Of the Northmost Winds and Skies

Chapter 8: Jamie races to the edge

«I'm sure Stoick didn't mean you have to watch over them literally at all times. What are they gonna do, burn the village down?"

"Funny coming from you. You're more suspicious than any of us. Except maybe my dad..."

It was hard to see in the late sunset, but Astrid definitely rolled her eyes. Hiccup might've missed it, hadn't her hair been pushed back by the wind.

They were out on their evening flight, like Hiccup had promised Toothless. Astrid had seen him getting ready and had decided to join. Hiccup had no reason to refuse; he had a lot on his mind, and he knew Astrid did as well. That, and he also enjoyed her company, obviously.

"It's true," Hiccup said defensively. "I'm not saying it's a bad thing, just-"

"I'm not more suspicious than you. You're just too polite to be open about it," Astrid argued. "And no, you're right: It's not a bad thing. We should be careful. Maybe even more careful than we already are."

"You just said they wouldn't do any harm while I'm gone."

"I said they wouldn't burn the village down. I didn't say they wouldn't do something else."

"They're just kids, Astrid."

"Kids that we know nothing about!"

"I know that! But..." Hiccup sighed, shaking his head. There really was no point in arguing. Not because Astrid was stubborn – or that they both were stubborn – but because Hiccup did actually agree with her. He understood her point of view, but still... "I know. I don't trust them either, but there's just nothing about them that screams 'distrustful.'"

Astrid fell silent then. She was frowning, gazing downwards. Then she pointed.

"There," she said, and Hiccup followed her gaze to a small island, halfway hidden beneath the cloud layer. "There's no dragons on that one, right?"

Hiccup shook his head, and they flew down there. The island was so small, it barely counted as an island at all, and therefore it didn't have a name either. It was more like a big rock in the middle of the ocean, with just enough width to grow a charming little forest.

Astrid dismounted Stormfly, petting her gratefully. Hiccup did the same, and as he and Astrid went to sit down at the root of a huge pine, Toothless and Stormfly trotted off together. Astrid pulled out a bundle from her bag, containing today's dinner: muttonchops, just like two days before, and then the day before that again. Hiccup didn't complain out loud, and took a chop when Astrid handed it to him.

"I'm guessing Jack and Jamie still didn't join the rest of the village for dinner, since we're here," Astrid said, taking a bite out of her muttonchop. She frowned. "It tastes a little less like earth this time."

Hiccup wasn't sure if he agreed, but he hummed as if he thought it was delicious. "Nope," he said between chews. "After our tour they seemed pretty exhausted. Can't really blame them... They probably weren't prepared for any dragon trouble. Or Snotlout-trouble."

"Dragon trouble?"

"Yeah... Gustav and the other kids. It was weird, though." Hiccup lowered the muttonchop, looking over at Toothless and Stormfly, who were having a lighthearted playfight. "Fanghook acted strange when Jack intervened. I can't explain how he did it, but he made Fanghook back off."

Astrid's eyebrows were knitted tightly together. "From the boy who's never seen a dragon before?" she asked.

Hiccup knew what she was thinking. He'd had the idea as well.

"You think he's lying?" he asked.

Astrid shrugged. "Maybe," she said. "Probably."

Hiccup bit the inside of his cheek. The muttonchop – which wasn't very appetizing the first place – didn't seem so tempting anymore. "What about the kid?" he asked. "He's just eleven. How can he be a threat to us?"