Chapter 26 – A New Arrival
Thor looked at the unconscious girl lying in the small boat that had drifted to shore. Her long, wavy hair was wet from the ocean spray, and her skin was warm from the sun. As he approached her cautiously, he tilted his head in mild surprise.
"Well," he murmured to himself, "I knew I'd run into someone eventually, but who would've thought it'd be Moana?"
Kneeling beside her, Thor carefully checked her body for any visible injuries. His fingers brushed gently over her arms and legs, searching for wounds or bruises. She was breathing steadily, her chest rising and falling with a calm rhythm. There were no broken bones, no cuts. Just exhaustion.
Confirming she wasn't hurt, Thor stood and took a moment to inspect the boat she had arrived in. It was battered, a little charred at the edges, and soaked from the waves, but otherwise still intact. He saw a few ropes, a paddle, and an empty water flask. Just as he was about to step away, a loud squawk made him turn sharply.
"What the—"
From behind a tarp, a wild-looking rooster burst out, flapping its wings and running in chaotic circles. Thor blinked and groaned.
"Oh right... the crazy chicken."
He stooped down and caught the bird in his large hands. It wriggled a bit but eventually calmed, clucking quietly. Shaking his head in disbelief, Thor turned back to the girl and gently lifted her into his arms. The rooster tucked under one arm, Moana cradled in the other, he began walking toward the village.
Just then, the sound of wings and dragon roars echoed through the sky. Hiccup and the others swooped in, riding their dragons. They landed on the beach, sand kicking up beneath their boots.
Hiccup spotted Thor and furrowed his brow. "What happened?"
Thor nodded toward the unconscious girl in his arms. "Found her like this. Drifted in on a boat. I checked—no injuries. Just seems passed out from exhaustion."
"She's not from here," Hiccup noted, examining her clothing. "Where will you take her?"
"I'm bringing her to the village so she can recover. Once she's awake, I'll ask what happened."
Astrid had her arms crossed, observing the scene with narrowed eyes. Her expression hardened when she saw Thor holding Moana. Jealousy prickled at her skin like ice. Why did women always seem to fall into Thor's orbit?
She clenched her jaw. Tonight, she thought, he wouldn't have a moment's rest. She'd make sure of that.
Thor noticed the look in Astrid's eyes and walked toward her, lips curved into a sly smile. Without warning, he pulled her into a deep, passionate kiss. Her eyes widened at first, then fluttered closed as she melted into it.
After a few intense minutes, they pulled away. Thor rested his forehead against hers.
"You're my wife—the woman who made me a man," he whispered, voice low and sincere. "Don't ever forget that I love you."
Astrid's cheeks flushed. Her heart thudded in her chest, the jealousy melting into warmth. But before the moment could settle, a soft voice piped up behind them.
"Ni-san… me too."
It was Shiro, looking up at him with those dragon-like, glowing eyes filled with longing. Her human form was as beautiful as ever, her silvery hair swaying in the breeze.
Thor leaned down and kissed her gently. The kiss wasn't as fiery as with Astrid—but it was deep, full of emotion. When they parted, he gave her a soft smile.
"Satisfied now, my little dragon?"
Shiro beamed and nodded, clearly pleased.
Hiccup, who had been trying not to watch the whole scene unfold, cleared his throat loudly. "Okay—lovebirds, we still need to get the girl to the village. Remember her?"
Thor chuckled. "Right."
Everyone mounted their dragons. Shiro transformed into her Light Fury form, white scales shimmering under the sunlight. Thor climbed onto her back, still holding Moana securely, the rooster squawking between them.
As they soared through the skies, Thor glanced down at Moana's peaceful face.
"Okay, universe," he thought with a smirk, "I know Moana's beautiful, but my ideal type is still Chel from El Dorado. She's my dream wife. Not that Moana isn't pretty—she is—but Chel's on another level."
He paused. "But if Moana exists here... maybe Chel exists too."
They soon landed near the village, the dragons landing one by one. Villagers watched curiously as Thor dismounted, cradling Moana like a princess.
Shiro reverted to her human form beside him.
"Where should she stay?" Thor asked.
"I volunteer!" Snotlout said quickly, raising a hand with an overly eager grin.
Thor shot him a glare. "You've lost your mind if you think I'm leaving her alone with you."
The twins, Ruffnut and Tuffnut, burst into laughter, pointing at Snotlout's crushed expression.
"Guess she'll have to stay at my place," Thor muttered.
Astrid was quick to respond, stepping forward with ice in her voice.
"The only woman sleeping in your bed is me."
She crossed her arms and added, "You can leave her at my house. My old room's empty since I've been sleeping in yours."
Thor gave a small nod. "Fair enough."
They carried Moana to Astrid's home. Her room was clean and warm, filled with soft furs and the smell of herbs. Thor gently laid Moana on the bed and tucked a blanket over her. Then, he placed the rooster beside her.
The bird immediately nestled into her side, and even in her sleep, Moana instinctively wrapped her arms around it.
Thor smiled at the strange but oddly heartwarming sight.
Outside, they met up with Stoick, who had just returned from a nearby village. Hiccup stepped forward and explained everything—how they found Moana, and more importantly, his idea to integrate dragons into everyday life.
Stoick stroked his beard, listening intently.
After a long pause, he nodded. "Use the dragon arena. It's yours now—to build your Dragon Academy."
Hiccup's eyes lit up. "Really?"
"You've earned it, son."
While the conversation continued, Thor quietly took Astrid and Shiro by the hand and slipped away. The sun was beginning to dip low, casting golden light across the village.
He led them toward the secluded home he had built deep in the forest—far from the noise, the gossip, and the distractions of the village.
Though Shiro had finally been accepted by Stoick, Thor preferred their private refuge.
After all, the last thing he wanted was for anyone to be kept up all night by the sounds of intense bonding sessions between him, Astrid, and Shiro.
Having a house just for them wasn't a luxury—it was survival.
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