right. She knew she had to go, but she couldn't move. Iris felt her eyelids grow heavy and her ears began to ring. Within seconds, she was unconscious.

***

"Are you sure?" A low voice asked as Iris began to wake. There was a scratching sound, then the voice spoke again, "..I see..."

Finally, Iris opened her eyes. When she tried to sit up, her head pounded and her vision became spotty. "No, don't get up," another familiar voice ordered. Iris looked to her side to see Tuffnut giving her a concerned look. She'd never seen him like this before; he looked serious, worried, even scared.

"What happened?" She questioned.

Ruffnut, who sat beside her brother, began to explain, "you're really sick, Iris."

"Now, don't worry her," Stoick told them. He approached Iris and smiled warmly, "you've got the sleeping sickness; it happens sometimes when a person changes their environment drastically. But, Gothi says it'll be a quick fix, as soon as Hiccup and the others get back with the proper ingredients."

Iris felt the stress leave her body. And within the hour, Hiccup was back. All of the other riders came up to Gothi's hut to check on Iris while Gothi made the cure. Stoick handed it to her and she downed the bitter liquid. "When will I start to feel better?"

Everyone blinked. "Gothi said it should work immediately," Stoick told her.

But when Iris tried to stand, her legs crumbled and she began to fall, "ah!"

Tuff caught her and lifted her back onto the bed. He took her hand in his and gave her a worried look. Gothi began to scribble in the dirt again. As Stoick read, he grunted, "huh...she says it should've worked."

"But there's another cure, right?" Fishlegs asked in hope.

But Gothi only shook her head.

"Won't it just go away with time?" Snotlout asked.

"Well, yes," Hiccup replied, "but it would take months..soon she'll be unconscious, and she won't be able to take care of herself at all."

Something then struck Iris. "Arrow," she said weakly, "I need her."

"What you need," the chief told her, "is to drink some water, and try to stay awake."

"No," Iris breathed feeling her eyes close again, "her venom.."

"Iris, stay awake," Tuff shouted as he shook her body gently, but she had already fallen asleep.

"No.." Astrid whispered sadly.

But Hiccup hadn't given up yet. "She said Arrow has venom," he muttered.

"But, wouldn't that be poisonous?" Fishlegs asked.

"No," Tuffnut spoke up.

Snotlout squinted as he argued, "Tuff this is really serious; she could die."

"And I'm being serious," Tuff retorted.

"Guys, stop it," Hiccup scolded, but went on, "Tuffnut might be right. Iris grew up with these dragons, she knew what she was saying; maybe the venom of a sand wraith really could save her."