Chapter 12

The next few days flew by in a blur. The Berk kids somehow ended up helping setting up for the festivities, but Hiccup just couldn't get his heart into it. It seemed whenever he caught Ursa alone, she'd suddenly have something to do or would shove something into his arms for him to bring to someone and would take off. What had happened on that hike? Ursa had been fine beforehand! He had to get to the bottom of this...

"That's itttt...perfect!" Ursa smiled as two teens on night furies hung ropes among the houses that had tinkling scales hanging off them. "That's great guys! Can you go see if Jack still needs any help?" The two teens nodded and flew off.

"This is looking amazing!"

Ursa turned to the husky Viking and smiled. "Thanks, Fishlegs. We always go all out every year. It's a big deal ya know?"

He nodded as he studied the assorted decorations. "It's easy to see that even the dragons are excited!" Ursa was about to respond when she saw a commotion.

"What's going on over there?" The pair and their dragons hurried over to where Stormfly and Lavablast were roaring at each other. "Guys! Calm down!" Both dragons turned to her angrily growling so she turned to the riders with a sigh. "What happened...?"

"I have no idea. Her dragon just started fighting with mine!" Astrid glared at Ember.

"Her dragon's the one that started sumthin! Lavablast and me were mindin our own business, settin up for the festival!"

Ursa sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "Stormfly? Your side?" She listened intently as the dragon roared. "Lavablast?" Ursa nodded as the dragon roared back. "Okay, so apparently Stormfly got in Lavablast's way and that's what upset her. Astrid? Can you go help the twins set up the kindling for the bonfire, so everyone is happy?"

The blonde nodded with one last glare shot in Ember's direction. "Gladly..." Both girls headed off in opposite directions and Ursa sighed.

"Try getting Astrid and Snotlout to work together. It's even more frustrating." Ursa turned to Hiccup as he approached her with Toothless, but quickly turned away and started to walk off.

"I have to go check on..." A small hand closed around her wrist.

"Ursa, wait." The brunette paused at the deep pleading in those two words. She turned to him, seeing his eyes holding that same amount of pleading. "You've been dodging me and avoiding me ever since our training hike the other day. What's going on? Talk to me."

She sighed and spoke, but her voice sounded dejected. "Why do you care so much? Because I showed you more night furies? Or because I'm the chief's child, same as you? Hiccup..." She pulled her wrist away and started walking away again. "You like Astrid. Why not go after her? She's honest, beautiful, and a true Viking woman. I'm n...I'm going to go check on the timberjacks." In an instant, she had jumped on Swift's back and had flown off, leaving Hiccup staring after her.

Toothless nudged his elbow and whined softly. His rider lovingly stroked his head. "Thanks, bud..." He sighed. What had happened on that trip...? Whatever had happened...it had changed everything...

"It's almost time for the festival!" Two small kids ran by Hiccup nearly knocking him over. Toothless jumped aside in surprise.

"Wow, little bit excited?" He watched the kids run off, excitedly chattering about the festival. He strolled into the guest house where the twins, Snotlout, and Jack were gathered. Jack was clearly frustrated with the twins as the three sat hunched together. Hiccup heard some of their words as he walked by.

"So, are there any fights?" Tuffnut looked at Jack hopefully.

The boy sighed. "No. Not intentionally anyway..."

"Those are the best, though!" Ruffnut looked to her brother. "An unplanned fight breaks out...a punch to the jaw...then an all out brawl!"

"Complete chaos. Gotta love it..." He stared off dreamily making a tired sigh escape Jack's lips.

The Berk night fury rider glanced at the larger boy. "Don't you have to help with the festival?"

Jack's eyes narrowed. "Everyone is finishing up. Once nightfall starts, that's when it begins. I'm not needed until then." The two boys stared each other down before Hiccup turned and walked away. Confrontation wasn't his strong suit anyway.

It didn't take long before the sun was setting and the whole village and their dragons crowded around where the large pile of wood had been gathered. Everyone was chattering and talking until Ursa raised a hand and everyone fell silent. Both Astrid and Hiccup, unknown to each other, were impressed and slightly jealous of her sudden display of complete leadership. "Everyone. We gather tonight for the fury of the night festival. It is a proud tradition our island has each year and I am proud to be in charge of it this year. Let us all enjoy this wonderful night until the egg hatching ceremony!"

Ursa raised her hand again and all the night furies opened their jaws, emitting various colored fire. Her hand fell back to her side and the dragons fired blasts at the tinder, instantly setting it ablaze in a glory of fireworks. The villagers whooped and cheered in excitement. Even the Berk kids were amazed.

Suddenly, music began and the Berk kids turned to see a group of men and a few women playing various instruments merrily. Ursa twirled and dance to the music near the fire. After a moment, she took the hands of two small children and pulled them toward the fire. The children jumped up and down and began to dance in that amusing yet sweet way many litter kids do. Soon, many other kids had joined, forming a small crowd. Everywhere everyone was enjoying themselves: couples danced, elders watched and chatted, men drank mead and laughed, and women danced with one another laughing high-pitched or in girly giggles.

Hiccup smiled at the sight, until Toothless nudged him. The dragon stared at him with wide eyes before nudging his rider forward again with a low whine. "What is it, bu...?" Before Hiccup could finish his sentence, an arm linked through his and he turned to see Ursa smiling at him.

"Don't just stand there!" She laughed and pulled him over toward the growing crowd around the bonfire. Her hands easily slipped into his and she made their arms sway and move as she laughed and after a moment he mimicked her gestures, a smile growing on his face.

Hiccup noticed the other Berk kids still seemed unsure of themselves and still stood off to the side so he gestured to Ursa and she grinned. The girl raced over and yanked the twins over. She playfully bumped each with her hip then they bumped each other. This soon turned into rather rough bumping, but at least they were having fun. Next, Ursa grabbed Fishlegs and Astrid and pulled them into the midst. Lastly, she pulled Snotlout out and danced with him. She held his hand up and used it to twirl...right into a pair of waiting arms.

"Mind if I cut in?" Jack grinned as he raised her back up from the dip. He immediately pulled her close and began to twirl with her in circles around and around near the fire.

Hiccup watched quietly from nearby as Ursa slowly got into the dance. A smile steadily spread across her face and he noticed her hands hold Jack's hands tighter. He wondered why this pang in his chest was at seeing the pair like this.

Suddenly, a heavy arm fell across Hiccup's shoulders. He turned to see the unfocused gaze of Snotlout staring back at him. The boy grinned and shoved a cold mug into Hiccup's small hands. "Hicc...up..." The larger boy's slurred speech reached Hiccup's ears at the same time the scent from the mug hit his nostrils. It was alcohol. Great. A sober Snotlout was bad enough... "Hiccup..." Snotlout's voice cleared a bit and Hiccup noticed Snotlout held a similar jug in the hand that wasn't dangling off his shoulder. That's explain why his breath reeked... "You gotta try...some of this..."

The brunette's eyebrows tugged down on his eyes skeptically, but then he heard a shrill giggle and turned to see Ursa laughing as Jack held her waist spinning her in the air. Hiccup's eyebrows tugged down further in annoyance and he brought the mug to his lips taking a large gulp. The liquid was...odd. It was common to have some alcohol at a celebration, but Hiccup tried to avoid it because, surprise surprise, he wasn't like other Vikings and couldn't handle his alcohol. Yet, this was strong enough that it was affecting Snotlout, who could definitely handle his alcohol and he could already feel it warm his chest and make his head a little fuzzy.

Ursa started to laugh again and Hiccup's hands tightened on the mug. He knew the alcohol would dull his senses and it wouldn't hurt him so much to see Ursa with Jack. He wasn't even sure why it hurt so much, but it did and he wanted it to stop. He wanted take it right now. So the boy eagerly raised the mug to his lips and poured the contents down his throat as fast as he could manage to chug it.

Immediately, Hiccup felt his head get fuzzy and his thinking seemed sluggish. He felt...funny. His eyes roamed the scene before him until he spied Astrid who was watching Fishlegs do some strange dance that reminded him of a dance Trader Johann called a tap dance once. He strode over to her and when he was nearly in front of her she noticed him. "Hey, Hiccup." She swung her head so her bangs moved off her eye. "This festival is pretty cool, ri...?" She didn't get to finish, however, because Hiccup dropped his mug and grabbed her waist, pulling her close for a deep kiss. Fishlegs froze mid-dance and stared, jaw dropped, as he watched them kiss. Astrid was frozen in shock for a moment, but then her eyes closed and her arms found their way around his neck.

As the pair kissed, Hiccup's dropped mug bounced and rolled. Ursa laughed, out of breath, as she smiled at Jack, until she felt something against her ankle. "What...?" She stooped and picked it up, scanning for its owner.

Then her eyes found Astrid and Hiccup embraced. The cup fell from her hands. "No..." She stared in shock at the pair.

"Hey, you okay, Ur...?" Jack trailed off as he followed her eyes. "Oh..." He wanted to be with her, but he didn't want her hurt like this...and he knew how much this would hurt her... She's hurt the same way he hurt every time he saw her looking at Hiccup the way she did...

"I...I need a minute...I'll be back for the hatching..." Ursa spun on her heel and took off to the outskirts of the village.

Jack stared after her a moment, watching as Swift noticed her departure and hurried after her. Something was wrong. That scrawny Berk boy had no confidence. So how did he do something this brazen? He picked up the cup and sniffed. This was the stronger brew usually reserved for the men who drank in competition. They made sure it didn't get mixed in with the regular mead because it was so powerful, so how did Hiccup get some? Something was very wrong here...

Ursa wiped at her eyes uselessly as Swift glided between the rocky towers. She had told him it was up to him. She shouldn't be so upset, but still... He didn't have to kiss Astrid in such an obvious place, especially at the festival she had gotten him to be able to come to of all places! How could he...?

Swift growled and she touched his forehead. "I know...thanks, Swift... Just a little longer, then we can head back..."

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a bola wrapped around her torso making her cry out in surprise and pain. Swift roared as a larger one shot out and wrapped around his leg and tail, sending him spiraling down toward the water. "SWIFT!" Ursa cried out as Swift slammed into the deck of a boat, sending her flying off of him. She yelped as her shoulder slammed into the wood. What was going on?!

Frantically, she looked around and saw the ship's crew closing in on her and Swift. She closed her eyes for a second to regain her calm before opening them and throwing herself against Swift, out of the way of reaching hands. A small lasso shot out from somewhere and snagged her leg, dragging her boot off with it and making a piece of paper blow free from it. The paper fluttered until it got pinned against a barrel at the same time the rope slid down to grip her ankle. Ursa gasped softly as the rough material bit into her ankle, but she gritted her teeth and reached behind her, grabbing the rope binding Swift. She took a breath and yanked with all her strength. The coarse rope scraped at her hands, but she tore it, freeing Swift. Her dragon roared, making the men back up, but before he could grab Ursa, the rope attached to her ankle yanked her from his reach. Immediately, he hurried toward her, but she saw the men with more ropes. They were ready to capture him.

"SWIFT! GO NOW!" The small girl shrieked at him. Unlike Sliversky, he was not nearly as obedient. He struck a Viking in the chest with his tail, sending the man flying and slammed a foot into another's head, making him drop like a stone. The rope around Ursa's ankle tugged again, pulling her across the deck...until a hand reached down and grabbed the ropes binding her and heaved her to her feet. The arm immediately had her back pressed against a broad chest as it held her shoulders, a thick belt buckle digging into her back. "SWIFT!" With one last glance full of regret and sadness for leaving her, as well as fury at the men who had captured her, he flapped and took to the sky. She noticed with relief he quickly flew out of reach of any weapons they may throw. Good. Swift was safe...

"Well, well, well, well, well..." The voice of the man holding her was too close for her comfort. Based on what little information she gathered from the timbre of his voice and the size of his arm, she guessed he was about her age. "I really should go fishing more often...look at the cute, little minnow I caught today..." Ursa only half-listened. The other half of her mind was thinking of strategies to escape. She could stomp on this man's foot or some similar attack, but the others would grab her even if she got away from him. Besides, there was still the rope around her ankle so he'd just reel her back in if she got away for a moment.

"Sir?" A man with a scruffy beard that reached up to his sideburns and all the way up under his helmet approached her and the man holding her. He had the piece of paper that had flown from her boot in his hand. "What about the dragon?"

Ursa noticed the man holding her wave his free arm, which held a sword in its hand. "Let it go. It can send them the message of our arrival...now then. We just need to know if this minnow knows Hic..."

"Sir? She does know Hiccup." The scruffy man began to hold up the paper for the man holding her to see.

"Excellent. I'd like to know how you know that, but first...NEVER INTERRUPT ME!" The man holding her roared at the taller man and threw his sword. It flew through the air and pinned the paper to a nearby pole.

"Ye...yes, sir!" The scruffy male stood, shaking.

"Hmmm..." Ursa tried to dig her heels in as the man dragged her over to the pole to inspect the paper, but it made no difference. He was too strong for her. "What have we here...?" He ripped the paper down. "Hiccup drew you a picture of you sleeping with his beloved night fury? How quaint..." He clenched the paper in his fist. "He cares for you, doesn't he, my little minnow? We can use that... We can use that to get to him, him and his night fury!" The man cackled with a note of hysteria that sent a shiver of fear down Ursa's spine. This man was insane! This man was deranged! How would she escape?

Well, it took a while, but here you are guys! I've been having a bit of drama going on lately so yeah sorry for the wait. As far as Hiccup's love life in this chapter...hopefully no one is mad about that. Needed it for the plot and I wrote it shortly after I was really hurt by my ex-boyfriend so I came up with that for the chapter to move it along so sorry if it wasn't liked...anyways! I'll try to update again soon. Tell me what you think by reading and reviewing please! Until then!