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Ripples
Sept 11, 2011 23:49:23 GMT -5
Post by Hiccup on Sept 11, 2011 23:49:23 GMT -5
"Tuffnut, if you don't want a very wet boot colliding with your face I suggest you kindly shut up." Hiccup hissed. He would make good on his threat, too. His boots were still pretty wet, after all. He moved his hand away from his head at last, registering that no permanent damage seemed to have been done. All that really had happened was he had been given a headache. Green met blue after a couple of moments. Admittedly embarrassed by what had just occurred, not to mention the fact that it had been so accidental, Hiccup was almost uncertain of how to answer. Almost.
"Yeah... I'll be okay. It's just a boot to the head. I'll live." Hiccup assured her. Fortunately he hadn't fallen out of the tree. That would have been bad. "What about you? You okay?" Hiccup asked. Astrid seemed okay physically, at least for the moment. Perhaps she had just been startled. It seemed like a logical explanation.
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Ripples
Sept 12, 2011 0:11:52 GMT -5
Post by Astrid on Sept 12, 2011 0:11:52 GMT -5
"I'll add a dry boot to the mix" Astrid grumbled shooting a glare at Tuffnut, clearly saying if he tried anything like that again, Hiccup wouldn't be the only one wet, and she wouldn't be the only one falling. She'd only just realized the small wounds along her arms and cheek, but she'd be fine. Compared to fighting dragons, the wounds were nothing more than a skinned knee, or less.
She shrugged, "Yeah I'm fine, didn't feel a thing." It wasn't a lie, she'd only felt momentary shock from falling, not the twigs scratching her skin, just shock. "And if your ok." she shrugged, starting to climb higher up, twisting through the branches to a one at a higher point.
"So Tuffnut, how does it feel to be beaten by a girl?" she called down,a smirk on her face. She'd risen a few feet, and the branches appeared to be thinning, as was the tree trunk. She'd been able to catch glimpses of green and blue through the leaves. She perched on a sturdy branch, waiting for the others to meet her up in the higher ups of the tree. She was steady, and almost unmoving figure amongst the tree. She'd picked her branches more carefully after falling. Though she wouldn't admit it, she felt lucky to have not fallen farther. Had she fallen farther Tuffnut might have been her cushion on the ground.
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Ripples
Sept 12, 2011 8:50:11 GMT -5
Post by Hiccup on Sept 12, 2011 8:50:11 GMT -5
Hiccup gave a shrug of his own, just glad to know that Astrid hadn't been hurt too seriously during the fall. He was also glad that Tuffnut hadn't decided to mock either of them any further. It had merely been coincidence that her boot had collided with his head and that he had happened to climb up onto the same branch that she had to shake it off. For the most part, the pain in Hiccup's head had begun to fade away. It wasn't anything that needed mentioning back home, in the very least. With that in mind, Hiccup resumed his climb.
It was funny, really. Hiccup very rarely partook in actual physical events such as tree climbing or the like. Mostly he had avoided doing these things because no one had ever asked him to participate with them back in Berk. Yet, there he was having a tree climbing race of sorts with Astrid and Tuffnut. The latter of the two was one that Hiccup had never imagined doing such an event with, especially since the blond boy seemed so opposed to him since the accident. Hiccup wasn't certain of how Tuffnut felt at that very moment, but he was glad he wasn't being subjected to the usual taunting and punching. ...Aside from that one punch he'd gotten for mocking Tuffnut's inability to skip rocks. It was still worth it. Hiccup told himself.
At last, Hiccup pulled himself up onto a sturdy looking branch not too far from where Astrid had perched. He stretched himself out against the wood, letting a long breath escape him, and began to let his breathing catch up with him. Hiccup wasn't a particularly physical Viking, as everybody knew, so this sort of task usually left him out of breath for at least a little bit. "Not to mention being beaten by me." Hiccup called down to Tuffnut in answer to Astrid's question. When he felt he'd caught his breath sufficiently, Hiccup allowed himself to look at the surroundings again. Green eyes widened as he looked everything over. He usually never got to see anything from as high up as he was, and so it was quite a treat to see the area from that height. He could practically see everything!
"Wow... so this is how a bird feels. Getting to see everything from this high up." Hiccup breathed. "It must be great getting to see things like this all the time. Not to mention flying." he added softly. Flying. It was something they could only dream of. How silly would it be if Vikings could actually fly?
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Ripples
Sept 12, 2011 22:20:00 GMT -5
Post by Astrid on Sept 12, 2011 22:20:00 GMT -5
Astrid laughed, also realizing that the scrawny, clumsy, Hiccup had beaten Tuffnut climbing a tree. The day had started out so normal, following the trail that Hiccup had left had proven to twist the world to a different angle. She briefly wondered if she was sleeping, maybe dreaming. She'd never thought that in the waking world she'd ever hang out with Hiccup Horrendous the third. Let alone climb a tree with him. But she remembered falling from the tree, and she physically examined her wounds again, taking in the blood that had dried, and pushing the pink line on her cheek. A small flash of pain that could bother her less, pulsed through her cheeks, making her realize she wasn't. Just to make sure, she pinched her forearm. Feeling the flesh, not the dream like substance she would have been made of in an actual dream, the small pain of pinching shooting from the spot.
Nope, not dreaming. She eyed Hiccup briefly, was she going insane? Maybe this was all an apparition, not an actual thing, and she had suffered a horrible head injury fighting the monstrous nightmare and was now able to imagine the things she'd never thought she'd been able to. Testing the branch and bouncing on it lightly, only confirmed she was in a tree. Had she had a head injury, she was quiet sure her parents would have prevented her from leaving the hut, let alone climbing a 30+ foot tree. Snapped out of her disbelief and attempts to prove these things to herself, she glanced at Hiccup's widened eyes.
At first believing it was fear, she stiffened, ready to lurch into a battle position and slide down the tree, had there been a dragon around. But before she could make the split second motion, she saw mesmerized look in the scrawny teen's eyes, glancing at the reflection, and inching over so that she could see through the hole in the leaves at the view. She stifled a gasp and closed her jaw that had dropped against her will. She swore she could see the town Berk, as well as the lake and ocean. The sun's rays glinting against the water's surface, white light bouncing from them. Fog and clouds lingered around the edges, blocking anything past the blue waters and a few, scattered black rocks.
She nodded in response to Hiccup, she'd never quiet thought of how a bird felt. How it would feel to fly was also another thing she'd never attempted thinking of. It gave her the feeling that Hiccup was mostly lost in thought, than out in his own little world that she'd believed he'd be in prior to this moment.
"Yeah.." she murmured, "woooow." She leaned over, looking and adjusting her view through the leaves, able to see more of the land than she'd seen from her previous angle. She glanced down at Tuffnut, who was still making his steady way up. She rolled her eyes, tempted to kick off her boot and see if it would land on him. But she'd need the boot to get down, and no need to recieve splinters in her foot. How humiliating would it be to have the two other teens carry her in so the splinters wouldn't dig deeper into her foot... How easily her thoughts were carried away up here, unable to focus like they did when there was a target in mind. It was an odd, empty, free feeling she was unused to. To many self revelations in one sitting probably isn't good for you, Astrid. she scolded herself inwardly. She'd need to stir up an attempt to make conversation before she realized that deep, deep, deeeep inside she was a pansy, wanting to frolic through fields with her hair dangling by her waist. No way.
"I wonder what it'd feel like to jump, and know you can't fall." She mused, attempting to add this on to Hiccup's statement of flying, hoping it wasn't morbid. " I mean to you know, falling for a bit, and then whoosh!" she expanded her arms slightly, imitating wings. If Hiccup or Tuffnut dared to say anything about her horrible charades back at the village, they'd find out first hand how fun it is to fall. The only thing, they wouldn't have wings to 'whoosh' out and save them, just a faceful of concrete hard water.
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Ripples
Sept 12, 2011 23:43:12 GMT -5
Post by Hiccup on Sept 12, 2011 23:43:12 GMT -5
Hiccup had to wonder if everything that had happened that morning was just some crazy dream he was having. He never imagined being able to spend time with Astrid and Tuffnut outside of training, and especially without as much taunting. Where he not so lost in thought, imagining himself soaring through the sky as free as could be, he probably would have attempted to pinch himself. The sheer fact that he was still relatively wet, and could feel the breeze slowly starting to dry his clothes, made it all the more evident that it wasn't a dream. That, and the pain going through his arm where Tuffnut had punched him alongside the dull, throbbing pain that remained in his face from having a head-on collision with the tree made it all the more convincing.
Snapped from his own thoughts of flight by Astrid's remarks, not to mention her movements, Hiccup found himself glancing at her again. It took a few moments to register what she had said completely, but he thought he had a good idea of what she was getting at. Being able to fly would be fantastic, particularly in Hiccup's opinion. They would understand so much more if only they could take to the skies. "Yeah... that would be something." Hiccup admitted. "Just a couple of hops, a little leap, and then let the wind take you from there. I bet you could see the whole world from the sky... if we had the means of doing it. Flying, I mean." Hiccup said, adding just the softest of laughs as he finished speaking. It did seem rather silly, dreaming of flying and all, but Hiccup would admit that he did find the sky fascinating. To be able to explore it... that would be amazing.
Hiccup was almost tempted to say that he hadn't expected Astrid to take his remark seriously. Almost. The majority of his inner thoughts were urging him to keep quiet on that matter. After all, they seemed to be having a peaceful discussion for once. Why ruin it by questioning it? "Guess it's just one of those things we'll never really understand, though. I mean... obviously we Vikings aren't exactly meant to take to the skies." Hiccup remarked. "This is as close as we'll ever get, I think."
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Sept 13, 2011 16:34:10 GMT -5
Post by Tuffnut on Sept 13, 2011 16:34:10 GMT -5
Tuffnut had kept silent for the most part of Astrid and Hiccup's conversation. Though when Astrid had asked that question, he couldn't keep silent any longer. "I don't know Astrid, how does it feel having that stick up your butt?" he asked smugly.
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Ripples
Sept 13, 2011 17:26:53 GMT -5
Post by Astrid on Sept 13, 2011 17:26:53 GMT -5
Astrid was about to answer Hiccup with a well thought out paragraph and statement following it up, but Tuffnut broke through. He should have kept his mouth shut, because she made a startled, feral, growl like noise in the back of her throat. Her light blue eyes going deadly cold in an instant. Her and Hiccup's surprising conversation would have to continue later if they ever got the chance. Because right now she was the mountain lion high up in the tree, and Tuffnut was the idiotic deer who had stopped to look up.
"Excuse me Tuffnut?" she growled, venom in her rough voice. Most would have that nice, honey coated voice, dangerous, but sweet. Astrid saw no point in attempting the facade. Better let them now they better run like hell, running was funner. Edging her way through the branches, coming down steadily but quickly. Instead of swinging from the branches like she'd done to come and try and bounce him from the tree the first time, she was almost leaping from branch to branch now. Hopping and landing squarely on her feet, sinking into a crouch and a leap repeatedly until she was 1 branch above Tuffnut and to branches to his right.
Had she been an animal, she'd be bristling, but she was a girl, a very tough girl, but a human all the same, so only the hair on the back of her neck stood up. Her mouth twisted in a sneer. She never took to kindly to teasing. It just wasn't something she was born with: A friendly sense of humor. She'd catch a joke, yeah, didn't mean she'd have to laugh. But those directly involving her, were to much, not taking kindly to embarrassment either. The only way to get rid of embarrassment on herself, was to cause it worse on others.
"So Tuffnut, would you prefer falling, or would you like to go all out?" Her eyes narrowed coldly, her jaw set in place. He should've known better, for as of right now, Astrid was thoroughly and utterly pissed. Some might call it overreacting, those some left missing a tooth or two.
(ooc: why was this so much fun to write? x3)
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Sept 13, 2011 17:32:48 GMT -5
Post by Tuffnut on Sept 13, 2011 17:32:48 GMT -5
Tuffnut stood up with a smirk. "Bring it on Astrid." he put up his fists. If anything he had been waiting for combat all day. Sure it was the first time he actually battled with a girl on a tree. So there was a first time for everything. Eyes glittering with an idea for action. "you and me right now? Or are you scared of heights Princess?"
he mocked. Most people would have told him to keep his mouth shut, especially when in front of a girl as powerful as Astrid, but he was a kid and a boy.
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Sept 13, 2011 17:41:40 GMT -5
Post by Hiccup on Sept 13, 2011 17:41:40 GMT -5
And just like that, the surprising conversation came to an end and was replaced with animosity between Tuffnut and Astrid. It was enough to make Hiccup tense up as he looked down at the pair, very afraid of what might happen as a result of their inevitable scuffle in the tree. What if they fell? That certainly wouldn't look good on his part. "Guys... guys, do we really have to... to fight this high up? I... I mean... wouldn't it be better to do with your feet, you know... on the ground? Where you're less likely to end up falling?" Hiccup asked nervously.
That probably wouldn't be enough to stop the potential fight. Tuffnut had insulted Astrid, and that was never a good thing. He knew she didn't take well to remarks being made about her in that way. Hiccup could only watch as whatever happened unfolded because, as both his fellow Vikings knew, he was a weakling. Trying to break up the fight would not end well on his part. Not in the least. Hiccup wished he could do something, wished he could jump in and try to stop the fight with his own hands, but that would be foolish. He wasn't quite so bold as to throw himself into a fight.
Dear gods, don't let this end badly. Hiccup pleaded silently. He had shifted his position from laying on the branch he was on with his back to the trunk to leaning out over it and watching what went on below with his hands tightly gripped around the tree branch so that he wouldn't fall completely in case he leaned too far forward. Either way, he was in a precarious position. They all were, being so high up and all, but that was beside the point. Hiccup didn't want any of them to go back home injured.
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Sept 13, 2011 17:58:56 GMT -5
Post by Astrid on Sept 13, 2011 17:58:56 GMT -5
Astrid made no attempt to raise her fists against Tuffnut. A dark smile crossing her face, her blue eyes flaming like ice fire. She took a precarious step on her branch and coiled her leg muscles. She was quite happy she wore armor almost 24/7 Her shoulder pads were large enough to protect her neck, her skirt plated with iron spikes. Her headband studded with even more.
"How about right now?" She half growled, launching herself to a nearby branch, gripping it with her hands and swinging, twisting her feet out in Tuffnut's direction, unsure of making contact. The momentum was enoughh to carry her so that her arms buckled underneath her and she had to twist her back uncomfortably, to land in another croush on the branch she'd been swinging on. Moving like the lion she had felt like earlier, she swung her thick brown booted foot at another branch, hitting it hard enough to shake the smaller branch free of it's bindings, hopefully hitting Tuffnut in the process fo gravity.
"Hiccup, I suggest you either get out of the tree before all of the branches go, or find a way to fly." she spat, not intentionally trying to hurt his feelings for a first. It was a fair enough warning as her stratedgy involved using the trees to their fullest advantage. She hadn't trained from the first time she could hold a weapon until now to be beaten by second best like Tuffnut.
"Hey second place, how's it feel to be beaten by a girl? Repeatedly." She sneered, glaring down in the fellow blonde vikings general direction, already thinking of him as a particularly scrawny, dimwitted dragon without the ability to fly. Yes she'd sustain wounds, but the prize would be much greater. She was already forming herself around a plan, as well as giving herself her own pep talk of throwing this loser who dare insult the actual, first skilled dragon killing teen of this viking generation, on his back particularly hard against the ground below them.
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Ripples
Sept 13, 2011 18:11:05 GMT -5
Post by Hiccup on Sept 13, 2011 18:11:05 GMT -5
Hiccup flinched visibly at the statement. He had only been trying to suggest they fight somewhere safer, but obviously that wasn't going to work. He'd need to find a way down, fast, if he was going to avoid getting involved in the fight. Scrawny redhead looked around, trying to determine the best way down, and at last thought he had found a good way down. "Okay, but don't say I didn't warn you." Hiccup murmured.
Hiccup lowered himself onto a branch below him, slowly beginning to make his way down the tree and to what he hoped would be safety. The redhead prayed that the fight wouldn't come his way. It was freaky enough being so high up. Being thrown into a fight that he wasn't a part of would just magnify how much trouble they could possibly get into. Hiccup continued to lower himself down from one branch to another, stopping at last when he thought he was a good enough distance away but not terribly far from the ground. Maybe if he got lucky, and if one of them was unfortunate enough to fall, he could try and catch them. Though knowing Hiccup's luck, that was very unlikely.
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Sept 13, 2011 21:07:22 GMT -5
Post by Tuffnut on Sept 13, 2011 21:07:22 GMT -5
Tuffnut looked up at Astrid from his spot where he had fallen, standing up he picked out the twigs and leaves from his hair. He glanced up at Astrid with a smirk. At least she made his day more exciting. "At least the girls have the guts to fight back." he said with a smirk. That's what he liked about his little crew, they were sissies. They were willing to spill blood
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Sept 13, 2011 21:28:01 GMT -5
Post by Astrid on Sept 13, 2011 21:28:01 GMT -5
(ooc: Hiccup: *writhing in pain after being landed on by Tuffnut* xD)
Astrid's sneer only grew wider in delight, though she was discontent that she wouldn't be able to fight from the trees. It was rather exhilarating. But to jump from tree to tree to aim attacks requires close trees with thick branches leaning into one another. But alas none fit the description. Astrid kicked the branch she was on, the thing snapping a little roughly as it was kicked rather hard, sliding down in it's clean shot to the ground. Kicking off from the tree trunk as she was out of the cover of leaves, she aimed a kick at Tuffnut, hopefully get him in the chest.
"Atleast the guys are stupid enough to start a fight." she growled delightfully, sliding on her feet and kicking up dirt in a small rut of where she landed. Her eyes never leaving Tuffnut except to flash towards Hiccup, he was lucky she hadn't landed on him, she was sure the extra weight from the iron studded armor would be enough to crush him.
A smirk lighted her face as she raised her fist defensively across her chest, her legs spread in a fighting stance.
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Sept 13, 2011 22:25:52 GMT -5
Post by Hiccup on Sept 13, 2011 22:25:52 GMT -5
It was one of those moments where Hiccup regretted being present, and yet at the same time he was glad he was there. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the scene and had resorted to clinging to the trunk of the tree just so he wouldn't fall off his branch from getting so involved in watching the fight that he forgot where he was. Hiccup had to admit, Astrid did move rather gracefully through the air. It was like she was meant for this sort of thing. Hiccup felt a fleeting feeling of pity for Tuffnut. He certainly would have hated to be the one receiving the attacks from Astrid. It was almost painful just to watch the events unfold.
Be glad you moved out of the way.
Yes, Hiccup was very glad he had done as Astrid had instructed and gotten out of the way. Being where Astrid and Tuffnut were was not on Hiccup's top priority list at that moment. If anything the redhead wished he was on the ground instead of watching from his branch. But Hiccup didn't move. He didn't want to tempt fate by moving from his spot. It would be too likely that he happened to move at the exact time one of his peers fell. If he moved at the wrong time, it was just like asking one of them to land on him. Not a pleasant outcome in Hiccup's opinion. So, he stayed where he was in the vain hope of being able to stay out of the way and keep an eye on the fight at the same time.
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Sept 13, 2011 23:27:31 GMT -5
Post by Tuffnut on Sept 13, 2011 23:27:31 GMT -5
The smirk grew bigger on the viking's face. "Well, not everyone can be as confident as me." he said sitting up. "I mean I am the best!" he said pointing at himself. Yes, overconfident stupid teen who didn't know how to keep his mouth shut. That would be the perfect definiton of how to describe him. Despite the kick Astrid had given him, despite how much it hurt he still remained arrogant. "At least i am ready to take a hit."
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