In Lieu Of A Tail

26. Camicazi Plays With Knives And The Twins Make Some New Friends

Once Hiccup had left to cool down, no less than seven glares fixed on the Chief. A blade flew over his head, scratching his helmet and producing sparks, before burying itself in the wall.

"Camicazi!" Heather started, "I was gonna do that!"

"Also, you missed." Mala commented in a growl.

"You cannot attack a Chief!" Stoick cried. Wimp.

"She didn't," Alvin stated gruffly, "technically, she just threw a knife that happened to land near you."

"You're lucky I have no interest in starting a war right now, Stoick." Dagur warned. "Because otherwise I would end you where you stand."

"Look, obviously my Chief crossed a line – and I think I have an idea of how – but can we please discuss this peacefully? And preferably come to a conclusion that doesn't involve murder or war?" Astrid asked desperately.

"Your Chief," Camicazi spat, somewhat civilly, "needs to separate what is and isn't his place to comment on."

"For the record, that was NOT." Heather interjected, driving a dagger into the table.

"And he needs to know that it is not his place to question the mannerisms of anyone not of his tribe." Cami continued, gritting her teeth.

Astrid was silent, she wouldn't admit that these people unsettled her, she wouldn't give any indication that she was worried that her Chief would start a war – one they would lose badly if these people were half as dangerous as they seemed.

Heather and Camicazi left after that incident – presumably to get more sharp, threatening instruments to throw around the Great Hall – which was probably for the best, as Stoick decided he was going to have an argument, and arguments with Heather and Camicazi tend to end with death threats and injuries. The Berkian Chief brought up the matter of the Berserker-Berkian treaty – this was not going to end well.

"What of our treaty, Dagur?"

"What do you mean, Stoick?"

"You haven't signed it in two years." Stoick started, his voice low and face red. "In fact, we've had no contact with the Berserker Tribe in over two years! We thought you'd sailed off the edge of the world trying to conquer it!"

"First of all, the Beserkers are very much on the world- turns out it's round – we have simply... relocated." Dagur responded, flushing scarlet and glancing at Mala conspirationally.

"The world is round?! Ridiculous, impossible!" Astrid exclaimed.

"Why did you 'relocate', Dagur?"

"Well—" Dagur was cut off by Alvin, who glanced worriedly at him – only a split second, but enough that Astrid caught it, and knew there was more than what they were willing to share.

"Don't lie, boyo." He smirked, "We all know it was because you couldn't stand to be so far from Mala."

Both Mala and Dagur's faces were redder than tomatoes, and the table grain was suddenly more interesting – is that a meat smear? – than the conversation.

Astrid knew that wasn't an act, but there was more to why the Berserkers relocated, of that she was certain.

Aurora was good at covering her tracks. She knew exactly how to hide from people – probably why she had survived as long as she did before she met Astra, and until she met Hiccup and Toothless.

So it was by pure chance that the twins found her, and her focus on other matters – so she ignored her surroundings, rookie mistake – was the only reason she didn't realise they were there when she dropped to the ground.