NOVEL NEXT Chapter 26: chapter 5
The next morning, the Vikings were doing the best they could to occupy themselves with preparing for Snoggletog once again.
Hiccup was busy working on a new tailfin for Kala in the forge and all the other teens were trying to figure out what to help with around the village.
~~~HTLANF~~~
Astrid was walking around the village with a shield in hand like a serving tray with a jug of some kind of drink and some empty tankards.
"Yaknog! Get your Yaknog! Come on! Get a frothy delicious cup of cheer!" She shouted out as she walked.
She spotted the other teens, minus Fishlegs that is, talking a little ways away and walked over to them.
"Hey, you guys! Try this tasty new beverage I made for the holidays." She said cheerfully.
"Ugh! What's that smell? Is that you?" Tuffnut asked as he shoved Ruffnut away from him.
"It's Yaknog!" Astrid said with a smile as she poured the chunky looking beverage into one of the tankards.
Tuffnut coughed in disgust as she poured the drink.
"Ugh! If I drink that I'm gonna yak nog all over the place!" He stated.
"Maybe you'd rather taste a punch in the face?" Astrid retorted as she glared at the male Thorston.
Ruffnut sniffed the disgusting looking beverage then leaned away with a grossed out look on her face.
"Astrid, it sounds delightful. I'd love a mug." Snotlout stated kindly and he grabbed the tankard Astrid just filled.
He took a swig and gagged at the taste but forced himself to swallow it.
"You can really taste the yak!" He said, trying to forget how bad the drink tasted as he put the tankard back on the shield.
Fishlegs came up to the group and lit up a bit when he saw the jug and tankards that Astrid was carrying.
"Mmm, yum! What is that?" He asked.
"Oh! You wanna try some? It's my new traditional drink." Astrid explained while holding the shield out to him.
Snotlout shook his head with a look of warning on his face as he stood behind Astrid. Fishlegs took the hint and cleared his throat.
"Oh…you know…ehm…I have…suddenly inexplicably changed my mind." He stated nervously.
"Well, you don't know what you're missing. I bet Hiccup will love this." Astrid said and was about to rush off to the forge, but Ruffnut grabbed her arm.
"Wait! Before you go, since all of you are here Tuff and I have something super cool you should know."
"And that would be?" Snotlout asked as he held onto his stomach.
"Toothless can transform into a human!" The twins said in unison.
Snotlout froze as his eyes widened slightly. How did the twins know about Kala's ability?
Astrid and Fishlegs looked at one another then busted out laughing. Snotlout then joined in to cover up his shock.
"Good one! Toothless transforming into a human! That's hilarious!" Snotlout lied between laughs.
"Toothless can't transform into a human idiots. Did you guys butt heads too much again?" Astrid asked as she calmed down from her laughing fit.
"But it's true! We saw it happen!" Tuffnut said.
The more Snotlout thought about it though, the more he realized that they were just messing around as usual, which made him mentally sigh in relief. Of course the twins would be joking. Hiccup and Kala were never around when she would transform, so how could they have found out? It's impossible.
"Oh really? Face it guys. Dragons can't change form. If they could, us Vikings would be long gone by now." Astrid said, then she left to go see Hiccup.
~~~HTLANF~~~
"Hiccup?" I heard Astrid ask as I was finishing up the automatic tailfin I was working on.
I mentally groaned in frustration as I put down the prosthetic and mustered the courage to answer.
'Just get it over with. She's not gonna stop anytime soon, so just go see what she wants this time.'
"Yeah, I'm over here." I replied, then went to the front of the forge to talk with her. "What's up?"
"Here." She said as she handed me a tankard filled with some kind of chunky looking beverage. "Happy holidays, from me to you."
"Uh. Thanks." I said trying to hide the skeptic tone in my voice.
"What are you up to?" She asked as she set the shield she was carrying down on an empty workbench.
"I was making a new tailfin for Toothless. Figured he should have the freedom to come and go as he pleases. Took me all night to figure out how to do it though." I explained.
Astrid nodded as I took a sip of the drink. It was horrible, but I couldn't swallow it or spit it out in front of her. She seemed proud of herself for making it.
"That's sweet of you Hiccup. I bet he'll love being able to fly on his own again."
I nodded in agreement, not able to answer verbally because of the disgusting beverage resting on my tongue.
"Speaking of Toothless. The twins said the funniest thing I have ever heard. They said that he could transform into a human!" She laughed out.
I spit out the drink and looked at her trying my best to hide my fear.
"T-they said what?!" I asked.
"For some reason the twins thought it'd be funny to go around telling people your dragon can transform into a human. How funny is that?" She asked.
I looked around trying to come up with a good response.
'What do I do?! How in Odin's name did the twins find out?! Did Snotlout go back on his word?! No, he's not one to break a promise like that, you know that Hiccup! So then how the Hel did they find out?!'
"Hiccup? Is..something wrong? It's just a joke. Toothless can't transform into a human. Right?"
"Umm.."
Astrid's eyes widened a bit, and she grabbed my shoulders and made me face her.
"He can't transform, right?" She asked again, a bit of fear in her voice. "Tell me the truth."
I sighed and looked down. "It's not a joke..I don't know how the twins found out or if they were honestly just messing around..but it's true.."
Astrid froze in place with wide eyes.
"No way..there's no way..how?"
I slowly looked up at her and sighed again.
"He's been able to for as long as he can remember..it's something only he can do..from what we know at least.."
"H-how long have you known about it?"
"The whole time.." I said avoiding her gaze.
"T-the whole..time? The whole time?! Why didn't you tell anyone?!" She asked as she shook me.
"Why do you think?!" I shouted back with a glare.
Astrid stopped shaking me and let go.
"S-sorry..just.." She sighed. "Is Toothless even his real name?"
I shook my head.
"What's his name?"
"I.." I groaned. "Look, Toothless isn't..he isn't even a he!"
"What do you mean he isn't a he? Is Toothless..is he a she?"
I ran a hand through my hair as I started to pace.
"Yes! Toothless is a girl, alright? And her name is Kala. There! I said it! My dragon can transform into a human girl named Kala! Are you happy?!" I asked glaring at the Viking girl in front of me.
"W-why did you keep it a secret? I mean, I get the whole keeping the transforming thing a secret, but why did you lie about her gender and name?"
"To keep people from realizing she was more than just my dragon, okay?! Why do you care so much?!"
"Because I'm your girlfriend!"
"NO YOU'RE NOT!" I shouted. "YOU AND I WILL NEVER BE A COUPLE ASTRID!"
"And why not?!" She shouted back.
"BECAUSE I'M IN LOVE WITH KALA!" I yelled, but quickly covered my mouth with wide eyes.
'Crap, crap, crap! Why in Thor's name did I shout that?!'
"Y-you're in love..with your Night Fury..?" Astrid asked as she backed away a bit.
I sighed and ran a hand down my face.
"Yes. I'm in love with her. Not you. I've never been in love with you. And I've made that very clear for months!" I said with a glare.
"B-but the flight you took me on that day I met her.."
"Was only romantic for me and her. It wasn't supposed to be for you. You just happened to be along for the ride. Which I explained to you that same day, if I recall." I stated with my arms crossed.
Astrid looked away wiping some tears that threatened to fall.
"You know what? Just go. I'm done trying to be friends with you." I decided as my glare sharpened. "No matter how hard I try to show you I'm not interested in courting you, you never listen. I'm done."
"But–"
"I SAID GO!" I yelled as I pointed to the entrance of the forge.
She jumped and rushed out of the forge. I sighed and ran my hands over my face and through my hair as I tried to calm down.
"Well this is just great…"
~~~HTLANF~~~