Between Waves and Clouds

33 - Where is Frost ?

Fainting, giving up on the stress caused by the recent events, at least it gave some rest to Nuffink. His sister and mother decided to get some sleep too and went to bed. Knowing that Hiccup would make it was a great relief, a real sunshine in this dark and confusing situation.

During his slumber, Nuffink was met by the dreadful sight of his father laying in his own blood. He woke up in a jolt, and it didn't take long for him to clear his mind. Then he noticed the sun had risen for a while, it seemed to be late morning.

He rubbed his eyes and noticed he was trapped in his bed, there were two scaly heads resting on hip lap. Pouncer and Dart were both asleep on him. Ruffrunner was still not there. The previous day, everything had been so pressing, stressful and rushing the viking had forgotten about the dragons, though they had perfectly understood something bad happened and had tried to comfort the three Haddocks. Nuffink had not notice one of the Night Lights was missing, but now he did.

The grumpy one of the family had not come back home during the night, and nobody had seen him the previous day. He seemed to have disappear, too.

Nuffink wondered if it was connected to Frost's own missing. Maybe the merman had fled and hide after the attack on the chief, and came back to fetch Ruffrunner and ran away with him ? Maybe the dragon knew something had happened and had left to search for the merman ? Nuffink hoped the two were together, looking after each other.

Looking up to his surroundings, the viking noticed he was not in his bedroom, but in the living-room. He was laying in Frost's crafted bed. Why was he there and not in his own bed ? Had he been sleepwalking ? Did his family settled him here when he had fainted ? He pushed the question aside, it was not important, then patted his best friend's head in try to wake him up.

The white Night Light grumbled and sleepily opened his lime green eyes. He was tired. Surely he had spent an as awful night as his rider. Surely he was worried for Ruffrunner too. As to Nuffink, he didn't know anymore what he had to think of the situation. Between his father and boyfriend, he didn't know for whom he was the most worried.

Thinking about his father, the young man jolted and turned his head towards the closed door of the chieftain bedroom. There was not sound coming from it. He pushed the dragons carelessly, ignoring Dart's grunts, and stood. He almost fell because of his numb legs but caught him on the table, which he used as support to make his way to the door. When he finally reach it, his legs were back to normal, so he pushed it open.

Inside the room, he found his sister siting in the chair next to the bed, where his father was laying under a thin blanket. Toothless and Toothpaste were there, too. The Light Fury was sprawled on the floor, resting her head on her mate's back, while the black dragon was resting his on the edge of the bed, snout inches away from the pale hand of the still unconscious chief. Unlike Toothpaste, Toothless was awake, sad green eyes lingering on his rider's still form. Nuffink could even hear him whine softly. The woodfloor creaked when he took a step closer, earning him the attention of both dragon and viking woman.

''Hi, bro.'' Zephyr greeted, her voice low and tired.

''How is he ?''

''He has not woken up yet, but grandma passed by this morning. She said he was recovering better than expected.''

''Great.'' Nuffink smiled, though he was tired, he was really relieved. But his smile dropped. ''Where's mom ?''

''With the riders and, before you ask, no, they have not found Igvid yet.''

He looked down, suddenly thoughtful. Was it really Igvid who had attacked his father ? What had she done with Frost ? He didn't know what he was the most worried about : his father's health, how Igvid had come to that extend and how far was she ready to go, or what happened to Frost. Everything was fuzy and foggy in his mind, none of his thoughts and mixed feelings was really making sense.