How To Train Your Dragon: Scars

Old Scars

'When do you think she'll wake up?' a males voice echoed in Astrid ears. Nobody responded. The unfamiliar voice continued talking as if someone was there, 'I'll check on here.' Astrid heard the slapping of feet grow closer to her. But these footsteps sounded different...almost...like footsteps of a-

"Dragon?" Astrid blinked her eyes open. She was laying down comfortably with a blanket and a makeshift pillow. She turned her head towards the approaching footsteps. When they turned the corner Astrid nearly fainted. It was a Night Fury! She bolted up and was met with terrible pain.

The dragon rushed over and gently laid her back down, 'Don't sit up. You nearly died in that storm. '

"The storm?" Astrid let her mind catch up, "The storm! Where is Stormfly!? Where is my dragon!"

'Whoa! Whoa! Clam down,' the dragon back up a bit, 'You can understand me?'

"Yea I'm a friend to dragons. Now where is mine!?" Astrid jolted back up, ignoring the pain.

The Night Fury looked away sad, 'I'm...sorry. She was already dead when we found you.'

Atrid felt her heart get ripped out her chest, "Stormfly...no...It's...It's all my fault..." Tears fell as Astrid hugged her knees.

'I'm sorry,' the dragon said reassuringly.

"W-Wait a minute...," Astrid wiped a few tears, "Who's we?"

The Night Fury broke eye contact, not wanting to answer.

But at that moment two and two clicked together in Astrids head, "Hiccup..." She grabbed the collar of the dragons saddle and gripped it tightly, "Where is he!?"

'Uh..no. No! He-He doesn't want to talk anybody at the moment,' the dragon managed to free himself from Astrids grip.

Astrid shot up and took off into the cave. She shouted Hiccups name and looked every which way. The thought of getting lost in this maze didn't occur to her. She just wanted to see Hiccup. "Hiccup!" Astrid shouted again. Out the corner of her vision she saw the flicker of a fire. Hiccup! She ran to the fire with much joy. Finally! After all these years! She rounded the corner but immedietly halted. There in front of her a man stood facing away from her. He was tall, had broad shoulders, and had obvious muscle. Yet his cloths where so ragged. "Hiccup?" The man turned his head and the two locked eyes. In that second Astrid felt horror but before she could do anything she was pulled back by Toothless.

'I told you he...doesn't want to be seen,' Toothless whispered, not wanting to Hiccup to overhear.

"What was that?" Astrid whispered back, "That look in is eyes...they...they looked...lifeless..."

'Ugh...yea,' Toothless sighed, 'He...He's been through hell since he left Berk...'

"Dagur?" Astrid knew that much.

'That was just the start,' Toothless sighed again.

Astrid glanced back at Hiccup. He had sat down and was poking at a fire, the same dead look in his eyes. No...wait...it wasn't totally dead...Astrid was sure that she saw a little bit of some emotion. Horror? Regret? Astrid couldn't quit place it. He does look like he wants to be alone, Astrid noted, But...all of Berk has been looking for him for so long...I can't pass this up. Astrid slowly walked over to him. 

He looked away without turning his head. He said nothing. Astrid was unsure of what to do next.

"Hiccup..." Astrid looked around nervously, "It's good to see you."

Again he said nothing. Hiccup just stared at the ground, as if he was making conscious effort to not look at her.

The tension was so powerful it might have been a dragon. 'Come on leave him alone,' the Night Fury quietly called out to Astrid.

"Will you be quiet," Astrid tried to say that in the nicest way she could. She glared at the dragon.

"You can understand him?"

Astrid turned back around. He spoke! Yes! "I can. You...found me with a dragon remember?" Astrid was happy to have finally getting somewhere, "By the way...I should thank you for saving me."

"Don't bother," Hiccup returned to poking the small fire, "Your dragon was dead."

Astrid felt sorrow rip through her heart again but ignored it, "Yea...I find it hard to believe. She was my best friend. We were together for a long time-five years to be exact. I-How did I survive the lightning strike and not her?"

"She protected you," Hiccup explained, "Right before it hit she flipped, took the full force of it. By the time it hit you were pretty much off of the saddle but you did get jolted enough to knock you out."

"Oh," Astrid didn't remember any of that. She took note of the emotionless tone in Hiccups voice. Astrid went to say something but felt the Night Fury pulling on her skirt, wanting her to come over. "What?" she asked when she came over.

'Hiccup hasn't said that much-or anything-in years,' the dragon explained, 'Keep talking to him.'

"I thought that you wanted me to leave him alone," Astrid reminded the black lizard.

'Yea yea I know,' the dragon sighed, 'But...finding you maybe what he needs. We've seen humans in danger over the years but he never tried to save them. Keep talking to him.'

"Okay," Astrid walked back over to Hiccup, he had moved over from his spot and was now leaning against the wall. That look...Guilt took over Astrid. She tried to not cry in front of him. "Hiccup...I'm sorry." she couldn't keep the pain of sorrow from her voice.

Hiccup looked at her, "Sorry? For what?"

"This," she pointed everywhere, "For everything that has happened to you. It's my fault...Yo-You remember how you thought you heard someone that day in the Cove? It was me!" Now she could stop the tears, "I'm the one who told your dad about your dragon. And I'm the reason your life is ruined! I'm so sorry Hiccup." She covered her face with her hands, sobbing.

"You what?" Hiccup shot up, "What gave you the right to send the whole village after me!?"

The sudden anger nearly knocked Astrid off her feet, "I know. I-I-I'm sorry."

"Sorry doesn't undo the things I've done! The Hell I've been through!" Hiccup began walking towards Astrid.

'Hiccup calm down,' the Night Fury stood in between them.

"Stay out of this Toothless!" Hiccup screamed. Toothless was shocked by that and back up a few feet. Hiccup clenched his hands, his breathing became heavy, tears started to stream down his face-what of it they could see. "I haven't been able to have one peaceful sleep for every night for the past five years! Because of you I'm a murderer! It's all your fault!"

Every bit of Astrid broke in that instant. She turned around and ran off.

Toothless turned around and chased after her. Hiccup just stood there. After the anger sizzled down a bit he could hardly believe what he said.

O

Astrid as she ran through the cave. Somehow she found her way out and ran off into the forest. She ran into every tree, tears blinding her. She kept running blindly until she felt herself falling. She had blindly ran off a cliff! But immediately she felt strong jaws biting her foot. Astrid looked up, it was Toothless. He pulled her up then ran to her side.

'He didn't mean what said,' Toothless wrapped his wing around her, 'This isn't the first time he's...snap.'

Astrid flopped onto the ground, tears continuing to fall, "It's my fault."

'No it isn't.' Toothless sat down. But Astrid ignored the dragons kindness. I've got to do something, Toothless thought, Finding Astrid here had to have happen for a reason. This whole thing is my fault. It's time I try to fix it.