Escaping to You -Book I of the Journey Series

Chapter 15

===Heather===

"Okay, so going back to my question earlier, how exactly did the four of you meet?" I asked them as we walked to the cove at sunset.

After Hiccup's training session had finished this afternoon, Hiccup's cousin Aaron and his friends Skylar and Nikolai suggested that we all go to the cove with our dragons. I agreed, seeing as I could use a bit of fresh air, especially after the boys had a little competition at the salmon ladder after training. Four HOT, SHIRTLESS guys climbing up and down the salmon ladder can really make a girl sweat. I literally had to splash my face with water in order to cool down because the academy was smoking, if you know what I mean.

Anyway, we were walking through the forest with our dragons in tow. And I asked them the question that has been bugging me all afternoon.

"Well, it all started when we were 5. Our dads decided that it was time that we met if they wanted to continue the alliance between our tribes. We became friends that very same day." Hiccup began.

"The best of friends." Nikolai threw in, with a sweep of his blonde locks away from his brown eyes.

"And every summer, our dads always got together with us tagging along. The location always revolved between our tribes. Hiccup of the Hairy Hooligans of the Ilse of Berk, Aaron with the Menacing Meatheads of Swallow Island, me, Skylar of the Bog Burglars of Lava Lout Island, and Nikolai of the Vicious Visithugs of The Sullen Group of Islands." Skylar continued.

"As heirs to chiefdom, it was hammered in our skulls the importance of friendship as the foundation of an alliance. We took it to heart, of course, which made our fathers proud, at the same time regret the day we all met when we were five." Aaron went on.

" How so?" I asked.

"We were actually all born on the same day, February 29, which only comes once every four years when the year is a day longer, and on the same year. The minute we found that out, we bonded like brothers is a flash. They became the friends I never had, and the brothers I've always wanted. We were as thick as thieves growing up, earning the reputation amongst the adults as 'Loki's Servants', causing trouble wherever we go whether we did it on purpose or not." Hiccup answered.

"Most of the time, its the latter. We all grew up as runts. Thin, all brains, no muscle, and humiliating coordination. Everyone dreaded the day we all came together, even our fathers. And they all celebrated the day we would go our separate ways." Nikolai continued.

"The story of Gobber running like a chicken with his underpants on fire, that actually happened while we were trying to find a way to throw weapons without having to carry them." Hiccup reminded me.

"That was Nikolai's idea, by the way." Aaron added.

"The meet-ups stopped four years ago when Oswald the Agreeable of the Berserker Tribe mysteriously disappeared. Since Dagur took over, our father's have been cautious of the meetings. They've only corresponded through secret letters to keep the alliance alive." Skylar threw in.

"And we did the same thing. The Night Fury thing was a total coincidence, though. But, I don't regret it one bit. We would sneak away sometimes to a deserted island, hide our dragons and meet up to hang out. And we only do them at night because Night Furies are invisible in the dark." Hiccup concluded.

"Wait, what do you mean Oswald the Agreeable mysteriously disappeared? Didn't Dagur kill him 4 years ago?" I asked, a little confused.

From what the entire archipelago knows, Dagur killed Oswald to become chief. Which actually made me hate the guy even more than I already did. But, now I'm confused.