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Since fleeing the Dragon hunters Heather had a lot on her mind, for the first few weeks she just stayed on some untouched island taking in the silence. No distant screams, no musky scent of ale or death, no constant flickering light from distant torches she could gain no warmth from, no one to hide her quiet trembles from. Just her and Windshear alone once more… the silence was haunting but at least not threatening she supposed.
Still, it wasn’t long before that restlessness returned the itch to move. To have a goal, to have a mission, it’d be years since she’d been without. No reason to force herself to wake before dawn, to train herself, to train Windshear, to push herself past her limits. Her hands no longer etched with calluses as she clenched her fist deeper to strike, her legs no longer ached with fatigue as she pulled herself along, her mind no longer as sharp with suspicion and calculation as she studied the dragon hunters around her.
And so she got up, destroyed her camp with a few quick strikes of her boot and returned to the world. Her new mission was finding something to anchor herself too.
She could go to the dragon riders she supposed, the thought was tempting, comforting even. But she wasn’t sure she was ready to settle back into that just yet, vengeance against Viggo was a nice thought but Dagur would be with him and after he freed her… she wasn’t quite ready to point the blade back at him. Better find something else first.
Heather leaned down to brush against Windshear’s smooth, cool, scales. “What do you say we go find some trouble aye?” She forced a smile that didn’t reach her eyes as she gripped Windshear tighter. Windshear glanced back before warbling in affirmation. “Then let’s head north.”
“I got some men in need of a good lesson after stealing from supply line if that’s what you’re after?”
”Well I was thinking something a little more-“ Heather cut herself off as a cry sounded behind her
”Toothless!”
Suddenly Hiccup of all people bolted past, brown hair tussled messy with wind and his metal leg squeaking against dirt. His gaze pointed ahead, he didn’t even notice her despite basically brushing against her in his frantic escape. What was he of all people doing at the Northern markets? She didn’t have time to ponder as arrows soon followed behind the man, bulky dragon hunters in hot pursuit. Either not recognising her with her hood up or being too focused on their prey to even think.
”I’ll be back” Heather quickly said to Siff. Finding a job from the information trader would have to wait as Heather carefully pursued the rather loud group waving her hand for Windshear to follow.
The dragon hunters seemed to be flushing Hiccup way from the tents and towards the more concrete structures to box him in as their location changed from rough dirt to more pebbled walk ways towards stone structures and eventually at an alley. Heather peered round the corner her gaze hardening as she spotted Hiccup surrounded, Toothless had joined him his tail flapping against the ground in harsh warning movements, his teeth bared as he loaded up a shot but Hiccup halted him with his raised hand. The hunters were too close to risk a shot when the group of men dotted around already had their bows drawn.
”Now stand down boy! We’ll be taking that Nightfury now, and if you’re lucky not your life.”
Heather whistled a low sound drawing Windshear near, the dragon warbled appearing from atop the building above. Heather hesitated for a moment watching Hiccup’s terse face and gritted teeth, was this some kind of plan? It was kinda hard to tell the man just seem angry. Still keeping Toothless from firing as he goanced between the group of hunters towards the path between them. Better Toothless not shot than her to accidentally ruin a plan Heather supposed.
”Strike.” Heather whispered and Windshear’s tail clicked leaping off the building and striking the first 3 hunters with large metal spikes. Toothless’s reflexes were quick and he rounded on the hunters behind, taking advantage of their startled stumbling to get back into place to pounce on the remaining 3.
”Heather!” Hiccup called in surpirse, unsheathing his fire blade to assist Toothless and send the entire group fleeing. “Thor, you both have good timing” he sighed coming forward to scratch the back of his neck awkwardly.
”Both?” Heather inquired crossing her arms in slight suspicion.
Hiccup’s eyes widended before quickly pointing at Windshear. “You and Windshear of course, of course.” Heather stared at the poorly acting man for a long moment before shrugging and reaching up to brush against her dragon’s neck approvingly. Windshear purred in response but stiffened rather oddly as Toothless approached. The large eyed dragon attempting to greet Windshesr with a warm sniff but Windshear quickly pulled back with a warning growl that made both Hiccup and Toothless flinch.
”She’s just uneasy.” Heather explained giving Windshear some room. “What are you doing out here being chased down by dragon hunters anyway?”
”Oh umm.” Hiccup looked away almost shyly his metal leg tapping at the dirt around him. “i uhh dunno what do you think- okay, okay no need to look at me like that…Promise you won’t tell Astrid?”
”Depends on how mutton-brained you’re being.” Heather said plainly, she wasn’t interested in making a promise she shouldn’t keep with how awkward hiccup was being.
Hiccup made a string of nosies that sounded like a mix of exasperation and annoyance before eventually sighing “Johann-“
”Already a bad start. Did you learn nothing from me?” Heather teased and Hiccup shook his head with a breathy laugh.
”Yeah well he said he had something on a potential hideout Viggo may have near here, so I followed a lead here and couldn’t exactly bring toothless through the Northern markets and decided to head in alone.” And subsequently got himself into a boatload of trouble, heather filled in for him
”And where does Astrid think you are?”
”Oh I was already on my way back from Berk when Johhan flagged me down so I just sent a terror mail saying I’d be late.”
”Cause she’s smarter than us both and probably realises a lead from Johhan is bound to end badly.”
”Pretty much.” Hiccup sighed in defeat.
”So did you find anything from the nice men with cross bows and swords?” Heather inquired and Hiccup looked briefly surprised at the question before nodding and pulling out a crumpled map.
”I think so. You ever seen this place before?” He asked and heather leaned in closer.
”Yeah it’s about half a day’s boat ride east from here, Ryker liked to port the more dangerous dragons away from the markets before coming here to trade. Its not very big but I have to say it’s pretty secure, I never told Astrid about it because dragons rarely stayed there more than a day and had very clear sight-lines, there’d be no cover and little reward if you did attack.”
”I see…” Hiccup muttered with ‘that’ look on his face scratching his chin.
Heather sighed “Come on then.” Moving towards Windshear’s saddle in exasperation, she didn’t exactly want to get pulled into this again.
”What?” Heather didn’t even turn
”Its you Hiccup, you’re gunna go anyway so let’s go together. You’ll have a guide there and you won’t take too long so Astrid won’t be suspicious and I’ll get to keep you from dying.” Heather explain simply and Hiccup laughed mounting Toothless.
”Now you see things from my perspective huh?”
”Shut up.”
“Wait.” Heather paused just before telling Windshear to fly off, gripping the saddle tighter at the suddenly serious tone. She forced herself to look back into Hiccup’s eyes. “You alright do this, I mean really alright?”
Heather suddenly felt bloodless, smacked by the question but quickly anchored herself. “Yeah just not ready to talk yet, so let’s not okay?”
Hiccup gave her a shy smile. “Sounds good.”