Sigrid The Relentless - How to Train your Dragon

6. The Nest

They had been preparing for days, the final search for the dragon's nest. The sole thing Stoick had been hoping for, for years, was coming to an end. Finally, Berk would be rid of dragons forever. 

Stoick had refused to speak to his son ever since that day in the arena, and it seemed that Hiccup had the same mindset with not only his father, but his sister as well; since everytime Sigrid went to speak to him, he turned back around with a huff. She couldn't find it within herself to blame him.

For the first time since she started training, Sigrid didn't feel that same sense of excitement as she sharpened her axe to prepare for the battle. It was strange, she wanted this for so long, and now her father was finally allowing her to come with him so she could complete her goals before being married off. But instead of cheering at the thought, Sigrid felt sick, and wanted nothing more than to retreat back in her room and hurl. 

The morning of their departure, Sigrid said goodbye to her brother, not expecting any response -as he hadn't spoken a word to her since. With a sad sigh, she turned around, ready to leave for the nest with the other adults, but she was halted by a grasp on her wrist. 

Looking back, she saw her brother's frowning face as he refused to look her in the eyes. Instead, his grass-green irises were locked on the wooden floors of their home, as he spoke quietly. 

"Please, protect him." He begged.

Sigrid tensed, a sigh on her lips as she frowned in concern. If only she could promise him that. 

"I'll try my best." She compromised.

Hiccup didn't seem satisfied with her answer, letting out a disappointed sigh, before releasing his grip on her wrist. He didn't even bid her goodbye. 

Sigrid left to Berk's docks with something extra in hand, which she hadn't worn for ages. 

"What's with the helm?" Gorm joked as he saw the approaching figure, immediately reminded of their days in the training arena. 

The others looked up at his jesting, eyes on last year's brawl winner as they welcomed her warmly.

Sigrid shrugged, feeling a bit strange at the curved horns weighing down on her scalp. "Well, I figured that if we're going to kill the beast that ate my mother, I should bring a piece of her with me." 

Her knuckled tapped against the strong hide covered metal, the material clanging in response. 

Frida put a comforting arm around the taller woman's shoulders, hugging her side. They'd all been put together when they were teenagers, training to become dragon slayers. Sigrid, Gorm, Frida, Holger and Erika, all together in the arena. Today wouldn't be their first battle as a group, but they hoped it would be their last - against dragons anyway. 

For this travel, Stoick had assigned them a boat to themselves, believing them to be experienced enough to handle it. 

"Make sure you follow my father's ship, no matter what." Sigrid told Holger, who was voted to steer the ship.

Against his wishes of course, but he knew better than to argue with Sigrid unless he wanted to be challenged to a fight. 

The long black-haired Viking nodded, dark eyes staring into the distance, focusing on the Chief's boat leading the line. "Got it." 

The thick fog surrounded the boats. So impenetrable that the shapes of the large oak wooden boats were barely visible, as they rowed by towering rocks and wrecked ships, moving towards their final destination. Sigrid studied the view carefully, as she stood at the front of the boat, seeing the edge of an island come closer in sight. Soon, the battle would begin.