Ch. 17- A Day At The Cove

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"Star! Star!" gasped Blade.

"What?" I asked, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. "What is it, Blade?"

"We have to go see Emerald!"

"What? Why? The sun isn't even up yet."

"I overheard mom and dad say they are taking us to the cove today."

"What?!" I yelled.

"Shh! They'll hear. Hurry, now!"

I jumped out of bed, racing Blade down the stairs and to the cove. Emerald was still sleeping when we get there.

"Emerald, wake up, girl," I say, softly. It took a minute, but she woke up. "Good girl." Blade and I packed a few things from the hut in a big basket that Emerald held in her paws as she flew.

Without putting on our flight suits, we flew Emerald to the nearby cave and left her as she started to fall back to sleep.

"Night, Emmy," Blade said, softly before running back to the house.

I pat her head, "Sleep tight, Emerald. See you later." I turned around and followed Blade back home.

We were wide awake by the time we got back. I managed get Blade to go back to sleep half an hour later, but I couldn't. When the sun started to rise I sighed and sat at my desk and started to draw a picture and dad and Toothless on one page and me and Emerald and the next page, side by side.

When I finished I hid the book back under the bed and went downstairs to help mom with breakfast.

"Good morning, mama," I said, still hopping down the stairs.

She laughed, "Good morning, sweetheart. How did you sleep?"

Horribly, I got woken up at four in the morning. "Great! How about you?"

"I slept well, too. Want to go wake up your father?"

"Yeah!" I shouted. I ran to his room and jumped on him. "Wake up, daddy!" I yelled. "Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!"

"Ouch. Hey, baby girl." He caught me as I jumped on him again, softening the impact. "Whoa. Careful, Starfire."

"Okay, daddy. Are you awake?"

He chuckled and nodded, "Yes, I am. Go help mommy with breakfast while I get ready for today."

"Okay," I said, before running out of the room. "Mama, do you need any help?"

"Sure!" I helped her make breakfast while Bard set the table with Blade.

I yelled, "BREAKFAST!!!" when it was ready and everyone sat at the table eating.

"I have a surprise for y'all," dad said in between bites.

"What is it?" asked Bard, sounding scared. "Not another baby is it? Don't we have enough?"

Mom and dad's eyes widen as they looked at each other. Mom shook her head no and dad relaxed a bit. "No. That's not it," mom said. "And we won't have another one," she told dad, sternly. He looked shocked but didn't argue.

"I'm taking y'all to the cove today!" dad said, excitedly.

"Yes!" I shouted, trying to act surprised. I looked down when I noticed everyone staring at me, like planned in my head. "I mean yay," I said less excitedly, making myself smaller.

Dad chuckled and said, "We are leaving after Star's dragon training, so hurry up and get ready."

I quickly finished breakfast and, dad gave me a ride on Toothless to the dragon academy before leaving. Everyone was there but the twins.

A few minutes later the twins came and Gobber started training. "Alright, as most of you know, this is the last training session before Dragon Day. Today we are just 'hanging out' with some of the dragons beforehand."

Gobber let the dragons we'd be choosing for our own out of the stables and brought them into the arena.

Everyone else looked around while I sat near the entrance. Ty noticed and walked over to me after looking at a light green Nadder.

"Hey, Star. What's wrong? Not gonna look at the dragons? Don't you love dragons?"

"I do, and nothing is wrong. I just know what dragon I'm choosing already." Emerald is my dragon. I've known that since she became my best friend five years ago.

"Really?" he asked, sitting down next to me. "What if someone else chooses it?"

"They won't," I said, confidently. "And even if they want to I'm the top student and the chief's daughter. I'll be picking first unless I ask not to be."

"True."

"Anyways, go look at the dragons, see which one you want to be your best friend for the rest of your life."

"Okay. See you later, Star," he blushed a bit as he walked away.

We have been friends since he got here. We're now best friends, and I have a small crush on him but it's not that big a deal. I met his little sister, Luna, two weeks after we became friends. She a sweetheart. She's kind, sweet, adorable, and knows when to embarrass Ty and make him blush. She's also hilarious.

"Star," Gobber walked up to me a few minutes later. "Why aren't you looking at the dragons? You love 'em," he asked, curiously.

"I already know which one I want."

"Which one?" he asked.

"That's a secret all on its own. But you and everyone else will be shocked. Dad will be proud, I hope."

"Lass, your father will be happy with whatever you pick. You make him so proud."

"Thanks, Gobber."

"You're welcome, lass. Since you already know which dragon you want, you can go."

"Really? Yes! Thanks again, Gobber."

"No problem, lass. Your father has some plans for you today, doesn't he?"

I nodded. "Yeah, he's taking us to the cove again. Bye! Bye, Ty!" I called, running out of the arena.

"Bye, Star! See you tomorrow!" he shouted after me.

I ran home as fast as I could and tripped right outside the door, hitting it on my way down. "Ouch. Well that hurt." I opened the door when dad was about to open it.

"What was the noise? Was it you? Did you fall? Are you alright?" he asked, picking me up off the ground.

I laughed, "I'm fine, daddy. I just fell, no big deal. It doesn't even hurt."

"You're home early," mom noted.

"Gobber let me out early," I smiled.

"That's great, Star!"

"Everyone ready to go?" I asked.

"Yes. Are you?"

"You bet, Dad! Let's go!" I started dragging him to the door.

"Whoa. Calm down, Star. Everybody ready?" he called out.

Blade came running down the stairs yelling, "I am! I am!"

We laughed and made our way to the cove.

"Catch me, daddy!" Blade cried, running ahead of us.

I quickly followed him, "Me, too! Me, too!"

I heard dad laugh before he started to follow us. He was catching up with us, but we weren't even going full speed.

"I'm gonna get you," dad said.

He about to get me when Blade shouted, "Now, Star!"

I nodded, grabbed his hand and ran a little faster, dragging Blade along.

"Whoa! Blade! Star! Wait up!" dad called.

I snickered, and we hid behind a tree. After a minute or so of waiting, dad was jogging past us when we jumped out and tackled him (he didn't hit the ground, but at least we tried our best).

"Whoa whoa whoa. You two are fast. How'd you get that fast?" he asked, carrying us to mom, Bard, and Stoick II.

"Practice," I shrugged. Blade agreed.

After a few minutes of walking, we saw mom and Bard, Stoick II resting in the arms of Bard.

"Mommy!" I wiggled out of dad's arms and ran to her. "We beat daddy in the game!"

"You did?" she asked, speaking to me as if I was a small child.

"Yes, they did," dad admitted. "I was really surprised. These two little munchkins can run pretty fast. You should have seen it, Astrid."

"Well, I'm just going to have to see it for myself when we get to the cove," she laughed, placing a kiss on dad's cheek. "Hiccup, carry this, please," mom asked as she handed the picnic basket to dad, who held Blade with his other arm.

"Yes, mi'lady."

We arrived at the cove a little while later. While the boys played, mom and I spread the blanket and placed a few rocks on the corners so the wind wouldn't blow it away.

Stoick II was only a few months old, barely crawling, so while the rest of us ran around and played, mom and Stoick II played and watched from the blanket.

"Run, Toothless," Blade cried, on top of Toothless as Dad chased them. Toothless had his tongue hanging out of his mouth and made the smile he was named after, running from dad, his best friend.

Around one mom called us over for lunch, then we all went swimming, even Stoick II. We splashed each other, careful not to splash whoever was holding Stoick II.

Around four we got out of the water and ran around again as Stoick II took another nap. As we packed up at sunset, dad kissed mom on the lips. Blade and I said "Ew!" and we all laughed.

"What's so 'ew' about mommy and I kissing?" dad asked, scooping me up in his arms as he smiled.

"I don't know," I admitted after only a few seconds of thinking. Dad laughed and shook his head as he kissed my forehead and set me down.

Dad had Toothless carry Blade and me on his back as we walked home. It was dark (the night coming early thanks to the upcoming winter), and he didn't want us tripping and hurting ourselves. He held Stoick II and the basket while Bard held the blanket. Mom walked home, her hand in dad's hand. I loved how close they were to each other. I was told that not everybody had a mother and father who loved each other as much as mine did. Although I didn't know how true that was; I didn't spend much time in the village to find out.

"Alright. Bedtime," mom announced soon after we got home.

"Okay," I agreed.

"Can't we stay up a few extra minutes?" Blade whined. "Bard doesn't have to go to bed."

"Yes, he does," dad said, lifting Blade into his arms. "Bard is just older so his bedtime is later than yours." Dad helped Blade prepare for bed as I got ready by myself.

I laid down in bed and was about to blow out my candle when I heard knock knock!

I laughed, "Come in, daddy!"

"Hey, baby girl," he said, shutting the door behind him. "Did you have fun today?" he asked, sitting on my bed.

"Yes. Thank you."

"Do you know what dragon you want? Dragon Day isn't that far away. Just a week."

"I know. I can't believe I'm almost ten and a half! Stoick II is almost six months old!"

"Me either. Do me a favor."

"What is it?"

"Stop growing," he chuckled.

"I'm trying, daddy," I joked.

"So, do you know what dragon you're choosing?"

"Yes. Don't ask what it is! It's a secret, but you'll be proud. Very proud," I said, confidently. I already have a Night Fury. I'm just revealing her on Dragon Day.

"I don't care what you pick. I'll always be proud of you, baby girl." He kissed my forehead, "Now get some sleep. See you in the morning, sweetheart."

"Okay. Goodnight, daddy."

He blew out my candle and walked out of my room.

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