Bab 18: Chapter XVIII: Flight (1)
Hiccup:" …Leaving. We're leaving. Let's pack up. Looks like you and me are taking a little vacation, forever."
Toothless is nowhere in sight. Hiccup sets down his basket and opens it up, his head clouded with troubles.
Hiccup:" Oh..man..."
"SHINK!"
Hiccup looks up to the sound of... ASHILD, sitting on the rock right in front of him, sharpening her axe.
Hiccup:" Aggh! What the--" ( Recomposing ) "What are you doing here?"
Ashild:" I want to know what's going on."
Ashild hops off the rock and backs him down, spinning her axe threateningly. Hiccup's eyes dart around nervously, searching for Toothless.
Ashild:" No one just gets as good as you do. Especially you. Start talking! Are you training with someone? Because it's not with John, John's training place is far from here."
Hiccup:" Uh...training?"
She grabs him by his odd-looking harness.
Ashild:" It better not involve..."(grabbing Hiccup by his flight armor) "This."
Hiccup:" I know this looks really bad, but
you see...this is, uh...
They hear a RUSTLE coming from the other side of the cove. Ashild DROPS Hiccup to the ground and sets off to investigate.
Hiccup: (Panicked) You're right! You're right. I'm through with the lies. I've been making... outfits. So you got me. It's time everyone knew. Drag me back. Go ahead. Here we go.
He puts her hand back on his harness, getting her to 'drag him back.' Astrid BENDS Hiccup's hand backwards, driving him down.
Hiccup:" AAAAUUGGGHHH! Why would you do that?!"
Ashild:" That's for the lies."
Ashild pounces the hilt of her axe off of Hiccup's laid-out body.
Ashild:" And THAT'S for everything else."
Hiccup's YELP is answered with A GROWL, coming from the other side of the cove. Ashild looks up to see...
A NIGHT FURY.
Toothless pounces toward them, snarling.
Hiccup:" Oh man."
Hiccup gets up from the floor
She dives onto Hiccup.
Ashild:" Get down!"
Toothless start to run toward Ashild
Ashild:" Run! Run!"
Ashild pulls her axe, ready to take on Toothless.
Hiccup:" No!"
Hiccup knocks Ashild's cocked axe to the ground, out of reach, then stops Toothless short of crushing her.
Hiccup:" No. It's okay! It's okay..."
Toothless pulls up short and lands hard, SPRAYING Ashild with sand.
Hiccup: (Calming) " She's a friend."
Toothless snorts in disagreement. Ashild is frozen. Toothless looks from her to Hiccup and back to her, confused.
Hiccup: (To Ashild) " You just scared him."
Ashild:" I scared him!?"
Hiccup makes a "be quiet" motion.
Ashild:" Who is him?"
Hiccup:" Ashild, Toothless. Toothless,
Ashild."
backs away, eyeing Hiccup and Toothless together with pure disgust. She turns and RUNS for the village.
Hiccup:" We're dead."
Satisfied with Astrid's departure, Toothless turns away.
Hiccup:" Where do you think you're going?"
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Ashild races through the trees. A large shadow overtakes her.
She is suddenly SNATCHED into the air. Ashild SCREAMS.
Ashild:" Oh great Odin's ghost, this is it!"
Hiccup and Toothless fly Ashild to the top of a towering pine. It bows and creaks under its weight as Ashilddangles a hundred feet in the air.
Ashild:" Hiccup! Get me down from here!"
Hiccup:" You have to give me a chance to explain."
Ashild:" I'm not listening to ANYTHING you have to say!
Hiccup:" Then I won't speak. Just let me
show you.
Hiccup extends a hand.
Hiccup:" Please, Ashild"
She eyes him and the dragon, then the ground far, far below. After a moment, she swats Hiccup's outstretched hand away and reluctantly climbs over the pedal, lines, and harness. She settles behind Hiccup, avoiding as much contact as possible.
Ashild:" Now get me down."
Hiccup:" Toothless? Down. Gently."
Toothless leers mischievously. He spreads his wings slowly. With a WHOP, they fill with the updraft. Toothless releases the tree, tucks in his legs, and HOVERS in place.
Hiccup:" See? Nothing to be afraid of."
Toothless suddenly LAUNCHES straight upward. Ashild SCREAMS.
The acceleration is tremendous. Every downbeat bucks the saddle, heaving them into the sky, doubling their speed like a rocket. Ashild is thrown backward. She SCREAMS and hugs Hiccup for dear life, squeezing the breath out of him.
Hiccup:" Toothless! What is wrong with you?!Bad dragon!" (mortified; to Ashild) " He's not usually like this. Oh no..."
Toothless ROLLS and PLUMMETS toward the coastline far below. Ashild SCREAMS.
Toothless rockets over the ocean waves, deliberately dipping them in the froth.
Hiccup:" Toothless, what are you doing?! We need her to like us!"
Toothless rockets skyward and begins tumbling head over tail.
Hiccup:" And now the spinning. Thank you for nothing you useless reptile."
Ashild:" clamps her hand over her eyes."
Ashild:" Okay! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Just get me off of this thing."
Ashild is defeated, her aggressive energy gone. Satisfied, Toothless relents.
They level off and head up into the clouds. Ashild opens her eyes again, and looks out over a world she'd never dreamed of. She reaches out and touches clouds, pierces columns ablaze in golden hues, and floats over a vast sky- scape. Her terror is replaced by wonder. She grins, despite herself.
Toothless rises above a blanket of clouds and levels off under a starry sky. They emerge from a blanket of clouds under the dancing Northern Lights, shimmering in ribbons across the vast sky. Below them, Berk's torches flicker in the inky darkness. The new perspective is breathtaking. Ashild tucks her arms into Hiccup's vest, burying her chin into his shoulder. The moment is not lost on either of them. Hiccup smiles nervously. Toothless climbs past Berk's tallest peaks and heads out over open water, leaving the village lights behind them.
But the two didn't notice another Night Fury that was above them It was flying when it started to fly down at full acceleration and it was getting close to them.
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Dear readers,
I would like to take a moment to express my sincere apologies for the delay in updating our book. I understand the anticipation and patience you have shown as you wait for the next installment of this story.
Sometimes unexpected challenges and obstacles can delay our plans, and unfortunately, this was the case on this occasion. Therefore, I want to assure you that we are working tirelessly to bring you the best possible version of this story.
Your feedback and support continues to be a source of inspiration to me, and I am committed to making your wait worth it. I thank you for your understanding and patience in this matter and I promise that I will not let you down.
Soon, the next update will be available to all of you, and I hope you enjoy each page as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thank you for joining us on this literary journey.
With gratitude and apologies,
Capitan117-John
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Power 
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