The sun had just started rising, but Astrid was already awake. She was still angry that Hiccup had beaten her in dragon training, and had decided to do some target practice to vent that anger. Oh those poor trees. They are going to be the victim of her axe again.
As she threw axe after axe at the trees, time began to pass. Soon enough, it was time for the finals. Where Hiccup gets to kill the monstrous nightmare. Astrid trudged over to the great hall to find the gang still sitting there laughing and talking about how Hiccup is going to kill that monstrous nightmare.
"I bet he'll use a mace." Tuffnut said.
"No muttonhead, I bet he'll use an axe." His sister retorted and shoved him. They started shoving each other back and forth, until both of them fell out of their seats and to the floor. Astrid rolled her eyes. The twins are such muttonheads.
"Shouldn't we get to the arena now? It's almost noon." Fishlegs suggested. Everyone agreed and left to the arena, where many people were already waiting to see the heir slay the beast. Astrid and the gang managed to squeeze to the first row, where they would have a nice view of the fight.
A long time passed, but the boy was still not seen. Many vikings were starting to feel anxious and annoyed. Why was he not showing up? Was he scared? After an hour of waiting for Hiccup to show up, Stoick had enough.
"Alright! Everyone settle down! Since Hiccup hasn't shown up, we will have to go find him!" And he proceeded to send out search parties for his son. The chief turned to Gobber and frowned visibly.
"Gobber, have you seen the lad at all?" Gobber shook his head.
"Sorry chief. But I 'aven't seen the lass all mornin'." Stoick frowned. Where could his son be? Could he have forgotten about his big day? Or could he have been training and lost track of time? Anyways, Stoick decided to go search his house.
Meanwhile, the gang was also searching for the Hiccup in the forest.
"Hiccup! Hiccup! Where are you?!" Tuffnut shouted.
"Did he die?" Ruffnut commented and was instantly knocked on the head by Astrid.
"No, I doubt it. And don't jinx it." She playfully elbowed her friend.
"You know, if jinxes were real, I would jinx Snotlout to be the plague of all women. I mean seriously, he repels all the girls here without even trying." Tuffnut snickered.
"I couldn't agree more with you, brother." The twins burst out laughing. Snotlout clenched his fist in anger.
"Shut up Tuffnut. I-I will jinx you to never be able to marry." Snotlout attempted to insult Tuffnut, but Tuffnut shruged.
"I mean, I don't want to marry. Doesn't matter anyways. I will dedicate my life, to Loki." He said with full pride. Astrid pinched her nose in annoyance.
"That is not how jinxes work, and focus on finding Hiccup, please." She rolled her eyes and glared at all parties responsible. The muttered something and continued searching for Hiccup. Though Fishlegs had been silent for a while.
"Fishlegs? You find anything?" Astrid looked around and saw Fishlegs inspecting a tree. It was broken badly, as if something big and heavy had fallen on it.
"Hm, looks like a dragon has fallen here. And these skid marks show that it leads right-" Fishlegs followed the track with the rest of the gang following behind him. "-here." He pointed to where there was a net and bolas. It had been cut though, as if someone set the dragon free.
"So it's been freed huh." Astrid commented. Fishlegs continued walking until he arrived at the cove. The gang emerged from the trees and gasped at the beauty. From mossy stones to a large tree by the crystal clear lake. It was a refreshing sight.
"Come on." Astrid led the gang down the walls slowly, and made a thump sound when they hit the ground.
"Ok gang, let's look for a dragon. Or Hiccup." Then something clicked.
"Hey Fishlegs, do you know which part of the island we are at right now?" She asked Fishlegs who had picked up a scale and was inspecting it. It was a dragon scale.
"Hrm, we should be past Raven Point slightly. But look at this! This scale is unlike anything I've seen before." He looked at the scale, which was as black as night, and considerably small, the size of half of a palm.
"Remember when Hiccup said he shot down a night fury? Could he be telling the truth? Then is this a night fury scale?" Fishlegs stared in shock as he heard Astrid's theory.
"Hey Ast! I found Hiccup's dagger. It's in the lake, so he must have been here." Ruffnut shouted as she held a dagger and dangled it to show her friend. Astrid pondered for a second, then spoke.
"Let's go. I think I know what happened. But lets get the chief first."
On the other hand, Stoick had found out that his son's room had been completely emptied. No blanket, no pillow, no clothes. His usually messy table was now blank, no drawings, no paper scattered everywhere. It was unusually clean. Stoick opened the drawers one by one, and found nothing. Everything was emptied out. He quickly hurried out of the house, sensing something wrong.
Upon exiting his house, he was met with a group of Berkians who were asking him to follow them. Thinking that they might have found Hiccup, he followed them.
"Chief." Astrid and the gang greeted him.
"What is it lass?" Stoick asked the warrior. Gobber had joined him too.
"We found leads on Hiccup. I have a theory on what happened to him." Astrid replied firmly.
"Go ahead lass."
"I think that Hiccup has been taken by a night fury." She said.
"What?"
"Let me explain. Look here, the net has been cut. If Hiccup had shot down that night fury that night, then he would obviously be looking for it. But look at these footsteps. They look somewhat fresh. That means someone has gone looking for it. And that someone may be Hiccup. When he realised that the night fury somehow got out, he walked on further and reached a cove, just up ahead from here, and found it. The night fury. This explains the scales Fishlegs found." She held up a scale as she explained and Stoick and Gobber exchanged worried looks.
"Then Ruffnut found Hiccup's dagger in the lake. And there were also scorch marks, and blood along the walls of the cove and the soil." At this point everyone had grown silent. It was a while before the chief spoke up.
"Let's get back to the village. Round up all search parties. Prepare for the funeral." The chief's voice was solemn. It sounded lifeless. His shoulders slumped as he slowly treaded back to the village. His heart was in agony. He was in pain. First his wife, then his son. What more did these beasts want?
Astrid and the gang followed a distance behind him. They were silent. Even the twins had nothing to say anymore. Astrid was torn. She didn't realise how much she had needed him until now. She didn't realise that she liked him. No, love him. She wanted to cry, but her pride wouldn't let her in front of so many people. She just let the pain burn a hole in her heart, one that will never be patched up.
The Berkians were ready for the funeral. After learning of their heir's death, they had gone all quiet. They all mourned the loss of their heir as they shot arrows lit on fire to a boat sailing away. In the boat was some drawings of Hiccup's inventions, his inventions themselves, and the helmet the chief had given him a few nights back.
"Goodbye, son." Stoick let a tear fall from his eyes as he watched the boat sail away in flames. Gobber put a hand on his shoulder and stared after it sadly as well. The gang was silently mourning his death, and Fishlegs had even let a tear slip. Astrid gulped down some tears, and she swore to herself angrily.
I will kill that night fury.
word count: 1,387
