An Unknown Sickness - httyd

Trap Plan

I have been procrastinating, I am so very very sorry. :] I'm not dead, don't worry, XD.

.....

"Hook the rope onto that tree. No make the one on the ground lower! And cover the area in leaves. And for Thor's sake! Wipe your footprints away!" Astrid's patients was getting lower and lower as the day dragged on. Thanks to Fishlegs, and not the idiotic twins who were running around trying to find a dragon when Astrid explained all of their racket would scare any nearby dragons, they were able to create a plan for a trap. Astrid had drawn out a diagram on the ground so they all knew what it would look like. She had sent Fishlegs and Ruffnut, because she knew the twins couldn't handle being together without messing around, to find a dragon to use for bait. It still pained her heart, and Hiccup would definitely disprove, but it was the only way. They needed to do this. But the dragon loving part of her heart fought against the part that loved Hiccup to the end of the archipelago. 

Snotlout grunted and pulled the rope onto a nearby branch. The weight the rope was carrying was almost too much for him.

The trap was an outstanding plan, in Astrid's opinion. Or maybe she was just desperate for a plan. The Riders found a spot in the forest with leaves and branches that hid the entire sky from view. Above them, there was a net hidden in the branches out of sight. They had to make the net from scratch, they only had rope that they had brought so Snotlout was in charge of the weaving of the net. The sides were tied loosely to the branches above. There were heavy rocks on the ends as well, to keep the dragon down for long enough for them to throw more ropes over the Grapple and tie them to the ground. Astrid was praying it would hold. The net was being held up not only by the branches, but by a long piece of rope that Snotlout had just tied to the tree. When the Grapple was where they wanted it, Stormfly would cut the rope and the net would fall down. The biggest rock was in the middle, so when the rope was released, it would bring the rest of the net down with it. They would tie the dragon they had brought to the ground and keep it calm until the Grapple came. At first, Tuff suggested to go find the Grapple and have it chase them there, but it was too much of a risk.

"I said wipe away your footprints!" Astrid yelled at Ruffnut and pointed at the obvious foot marks below the net. 

Ruffnut grumbled angrily from getting bossed around and used her hand to brush the marks away, walking backwards to avoid making more. Astrid had to give her credit for being at least remotely smart when she didn't leave any trace of her feet on the ground. 

"Cover the ground with some leaves, I think I saw a mint bush somewhere. Get some of those leaves so it can't smell our cent."

Ruffnut didn't move.

"Hello? Earth to the mutton head?" Astrid asked as Ruffnut continued to glare at her.

"You know what, Astrid?" She said and placed a hand on her hip. "I don't see you doing anything. How 'bout you go get some leaves?" Ruffnut's voice, which came across as rude to Astrid, made Astrid's blood boil. 

Her fists balled up. "I am doing plenty, Ruffnut! Unlike some idiots I know!" 

Ruffnut didn't back down, she raised an eyebrow. "What exactly have you done except boss me and Snotlout around for the past hour?" She asked.

Why wasn't anything coming to Astrid's head? She had done lots! Almost everything! Right? "I created this trap!" Astrid fought in her defense.

"Fishlegs did."

"I helped make the net," Astrid said back. Her confidence lowering quickly.

"I literally did all of it by myself!" Snotlout yelled from the branch with the rope tied to it. "It didn't help how you snapped at me every few seconds because you thought I was doing it wrong!"

"Because you were!" Astrid could feel herself getting red as her cheeks got hot as well as her neck. She must look ridiculous in front of them, losing her battle to them, mutton heads.

"What do you know about creating a net!" Snotlout yelled back, fury creeping into his voice.

Astrid opened her mouth to respond but nothing came out. She closed it and looked at the ground. Some of her own footprints covered the ground. She came up with a response to get out of the humiliating silence. "Does it matter? In the end? As long as Hiccup turns out okay? We just need to get this done."

That's when Ruffnut snapped. "IF YOU LOVE HICCUP SO MUCH, WHY DON'T YOU HELP OUT THE REST OF THE GROUP? WHY DON'T YOU GO GET SOME MINT LEAVES? HM? OR ARE YOU JUST SO BUSY SITTING THERE LETTING HICCUP DOWN AS HE IS SLOWLY DYING!"

Astrid looked at Ruffnut awestruck. All of that was stuffed inside her? Something hot rolled down Astrid's cheek and she finally realized that she had been crying. Ruff had hit a soft spot on Astrid: She didn't want Hiccup to die! Was she really letting him down and letting him die? Astrid wiped away the tears that kept flowing down. Ruffnut's face softened. Snotlout was looking at Astrid in shock, most likely because she was crying. She never let anyone see her cry. 

"Astrid, I'm..." Ruff started but Astrid cut her off.

"I'm fine," Astrid snapped. "I'm going to go check where Fishlegs and Tuff are at." And just like that, Astrid stormed off. Maybe she would go get some mint leaves. Because her friends didn't think she was doing anything helpful. She was being helpful, right? Or was she really doing nothing to help out? Was she really letting Hiccup down? Was she killing him..?

Her tears stopped flowing, but she knew that she most likely looked like a mess. There was a small stream of water and she bent down on her knees. Cupping her hands, she picked up some water and splashed it on her flushed face. She could barely see her reflection on the ripples of water where the water droplets on her face splashed on the water, as well as some stray tears.

There was guilt creeping into her head. Maybe all she was doing was bossing them around and nothing else. She let out a shuddering sigh and stayed on the ground. Everything seemed to be going badly. Hiccup was getting worse, they had a plan that may not even work, a dragon that could pounce out and kill them at any second, and Astrid might be killing Hiccup because of the lack of help she was providing. More tears rolled down and she took a shuddering breath again. Footsteps came from behind her, she knew who it was. 

"Hey," Ruffnut said with a small smile and sat down next to Astrid.

Astrid looked away and sniffed. Her nose was runny, she didn't want Ruff to see her like this. 

"Hey," Astrid said back weakly. 

There was a pause.

"Look," Ruff started. "I'm sorry for...what I said back there. I didn't mean it...you're doing all that you can."

Astrid shock her head. "I don't need an apology, you were right. I am not doing anything but telling you all what you are messing up. I'm just bossing you around. I...am failing him." More tears slipped down her cheeks and she quickly wiped them away. 

"No, you're not failing him," Ruff said confidently, awkwardly putting her hand on Astrid's shoulder. "I shouldn't have said that."

Astrid nodded. Not convinced. "I'm just so sorry," She sobbed into her hands. "This is all just too much," She cried. Ruffnut pulled her into a hug and Astrid didn't push her away. "I don't want him to die! He can't die! If it does, one part of me will die too, I need him..." Her voice trailed off. "And it will be my fault."

"Stop," Ruff said, pulling away from Astrid. "Hiccup will die if it weren't for you, you are doing all that you can to help."

Astrid nodded. "I can do better, I'm sorry."

Ruff smiled. "There it is sister, now that sounds sincere." 

Astrid smiled too, finally not crying.