Thanks to IHateAutocorrect, YunaNara, SamS14, ELDRA PILOT and Silvolde for the feedback!

Shorter chapter, and for that you have my apologies. That and I needed a way to introduce the other villians in this story. Yes, I do have an outline this time. Shocking, isn't it?

Enjoy!

"Come on, Hiccup." Astrid knelt down, taking her unconscious friend's hand. "It's been a week. The Submarriper's gone. So is Viggo. You can wake up now."

Nothing. Just like the last ten times that day.

Astrid sighed, sitting with her back to the bed, leaning on the hard wood planks that made it up. "Your Dad's pretty worried." She smiled slightly. "Of course, he's always worried about you, even if he doesn't show it. Gothi is more pleased with your progress though. She says that you're well on track to making a full recovery."

Astrid's smile slipped. Gothi had warned her that there might be other problems, issues far harder to fix. But she couldn't talk about that. Not when there was a possibility that there was no problem.

Heather drew her knife and glared at the captured form of Viggo. "Why are you doing this?"

Viggo smirked. "Crippling Berk? Do I truly need a reason?"

Heather's grip on the knife tightened. "Yes. Because Berk was never a target of the Hunters when I was with you. So why strike now?"

Viggo shrugged. "It's proximity to Hiccup was of utmost importance. Attacking it with the Submarriper was a necessary evil."

Heather gave a short laugh. "You forget, I know you, Viggo. If you wanted to strike at a target of importance to Hiccup, you would have simply captured Astrid. You were doing something else attacking Berk." Her eyes narrowed. "What?"

Viggo smiled and sat down on the hard wooden bench in his cell. "Please, do try and figure it out. Your knack for figuring is second only to Hiccup."

Heather thought through the past few months. "You wouldn't of had any reason to attack Berk. You had just gained all their gold from Hiccup. Attacking Berk with the threat of starvation would only incite Stoick to attack you."

Viggo nodded. "Quite right. Stoick's reaction to this episode would prove to be a liability, doubly so if Hiccup hadn't of made it out of there."

"So why do it?" Heather mused to herself, shaking her head in frustration. Viggo purposely attacking Berk made no sense if his only goal was to get to Hiccup. Creating a larger divide between Berk and the Dragon Hunters wouldn't serve Viggo's plans.

Unless…it wasn't Viggo's plans it was serving. Heather turned her head back to Viggo, who had a small smile on his face. "Who do you work for?"

Viggo's smile grew. "I am simply a businessman."

Heather nodded. "A businessman who isn't at the top. A businessman who follows orders he doesn't see as necessary."

Viggo nodded. "Loyalty will get you far in life."

Heather scoffed. "It got you into this cell." She half raised the knife. "Who do you work for?"

Being in pain hurt.

Hiccup slowly exited the maw of darkness and whined in pain. Everything hurt.

Painfully, he opened his eyes slightly and saw Astrid sitting beside him. "Please tell me I still have my other leg?"

Astrid was startled out of a light doze and nearly leapt up in elation. "Hiccup! You're awake!"

Hiccup lifted his hand in a fluttering gesture. "Tired." He mumbled. "What happened?"

Astrid smiled. "You freed the Submarripper. Berk's no longer starving."

Hiccup laid back contently into his pillow. "Good."

Astrid's happiness lasted until Hiccup fell asleep and she was outside his house. Then she saw Heather looking nervous. Now on edge, she approached. "Heather?"

Heather looked up, eyes filled with hate and…remorse? "Astrid."

Astrid frowned. "What's going on?"

Heather looked back down. "I talked to Viggo."

Astrid's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Okay, and?"

Heather didn't look up this time. "I was wrong before. Viggo isn't the head of the Dragon Hunters."

Astrid scowled. That was not good news. "Do we know who is?"

Pausing for a moment, Heather shook her head. "No. But Viggo has a contemporary of sorts named Krogan. They both work for someone else, who then reports to the person in charge."

Astrid slowly nodded, a plan falling into place. "Move Viggo to Outcast Island. I don't want him here with Hiccup recovering." She looked at the approaching Snotlout and Fishlegs. "Run back to the Edge and make sure the defences are up."

The duo nodded, and Heather looked up at the Haddock House. "How is he?"

Astrid's smile briefly returned. "He was awake for a few minutes. Asked about his leg and the Submarripper."

Heather smiled too. "That's good." She sighed. "Astrid, after I drop Viggo off to the Outcasts, I'm going to lead the Riders back to the Edge to hunt for this Krogan guy."

Astrid frowned. "Why are you leading them?"

"Because I think you should stay back and be with Hiccup." Heather chuckled. "In more ways than one."

Astrid shook her head. "Look, as much as I may love to, I can't. After Hiccup, I'm the most experienced Rider. You guys need me!"

Heather nodded. "And so does Hiccup. Because we both know he is going to hurt himself even more trying to prove that this won't keep him down. He needs someone to keep him in check."

Astrid sighed and nodded. "You're right. But I want weekly updates on your progress. And when Hiccup's all better, we'll join you."

Heather nodded and started to walk to Windshear, but Astrid stopped her. "And Heather? Thank you."

Heather smiled and took off, and Astrid walked back into Hiccup's house. No matter how injured her friend was, she would stand by him to the end.

Chapter Notes!

1). I truly enjoy Viggo Grimborn, so he's still in the story. With Heather as interrogator. Because, let's be honest, only she and Astrid would fit in that role. And Astrid wasn't about to leave Hiccup.

2). If everything goes as according to plan, the next chapter is a fun one that revolves around Hiccup, and I didn't want to get in to that here. Which is why Hiccup has a total of seven lines in this chapter.

3). Something I really liked about RttE S2 was Heather's willingness to lie to everyone who cared about her. Astrid, Hiccup, Fishlegs, Dagur, she lied to all of them, fought them, in order to get close to Viggo Grimborn. I'm not...saying she'd do that here, just...take from that what you will. I'm saying I enjoy that direction of her character.

As of this chapter, everything is on track. If CajunBear shows up, that may very well change. We shall see...

Thanks for reading!

Judge