The Night Rider

Chapter 23: Would You Sleep?

ASTRIDS POV.

Six Hours Later

Astrid struck a small piece of flint against a shard of metal each time creating a shower of sparks. The tent was so dark she could only see when the sparks shone. She struck the flint and steel together once more and the torch caught fire illuminating the tent.

Hiccup's unconscious body still laid on the wooden table. The wound that had been left by the axe had been cleaned and stitched but Hiccups side and the table were both soaked in drying blood. Hiccups scar ridden chest was pale and his chest rose and fell ever so slightly that she constantly had to press her ear up to his chest to make sure he was still alive.

Astrid looked down to the box of sand that was in the corner of the tent and read Goathy's message once more. *It is doubtful he will survive.* Pain filled Astrid's heart as she looked back to Hiccup and in her mind she asked herself a recurring question. Would he survive? She turned her head back to the message.

Goathy was the best healer on Berk, maybe the best in the Archipelago. If she didn't think Hiccup would survive then he probably wouldn't. Astrid placed the torch on a small holding pole that was in the ground and dunked her hands deep into a basin full of water scrubbing her hands together trying to rid her hands of Hiccups blood.

"How could I do this?" The words startled her as Stoick hadn't spoken in around four hours. She turned back around to see him rise from the small stool he had been seated on and walk over to his sons side placing both of his blood soaked hands on the table. "I should have known it was him." He brought one of his hands up to Hiccup's helmet and pulled it off placing it on a table.

Astrid heard Stoick begin to sob silently at the sight of his long lost son. Hiccups face was just as pale as his chest and the blood that had run down his face had now dried. Astrid pulled a clean wool washcloth off a table and dipped it into the water. She rang it out and wiped the dried blood off his face before handing the rag to Stoick so he could wipe off his hands.

"You should wipe the blood off your hands." She suggested but he just held the washcloth in his hands and continued to stare at his son. "Goathy said he could sur-." He raised his hand. "Don't, just don't." He placed his hand back down on to the table. "Don't coddle me, I don't deserve it." As he said that a big wave of sobbing overtook him and for a number of minuets the two where silent. After around ten minuets of him sobbing he stopped.

Stoick rose from the stool and wiped away his tears not caring about his bloodied hands. "I need to go talk to those who saw his face." He mumbled moved to the tents flaps. "Watch him." He finally said before walking through the flaps leaving her alone. Astrid turned her attention back to Hiccup. A cold breeze blew through the flaps and she shuddered.

From under the table on a shelf she pulled out a blanket and laid it over Hiccup. "AARRHHGG!" Astrid's head shot up at the sound of the dragons roar. "AAARRGGH!" She opened the tents flaps and peeked her head out. The sky was darkening and the stars where beginning to shine. The streets where bare and only a few Vikings still wandered the streets, most of which where so intoxicated they could hardly stand.

"ARGHH!" Astrid turned her head towards the direction of the call and after a moment she knew what was making the noise. "It's the Night Fury." She whispered to herself. What was it Hiccup had said? 'You think he slept in there at all?' The encaged Night Fury let out another roar. 'Answer me something Astrid, if you were muzzled and encaged. Would you sleep?'

Hiccups words where on an infinite loop in her head. 'Would you sleep? Would you sleep? Would you sleep?' Astrid turned back around and took a seat on the stool. 'He will fall asleep eventually.' She thought to herself. She heard a roar once again. "ARGGHHH!" And again. "AARGHH!" Astrid cupped her hands over her ears. "Don't you dragons sleep." She complained but the dragon simply roared again.

Astrid rose from the stool angrily and paced back and forth. The Night Fury roared again and Astrid snapped. "Can you not be quiet for a few moments!" She yelled turning away from the source of the calls and towards Hiccup. "Stupid dragon." She said to herself but then her eye's landed on Hiccup.

What would he think of her if he knew she was ignoring his best friend as he laid in a cage suffering. 'He'd be ashamed.' She thought, and for some reason that's the last thing she wanted him to think of her. Astrid walked over to Hiccups bedside and picked up his helmet before placing it back on him so while she was gone no one could walk in and see who he was.

Astrid opened the flaps and made sure no one was looking while she left because if a Viking saw her leave the Night Rider alone one just might come in and take his life. Astrid began to jog down to the arena, each roar getting louder by the footstep. When she reached the arena there were no guards posted by the gate, guess Stoick didn't see it necessary.

Astrid opened the gate and walked down into the area's large open area. It felt like it was yesterday when she was here. She turned her head over to the scorch mark on the wall where Hiccup almost died to a groncle. It was hard to believe that all that happened three years ago.

One of the cage doors banged and from behind it she heard the dragons fearsome roar. Astrid approached the cage door carefully, thankfully the sky was still bright enough for her to make out where the lever was so she could open the cage. "GGRRRR." Astrid jumped back a few inches at the sound. It knew she was there. Was this a bad idea? Was this dragon going to hurt her?

'Yes and most likely yes.' She thought to herself answering her own question. But again for a reason she didn't know, she'd rather face a dragon then Hiccups disappointment. Astrid pulled down on the lever and the wooden log that kept the cage sealed was lifted into the air by a chain. It all happened so fast, everything around her was still but then in an instant the dragon burst through the doors and knocked Astrid on her back.

When she sat up the black dragon circled her baring it's teeth and growling at her. "Hey it's okay." She said standing up and raising her hands out in front of her. "It's me, do you remember me?" She asked. Was she really talking to a dragon? It wasn't like he could understand a word she was saying.

The dragon continued to growl and Astrid now noticed that it's pupils where slits. Was this where she was going to die? The Night Fury snarled at her and then began to approach her in a straight line. Astrid bumped into the stone wall and tried to move but the dragon blocked her. 'I'm dead I'm so dead.' She thought to herself squeezing her eyes shut.

"Hiccups alright!" She yelled and the dragon snarling stopped. Astrid opened her eyes and the to her relief the dragon say in front of her and it's eye's where back to normal. "Thank the gods." She said breathing heavily. "I guess you can understand some thing's I'm saying." She said with a smile and the dragon began to approach her slowly.

Astrid pressed up against the wall frightened but the dragon simply pressed up against her and laid at her feet. She knelt down next to it and after a moment laid her hand on its neck. "He'll be okay, I'm sure he'll be okay." She told him and within a matter of moments the dragon was asleep.

(Authors Note)
Hello everyone Sammy here just wanted to apologize for the short chapter and if it felt like the chapter was rushed I'm sorry I was short on time. Once again I want to let you all know that if you click on my account there's a post where you can tell me if you want to see anything in this first book or you can just leave a normal comment. Well I'm off.
-Samuel Scutter