Unaffirmed Patience: Chapter 1- The Cliffs Edge

Takes place during Race To The Edge (RTTE).

His legs quietly dangle over the edge of the cliff. The galaxy paints the black sky with a calming patience, blanketing the sky edge to edge, horizon to horizon with countless stars. Toothless lays several meters behind Hiccup, quietly squirming around on his back, itching himself on the rough ground. His grunting and other miscellaneous noises causes Hiccup to chuckle lightly and grin widely.

"Silly dragon..." Hiccup mumbles to himself.

He sits on the Cliff of Forever, almost due east of the Hooligan Village, on North Island. He couldn't stand the ornery and rambunctious wailing of the vikings back home. He hoped no one saw him leave, as he didn't feel like explaining why he left. Even though it was perfectly warrented. The only person he could admit to himself that he missed, was Astrid.

Oh... Astrid. He thinks to himself, throwing himself back against the cold ground, kicking his legs back and forth over the edge of the cliff. She actually hadn't been on his mind for a moment, and he kind of missed not thinking about her. Not aching for her company, every living moment.

I miss you Astrid. Why must things be so complicated. Are we friends, or more? Why can't I just ask her to be mine? Spend our lives together. Comfort her when she is ill. Care for her when she is injured. Pleasure her when she is needy...

His hands dance lazily in the air as he daydreams.

Toothless's dancing in the background startles Hiccup from his dreams as his tail gently whips by his head. Hiccup sits up and looks at his buddy, watching him dilligently enjoying himself.

Toothless notices Hiccup watching him and smiles with his teeth out, tilting his head curiously wondering what Hiccup is thinking.

"What do you think bud? Do you think I'll get my chance with Astrid?" Hiccup pauses, "Do you think I'll get to be with her?"

The sleek black dragon crows at Hiccup quietly, only half sure of what he is saying. He knows he is concerned about his relationship with Astrid, but not how exactly.

"Hah. I'm not sure either buddy." Hiccup strains.

He lays back down. His dominant hand reaches out from his body, searching for the cool grass to play with. He catches a few strands of grass between his fingers, stroking them and feeling the cool dew pool into his hand.

Gazing back up into the endless night, his mind wanders again. He sees the curves of Astrids body take shape in the stars. Her shapely waist, the tender wrappings holding her breasts, the leggings clinging to her legs and thighs. A blue patch of the galaxy burns him a new outlook of the striking blue eyes belonging to Astrid. The deep endless blue of the galaxy mirrors the piercing and honest nature of her eyes.

His eyes grow tired of painting a picutre of Astrid in the stars, but his brain does not.

Hiccup sighs loudly, wishing there was an easy and fast answer to his woes. His hand tears a few blades of grass from their foundation and quietly plays with them in his hands. He sits up again and carefully peers over the edge of the cliff down into the calm, dark waters below him. He holds his hand out and one by one, lets the blades of grass fall from his palm down into the vast waters below.

Indecisive and uncomfortable as ever, he throws himself to the ground again, quietly screaming at his own mind to think about something other than the beauty of his dreams who is only a short distance away back on Berk doing Thor knows what.

"Toothless!" Hiccup calls to his dragon.

Toothless tilts his head and coos quickly, wondering what his rider wants.

"Lets go for a flight buddy. I need to do something other than sit here." he calls out, hoping to motivate himself to get up and go. It still takes him a moment to get the energy and motivation to get up and mount his dragon, but quickly takes to the air once he does.

The wind blows through Hiccups hair at a brisk pace. The cool air of the night chills his skin, but he rides through with his tempered toughness, adapted to the cool, fast air of flight.

"Lets fly over Meathead Island and see what their village is up to tonight, buddy." Hiccup guides Toothless to the south.

The pair flies over Meathead Village at a leisurely pace, casually looking down at the burning torches and lamps of the village pathways. Few people are out. They're just low enough to hear yelling and cheering coming from the town hall in the center of town. He can't make out what they're cheering at or for and can only guess.

As Hiccup lazily gazes around the village, he sees a familiar figure walking down towards the docks, accompanied by a spiney dragon. He pats Toothless on the head and the pair drops down for a closer look. He is able to make out the dark brunette hair of Heather in the glow of a nearby lamp by the dock's edge.

"Thats odd, what is Heather doing here?" Hiccup asks himself, and Toothless for that matter. "Shall we drop down and see whats up with her, buddy?"

Toothless responds with a friendly growl, signaling his interest, and the pair quickly dives and lands on the pier only meters from Heather and Windsheer.

"Hello, Hiccup. What are you doing here?" Heather asks kindly.

"I was going to ask you the same!" Hiccup chuckels jauntily, "Toothless and I were just out for a night flight, getting away from the hubbub of Berk and the twins."

"I was just here for some quick trading. I needed fresh water." Heather responds in kind.

"Are you leaving? Where are you going? You should feel free to stay the night at Berk. We have some warm beds for you at the inn by the docks." Hiccup offers her naturally.

"No thanks, Windsheer and I need to get going."

"Where to?" Hiccup asks, inquiringly.

Heather pauses, "I'd rather not say."

Hiccup too pauses at the news, unsure of what to make of it. He decides not to pressure her. "Okay, well like I said, feel free to stay at Berk, I'll take care of the cost to stay for you."

"Thats very kind of you Hiccup. Perhaps another time I will take you up on your offer." Heather polietely implies.

Hiccup smiles at her and remounts Toothless, "C'mon buddy. I'm tired, lets head home."

Toothless shoots into the air and quickly turns west north west towards Berk, heading straight home.