Secrets of the Wilderwest (Httyd fic)

Chapter 21

Astrid's POV

I slowly woke up from my slumber to find Stormfly preening my hair. I stand up and stretch. Afterwards I give Stormfly a good scratch which has her chirping in contentment. The sunlight now streamed into the cavern making it a little brighter.

I take a look around the low lit cavern. Snotlout and Fishlegs are still sleeping, while I see the twins and Soren a little further away playing tic-tac-toe in the sand. From my right I heard laughter and water splashing. I went to investigate and I came upon an underground lake which we hadn't noticed last night.

There I saw Hiccup and Toothless playing a game of tag together with some juvenile Whispering Deaths. The Whispering death who I guessed was the mother was watching them from the side of the lake with two hatchlings, who were acting shy, by her side.

Hiccup spotted me and wave for me to come over. When I finally reached then the Whispering Deaths began sniffing me. I gave Hiccup a worried look.

"Don't worry Astrid. Just let them sniff you. Their eyesight isn't so great." Hiccup commented and soon the Whispering Deaths went back to playing. One of them managed to splash Hiccup with water and I couldn't help but let out a laugh at the sight of a drenched Hiccup.

"You find that funny do you." Hiccup said in a playful manner.

"Hiccup don't you dare." I state and began to back away as a smirk crossed his face.

"Hiccup!!!" I yelled but Hiccup had already shouted. "Toothless, cannonball!!"

Toothless in all his enthusiasm dove into the lake and caused a huge amount of water to splash onto me. When Toothless came back up he gave a chortle and tried to look innocent.

"Crazy reptile." I muttered and Hiccup fell into a giggling fit. But Toothless wasn't done yet. Toothless hit me with his tailfin as he swam back to shore and I tumbled right into Hiccup's arms.

We stayed like that, simply gazing at each other, for what I would guess a while. It was one of the others muttering "When will they kiss?" that had us snapping out our daze and we separated. Both Hiccup and I were sporting blushes as we saw the others peering at us from behind stalagmites. Toothless then grumbled and hit Snotlout with his tail.

"Hey what the hell?" Snotlout yelled but Toothless had already walked past.

"Well it's your own fault uncle Snotlout." Soren said. "You shouldn't have interrupted them."

"Hey I was just wondering out loud." Snotlout grumbled and then asked. "Wait, you called me uncle?"

"Eh, I got to go!!" Soren said and I saw him making a hasty retreat.

"What happened with Soren?" I ask Snotlout who now had a dumbfounded expression on his face.

"He called me uncle." Snotlout simply stated.

I turn to look at Hiccup and he nods. We then proceed to where Soren had hidden himself, which was under the wing of Stormfly.

"Soren." I said gently only to receive a sob in return.

"I'm sorry." Soren said. "I......I slipped. I know I shouldn't have called him that. I just do it in my head. I didn't mean for it to come out."

"Soren we aren't mad at you." Hiccup says while crouching down.

"You aren't going to hit me?" Soren asked as he peaked out from under the wing.

"Heavens no." I exclaim. "Why would you think we'd hit you?"

"Soren, did it happen before?" Hiccup gently asked.

I see Soren nod and then he bites his thumb before answering. "I lived with the Outcasts when my mother was still alive and she forbade me to call her mom. She never wanted me and after she died the Outcasts beat me and threw me out on the streets." Soren was now sniffling as he told his story.

I quickly took him into my arms as he began to cry. "I know I don't know ya guys for long." He said through sobs. "But you all are the closest I've gotten to a family. Please don't throw me away."

"Don't worry kiddo." Hiccup gently said and ruffled Soren's hair. Soren peaked out from where he had curled up on my lap and I saw Fishlegs, Snotlout, and the twins standing not so far away. "We aren't going to get rid of you."

Hiccup was tackled into a hug by a crying Soren as soon as he said that. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!!" Soren said as his sobs receded. He then looked up and saw the other standing behind Hiccup.

"You guys won't mind that I think of you as family?" Soren asked a little hesitantly but the twins were beaming, Fishlegs smiled, while Snotlout simply shrugged.

"You just caught me by surprise little man." Snotlout stated and then puffed out his chest. "Of course I'm the cool uncle figure right?"

"Ehhh........." Soren said and began twiddling his thumbs. "More like the weird uncle." This caused all of us to laugh while Snotlout pouted.

"Fishlegs would be the cool uncle." Soren stated and Fishlegs did a fist-pump and let out a whoop.

"And the twins would be the crazy aunt and uncle." Saren said and the twins head-budded each other.

"So what about Astrid and Hiccup?" Ruffnut added and I saw Soren blush as he slowly shuffled his feet.

Soren looked down and mumbled something that none of us could hear but Ruffnut and Tuffnut immediately brighten. "Well this confirms it. We were right."

Soren was now blushing madly and was trying to hide his face.

"Congratulations Astrid and Hiccup." Tuffnut stated. "You guys are now proud parents."

I see Hiccup's eyebrows shoot up and I mine had followed. We both look to Soren who was beet red but nodded shyly.

"A......Astrid you act a lot like h......how I imagined a mom would." Soren says and I give him a big hug. He then turns to Hiccup. "I......I never met my dad, and I always dreamed what he would be like." Soren said and then hugged Hiccup. "If he ever shows himself he'll have some pretty big shoes to fill."