The evening was approaching quickly by the time that we all arrived home. The sun was going down over the water, only a small orange sliver remaining visible to our eyes. The glowing silver moon hung high in the air though, taking the place of its predecessor. Berk was settling in for the night, most families shut in their huts to begin bedtime preparations. A very few remained, including Heather and Eret, both standing watch at the entrance of the Great Hall. Windshear and Shattermaster fed off of a basket of fish greedily, obviously bored out of their minds. Clearly, no one had attacked the village while we had been gone, giving us all reason to be relieved.
Eret flagged us down, waving in greeting at all of us. The dragons landed roughly, all nine of them exhausted from the days travel and fighting. Stormfly and the Monstrous Nightmare trio carefully laid Nightwing down on the nearby field, where she stayed and refused to move. "How'd it go?" Eret called to Ruffnut. The blonde smiled, leaping off of her dragon and wrapping her arms around him. "You should've seen us babe! We destroyed everything!" She laughed. Eret chuckled. "I'm glad you are okay. I was getting worried." He admitted. The couple continued to hug and laugh together, while Heather approached Hiccup. "I take it everything was a success." Hiccup glanced at me, knowing I was still recovering from the ordeal. "Mostly, but Nightwing is hurt really bad." Heather gasped, her eyes widening as she looked over at me. "What can I do?" She asked. "I'm honestly not sure yet." I sighed, climbing out of Snotlout's arms and dismounting Hookfang. "I could only see a few of the wounds when I first looked at her as we were escaping. What I saw was bad enough. I need to go examine her." I explained. Heather blinked in understanding, following me as I walked over to my dragon. I could hear Hookfang and Snotlout on my heels, Hookfang whimpering as he took in his mate's appearance.
The orange and red dragon stepped lightly around Nightwing, coming to a stop at her head. Nightwing was breathing shallowly, but when she sensed Hookfang's presence, she opened her lavender eyes and raised her neck just enough to lick his cheek. Hookfang lowered his body to the ground, lying next to his mate with his face beside hers. He hissed softly, as if telling her everything would be alright. I had never seen anything like it before, at least not between two dragons. Duskwing, Flameshadow, and Stormfang curled up on the other side of their father, all three of them watching their parents with concern.
Snotlout and Heather stood behind me as I kneeled down beside Nightwing. "You're gonna be okay, girl. I promise. I won't let anything else happen to you." I whispered, feeling more tears begin to stream down my face. I was so scared. I could lose my dragon. For real and forever. It was too much to take in, so instead, I got to work.
Carefully, I pulled her right wing out, stretching it slowly to see where the worst of the wound was. Thankfully, she was lying on her left flank, making things easier on the both of us. As I had seen in the cavern, the skin that folded and expanded to allow for their easy flight and fast acceleration had been shredded, as if someone had taken their sword and sliced long jagged lines down the length of her skin. It could've been razor-netting. On the bright side, they didn't cut all the way through, which meant she would still be able to fly. I placed her wing back in its original position and moved to take a look at her leg. It was fractured. There was no question about that. I could only imagine how that had happened. She had probably tried to escape, and got her leg caught in the cage she had been in when I had found her. I placed my hand on her knee, and Nightwing jolted upward, roaring loudly in agony. My blood boiled, seeing how much suffering my dragon was dealing with. I quickly moved away, taking a look at the gash on her snout to distract her from the throbbing of her leg. This wound was deep too, but certainly not the worst of it all. I grimaced, running my fingers along her scales. She had numerous puncture wounds along her neck and abdomen, which appeared to have come from spearheads and arrows. Noticing just how much blood my dragon had lost was sickening, particularly when the flesh was so exposed and the holes were gaping open, leaking onto the white sail underneath her and staining the fabric crimson.
Finishing my examination, I looked over my shoulder at Heather and Snotlout. "Heather, can you go check on the others, make sure no one is hurt too seriously. If they are, can you take them to Gothi and help her with whatever she needs to treat them. If not then please ask them to wait until I can take care of Nightwing and the other dragons, and then I promise I will do whatever they need. Snotlout, can you go into the Great Hall and walk over to the pillar on the left, closest to the door? I've placed small emergency kit bags all around Berk. That one is the closest. It's hanging up." I explained. Snotlout nodded, jogging back toward the steps that led inside. Heather stared at me for a moment, but then walked over to the small group of vikings standing in front of the building to do as I had asked. Snotlout emerged from inside a few seconds later, brushing passed our friends to bring me the bag of my supplies. He handed them to me quickly, and I accepted them gratefully, nearly ripping open the satchel to search for what I would need.
I withdrew a few jars and plant bundles from the bag, setting them down with a mortar and pestle. "Do you need anything else?" Snotlout asked, sitting on the ground beside me. I glanced up at him, about to speak when I saw that his arm had a stream of blood flowing off it again, fresh from his bicep. Reaching down, I tore a strip of the sail off the edge, leaning forward and wrapping it tightly around his arm above the cut to stop the blood flow. "Ouch." He hissed, grimacing. "Sorry." I whispered, pulling the linen tighter and tying it in a knot at the base. "You can hold that for me. I don't need you bleeding any more than you have today." I told him, placing his hand where mine was, putting pressure on the wound to clot it again. Satisfied that he would be okay for the moment, I returned to my supplies.
Before I did anything, I needed to disinfect the lacerations covering Nightwing's body. But my dragon was huge, as were the wounds she had suffered. I thought about it for a moment, then reached forward and grasped the smallest bottles I had. Each was full of a clear liquid, oils extracted from different plants that could only be identified by their scents. I pulled out the stopper of the first one and lifted to my nose. It was a warm scent, floral and crisp. Lavender. I poured some of it into the mortar, and then corked the bottle and set it down in the bag again. I picked up the next vial, repeating the process of opening it and smelling the contents. This scent was sharper, distinctive. Pungent and carrying a trace of something similar to eucalyptus. Tea Tree. Again, I poured some of the liquid into the mortar and put the bottle away. The third and final jar held chamomile. The moment I placed it under my nose, the aroma filtered into my lungs; closely resembling that of an apple, light and fruity, but still sweet. This oil went into the mortar as well.
Once I had all three in the bowl, I used my pestle to swirl the contents together, causing the fumes to waft up through the air and clog my senses. Welcome to a day in the life of a healer... I thought, allowing the oils to drip from the pestle back into the bowl after I removed it. Content with the results, I sat up on my knees and moved the mortar over Nightwing. "This may sting, girl" I warned her. She blinked in response. Taking a deep breath, I tilted the bowl so that the oil dripped over the side, pouring into the gash across her snout. Nightwing flinched and let out another hiss, causing Hookfang to snap his jaws at me. Hookfang then craned his neck so that he was covering Nightwing's face and neck as well, trying to shield his female from whatever I was inflicting on her. I jumped back, feeling Snotlout at my side immediately. "Hookfang!" He shouted, glaring at his dragon. I shook my head. "It wasn't his fault. He's scared. He's just trying to protect her." I replied, putting my hands up to Hookfang's nose. "It's okay boy. I won't hurt her. I'm trying to help..." I whispered. He allowed me to place my palm flat against the front of his snout, and he inhaled the scents of the herbs on my fingers. The reptile relaxed again and leaned back, allowing me to continue my work.
Snotlout moved back as well, giving me space. "What are you dripping on her?" He inquired, curiosity lacing his tone. "Tea tree oil, lavender oil, and chamomile oil. They are great at treating and preventing infections and reducing the inflammation that can occur from increased blood flow to the surrounding area. They will also clean the cuts out from any debris or bacteria." I explained, this time pouring the oil mixture into the holes and over the scrapes on her neck and abdomen, making my way to her wing. Nightwing didn't move, but her breathing increased in acceleration. Anxiety pulsed from her in waves, but she stayed still so I could work. When I pulled out her wing, I bit my lip, waiting for her screech of pain when the oils hit her exposed flesh. If her nose stung, this probably would too. I poured the oil over the area all at once, so that the pain wouldn't drag out longer than it needed to be.
When the mixture touched her cuts, Nightwing kicked out her legs, claws scraping through the air, and let out a long roar. I closed my eyes, feeling my heart ache for my best friend. She never acted like this, ever, which meant she was still scared and distressed, and rightfully so. I put the mortar down, leaning forward and kissing her snout. "I'm sorry...I'm so sorry. I'm almost done." I tried to reassure her, running my fingers along her cheek softly. She grumbled in response, pulling her head away to rest next to Hookfang again.
Getting her message, I moved over and looked at Snotlout. "I'm going to give her a break for a moment. Let me see your arm." I stated decisively, reaching out to him to wordlessly ask for his injured arm. "Take care of her first. I can wait." He argued with a firm shake of his head. "She wants me to leave her alone for a second and the oils need time to sink in." I retorted, rolling my eyes. Snotlout stared at me apprehensively for a moment, but then let me take his arm. I undid the fabric that I had tied around his arm and let it fall to the ground. The bleeding had stopped, but the sword that had caused the gash had been sharp, slicing deeply through the layers of skin. He was lucky it hadn't hit hard enough to go through the muscle too. I picked up the oils for the last time, dumping what remained of them into the opening on Snotlout's arm. He clenched his teeth as they sunk into the cut, washing out particles of dried blood and dirt. I ripped off another strip from the clean part of the sail, wiping away the liquid running down his forearm. "Okay, now let it breathe while I finish up with Nightwing." I ordered, hastily moving back to my dragon.
My hands found themselves picking up the bundles of herbs I had taken out of the bag. The first of course was my trusty yarrow, the ultimate remedial base. The white and yellow petals were still fresh, giving off their sweet aroma as I pulled them from the stem and dropped them into the mortar. I tore up the thin stems by hand, feeling the water seeping out of the stalks and dripping off my fingers. Next, I reached for the comfrey. The purple bulbs hung limply from the long green stems, while the slender leaves swayed in the breeze. This time I separated the petals from the stems first before setting them in the bowl, then the leaves, and then the stem went into the mortar last. By doing this, I would get smaller pieces and a finer mixture when I used the pestle to crush them together. I also tore up a few sprigs of thyme leaves, setting the herb with the others. When comfrey and thyme are applied to a wound, bruise, or fracture, they relieve pain and aid in a rapid recovery, while also preventing against infections, particularly any that would cause pus to form inside the wound. The last flower I placed in the mortar was cornflower, a bright blue plant with petals that looked like a burst of blue flame, extending outward in every direction. Cornflower was a natural remedy for poisons and venoms of all kinds, and I hoped that it would clear out any toxins from spears or arrows that had penetrated her skin.
I could feel Snotlout's eyes burning into my back as he watched me work. "Are you doing okay?" I asked, reaching for my pestle and grinding the herbs together forcefully. The fragile plants tore and broke apart easily, beginning to release their oils and water. A poultice began to form as the ingredients combined nicely, rainbow colored particles glistening in moist clumps. "Yeah...I just like watching you work, and fight, and train..." He trailed off. I glanced up at him, feeling a blush rise to my face. "Sorry if that sounds creepy." He waved his hands in defense, causing me to laugh. "It doesn't sound creepy. It sounds...sweet. Why do you like to watch me?" I prodded, tapping the herbs off the pestle. "I don't know...I just catch myself doing it a lot. Like when you sang at the coming of age celebration, and the night we flew with Garf...it just happens." He admitted. I smiled again, gripping the last container sitting in front of me.
It was actually one of the jars of honey I had collected recently. I poured it into the mortar with the herbs, watching the golden substance stick to everything inside. "Well...if it makes you feel any better, you aren't alone. I've found myself with the same problem concerning you throughout the years. I guess we're just...drawn to one another." I confessed shyly, putting the lid back on the jar and then using my fingers to mix the honey and herbs together thoroughly. "Good to know." I heard the smile in Snotlout's voice. Using my hand as a scoop, I pulled out a glob of the poultice mixture and pressed in into the slashes on Nightwing's wing. When it was applied, my dragon didn't move. She didn't claw or kick or slash or bite. Instead, it sounded as though she sighed in relief, and she stared at me in interest. I dabbed more of the medicine on the wound, making sure that each cut was filled with the poultice to the point that it was overflowing. I made sure it was packed well, and then I shifted my focus to the wounds on her chest, neck, abdomen, and nose. These ones were a lot smaller, but I still covered them completely with a substantial dose of the herbs.
When I was satisfied with the work I had done there, I moved over to see what I could do about Nightwing's injured leg. She didn't want me to touch it, that part was obvious, but I didn't have a choice. Frowning, I looked around for something I could use to make a splint. The closest things would be the large tree branches someone had left outside the Great Hall, probably intended to be used for firewood. I stood up and grabbed two from the pile, about the length of Nightwing's leg. I brought them back over to her and sat them on the ground for the moment. Grabbing the mortar again, I withdrew more of the honey mixture and rubbed it along the length of her leg, trying to be as gentle as possible. She grunted more in protest, but the salve had various anti-inflammatory qualities, meaning it would help with the swelling once it sunk into her skin. When her scales were covered in the thick goo, I put the bowl back down and picked up the branches. "Snotlout, can you lift her leg up for me?" I asked. Snotlout immediately stood up, coming over to the two of us. He leaned down, using his good arm to lift up her right leg so that I could get to her left one and place the branches on either side of it. I moved off the sail, grabbing my dagger from my furs and slicing more of the fabric into long strips. These ones were about five times the size of the one I had cut for Snotlout, and I would have to wrap them around both the branches and Nightwing's leg in order to stabilize it. Once they were separated, I began to wind each strip around the makeshift splint. Layer after layer was applied firmly, until at last the only part of her leg you could see was the toes on her foot. I even used some of the fabric to wrap under her heel up to her hip to keep everything aligned. Her whole hip, thigh, and shin was encased in white fabric. "Okay...that should do it..." I breathed out when I finished, stepping away to admire my handy work. "Think you can get up, girl?" I asked her.
Nightwing gave a grunt as an answer, then slowly, and I mean very slowly, she shifted into an upright position. Hookfang got to his feet, watching his mate carefully as she got her bearings under her. She carefully pressed her wings into the ground, trying to sit up. But her haunches were stiff and sore, and the splint forced her to keep her leg straight. He whole weight would have to be favored on her right side, which was unfortunately where her injured wing was. Hookfang moved to the side, using his own body to help push Nightwing onto her feet cautiously. She leaned against him, using his body to support herself while she straightened out her right leg. Her front claws dug into the ground to pull herself upright, fully standing for the first time since we had escaped. "Good girl." I whispered, stroking her cheek scales. She nuzzled me, pressing her snout against my body in thanks. I smiled, kissing the end of her nose. "Let's get you home..." I told her.
Snotlout and I exchanged a look. "I'll be right back." I told him quietly, turning away from the viking boy to place my hand on Nightwing's shoulder, having her walk the other way toward the huts down the hill. Hookfang and the other three Monstrous Nightmares stayed by her side. The group of us slowly made our way to my hut, walking carefully to avoid disturbing Nightwing's injured leg. I could tell she was still trying to figure out how to balance with the splint, but my dragon made no noise as she approached our home. I ran forward and opened the door for her to go inside, watching as Hookfang and the trio followed her into the small wooden building. I honestly wasn't sure how they would all fit in the living area, but somehow they managed to squeeze together by the fireplace. Nightwing laid down in the center of them all, letting out a large yawn. I chuckled, pulling a barrel of fish into the room and dumping it in front of the horde of dragons before me. They greedily began to swallow the various trout, salmon, and sea bass adorning the floor. "Are you going to be okay?" I asked Nightwing. She dipped her head, telling me she would be fine. I released the breath I had been holding all night, reassured that my dragon would be okay after the ordeal she had suffered. I turned my attention to the other four dragons surrounding her. "Are any one of you guys hurt?" They stared blankly at me, looking at each other and exchanging a few different hisses and growls, and then continued to eat. "Stubborn dragons..." I grumbled, shaking my head as I walked over to take a look at each of them.
Hookfang was closest. I leaned forward, running my hand over his scales and spines, feeling for any abnormality. Thankfully though, other than a minor scratch on the end of his tail that was most likely caused by him dragging it through the battlefield, there was nothing major that either of us would have to deal with. This allowed me to breathe a sigh of relief. It wasn't a very wide or deep cut, so it would probably heal within the evening, and I wouldn't have to do anything for it except rub a tiny finger full of the herbal poultice on it. Besides that, Hookfang generally doesn't let me help him anyway. Much like his rider, he would rather walk it off and pretend it wasn't there than admit he had a problem.
Patting his flank, I moved onto his children. Duskwing snorted as I approached her, curious as to why I was holding my hand out to touch her. Her pale golden eyes flashed as I made contact with her neck, and she growled softly at me in warning. I glanced down, trying to figure out why she had reacted like that. It didn't take me long to understand though, because as I felt around her neck and up near her head, I felt something poking out from behind her jaw. Using the flat palm of my hand, I carefully applied some pressure to turn her head, coming face to face with the source of her problem. An iron spike had lodged itself there, probably in an explosion of debris at some point during the fight. "This might hurt." I warned the dragon, grabbing the spike and wrapping my fingers around it. With a quick yank, the spike came flying out, sending me tumbling backward into Hookfang. Duskwing hissed, snapping her jaws at me. "Sorry, girl." I muttered, looking at the spike. It actually wasn't very long or wide, maybe three inches from base to tip and as big around as one of my fingers. Still, it had dug into her scales, leaving a hole about an inch deep behind her jaw. I grabbed another finger full of the poultice I had made from the mortar and packed it into the wound, assuring that it would heal and that infection could not settle in. From there, I finished looking over the female adolescent, and when I found nothing more of concern, I moved onto her siblings.
Stormfang and Flameshadow were sitting together, fighting over a large salmon that could've fed the entire village. The two dragons stopped when they felt my presence, and I moved over to look at Stormfang first. He checked out pretty well, excluding the fact that somehow he had managed to get a fishing hook caught in his lower lip. I wasn't sure if it was from the fight or if someone had accidently left one in the barrel of fish I had given them. Whatever the case, it needed to come out. This time I had to pull it out the same way it went in, because I didn't have anything to snap off the barbed end. In order to take it out of Stormfang's lip, I would have to grab the barbed end and use it as leverage to withdraw the smooth part of the hook. Upon doing so, Stormfang growled at me, but then licked my face when the offending weapon had been removed and I had put some poultice on it as well.
Flameshadow was a little easier to take care of. She was the most mellow of the trio and the least aggressive. Even still, I took my time to look her over, stroking her orange scales, finding that her only problem was a torn claw. It wasn't bleeding or anything, but I was sure it was probably sore. So I grabbed one of my tunics from nearby and wrapped her foot, giving her padding for every time she stepped down. I probably wouldn't get the fabric back in one piece, but it was worth it if it made sure she wasn't in too much pain. Exhausted, I released her foot when I was done and made my way out of the group of dragons, heading over to the door. "You guys good?" Again, they glanced my way, and then began to curl up together. Nodding to myself, I opened the door to leave, knowing I had a number of other people and dragons to take care of before I went to bed. "I love you guys. I'll be back." I informed them, taking one last look around the fire to make sure they were all okay, and then stepped outside into the cool air.
The breeze felt nice on my face as I strode back up the hill to the Great Hall. The other dragons and dragon riders were still there, conversing quietly underneath the pale light of the moon. Everyone looked as tired and bedraggled as I did, and for good reason. "Brenna, how's Nightwing?" Heather jumped to her feet as soon as she saw me. "She's going to be alright. I was really worried, but she is doing well now. She just needs some time to heal. The others are fine too. A few minor injuries, but nothing too serious. I already took care of them." I explained, coming to a stop in front of them all. "Thank the Gods." Astrid spoke, getting to her feet as well. She came over and gave me a supportive hug, which I gladly returned. We pulled away from one another and I returned my gaze to those around me. "So...who all is hurt? I'll take care of all of you, but I'm going to do them in accordance to how serious they are, including the dragons." I told them. Hiccup pushed Snotlout forward. "He's the worst off out of all of us." The chief stated matter of factly. Snotlout glared at him over his shoulder. "I'm fine..." He grunted. "No, you aren't..." I countered. "I didn't get to finish working on you yet. Stand still." I instructed. Snotlout rolled his eyes but did as directed, allowing me to grab his arm again. It looked better than it had earlier, but I needed to put the poultice on him as well.
Switching hands so that I didn't use the same one that was covered in dragon blood, I used my clean hand to scoop more of the honey mixture out from the other side of the mortar and I applied it to the open skin. "So, what does that do?" I heard Eret ask from somewhere to my right. "It's a poultice made out of some plant oils, some flowers, and honey. They will prevent infection, reduce swelling, clot bleeding, and because it is so thick, the paste will help pull the skin back together to heal." I explained to them in a modified version of what I had told Snotlout. I heard a collective "Oh..." of acknowledgment rise around me. Once Snotlout was patched up, I wiped away the remnants of the dried blood and let him go. "All done." I smiled. He grinned back, craning his neck to look at what I had done. "Thank you, babe." He teased lightly. I nodded, watching as he moved out of the way for someone else to take his place, yet still remaining at my side. "Who's next?" I invited.
One after the other, I treated the rest of my friends and their dragons. After Snotlout, I had to take care of Toothless, who had twisted his paw. I ran over and grabbed the rest of the sail Nightwing had been laying on, cutting another strip from it to wrap around his ankle to keep it braced for the next few days. Then there was Hiccup, who had dislocated his shoulder while in the midst of fighting. "I have to relocate it. It will hurt. But you will need to lie down so I can put it in the right place, and you will probably need something in your mouth to keep from breaking your teeth." I explained. Snotlout undid his belt, giving Hiccup something to bite down on instead of his tongue. Hiccup placed the leather in his mouth as he got down on the grass and nodded. "I trust you, Brenna." He mumbled passed the belt, glancing up at me as he laid on his stomach. I kneeled down, grabbing Hiccup's arm and moving it around in careful back and forth motions, my other hand resting on the space where his shoulder should be.
When everything was lined up, all I had to do was push. "Okay...on the count of three...one...two." I pushed the shoulder blade back in place on two, feeling Hiccup tense and shout in discomfort. "Sorry." I mumbled, making sure the dislocation was fixed. "How does that feel?" I asked. Hiccup slowly got back on his feet, moving his shoulders and arms as if deciding if it was better or not. "Sore, but better. Thanks, Brenna." He patted my shoulder and stepped away.
Astrid was after her fiance with a few broken fingers, caused by her punching one of the trappers in the face. Little did she know at the time that he had iron teeth. I just wrapped her fingers with more fabric, keeping it snug so that the bones would be set back the way they were before. Stormfly was alright, only having a bruised tail from slinging it into a rock tower in an attempt to free the dragons Magnus had been holding captive on the island. All she would need would be to keep her tail from hitting anything else and making it worse. Ruff and Tuff fought over who was next after her, so I just took care of them at the same time. Tuff had a black eye, while Ruff had a minor concussion. Thankfully, these were easy to treat. Just a cold compress for both of them. Barf and Belch were a little less lucky, because they had each lost a few teeth in a scuffle with a rogue Hobblegrunt that had been stuck in a cage so long that he didn't trust anyone, not even other dragons. I would have to ask Gobber to make them a couple of replacements, but they too would be okay.
Fishlegs was the last human I had to examine, and the worst injury he had was a cut over his eye from a dagger. Again, an easy fix thanks to my poultice. Meatlug was the final dragon to have any problems. Upon inspection, the only thing wrong with her was that she was missing a few scales on her belly. Fishlegs explained that they had crashed and ended up flying into the trees at one point. I agreed that that had probably caused it, but there was nothing I could really do since they were older plates and not bleeding. Thankfully, some newer scales would grow back within the coming month and replace the weak spots.
My job completed, everyone thanked me and began to head home with their dragons. Only two remained. Hiccup and Snotlout. "Good work today Brenna. We saved Nightwing, or really, you saved her. We just helped. You did good out there." He smiled, stretching his arms out to offer a hug. I accepted the gesture, chuckling. "Thank you Hiccup, but honestly, I couldn't have done it without any of you. Nightwing and I never would've escaped, and neither would those other dragons. We all did good today." I told him, pulling away with a smile. Hiccup grinned back. "Fair enough. I'm glad everyone is safe, especially Nightwing. She went through a lot, and so did you. But you proved what it means to be a dragon rider, once again." He continued, praising me.
Hiccup then turned his emerald gaze on Snotlout. "Do you remember the day I asked you to be the leader of the dragon riders?" He asked. Snotlout nodded cautiously, as if wondering why his friend was asking such a random question. "You asked me why I chose you, out of all the riders. And I told you that it was because you deserved it more than any viking I know. You proved that throughout our lives, and again today. Good job, bud." He punched Snotlout lightly on his good arm, still smiling. Snotlout chuckled as well. "Thanks, chief." He responded. "You're not so bad yourself, even for a one-legged toothpick." He added. Hiccup rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "And if I remember right, this one-legged toothpick knocked you out cold a couple years ago." He retorted, causing Snotlout to blush. I giggled, not knowing that that had happened, but finding it amusing nonetheless. Snotlout just stared at him, mouth hanging open. "Oh, how quickly we forget..." Hiccup laughed, beginning to walk away toward his hut. "I still have to get you back for that!" Snotlout shouted after him. Hiccup waved over his shoulder. "Goodnight guys! Get some rest, you earned it!" He called, disappearing from view.
The only sound left was silence, the whole village asleep now and the darkness was beginning to fade. The sun was sure to be up soon, and I was completely spent. I looked back up at Snotlout, letting out a ragged breath. "Are you alright, like, seriously alright?" He prodded. "Yeah...just tired...why?" I answered. "Because you've been so busy taking care of everyone else today, you haven't stopped to worry about yourself." He pointed out. I shrugged, "I'll be alright." When I noticed his disbelieving look, I gave him a soft smile. "I promise. I wasn't hurt earlier. You guys did most of the fighting. The worst I have is a sprained wrist and ankle. I tried to kill Magnus, or at least harm him when we were in the cavern, but he grabbed my arm and stopped me, then I tripped when I found Nightwing. It'll be better in a day or two though." I assured him. Snotlout nodded and then looked away, as if he was thinking about saying something but he wasn't sure if he should. Finally, he stepped forward, capturing my gaze with his own and holding it there. "Listen, Brenna, I know this isn't exactly a good time; and it's been a very long day. But I have to know, will you....er....I don't know...be...maybe...mine?" Snotlout asked, scratching the back of his neck nervously. His bright blue eyes nearly begged me to say yes. "You mean...like..your girlfriend?" I clarified hesitantly. I watched him swallow anxiously. "Well, uh, yeah...I mean, if you don't it's cool, I just thought-" He stuttered.
Cutting him off, I stepped forward, taking his hand within my own. "I thought it was obvious. Snotlout, I've been yours since the day we met." He smiled happily in response to my avowal. "So..." He began, squeezing my fingertips. "So yes, I will be your girlfriend." I rolled my eyes as I said this, before I closed them and leaned in to press my lips against his gently. I heard his sharp intake of breath, but he ignored it and simply grabbed the back of my head with one hand, and my waist with the other, holding me there for a moment as he returned the kiss. He's mine...He's really mine. I thought, cupping his cheek in my hand. We stood there, under the stars, with the wind billowing around our bodies, holding one another closer than ever before. This kiss was slow, less hurried than the first. We could take our time to truly feel one another, to take in the scents and tastes and emotions that were finally released in this simple act. Snotlout's body was warm and strong and hard against my own. His arms made me feel safe and secure, for the first time in a while. However, my focus was mainly on his lips as they moved along my own with ease, guiding my movements as we gave in to one another. It felt right. It felt real. It felt like it meant something.
When we finally broke for air, our lips were swollen and pink and our eyes were half-lidded, but we were smiling. "I've wanted to do that for a long time." I admitted quietly. Snotlout chuckled. "Well babe, you can do that any time you want." Snotlout smirked, emphasizing his point with a wiggle of his brow. I shook my head, laughing lightly. "But seriously, I love you...more than I ever thought I could love anyone. I was actually scared today...truly scared...because you disappeared and I thought something had happened to you." He continued, staring into my eyes once more. I smiled, grasping his hand once again and holding it tightly. "I was scared too, scared I was going to lose Nightwing, and then when I saw Magnus lift that knife, I was sure I would lose you. I couldn't let that happen. Do I get angry with you? Yes. Does that mean I love you any less? No. I love you, Snotlout Jorgenson. I always have." I admitted. He smiled again.
We both went quiet for a moment, before Snotlout shivered, looking up at the sky. "I didn't realize how late it was." He noted, pointing upward at the position on the moon. "Yeah...I should probably get home." I sighed. Snotlout nodded. "I'll walk you, if you want..." He offered, gesturing in the direction of my hut. "You don't have to do that Snotlout, I know you are exhausted. I mean...if you want to you can...but you don't need to." I told him. He gripped my hand tighter, "I want to." He replied. Hiding my blush, I began to walk, Snotlout at my side, hand in hand. Not many words were exchanged as we made our way along the paths, both of us worn out from the past twenty four hours. It was a comfortable silence, the atmosphere tranquil all around the island.
Arriving at my doorstep, we turned to one another. "Is Hookfang in there?" Snotlout asked, gesturing inside. I nodded, "Yes, he wanted to stay with Nightwing. Do you want him to go home with you?" I offered. "No. Let him stay, if you don't mind. He wants to be with his mate, and I can understand that." His voice grew quiet toward the end of his sentence. "I don't mind, he can stay." I agreed. Snotlout nodded again, then leaned forward, kissing my forehead softly. "Sleep well." He whispered, pulling away and letting go of my hand. My face was probably crimson, but I smiled back, reaching for my door. "Goodnight, Snotlout. You sleep well too. I'll see you tomorrow." "See you tomorrow." He responded in kind, watching as I walked inside with a final glance over my shoulder.
I heard Snotlout's footsteps as he walked away, heading to his own hut for the night. Looking over to the fireplace, the dragons were all sleeping soundly, piled up on one another while encircling Nightwing like a protective barrier. Awwww... I smiled at the scene before me, before turning and looking at my bed. I sighed, walking over to the opposite end of the room and collapsing on the furs. Yawning loudly, I gripped one of the blankets and pulled it across my body. I hadn't even bothered to pull a pillow under my head. Within moments, I was out.