[Protector,] the blue and yellow Nadder began, its voice female, [he declares his intentions to kill you and you still call him brother?]

Toothless curled his neck, looking over to her. [Yes.]

The Nadder made a distracted chirp. The images showed Gobber switch his hammer attachment for an axe.

/Man the fort, Hiccup. They need me out there./

Gobber walked out, paused and whirled around.

/Stay. Put. There. You know what I mean./

Gobber charged into the fray. Hiccup smirked. Gyda and Shadowfire snickered, earning a confused look from Hiccup. Gyda just pointed to the walls as the images showed him push his Mangler out of the stall and weave through various yelling Vikings.

The images switched to some Nadders cornering several sheep. Stoick threw a net over them. Many Vikings head in but one Nadder fired. Stoick jumped onto it, clamping its jaws shut.

/Watch yourselves. The devils still have some juice in them./

"They are not devils, by the way," Gyda said.

"They steal food and kills us," Stoick protested.

"Does not make them devils. Just makes their actions wrong. When you decide someone is nothing more than a monster fighting them becomes a slippery slope. Instead of honor you justify any cruelty to them."

Stoick scoffed. "You know nothing of battle, witch."

Gyda shook her head. "First off, I am not a witch. Second, since you believe they are devils this makes it so?" She grunted. "Who made you one of the gods you worship?"

"What?"

"Who gave you the right to label something a devil? Which god died and made you one?"

"Please don't fight," Hiccup whispered.

Gyda turned. "As you wish."

Hiccup blinked. First Shadowfire and now Gyda. Both immediately obeyed him. He focused on the images when he saw himself reach the cliff edge and realized what was about to happen. He looked at Gyda, worried. His tribe would see just how he met Toothless and know what he had done. Gyda smiled and pointed to the barrier.

"You are safe," she whispered.

Hiccup nodded. The images began again. They showed Hiccup as he reached the cliff edge, sitting the Mangler down. He opened it and cocked the bola into place. He stared thought aiming sight. The familiar screech began to build again.

/Come on. Give me something to shoot at. Give me something to shoot at./

Blue-purple fire slammed the tower. A dark shape flew in front of the explosion. Hiccup jerked the Mangler right, firing. Recoil threw him to the ground. The bola flew. A loud crack and an agonizing screech followed. Hiccup sap up, watching something fall down. It landed on the far side of the island.

/Oh, I hit! Yes, I hit! Did anyone see that?/

The Nightmare from before climbed the cliff face. Hiccup's shoulders slumped.

/Except for you./

"There are those I know" Gyda said softly, "that love your sarcasm."

Hiccup lifted an eyebrow but a voice from the other side prevented him from questioning her.

"You really hit it, didn't you?"

Hiccup leaned forward, looking across the barrier at Astrid, who had asked the question.

"Him," he said. "I really hit him."

A peculiar expression crossed Astrid's face, but she said nothing else. Gyda waved a hand and the images restarted. That silenced the groups. Stoick appeared, holding down the netted Nadders. A fear-filled scream echoed throughout the cavern. Stoick turned and the images showed Hiccup running from the Nightmare. Stoick sighed and faced his men.

/Do not let them escape./

With that he turned and ran to Hiccup's defense. Vikings scattered as Hiccup and the Nightmare ran through the village. Hiccup took refugee behind an iron-clad pole. Fire erupted on either side of him. Hiccup peered to one side, but the Nightmare came around the other side. Hiccup turned. The Nightmare opened its mouth. Stoick appeared, tackling the Nightmare. Both began to wrestle but the Nightmare pulled free. It tried to fire only to cough out smoke.

/You're all out./

Stoick began punching the Nightmare several times before the Nightmare managed to get away. Hiccup's voice filled the cavern.

/Oh, and there's one more thing you need to know…/

The pole snapped, sending the brazier it was holding hurling down. It rolled over the edge of the cliff, tearing out wooden walkways as it went. Vikings ran out of its way, even the ones holding the netted Nadders.

/Sorry, Dad./

The freed Nadders took off, using the net to carry some sheep. Other dragons joined them and soon only the Vikings were left. They all gathered around the plaza, staring at Hiccup.

/Okay, but I hit a Night Fury./

Stoick grabbed Hiccup's tunic, dragging him through the plaza. Hiccup continued speaking.

/It's not like the last few times, Dad. I mean I really actually hit it. You guys were busy and I had a very clear shot. It went down, just off Raven Point. Let's get a search party out there, before it-

Stop! Just...stop!/

Stoick released Hiccup.

/Every time you step outside disaster follows. Can you not see I have bigger problems? Winter's almost here and I have an entire village to feed!

Between you and me the village could do with a little less feeding, don't you think?

This isn't a joke, Hiccup! Why can't you follow the simplest of orders?!

I can't stop myself. I see a dragon and I have to just… kill it, you know? It's who I am, Dad.

Oh, you are many things, Hiccup, but a dragon killer is not one of them. Get back to the house./

Stoick looked up.

/Make sure he gets there. I have his mess to clean up./

Stoick walked off as Gobber smacked the back of Hiccup's head. They passed in front of the teens earning insults from Tuffnut and Snotlout.

/Quite the performance.

I've never seen anyone mess up that badly. That helped!/

Hiccup kept walking but still responded.

/Thank you. Thank you. I was trying-/

His voice trailed off as he caught Astrid staring at him. He just turned away and Gobber pushed Snotlout to the ground as he followed Hiccup. They headed up the hill to chief's house. Hiccup spoke, insisting on his achievement.

/I really did hit one.

Sure, Hiccup.

He never listens.

Well, it runs in the family.

And when he does it always with this...disappointing scowl. Like someone skimped on the meat in his sandwich./

The reached the door and Hiccup turn to face Gobber. His voice affected an accent, sounding remarkably like Stoick.

/Excuse me, barmaid. I'm afraid you brought me the wrong offspring. I ordered an extra large boy with beefy arms. Extra guts and glory on the side. This here..this is a talking fishbone.

You're thinking about this all wrong. It's not so much what you look like, it's what inside he can't stand.

Thank you for summing that up.

Look the point is, stop trying to be something you're not.

I just want to be one of you guys./

Hiccup walked inside, leaving Gobber outside. He sighed and then walked away. The images slid along the side of the house. Hiccup ran out a back door and away from the village.

"Gobber!"

"You told me to make sure he got there. Not make sure he stayed."

"You told him I couldn't stand what's inside him."

"Because you can't," Gyda said.

"Witch, you know nothing."

Gyda sighed. "Again with the witch thing. Get another insult. And you don't like what's on the inside of him. Your entire village knows that. So believes the chief, so believes most of the tribe." She stood and walked around Shadowfire. "I do wish to know something. Did Hiccup loose his father and his mother the night she was taken?"

"How dare you?" Stoick bellowed, standing.

"No, how dare you? We all heard that Astrid and Fishlegs' parents patiently taught their children to fight. You tried once! Then you shoved your son off onto to Gobber, conveniently keeping him out of your hair."

"I am chief. It is my job to run that village. I can't do that and follow my son around."

"You are a father. It is your job to ensure your son is ready for life!"

Hiccup jumped up and stood in front of Gyda. She looked down at him.

"Please, he's still my dad."

Gyda sighed. "I know, Hiccup. I can't promise I won't speak when I feel I should. I will defend you at the cost of my own life."

Hiccup blinked. "Why?"

"Because you are worth it."

Hiccup knew then Gyda was insane. He was worth nothing. The villagers made sure he knew that. His cousin made sure he knew that. His father made sure he knew that. He could not fight. He could not wield any weapon bigger than a dagger. He was scrawny. He was weak. He was not a Viking.

"I see you don't believe me," Gyda said, "but your disbelief doesn't make my statement a lie. Come, there is more to see."