Valka couldn't have been happier for Berk...or her son. Hiccups was now the great Chief of Berk and his dragon, Toothless, was the alpha of the dragons. Those were feats that coukd make even the strictest of other whoop in joy and pride. And Valka was certainly no exception. However, the Dragon Master had quickly found a new way to occupy her time now that she was back on Berk. When she wasn't catching up woth her son, she was training the oncoming generations of Dragon riders or even giving tips and spotting those that had been riding with dragons for many years. Things were almost perfect in Berk...
And being the perceptive woman she was, Valka was bound to discover why Berk still wasn't at perfection level.

~o~ Valka ~o~

"Isn't this amazing Cloudjumper?" I beamed as I took in the morning sight of Berk, "It never ceases to amaze me, the way things have changed."
I heard Cloudjumper emit a low thrum of amusement and ease. I snorted at the large reptile, gazing back at the sunrise. "If only Stoic could have been here too." I stated softly, "He would have loved to see Hiccup grow into a strong leader."
Cloudjumper was up before I had even finished speaking, giving me a clearly worried and somber expression. "Now, now," I lectured, "I'm fine. I do miss Stoic, now more than ever, but I will not fade off. I have to look after my son now; we have a lot to catch up on now that we're together."
I turned away from the window, fully intending to tickle a smile back onto the stormcutter's face. Unfortunately, I was still getting used to the new living space, and tripped over my husband's old work desk where I had found him many times long ago passed out from a hard day of work.
"FOR THE LOVE OF ODIN'S GREAT BEARD!" I howled at my toes throbbed.
Stubbing a toe always trumped other pains, even for those who had lived among dragon for a large part of their lives.
My cursing stopped, when a loud thump came from the desk and I turned to see Cloudjumper nosing at a small journal that had fallen from the desk.
"Now, what in Thor's hammer could this be," I mused aloud.
Stoic had never been much of a writer.
Flipping to the first few pages, I quickly realized it was a map of different parts of the island. One page had markings showing how to reach a certain spot near the place where the mountains met the forest. Flipping further, I discovered writing that was Stoic's if the terrible penmanship was anything to go by.
The date was more recent, and it seemed he had only written this a few months ago.

Gobber and I took another trip between the gap of the forest and the mountain. Emris stood outside her home as she always did. She must have heard us coming.

"Emris," I frowned, "Another woman?" I paused, "Oh, what am I saying. Stoic is a loyal man."
Cloudjumper wandered over and laid close to my side. I gave the great beast a welcoming pat before reading on.

As always, the woman was wary of the dragons and refused to speak near them. I fear that the time alone has not been well for her. In a month's time she will turn 17. It is hard to imagine that Frandalon's little girl has been on her own for so long.

The book slipped through my fingers as I finally realized who this woman, Emris, was. Frandalon had been a great friend of Stoic's, and one of the Chieftains that had perished at the gathering where Draco had been. I had only met him once, and very briefly. I recalled he had a wife at the time.

"I wonder if she's heard of Stoic's death," I mumbled, "Cloudjumper, let's go."