Chương 6: Chapter 6: Suspicion

Astrid was lying on her berth in her room. The weather outside was rough and it was slightly raining. She was deeply lost in her thoughts. She couldn't forget the events which happened just a few hours ago. To be honest she was shocked when she saw Night rider defeating some of their best warriors and their chief. She wasn't expecting him to be this dangerous.

But something about him felt awfully familiar. Before the fight while others were busy trying to insult Night rider, she was looking at him, trying to find details. Just then she noticed his eyes. She felt an odd familiarity when she looked at those forest green eyes. She felt like she has seen them before. She sat up on her berth, trying to remember all the details.

"Astrid. You okay?" Her roommate Ruffnut asked while lying on her berth on the other side of the room. "Yeah, I am just thinking." Astrid replied as she rubbed her temple with her left hand. "Thinking about what?" Ruffnut curiously asked as she looked at her friend. "About all that happened today." Astrid said. "Uh huh. I can understand. I mean it's not everyday you see Chief Stoick getting his backside kicked." Ruffnut said while looking at the celling.

"Not that. Something about Night rider feels awfully familiar." Astrid said. "What do you mean" Ruffnut asked sitting up on her berth. "It's... I don't know how to explain this, but I feel like I know who he is." "You know who he is? Astrid it's Night rider we are talking about. Stop Joking." "I am not joking Ruff. I-I need to talk to Stoick." Astrid said and left the room. Ruffnut just watched her with wide eyes as she left the room.

Astrid went to the deck and saw Stoick talking with Gobber there. Astrid approached them and asked "Chief, may I talk to you?" Stoick looked at her and asked "What is it Astrid?" "Uhh, Chief I, I want to go back to that Island." Astrid said. "You what!" Stoick nearly yelled.

"I want to go back to that Island. There are things that I need to know." Astrid sheepishly said. "Astrid, I can't risk your life by sending you there, so that you can just fullfill your curiosity." Stoick said pinching the bridge of his nose. "But chief look at the bright side, maybe I will be able to find some kind of weakness of Night rider, or anything that might be useful." Astrid said trying to convince Stoick.

"This is way too risky Astrid. There's a chance you might not return." "But Stoick you have seen that he isn't like what the stories say about him. He isn't that violent. Maybe I can cook up some convincing story and make him keep me as a prisoner. I will somehow manage to find a way to get out of my captivity and gather information on him and then later you can easily comeback with a whole armada and demand him to let let me go. I am pretty sure he will fullfill that demand because he doesn't wants people on his island. And when he sends me back I will give you all the information I have gathered." Astrid explained in hopes to convince Stoick.

It seemed to work as Stoick started rubbing his chin. He normally does that when he is in deep thought. "Hmmm, that sounds reasonable. You may go back there." Stoick said. Astrid was mentally cheering as he said that. "But..." Stoick said, making Astrid look at him with curiosity "You are going there with Ruffnut, Tuffnut, Fishlegs and Snotlout." Stoick finished. "But, why chief?" Astrid asked. "You have seen how dangerous he is. I am not risking to send you there alone. And they might be able to back you up somehow." Stoick firmly said, leaving no place for argument. "Okay chief." Astrid said.

"Good. I will prepare a boat for you." Stoick said and left with Gobber following him. Astrid let out a sigh of relief and went to her room to take some necessary items.

(A few minutes later)

Astrid and her friends have gathered on the deck. Stoick has spared them a lifeboat. Fishlegs was nervous about this, while Ruffnut and Tuffnut were excited to see what's going to happen. As for Snotlout, he was still bragging how he is going to beat the Night rider.

"May the All-father look after you on your journey." Stoick told Astrid. Astrid nodded and hopped on the lifeboat which was hanging beside the deck, followed by her friends. "Cut the rope!" Stoick ordered. Two Vikings came forward with their axes in their hands as Astrid and her friends held on to the boat with a tight grip. In one swing they cut the ropes which were holding the lifeboat. Snotlout and Fishlegs screamed in fear as the lifeboat dropped in the sea. Astrid and her friends soon picked up their oars and started rowing.

The rough weather, rain and sea waves going at the opposite direction were making it harder for them. "At this rate we won't be able to reach there before tomorrow." Fishlegs said in a pained voice as he struggled to row in the rough weather. "Well, we don't have much of a choice. Do we." Astrid said and focused back on rowing. In her mind she was thinking what they will do when they will reach that Island. "I will get my answers. No matter what." She thought with determination as she looked at the direction that Island was.