"Astrid, just let me do night patrol tonight," Hiccup said again. "It's just one."

"But you've been taking all of mine recently," Astrid argued. "And I don't understand why."

"Wh-what? I can't do favors for my g-best friend?" Hiccup said quickly.

He could not believe he almost said "girlfriend." Why on earth would he say that? Who knows how she would react to that? Astrid hated it when Snotlout suggested that.

"I don't mind favors, but you're taking on everything for me, Hiccup. Why? Is it because of what happened last week? With the Scourge?"

Hiccup sighed and looked down. "Okay, yes. Look, you could've died. You almost did. And I don't- I don't want that happening to you."

"So you're taking on all the responsibility?" Astrid questioned. "Hiccup, any one of us can die with Viggo and his Hunters out there, but that doesn't mean that we-that I-should hide. Look, you can do patrol, but at least let me come with you."

Hiccup looked at her. "What, no, it's fine, you stay here, you need to rest-"

"Hiccup, I'm fully healed," Astrid interrupted. "I'm not sick anymore."

"Astrid, look, I'll be fine doing it by myself-"

"Uh," Fishlegs cut in. "I don't know, Hiccup. An extra Rider might be a good idea what with this migration."

"Ah, yes," Tuffnut chuckled mischievously. "The Changewing migration. I'm gonna be one this year. I'm great at man-made camouflage, and Changewings are one of the best prankster dragons."

"Changewings aren't going to attack if they aren't provoked, Fishlegs," Hiccup protested.

"Maybe, maybe not," Astrid said. "But an extra pair of eyes is always helpful-"

"Look, I'll be fine on my own-" Hiccup began.

"Hiccup." Astrid's voice was almost pleading. "Please. I want to help you."

Hiccup opened his mouth to say no, but he stopped. For some reason, he could not bring himself to refuse her; how could he refuse her, especially when she was begging him to let her help?

"O-okay," he stuttered, then he watched as Astrid went to get Stormfly.

Tuffnut stared at him with a smirk. "Tell me, Hiccup, how does one walk without a spine?"

"Oh, for Thor's sake," Hiccup muttered under his breath as he mounted Toothless.

He and Astrid circled around the Edge. Despite Hiccup's attempts to stay focused, he drifted into thought. He sometimes hated the fact that the wheels of his mind were always turning nonstop. He sometimes could not get to sleep at night because of his brain thinking, turning, spinning like the gears of a clock. Did anyone else think this much? He had so many thoughts, doubts, dreams, and ideas that he wondered how on earth they all fit in his head. But right now, he was focused on one thought. He was still shaken from Astrid and the Scourge. She looked so weak and deathly. He did not know how on earth he managed to keep back the tears in his eyes that day or how his heart did not stop beating as he watched her strength leaving her. He was so scared that day; he was afraid Astrid would die, and he would have to live without her. And what was worse than that, she never would have known that he loved her. Quietly, Hiccup glanced at Astrid who was surveying the ground. I can't imagine, I can't live in a world without you in it, Astrid.

Her eye contact snapped him back to reality. "Hey, you okay? You look a little worried."

"Oh, sorry, yes," Hiccup answered, breaking eye contact. "Just lost in thought, I guess."

"Are you upset with me?" Astrid asked.

"What? Of course not," Hiccup laughed nervously. "I'd never be upset with you. To tell you the truth, I'm glad you came with me."

Astrid smiled a bit. "Y'know, it's sweet that you're trying to make things easier for me, but you really don't have to."

"Well, I-I want to," Hiccup returned. "I care about you."

Hiccup almost slapped his hand over his mouth in shock. I care about you? First, he almost said "girlfriend," now he said this? He could have just added "I love you" for good measure. Brilliant, Hiccup thought. Most people have a talent for whittling or gardening, but no, not me. No, my talent is putting my foot in my mouth!

But when he managed to look back at Astrid, she was smiling.

"Well, I guess that goes for me, too," she said.

Hiccup's grip on the saddle's handles tightened a bit. She cared about him? She really cared about him? Oh, great, Hiccup thought as heat rose into his face. Why was it when he felt like this, his face always had to show it? It was so maddening. What did it matter anyway? She probably only meant she cared in a friend's kind of way.

"Let's go to the west of the Edge," Hiccup said at last.

As they turned, both Toothless and Hiccup's green eyes met. You aren't ever going to tell her, are you? Toothless seemed to ask.

Wh-what are you talking about? he asked his dragon silently.

Toothless scoffed. Oh, come on, I know you like her. I saw the way your face lit up that night she kissed you on the cheek in the Cove.

Hiccup felt his temperature rise once more. My-my face did not light up.

Toothless squinted.

Hiccup bit his lip. "Okay, okay," he hissed when Astrid was far away enough. "Yes, I like her. Oh, who am I kidding, I love her. There's not a day I don't think of her. But what if Astrid doesn't love me? If I tell her, that could spoil our friendship, and that's something I don't want to do."

And you're scared of being rejected?

It was surprising sometimes how well Toothless knew him. Well, he was a very intelligent dragon. He almost seemed to be as intelligent as a human.

Hiccup sighed. "Yes. I don't know, I mean, if she doesn't love me, what can I do about it? I'll have lost her, but I'll never have had her either. I don't-I don't know if I ever can tell Astrid. Even though I've thought about doing it a lot."

So you're not even going to try?

He shrugged. "I don't know. I don't know, Toothless, I just don't. I know I want to, but it's just- I'll freeze, I know it. And what does it matter, she-she'd never love me. I shouldn't even be loving her. She's just a friend and a battle partner, and dating her, that'd just be weird. I-I mean, when would I ever hold her hand, or go on a picnic with her. . ." Hiccup's voice soon became wistful and dreamy. "Or gaze into her blue eyes and feel her arms around me as we lock in an embrace. . ."

Toothless smirked at him.

"I'm hopeless, aren't I?" Hiccup sighed more to himself than his Night Fury.

Then, suddenly, there came a chitter. Looking to the left, Hiccup spotted a blood-red Changewing heading towards Astrid! When she noticed the dragon, Stormfly fired a magnesium blast at it, but then three more revealed themselves and surrounding her spewed their bright green acid at her. Astrid nimbly dodged the blasts, but she needed help.

Toothless and Hiccup zoomed toward her, but then another Changewing appeared and spat its acid at them. Toothless did a barrel roll, avoiding it just barely.

"HICCUP!" came a scream.

"Hang on, Astrid, I'm coming!" Hiccup yelled.

But then five more Changewings encircled him.

"Up, Toothless, go up!" Hiccup cried, and the Night Fury rushed up toward the stars.

But the angry, irritable Changewings followed. What was their problem? Why did they always have to be so aggressive? That doesn't matter now, Hiccup thought. I have to outrun these guys, and get to Astrid-

But then, a Changewing spat acid at Toothless. It did not get him, but it got his prosthetic tail. Hiccup desperately clicked the pedal connected to the tail, but it was melted. They fell from the sky, crashing into the forest below. Hiccup was lucky and did not take much of the damage, but Toothless was hurt very badly.

Hiccup rushed to his dragon. "Can you stand?"

Toothless whimpered in pain as he attempted to move, but then crashed down.

"It's okay, bud, I think we-"

Then came a roar from behind him. Hiccup turned around fast and saw two Changewings charging for Toothless. Hiccup took up a fallen branch since he had no other option for a weapon and held it in front of him. But it was not much help when one of the feral dragons wrapped its tail around him and lashed him against a tree. Hiccup gasped in pain, trying to regain the wind that had been knocked out of him. They were approaching nearer to his dragon.

"N-no, don't, please, " Hiccup gasped, struggling to stand in spite of the fresh pain.

Then suddenly, the Changewing on the right noticed Hiccup coming towards them and jumped onto him. Hiccup squirmed under the dragon's claws, but it was futile; He was pinned to the ground. Its razor-sharp teeth were mere inches away from his face. Strangely, it did not maul him or tear at his flesh. It only stared at him with its pale orange eyes. Hiccup looked left and right, desperate for something, anything that could help him. Then, suddenly, when his eyes met the Changewing's gaze again, its eyes were swirling. Don't look at it, Hiccup thought, trying to close his eyes, but strangely, he suddenly forgot how to shut them, even how to blink. They remained open wide, transfixed on the mesmerizing Changewing's gaze. Hiccup felt calm enveloping him. His head began to spin as his vision became unfocused. His mind fogged over, and he could not think. . .

There was a distant blast, and the Changewing rushed off him. He could have sworn he heard Astrid call his name, but it sounded like he was underwater. He tried to sit up, but his body somehow could not perform the command. Everything felt so heavy, despite the Changewing no longer being on him, and he could not move. He thought he saw Toothless above him, but everything was now so blurry, it was impossible to tell. Darkness was pulling him down, down, down.

"Toothless. . ." Hiccup barely murmured.

Then, his eyes rolled back into his head, and he remembered no more.