Ch. 4- A Night Out

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I barely made it home before dark. Dinner was almost ready. Dad was waiting for me.

"Hey, Star," he said, the moment I closed the door.

"Yes, daddy?" I guessed by the tone in his voice that I wasn't in trouble, but just in case I made myself sound like a little kid.

"Did you see your friend today?"

"Oh, yes, I did. We had the bestest fun ever!" I answered, giving him a hug.

"Bestest isn't a word!" Bard called, in the background.

"It is in my world," I retaliated as dad picked me up.

He picked me up, "Who's your friend?"

"Oh, she's really nice. She doesn't talk much, but we get along great. Every day she waits for me in front of her home, then we play in the forest until it's time to go home."

"She sound nice," mom said. "What's her name?"

I tried to squirm out of dad's arms, but he wasn't letting go. "Answer the question," he demanded.

"Why does it matter?" I asked, slightly annoyed as I couldn't escape. At least I knew they were persistent.

They looked at each other for a few seconds before dad answered, "We just want to know who your friend is, that's all."

"Do you know her name?" mom asked. Technical I knew, but dad knew everyone in the village, he is the chief after all. And I can't tell them that Emerald lives in the woods, they might look for her and find her.

I simply played with my fingers, hoping they'd drop the subject.

"How long have you two been friends?" mom asked.

"Two days," I answered.

Mom sighed, "Are you two really friends? Does she know your name?"

"Yes, we are friends, but no, I don't think she knows my name. I'll tell her tomorrow," I said, finally free to leave.

Soon, dinner was ready. Mom nor dad supplied the conversation, but dinner wasn't quite. Bard talked and talked.

"Hiccup, can I talk to you?" mom asked. "Alone? Real quick."

He nodded and they left the room for a minute. When they entered, they were both smiling and holding hands.

"Hey, kids," dad started. "We have some good news."

"What is it?" Bard asked, cautiously, eyes narrowed like he knew something. "Another one? I thought you would stop after Spitfire," he said his nickname for me bitterly. It was no surprise to anyone that he hated me. Why though, I had no idea.

"Bard," dad warned.

"Well, a villager had a baby this morning. She died shortly after the birth and the father claims he's too busy to look after a baby. What do you say that we take the baby in?" mom asked, hopefully.

A new baby would keep the spotlight off of me. "I love it!" I shouted, smiling, standing in my chair.

"I hate it!" Bard said, hitting the table. "I don't want another baby in the house. It's bad enough Spitfire is here!"

"Bard!" Dad yelled. "Her name is Starfire. And I don't know what you have against her, but she's your baby sister! You're the one who asked for a baby sister. Why don't you like her?"

Bard glared at me. "Because she gets everything! All the gifts, your attention, sympathy, everything! No matter what I do y'all go right back to her!" He had walked around the table by the time he finished yelling. I was still standing, truly scared of him for the first time ever, and I'm sure my expression showed it, too.

Mom and dad were across the room, so they couldn't stop it. I barely noticed it coming, myself. That was until the pain set in, and I was on the floor.

Bard had slapped me.

"Bard!" Dad yelled, angrily.

"Star!" mom yelled, worried.

Before they reached us, I stood up and ran out the front door and around back to the dark forest behind the house.

"Starfire! Starfire!" I heard mom call as I ran. She thought I ran towards the village, which would buy me a few hours.

I reached Emerald in no time. She looked up at the sound of me coming to the cave. I leaned against the wall of the cave and began to cry. Emerald laid her head in my lap and let me cry and cry. I don't know when, but I eventually cried myself to sleep.

When I woke up, I wasn't at home. A small fire was near me and Emerald was sleeping with her with her wing over me, I was laying down on the floor over the cave next to her.

I slowly got up, as to not wake Emerald, and stretched. I found out that I had a great sleep, considering I slept on a stone floor. The memories of last night came to me suddenly, and I wept a little. I couldn't stay here long, for my dad would get tracking dragons and find me soon enough.

I went fishing real quick and brought back three fish. Emerald was still sleeping so I laid them next to her, kissed her head, whispered "Bye, Emerald," and left.

"Starfire!" I heard my name shouted over and over again. Louder and louder the closer I got to the village.

"Starfire!" Gobber said, behind me. "There you are, lass. Where have you been? Your parents are worried sick about you."

"Sleeping," I answered his question with an added yawn.

"Hey!" he shouted, "I found her!" Someone had their dragon roar, ending the search.

Gobber took me to the village, where dad landed next to us and hoped off Toothless, scooping me up in his arms.

"Oh, Starfire," he cried. I put my head on his shoulder and he put his hand on the back on my head. "I was so worried! I couldn't find you! I thought I lost you! I was so scared!" I felt his tears fall onto my shoulder.

People surrounded us, watching us, watching dad cry, watching our every move.

"Don't cry, daddy. I'm okay. I'm fine. Please don't cry, daddy," I begged, pulling back to look at him. "I'm so sorry!" I started to cry. "I'm sorry, daddy! I'm- I'm sorry I scared you. I'm sorry I made you worry. I'm so sorry!"

"Hey, hey, hey," he said, softly, wiping his tears away. "It's okay, baby girl," as he spoke he wiped away my tears. "You're safe now. That's all that matters. Now let's go see mommy. She's worried sick about you." He made his way through the crowd, mom met us just as we were about to leave it.

"Starfire!" she gasped, taking me from dad. She cried, sinking to the ground as she wept, dad trying to calm her down. Still, everyone else just watched. "Starfire. Starfire. Starfire," she repeated over and over again.

"It's okay, mommy," I said. "I'm safe. I'm alright. I'm fine, mommy. It's okay. I'm okay. Mommy?"

I noticed Bard, a few feet from us, hidden slightly in the crowd. He looked sad and concerned. I knew he didn't mean to hit me, he was just upset. He didn't mean it. I could tell by looking in his eyes.

I pulled out of mom's arms and walked over to Bard.

"Starfire, stop," dad said, but I ignored him.

I stopped in front of Bard, the others stepped away from us, still watching for some dumb reason.

"Star," he gasped, pulling me into a hug. He didn't cry as much as mom and dad, but he still cried some. "I'm so sorry, Star. I didn't mean it. I swear I didn't mean it. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, baby sister."

Dad and mom watched us, along with the rest of the village- who could really use a life right then, I mean come on! They had nothing better to do than watch us? Did they really? I know nothing went on much, but still!

A few minutes later Bard carried me home, mom and dad behind us. Bard was grounded for a week, which was originally a month- but since I forgave him and convinced dad to shorten his punishment, so I could play with him, it was shortened.

The next day, I was stuck with mom and dad at the house while grandma Valka took care of the village, which meant no Emerald.

The day after that the new baby came. We shared the spotlight at first, but I finally got it onto baby Blade for a while, which was good for Emerald since I could spend more time bonding with her.

Emerald and I quickly became best friends. It was a very sudden change from having no friends to a dragon/ best friend, but I easily slipped into the new routine. Nearly everyday, I slipped out to spend a few hours or all day with Emerald.

I spent most of my time with Emerald. Soon she started flying, once I made a small, light contraption that made it possible for her to fly, she just needs me to make half her tail open so she could fly. Obviously, I used my dad's design for Toothless, adjusting the size. While it took a while for us to figure it out, we eventually did.

After a month of knowing Emerald, I moved her to the cove, which was closer than the cave and has much more room for her. And the pond had fish so she could eat when I get grounded or couldn't come or something else.

We moved some rocks so she could jump out if she needs to run or hid, since the cove has gotten more popular since dad met Toothless. But rarely anyone went there anymore, so I wasn't that worried.

I made a small hut, which is just a small roof over my head, for when we rest or when I spend the night, my parents thinking I was at a friend's house. I had a small box of supplies slightly hidden, though it wouldn't be hard to find it. Very early mornings, before the sun would rise, I went to the blacksmith building and made things for Emerald using some ideas from dad I got when I helped him with Toothless. It's hard, but I manage to keep anyone from knowing. Well, as far as I know.

Emerald was, and still is, my best friend. Back then she was my only friend, and no one could know about her. And I made sure no one did.

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