Spirit of a Warrior - HTTYD

Three

My inner-self was wrestling with the heart that beat differently. My mind argued with its rhythm and thought perhaps it had stopped at some moments because its activity was too much to handle.

I looked upon the face that had failure written in his eyes and distraught in his form.

Why does he say these things about himself?

Why does he see himself so lowly?

Oh Astrid, maybe it's because that's what he was told who he was his whole life?

Are you just going to stand there and let him keep deepening the pit that his mind is probably digging for him?

He's not helpless. He's done more than anyone else could ever understand.

Come on Astrid, you're the only one who knows all of this, you're the only one who can help him see who he is and what he can do.

"So...? What are you going to do about it?", I challenge him.

"Eh, probably something stupid...", he shrugs his shoulders in an adorable way like he always does.

I smirk at him knowing the obvious, "good, but you've already done that"

"Then... something crazy...", he says with a great wave of realization and inspiration filling his soul.

The oppressive slouch turned into a brave jog that leaves me stranded on the deck.

"That's more like it", I can't help but wildly smile and chase after that skinny kid.

—

He's quick on his feet as I catch up quickly.

The adrenaline in my veins is quite violent as I am fairly certain of where he's going. We race through the village; the few disappointed Vikings that were left here gave him a mean scour nasty enough to curdle yak-milk.

"Oh look! It's the dragon champion, whatcha gunna do now?!", Snotlout snarls at Hiccup.

"Just get everybody else and follow me!", Hiccup ignores his statement.

Snotlout shoots him a confused and arrogant glare.

Then he looks over at me, "Just come on, mutton-head!"

"Uhhh okay! Whatever you say Astrid!"

I roll my eyes at the childish act to do as I say, but I am thankful he listened.

__________

"Okay Astrid, that leaves the Deadly Nadder for you", Hiccup says leading me to the brightly colored beast that had tail spikes sharper than the blade on my axe.

She cocks her head slightly to see past her snout and look at me in my eyes.

I remembered the endearing and spunky dragon that I fought just days ago.

There was a spirit about her that I couldn't ignore in this moment.

I can tell she remembers me hamming her in the head a couple days ago with a shield that was stuck to my axe.

I brought my hand forward and she flinched with a snarl.

"Whoa whoa! Slowly Astrid", Hiccup says and I breathe deeply.

I slowly near the cautious, wide-eyed Nadder.

"It's... it's okay... girl. I'm not going to hurt you. I won't ever do that again", I am barely able to make words due to the unsettling fear that dwelled in my chest.

I'm not used to this kind of sensation.

I've never been gripped by anything other than the bravery and battle rage that had been instilled in me by my father.

I close my eyes and hold my breath.

The deep bellowing purr of the Nadder vibrated against my arm upon touching her nose to my hand.

I can't help but exhale with laughter.

I begin to rub her large chin as she gurgles and rubs her head against my body.

Hiccup comes over with a goofy and proud smile as he hands me a rope.

"You ready?", he asks as he ties it in a loop and throws it over the dragons head.

"I'm all ears", I smile and I can tell that statement trumps him a little.

Especially after me not wanting to hear or take anything he had to offer just yesterday.

He jumps on her back and I gladly take it this time, but he pulls me in front of him.

I grab the rope and the only thing I can think to do is treat it like I was riding a yak or something.

I snap the rope with a "YAH!"

"Astrid no!", Hiccup screams as the dragon takes off.

"AHHH IM SORRY!", I am now panicking and angry at myself for not even asking him what to do first.

"Ahh, it's alright... easy girl!", Hiccup pulls lightly on the rope and pats her neck.

She deeply roars as she slips through the busted metal from Toothless' rage this morning.

The Nadder pulls back and calmly glides above the arena.

"How.. did you do that?", I ask still astounded that he is able to train dragons so easily.

"Astrid... don't take this the wrong way... but... be the opposite of who you are... or.. erm.. the opposite of who you were..", he says in my ear and his arms loosen their grip on my waist.

I understand his words, and I honestly felt slight butterflies when he emphasized the word, "were".

I clearly have had an attitude change due to his "treason" against the tribe.

And I guess it's my treason against the stubbornness of the Hofferson family to go along with it.

—

I grab the rope once again and ease back on my grip on the poor dragon's back.

I begin to sway left and right and pulling and pushing against the base of her hard and rough neck.

"Woohoo!", I laugh as I spin through the air.

Hiccup had eventually left my side to help the others to learn how to fly their dragons and it took several pitfalls to the ground and possible second-degree burns to get it right.

But we all eventually figured it out to the point where we could get somewhere.

Hiccup had Snotlout fly over to the Deadly Nadder and I, and leaps from the Monstrous Nightmare on to his spot behind me again.

"Let's go gang! We have to make it to Helheim's Gate before my dad breaks open the nest!", Hiccup shouts and waves his arm in a circular motion.

I don't believe we quite understand what we're getting ourselves into, but it's for a purpose.

And that purpose now, at least for me, is to stand behind the future chief who gave me something to believe in.