Run Away (HTTYD)

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Chapter 6

"So, how are we getting out of here?" Fishlegs asked, looking around. Astrid smiled secretively and glanced towards the hidden tunnel.

"We climb out," Gobber answered. "It's th' only way."

It took them roughly two hours to clamber up to the rim of the grotto.

"So... Astrid." Snotlout started. "I was wondering if-" Astrid groaned mentally.

"No, Snotlout." She interrupted him. The walk to the ship was uneventful after that, but Astrid was relieved when they stepped onto the sand to find Hiccup and Toothless already waiting for them with a net full of cod.

She felt more comfortable with him there. It was like there'd been something missing before, but it was there now. He was there now.

"Well," Gobber said, looking at the fish. "Tha' was quick."

Hiccup smiled.

"A'right, let's pack up!" The camp became a flurry of activity as everyone began stuffing items into their bags.

"...Gobber, I could have Toothless... pull the, um, boat for a while..." Hiccup began. "You won't need to... Row until we can see... Berk."

Gobber stared at Hiccup. "A'right, we'll try tha'. When do ya think we'll get there?" Hiccup thought for a minute.

"I don't remember how to say time... I didn't need to remember. I don't think... later than... When the...Sun comes." He smirked at the disbelieving expression on Gobber's face. "Toothless is the ...Fastest dragon I ever, um, saw."

Gobber nodded slowly. "Hurry up!" He called. "We're leavin' in 15 minutes!"

It was another hour until they were ready to sail. Everyone had to find their scattered weaponry, and Hiccup had rigged a new harness for Toothless which allowed him to pull the ship much faster than they could have rowed. Astrid closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of the wind hitting her face as they skipped across the waves. She fell asleep that way, unaware of how Hiccup kept glancing back at her.

She woke up after a particularily nasty nightmare in which she'd run to the cove to find Hiccup's bloody and lifeless body waiting for her. She shuddered, forcing the image out of her mind.

"Wake up! Berk's in sight!" Gobber bellowed. Fishlegs groaned and sat up.

He blinked sleepily, looking around. "What time is it..?" It suddenly registered that it had been dark out when he'd gone to sleep, and it was dark now. But Gobber said that Berk was in sight, so... "Wait, I slept a whole day!?"

"More like five hours," Gobber said cheerfully. "Hiccup's dragon pulled th' boat all night. Th' two of 'm jus' took off now for th' Cove." Gobber clunked over to the Thorsten twins' bench. Leaning close, he suddenly screamed. "WAKE UP, YA LAZY BUMS! GET T' ROWIN' OR I'LL THROW YA OVERBOARD!"

The twins jerked awake, Ruffnut elbowing her brother in the process. "Troll-butt!" He yelled. She elbowed him again. "Hag face!" He dodged the punch she sent his way and kicked out at her.

Ruffnut dodged and smirked, quickly thinking up an insult. "Your hair is girly!" She taunted. That did it. Tuffnut leapt on her, tackling her to the deck.

They rolled into Snotlout, who'd fallen off his bench at some point during the night. He woke up, scrambling away from the bickering twins. Unfortunately, he tripped backwards over the bench and fell overboard... Again. The sight was enough to cheer Astrid up as Gobber set them to rowing.

"When will we dock?" Astrid asked impatiently. She didn't particularily like boats, but she was a Viking and would live with them. No, her desire to reach shore stemmed from a scrawny boy with a lopsided grin and bright green eyes.