The charcoal pencil scratched along the paper, Hiccup sketching out an idea as he headed toward the forge for work. He'd recently began his apprenticeship under Gobber, working 3 days a week until he grew older (and grew some muscles, his father hoped). His excitement bubbled over as new ideas cropped up every day and he couldn't wait to run them by Gobber.

Two hands pushed his back and Hiccup's face smacked into the ground. Laughter rang out behind him as he raised his head. His notebook had landed several feet away, the pages bent and possibly knocked loose from the impact.

Hiccup brushed his sleeve over his cheek, wiping off the dirt. The inside of his cheek stung. His tongue found the fresh sore where he had bit his mouth. "What do you want, Snotlout?" Hiccup eyed his cousin defiantly as he got to his feet, brushing off grass and dust.

"I noticed you've been taking this route to the forge." Snotlout cracked his knuckles. The sound made Hiccup's lip curl in disgust, and he wondered how an 9-year old could have such meaty fists already. "I'll make it a habit to greet you every day."

"Did you come up with terrorize people minding their own business all on your own or did your dad have to help you with this simple plan?" He knew it was a dumb idea to antagonize his cousin, but he wouldn't be Hiccup without making a remark, even if it did cause him bodily harm.

Snotlout scrunched his face up, looking rather offended. "I didn't need my dad's help! I came up with this all by myself!"

Hiccup laughed humorlessly. "Keep telling yourself that."

Snotlout snarled. He reared a fist back to maximum damage level. Before he could throw it, he doubled over taking an ax handle to the stomach.

"Picking on the small and weak don't make you a better Viking, Snotlout!" Hiccup's rescuer in golden pigtail braids exclaimed fiercely. "If you touch him again, this ax handle will be going places where the sun doesn't shine, and I will NOT be happy if I have to clean it after that!"

"C'mon, Astrid-" Snotlout tried to reckon with her, but she didn't let him get another word out. He doubled over again from another blow.

"Now get out of here, muttonhead!"

"Good thing I don't hit girls!" Snotlout whined as he slunk off to lick his wounded pride.

"Astrid, that was amazing! But why are you helping me?"

Astrid pointed her ax at Hiccup, the weapon remarkably larger than him. He wondered how she even toted it. "I don't like you, but I don't like that muttonhead even more. So, if it grounds his yak that I'm helping you, then I'm all for it."

At least she didn't want him all to herself to beat up, Hiccup reckoned.

"You disappear into the woods a lot, don't you?" Astrid asked curiously, watching him closely as he recovered his notebook. "What's out there that's so fascinating?"

"Not much. But I like the scenery. It's quiet and peaceful. And sometimes I go on troll hunts."

"Really? Troll hunts?"

Hiccup nodded in all seriousness.

Astrid pushed his shoulder, but not in an aggressive way. "You really are a dork. Next time you go wandering off, I'm going with you to keep you from doing something stupid like fall off a cliff or get yourself kidnapped by trolls."

Hiccup rolled onto his back, the bed creaking under him. He opened his eyes to the rocky ceiling above. He hadn't thought of that day in years. It was the first time Astrid had stuck up for him to his bully of a cousin. He was never sure of the real reason she chose to do it. Maybe she did hate Snotlout with a passion and wanted to get under his skin by helping Hiccup. Whatever her reason was back then, he was glad she chose to befriend him.

Those few years they hung out together on nature walks held some good memories. But yhe adventures ended as Hiccup began to work at the forge full-time and Astrid dedicated herself to training as a shieldmaiden. They'd talk in passing every now and then, but their lives had taken such wide turns that even the small talk faded into passing glances.

Hiccup wished he would have tried harder to correspond with her. Maybe they could have worked together during dragon killing sessions. Maybe it would have led him to trust Astrid to let her in on his secret hidden in the cove before he flew off to the ends of the world. He assumed that nobody, especially someone as hard bent on killing dragons, would have listened to him. He was wrong.

Hiccup groaned at the thoughts running around in his head. What's done was done and the past could not be changed. They'd been cooped up in the mountain too long. He craved the wind rushing against him; the freedom of the open air surrounding him; a million twinkling stars close enough to gather from the inky night sky.

He needed an adventure.

He did want to see how Astrid and Stormfly would handle a long flight together. And there was a direction he'd been itching to explore down south.

Hiccup threw the fur blanket aside and grabbed his prosthetic. Toothless warbling at him questioningly. Hiccup smiled at his best friend. "Hey bud, you up for a little adventure?"

"Hiccup?" the voice behind him caught Hiccup off guard and he froze in mid-grab of an apple from pantry. "Are you planning to stay gone the day?" Valka eyed the satchel he was currently stuffing with various food items.

Hiccup continued to raid the shelves. "Probably so," he replied, trying to sound casual, "or overnight." The prospect of camping had sneakily wound its way into his plan.

"Where are you going?" his mother asked, her tone concerned that he hadn't cleared this with her yet. Even though he was 18 years of age, the beginnings of a man and an experienced dragon rider, Valka's restored motherly care for her reunited son shone through.

Hiccup's attention focused on his task, unsure of how his mother would accept his plan. "Me and Astrid are going exploring. I want to see how well her and Stormfly do on a long flight. If we fly too far we may make an overnight excursion out of it."

Valka's features were unreadable, her mouth slightly open, as she processed the information. Her lips swooped up ever so discreetly. "You and Astrid get along well."

Hiccup latched the satchel closed, still avoiding his mother's gaze. "We have known each other our whole lives."

"Back on Berk, were there feelings for this girl?"

Motion ceased at the unexpected question. Thoughts raced through Hiccup's mind as he wished to be anywhere else but right there at that moment.

Did he have feelings for her? Of course, he did. He cared about his friend. He was over the moon that she was there learning to be a dragon rider alongside him. But once upon a time, there was something there. Could it still be? He hadn't processed any emotions yet. How could he verbally speak them if he didn't know exactly what they were!

"I'm a grown man. I am not having this conversation with my mother." He slung the satchel over his shoulder, finally acknowledging Valka with a look. He nodded firmly. "I'm going back to my room."

A hand caught his shoulder. "Be careful, son."

Hiccup touched his mother's hand, glancing over his shoulder to offer her a loving smile. "I'll try," he replied, because they both knew he couldn't stay out of trouble for long.

"You and Astrid have fun." There was a twinkle in Valka's eye that he didn't miss.

"And I'm leaving."

"You ready?"

Astrid inspected the knot holding the blanket and bed roll together. "Are you sure we may stay overnight?"

Hiccup shrugged. "Better to be prepared if we do."

Astrid scooped up the supplies under her arm, excitement beaming in her eyes and smile. "I'm ready."

A pressure suddenly encroached Hiccup's chest and his breath caught. The realization smacked him harder than an out of control dragon wing. Oh no. As he gazed at Astrid's smiling face, he knew something was there.