In Lieu Of A Tail

21. Awkward Situations With Your 'Father' And Mentor

Astrid was pissed when he took off without a word.

Sure, she heard the screams and could understand him wanting to check it out, but it wasn't like she didn't want to find out too. She didn't consider the implications of the sound, she didn't imagine that it could be the girl he arrived with. Huffing, she stomped back through the forest - headed for the village. She was so going to murder him.

Astra was panicking, she had roared for Toothless as soon as Aurora's episode had begun, and had been attempting to soothe the girl – to little avail – since. She could only do so much. She could barely wrap her rider in her soft-scaled wings as it was – with one fractured and splinted – let alone embrace her fully. How desperately she wished she could console her sister, shield her hatchling. But she could do very little with one wing fractured so badly, trying could cripple her – and she knew Aurora would be devastated if she was injured too badly. She wished she could destroy the demons that invaded the girl's mind.

She had no choice but to soothe her rider the best she could until their brothers arrived. Thundering steps advanced up the stairs, breaking through the whimpers her sister emitted as her dreams mutated into dark nightmares and memories. Astra growled in fury.

"Watch my Sister, Heller. Don't allow any other than our Brothers or your hatchling near her, I shall deal with the intruders."

The intruders – as Astra had dubbed them – were none other than the Chieftain and the Village Blacksmith. She glared at them in challenge; a deep, menacing growl ripping itself from her throat as her wings – or rather wing – rose and stretched, causing her to appear larger. Both men – though they would never admit this – took several hasty steps backwards before the tell-tale screech of the Night Fury's wings pierced the moment, and Hiccup dropped through the hatch in the roof, followed swiftly by his dragon. Said dragon joined his sister in threatening the Vikings while the boy ran over to his little sister.

Both dragons bore their teeth when the men stepped forward, deep growls echoing. They stepped back again.

"Astra! I need your help!"

The dragon turned, seemingly trading places with the Terror she had left guarding her sister. She nuzzled her sister's hand, Hiccup embraced the girl gently, before backing away slightly and grasping her other hand, rubbing circles on the back.

"It's fine, you're safe, I'm here." Hiccup whispered.

"It's over, Aurora, wake up, my Sister. You have to kick some Viking butt!" Astra joked.

Aurora stirred; her whimpers ceasing at last, she edged towards her dragon, who responded by laying her head carefully on her rider's stomach. Astra trilled in relief. A moment later the full weight of her head was resting on the girl, who groaned.

"Move your head! I'm trying to sleep!" She complained, trying to push the Star Fury's large face away, before the weight was lost and her face was suddenly covered in slobber. Her eyes snapped open. "Eew! Astra! That's disgusting! We've talked about this!"

Astra wagged her tail, a comical sight as her large tail thwacked against a wardrobe and the wall. Hiccup snorted in barely restrained laughter and Toothless released a chuffing laugh while Heller did a celebratory loop-de-loop. The draconic laughter was echoed by Aurora, which unnerved the two Vikings in the doorway immensely.

Gobber cleared his throat, as Stoick was at a loss for words. This interruption was rewarded with no less than six glares, one of which was behind them. Gothi poked them both in the back and they stood either side of the door as she entered, joining the group in and around the bed, her dragon slamming into her and curling over her shoulders.