A/N: I also make HTTYD videos on youtube! On top is one of my videos. Please check out my channel: Colorful2. I'll try to make more, but I'll focus more on writing.

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AUTHOR POV

Some weeks have passed since Astrid and Hiccup's several awkward encounters with each other. Both have tried to establish a closer relationship with each other, only to be sabotaged by their own insecurities.

Astrid couldn't bring herself to confess for fear of rejection, and Hiccup doesn't even consider expressing his feelings, believing that never in his lifetime would his childhood crush return his affection. As a result, both had temporarily stopped inching their way to a relationship and simply remained friends, using dragons as their main conversation topic.

Astrid had set up a survival exercise for the team on a deserted island. It would be conducted later that night. Hiccup was in his room preparing for the mission...

"Okay, Bud, you'll be staying here tonight," Hiccup said.

Toothless gave a disgruntled warble.

"Hey, don't blame me. This was Astrid's idea, and she said no dragons."

Meanwhile, the front door downstairs swung open.

Astrid walked in and was greeted by Stoick. She had always been comfortable barging into the Haddock home since she was young and she carried that habit to this day.

"Good afternoon, lass. What can I do for you?" Stoick greeted.

"Hello sir, can I see Hiccup?" she asked.

"He's upstairs in his room. I hear you're doing some training tonight on some island. Take care of them, okay? I don't want anybody getting hurt."

"Yes sir, I'll make sure that doesn't happen," she said.

"Hiccup! Astrid is here to see you!" Stoick called with his booming viking voice.

Hiccup heard the creaks of the stairs as Astrid walked up to his room.

"Oh great, Astrid's here. Do I look okay?" Hiccup asked, sweeping off dirt from his tunic.

Toothless gave a smile and nodded.

Astrid walked into the room.

"Hey, Hiccup, you ready to go?" she asked.

"Yep, almost. Is there a reason I'm bringing all this rope?"

"I'll explain when we reach the island. Just don't forget to bring all of it," she said.

"Okay, bud, I'll see you tomorrow. Don't give Dad too much trouble, 'kay?"

Toothless nodded as the two walked down the stairs.

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After some time on the sea, the boat reached the destined island. The gang jumped off the boat and gathered their materials on the beach.

"Okay, Astrid, what are we doing here? And why did I bring all these poles?" Snotlout asked as he threw the heavy poles on the sand.

"I'm glad you asked. Each of us will carry different materials for our tents. Fishlegs, you'll carry the stakes; Ruff, Tuff, you'll carry the tent flaps; Hiccup, you carry the rope and Snotlout and I will carry the poles. Right now we're at the south end of this island. The plan for this exercise is to reach the north end of the island and meet up with all the materials. Until the whole team makes it to the meeting point, we can't set up our tents," Astrid explained.

"That doesn't sound too bad. As long as we stick together, we should all make it to the meeting point at the same time," Hiccup remarked.

"Not so fast. I made six different maps with the meeting point marked, but each take different routes. You'll need good navigational skills as well as survival skills to reach the north end. Any questions?" Astrid asked.

"Yeah, I have a questio--" Tuffnut raised his hand.

"Okay, anyone have any serious questions?" Astrid interjected, having enough experience with Tuffnut's questions at the Academy.

"Um, when you scouted this island, did you see any... dangerous creatures?" Fishlegs asked.

"I saw hundreds... and they're all waiting to feast on your flesh," Astrid teased, wiggling her fingers toward him.

Fishlegs began whimpering and trembling.

"She's just kidding, Fishlegs. Astrid wouldn't bring us to a deadly island... would you?" Hiccup asked.

Astrid just gave him a smirk.

"Alright, let's go! I love camping!" Tuffnut cheered.

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"I hate camping," Tuffnut groaned.

The exercise was well underway and already most of the members were finding some difficulty. Each member was alone, following their path on their maps.

"Let's see the map again... okay... here's where I am... and that's where we started. Wait, am I in the same place? Oh look, there's the boat... wait... I am back where we started!" Tuffnut thought to himself.

"Uh huh... according to this map, I should be at the meeting point in a few minutes," Fishlegs thought. "Ho! What was that sound? Curse that Astrid; I hate these survival exercises!"

"Argh! Another mountain?! Why is my route going over each mountain?! Sure, I tease her sometimes, but this is going too far!" Snotlout grumbled. "I'm on to you, Astrid! I know you gave me this map on purpose!"

"I'm pretty sure I'm not reading this map right," Ruffnut groaned as she waded in the river.

"According to this map, this should be the meeting point," Hiccup said to himself. "Looks like I'm the first one here."

Hiccup dropped his ropes on the sand before he heard some leaves rustling and turned to see Astrid appear from the jungle.

"I'm surprised... you beat me," Astrid said, slightly out of breath.

"Well, I am the best cartographer on Berk, so..."

"What's keeping those guys? I expected at least half of us to get here by now," Astrid said as she dropped her heavy tent poles.

"We only have rope and poles here, so we might as well pass the time until everyone gets here," Hiccup said.

Hiccup and Astrid instinctively sat down beside each other on the shore. Ever since they were young, they had always enjoyed sitting together and gazing at the night sky.

"It's so beautiful here... that's why I picked this island," Astrid said.

"You know, I'm glad we're on the same team. Without you, we wouldn't have these exercises to keep us sharp," he said.

Astrid swiftly punched his arm.

"Oww! Why... why?"

"I don't know, it's like when I scare Fishlegs: it just comes naturally and I can't stop it," Astrid chuckled.

They continued moon gazing and listened to the soft crashing waves. Along with moon gazing, talking about random topics was also something they did as kids that they still do today.

"Hey, which twin is your favorite?" Astrid asked.

"Uh, I don't have a favorite. I consider everyone an equal member of the team."

"Ruffnut?"

"Yeah, but I don't know why..." Hiccup confessed.

"She's a little more sensible than Tuff," Astrid laughed.

"Yeah, when they're by themselves, they're not too bad. It's just when they get together, they get carried away and I have to clean up their mess," Hiccup added.

After a long while, the rest of the team made it to the meeting point.

"Okay, that is it! No more survival exercises on strange islands!" Snotlout declared. He was covered in mud and leaves from climbing multiple mountains.

"Ruff, why are you soaking wet? None of the maps lead to water," Astrid stated.

"I'm lucky I got here at all," Ruffnut said.

"Let's see, one, two, three... um, it looks like we're missing some tent flaps," Fishlegs said.

"That was the twins' responsibility," Hiccup added.

"Oh... I knew I forgot something!" Tuffnut groaned.

"Well, that leaves three tent flaps for six members, so we'll have to share," Hiccup said. "Snotlout, you can share with Fishlegs; Ruff, you can share with your brother; and I guess Astrid and I will share one..."

"I don't think so, boss man," Ruffnut objected. "My brother and I have shared everything since birth. Besides, I have to dry out my clothes, so I'm sleeping with Astrid."

"Nice try, Hiccup. Maybe next time..." Astrid thought to herself.

The team began to put up their tents on the beach.

"Snotlout, you're supposed to set up the poles inside the tent," Fishlegs said.

"I know what I'm doing, okay?! Argh! Is this tent alive or something?" Snotlout seethed while he tumbled about in the tent.

"Come on, guys, it's getting late," Hiccup said.

Eventually the gang set up their tents and climbed inside for the night. The tents were just close enough to each other so that you can hear from another tent if you talked loud enough.

"Hey... why don't you have any dirt on you?" Snotlout asked.

"Because, my route was on a grass trail. It was fairly easy, although I must say it was scary walking in the dark by myself," Fishlegs said.

"What?! A grass trail?! I knew it! You are so going to pay when we get back, Astrid!"

Astrid just snickered in her tent as she heard Snotlout's gripes.

"So, I bet you'd rather be in another tent right now, huh, Hiccup?" Tuffnut said.

"What? It doesn't matter what tent we're in, as long as we all made it here."

"Sure... you know, Hiccup, my sister doesn't really mind sleeping in wet clothes. She probably just wants to talk to Astrid about girly stuff... and boys," Tuffnut whispered.

"Really?"

"Oh, yeah. They're probably in that tent right now, talking about how they like huge chests and massive biceps."

"Massive... biceps?" Hiccup gripped his scrawny arm.

"Nah, I'm just kidding. She's gonna tell Astrid some stupid scary story," Tuffnut said. "Sis, it's not that scary!"

"It is if you tell it right!" Ruffnut yelled back from inside her tent. "Now be quiet, you're ruining my story!"

"Ruff, it's okay, I can't sleep after hearing a scary story, anyway," Astrid said, turning over to her side.

"Oh. Okay then, let's talk about something else," Ruffnut said. "So, do you have a crush on anyone?"

"Whoa, that's a little direct, isn't it?"

"Come on, Astrid, I know there must be someone you like. It's Hiccup, isn't it? I've seen how you look at him."

"That's insane. I don't look at him... that way or whatever you mean. We're just... friends," Astrid stated as convincingly as she could.

"Sure, Astrid... okay. You can have Hiccup. I like the more manly types, like big, tough pirates who don't follow the rules."

"There's plenty of those around. I'm sure you'll find one. Now, let's go to sleep. We still gotta hike back to our boat in the morning."

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A/N: Thanks for reading! I'd appreciate hearing your thoughts in the comments down below!

[Next Chapter: Astrid yells at a yak]