Chapter Four

Two years later.

Hiccup sighed contentedly, and sat back in his chair. As per usual, the five were bickering amongst themselves, the fires were burning in their hearths, and the scouts were atop the ridges, keeping an eye out for unwelcome guests. Life was good.

The key word being was.

"GUYS!" Jordan shouts, dashing into the main halls, snapping the six out of their daydreams and arguments. "OH MAN DO WE HAVE PROBLEMS!" He almost slams into the table, but skitters to a stop before an actual collision is made. "Intruders!" He shrieks, "Intruders are coming to the island!"

The six are up and running in seconds, they bolt out the door, up the wooden staircases allowing safe passage to the top of the canyon, and reach the top almost instantly.

Sure enough, twenty ships draw close to the rocky shores. Hiccup instantly recognizes them, and he falls back, sitting down in shock.

"Hiccup, what is it man?" Zander asks, bending down to face the red haired boy. Hiccup looks at the five questioning faces of his newfound family, and mumbles a shocked fact.

"Those ships. They're from..." He trails off; suddenly realising he didn't want to even say the name of the horrid place. "They're from Berk, aren't they?" Emera asks him, to which he nods mutely. "Mother of Odin." Lyle curses, peering at the ships. "Your tribe is FAT! How'd a toothpick like you come from people like these?"

This sets Hiccup over the edge, as the less-scrawny-than-two- years -ago Viking breaks into hysterical laughter. Tammy hoists the slightly insane boy up by the arm, and they make their way down the stairs.

Soon the planning begins back in the main hall, with all twenty of the tribe assembled in neat rows.

"Hrm. We'll need to think this through." Emera starts. "Why are they here?"

"TO GET HICCUP BACK!"

Apparently these meetings called for randomly shouting and hoping the others heard them.

"Why do they think he's here?"

"We take in the runaways, how can they not?"

"What if they think our intentions are more sinister?"

"Like how?"

"Kidnapping? Slaughter? Anything worse than that?"

...

"Point taken."

More hushed whispers, as teens whisper to their neighbours and friends.

"Well?"

Lyle cuts through the din, tall an imposing as he was.

"What are we going to do about it?"

Absolute silence.

A first for this group.

"Fight or flight?"

"They know we're here, so hidings out."

"Perhaps we could come to a diplomatic conclusion."

"You mean handing over Hiccup? No way!"

"No. I mean hide Hiccup, act like we've never heard of him; they think we're telling the truth, they leave."

All twenty (as determined by the last head count) ponder this solution.

"Brilliant. You're a genius Em."

"Of course I am."

"Now, now. Don't get a swollen head, or we'll have to drill holes in your skull to release the pressure."

Tammy stands, and drags out an old looking wooden box from under the table. "Alright," She announces to the twenty sitting before her. "The six of us will go and try Emeras' plan, but I want all the sentries on high alert, and I want everyone to either not go outside at all, or at least use the buddy system, go it?"

Everyone instantly agrees.

She opens the box to reveal six orient cloaks, in mild disrepair.

The others peer over her shoulders, as she grins "Let's go greet our guests, shall we?"

Stoik stands at the helm of the ship, determination etched across his face. His son was there. He could feel it. The island looms in front of him, tall, grey and imposing. Stoick was not surprised to think the wretched brats known as the Misfits lived here. Filthy kids, thinking they could kidnap his son.

It appears Zander was right.

Another first. They must be going for a record today.

"Don't worry Hiccup," He grunts as the boat touches shore. "I'm coming."

Five figures stand alone on the shores, black and unmoving. Each has a long cape billowing behind them, adding to their odd appearances. The glow of the sunset makes them appear larger and more threatening.

"Stoick," Gobber says, placing his good hand on his friends' shoulder, "They're just kids, you aren't actually thinking of..." He trails off, leaving the brutish intentions unspoken. "They kidnapped Hiccup," Stoick growls shoving Gobbers' hand off. "Kids or not, they've brought Berks' wrath against them."

With that, Stoick, Gobber and Spitelout launch off the ships, landing on the beach. The figures remain unmoving. Unknown to the men, Astrid jumps ship as well, following the leaders.

As the details come into realization, Stoick realises that they really are children, as the tallest can barely reach his elbows.

Each is dressed in a different colour, hoods pulled over their faces. Purple, dark blue, deep grey, blood red, and a midnight black.

"Hail, traveler." One says, the purple one to be exact, in a quick voice, realising the fact that she's female.

Stoick peers at the five, attempting to get any hint as to what they look like. "Where is he?" Stoick shouts, losing patience with the silence. "Where is who?" The purple cloak murmurs, not very convincingly. "Hiccup." Stoick spits, moving to grab the child.

He never gets as far. As soon as a foot is stepped out of line, her blade is at his throat. "We do not know of this 'Hiccup." She hisses, unwavering. "So, if that is all you came for, could you please get the HELL of our land?" She continues cockily, tapping Stoicks' cheek lightly with her blade. The man scowls, when a shriek cuts through the tense silence.

Astrid Hofferson cuts through the three Vikings, running at the girl with an axe at the ready. "DIE, YOU FOUL-UGH!" Her shout's cut off, as purple cloak punches her in the stomach and flips her onto the rocks.

The Vikings are shocked that their greatest teenaged fighter was just brought down in a minimum of five seconds.

All five of the Misfits are having trouble not laughing their asses off.

Because we all must keep up images, now must we?

The steel moves from the chief's throat, and turns to the grounded Astrid. "Want to repeat that?" The girl taunts sweetly. Behind her, the other four draw their blades, as do the Vikings. Astrid leaps to her feet, and the girls circle each other.

Insults are tossed around, as one girl spits at the other.

"Whore."
"Bitch."

"BRUTE!"

"KIDNAPPER!"

"INCORRECT ASSHOLE!"

Astrid leaps, swinging her axe and shrieking all the way. Purple cloak dodges, and counterattacks with her sword. Rage flies off both of their eyes.

The girl's hood whips off in the harsh wind, revealing blond hair and grey eyes.

Astrid pauses, as she expected a warped monster, not someone who looked completely and utterly human.

That's all Tammy needs. With three deft moves, Astrid is on the ground again, forced down with a black boot.

"I'm going to say this one more time." She hisses, grey eyes aflame. "Get. The. HELL. OFF. OUR. ISLAND."

Stoick backs off, and Astrid wriggles out from under Tammy's boot. She rushes behind the wall of Vikings, and the discussion continues.

"I repeat, we do not know of any person named Hiccup, and we probably never will. We may house outcasts, but we are not kidnappers. Every person here is on this island of their own free will. There, happy?"

"No." Stoik growls.

"Well... too bad. That's all we're saying."

The five disappear, merging with the blackened trees. The Vikings look to their leaders uncertainly, in complete silence. "We stay. I want patrols set around the ships; I want weapons sharpened, and I WANT MY SON BACK!" Stoick hollers to no one in particular.

Six cloaked shadows sit, listening to the Chiefs orders, and stop to look at one another.

"Not good." Each of them moans, flopping to their backs.

A/N so yeah, Astrid got pwned. XD I totally forgot to say this (really stupid writer over here), but thank you sooooooooo much to ElementalFantasyFairy, Ofunu, Assassin of Oblivion, and Ghostdragon101 for reviewing! You guys are awesome! Reviews mean a lot to me, and ILY all!