Friends and Harmony

Chapter 5

Music of the Huntress

Henry and Astrid were then walking along a path in the park. "That wasn't so bad, right, Astrid?" He asked her. "At least you'll have another girl to talk to."

Astrid glared at him. Violet seemed friendly, but there won't be enough time to socialize when they're done with their job. "Focus, Henry."

He returned the glare, then sighed heavily with a tinge of annoyance. "What's next on the list?"

Astrid pulled out the list and looked through it. "Uh, music."

"Okay, then."

They then heard a guitar playing nearby, along with someone humming sweetly. They followed the lovely sound up a hill and saw a pretty girl their age sitting on a stump, strumming the strings of a soft pink guitar with yellow lightning bolts on the sides.

The girl had chocolate brown hair in two long pigtails draped over her shoulders, matching brown eyes, and tan skin. She wore a yellow shirt, jeans, and black ankle boots. On her right hip was a black leather sheath.

She hummed a little tune while strumming her guitar. Then, she took hold of a pencil and a notebook and started writing down something.

Henry and Astrid went to get a closer look, but Henry accidentally stepped on a twig and snapped it. Suddenly, an arrow zoomed by their heads, lodging itself in a tree, making them jump. They whirled around and saw the girl holding a beautifully carved birch bow. The bow must've been behind the stump. And they saw that the sheath on her hip was full of arrows.

"Hold it!" Henry panicked, holding up his hands. "We come in peace!"

The girl lowered her bow and walked over to them. "Oops. Sorry about that." She apologized. "You two just startled me. I thought you were an animal."

"It's okay." Henry said. "That song you were playing, it sounded amazing."

She smiled shyly. "Thank you."

"I'm Henry, and this is Astrid." Henry introduced him and his companion, who was pulling out the arrow from the tree. "What's yours?"

"I'm Cosette. Cosette Henderson." She held out her hand, and Henry shook it. "So, what brings you two here this far out from the village?"

"We came from the castle to check on the preparations for the Summer Festival." Henry explained. "We are now checking on the music."

"Well, it's coming along." Cosette said. She led them over to the stump and held out her notebook. The pages had music sheets, and notes were dotted along the staff lines. "I basically got the music down, but, no lyrics so far."

"Well, keep up the great work." Henry said.

"I will, thanks." She smiled.

Astrid then came up to her, beside Henry. "So, why do you bring a bow around with you?" She asked. "Are you a huntress or something?"

"Astrid." Henry hissed.

"Oh, it's okay, Henry." Cosette said, brushing it off before turning to Astrid. "Yes, I am a huntress. I only hunt to sell, though. My parents and I run the biggest trading market in the kingdom."

"Wait, your parents are Erik and Penelope Henderson?" Astrid asked.

"That's them." Cosette confirmed.

"Huh." Henry said with surprise. "They sometimes come to the castle grounds to place their trade, but I don't think we've ever seen you."

"Well, I mostly just stay home and watch over the place while they're gone." Cosette explained. "Also, I help my friends with other stuff. I help my friend Ritchie with some farm chores, and Violet sometimes needs my help modelling a new fashion piece. Also, Tobias would want me to time him to see if he breaks any records."

Astrid blinked. "You know them, too?"

"Yeah." She replied.

"We ran into them while we were checking the other preparations." Henry said.

"Oh. Interesting."

Astrid decided to change the subject before her head explodes from all these connections she's been making. "You know, I think your aim was a little off a few minutes ago."

Cosette stared at her competitively. "Is that a challenge, Astrid? I'll let you know, I missed on purpose just to scare you before I make my mark. I always make my mark if I try."

Astrid smirked. "Prove it."

Cosette returned the smirk. "Follow me." She beckoned to them.

Henry and Astrid followed her down the hill, and saw that there were several targets set up. Cosette stood thirty feet away from one of the targets and launched an arrow. It hit right in the bulls-eye. She then readied another arrow, and steadied herself, concentrating hard. She then fired it, and that arrow split the first one in half as it hit the center.

Astrid and Henry were shocked at her accuracy. Cosette grinned slyly at them when she turned back to them. "You were saying, Astrid?" She asked rhetorically.

Henry got out of his shocked state to answer for his stunned assistant. "You sure can make your mark."

Cosette smiled with pride. "Thank you, Henry." She said with a playful curtsy. He grinned back with a silly roll of his eyes and added a teasing bow.

Astrid silently gritted her teeth at their playfulness. They just met not five minutes ago, yet they were acting like they've been friends forever. She then cleared her throat. "Henry, we still need one more thing to check before we get settled."

Henry sighed. "All right."

Cosette looked at Astrid and saw her slightly fuming face. She darted her eyes to Henry, then back to Astrid. Her lips then curled up into a knowing smirk when she figured out why she was like that. Astrid caught her grin and turned bright red.

Unfortunately, Henry noticed her sudden coloring appearing on her face. "Hey, you okay, Astrid?" He asked. "Your face is all red."

Astrid bit her tongue and stammered out a quick response. "Uh, yeah, yeah. I-I'm f-fine. J-just peachy."

Henry raised an eyebrow at her stuttery reply, then shrugged. "If you say so." He turned back to Cosette. "Will we see you at the festival?"

"You can count on it." She answered with a smile.

He returned it. "See ya, then!" He waved over to her as he and Astrid headed back into Berkton.

Author's Note

A/N: A quick heads-up; Cosette is the other OC human character of my HTTYD stories.

I guess I'll see y'all soon. Don't forget to let me know what you guys think.

Got to fly! ;)