Part 4 Heathers return
Finally finished a new chapter! Hope you like it.
Hiccups and Dagurs Relationship develops. And Dagur has a surprise for the riders.
Some weeks had passed. Hiccup has decided he wanted to go exploring the unknown parts of the archipelago the dragon eye has showed him and he brought his wish before the council of Berk.
And with Stoiks blessing the gang left Berk. They found an island where they build an outpost the "dragon edge".
Meanwhile, at the ship graveyard…
"Okay, that s the last one." Savage said as the last of the equipment was pulled up from the sunken Reaper. A lot of cages and traps were stacked on the deck.
Dagur overlooked the catch.
"Well, if we sell this as scrap metal, we may get some gold to buy more suitable equipment. Or we could sell the cages and traps to dragon hunters, it would bring more wealth, but if Hiccup would find out…"
"I know, Chief. You promised him to left the side of being evil. Well, maybe it will be better not always getting our ships destroyed and sunk by the dragon riders." Savage said.
Dagur growled as he remembered how Hiccup and his gang had so often ruined his plans. But when Hiccups smiling face got into his mind, he took a few deep breaths and calmed down again. He can do this. For Hiccup. For his little brother. Thor, why did he adore this boy so much?
"Yeah, all the repairs and new ships always costs a fortune!-Had the men returned the treasure to the places where we found them?" he returned his attention back to Savage.
"Aye. As you told. We had done as the boy say."
"Good. Then lets set sail."
On one of the trading posts Dagur was able to sell all the old metal for a good amount of gold.
When the Berserker and his crew were in a tavern to have some drinks, Savage got some usable news.
"Chief, I heard from the keeper of the Tavern, that some Outcasts wanted to sell two ships. Wouldn't this be a good occasion to enlarge our fleet a bit?"
"Well, its no fault to take a look at it." Dagur nodded.
"Good. I talk to the go-between, he will made contact with the sellers and then let us know where we could meet them."
When Hiccup got back to Berk to get some supplies, some unknown Dragon rider attacked Buckets and Mulchs Boat and nearly destroyed it. Hiccup and the gang observed the boat and found a mysterious silver Metal sting, similar to a Nadders. After research with the dragon eye and a phantom drawing from Buckets describings, they found out, that the dragon who wrecked the ship was a Razorwhip, a new species of dragon. Because he like sea slugs, the riders started to search the islands where this slugs could be found.
After a fruitless search, the spotted a campfire on a small island. Hiccup and the others parted and began to look for the mysterious rider and his Razorwhip. But one by one, Hiccups Friends were overpowered and tricked by the stranger, but Hiccup and Toothless were able after a wild chase to shoot them down.
The stranger turned out to be Heather, the girl who stranded on Berk four years ago. She was the rider of the razorwhip who she saved and trained like she learned from Hiccup and the others in the past.
She told them that her Village was attacked and destroyed and that her parents lost their lifes one year after they first met on Berk. Since then Heather was all alone till she found Windshear, her Razorwhip. Hiccup invited her to the dragon edge and told her she could stay as long as she wants.
But in the first night Hiccup discovers how Heather left the base in secret. He followed her and found her meeting with Trader Johan on his ship near a small island.
When Heather left again Hiccup forced Johann to talk what Heather was up to. So the trader told her about the home and people she lost and who the one is on which she wants to take revenge.
"Dagur…I cant belive you did such a cruel thing!" Hiccup thought, as he followed Heathers trail. He must find the Berserker before her and get more answers. All what Trader Johann could tell was that Dagur attacked once Heathers home island and destroyed her village. And in this process her parents died. That was the reason she attacked ships and stole their fright. To help the survived people who had lost everything.
Dagur at the moment was out in the sea, trying to come to terms with the Outcast who wanted to sell the ships. Savage handled one of the Outcasts two bags of Gold.
"Hey! That's not the price we agreed on !"
"Well-and these ships are not as you described! So take now the Gold I offered you or –"
Suddenly two silver stings hit the deck near Dagurs boots.
"What the hell-" Dagur growled and looked upwards. Then he saw the circling dragon. The trader, an outcast from another tribe, shrunk and grabbed the bags with the gold.
"Ugh-okay, okay! You get this two there and we will send you three other, better ones! Is that okay?" he stammered.
"Well, that would a proper suggestion. I will send you a note where our rendez-vous-point will be." Dagur agreed.
"G-good. –Men, let´s get out of here, before we get impaled by this Razorwhip!"
Hasty the traders returned to their boat and set sail.
"It was a pleasure to make trades with you!" Dagur called after the fleeing men. Then he looked at Savage and shrugged.
"What shall we do about this dragon?" his Second asked.
"Its Heather again! Hey! Stop your attacks and come down here! I have something to-"
Dagurs last words were interrupted by Savages warning scream: "Chief! Watch out!"
Everyone jumped for cover when a fiery blast hit the deck.
"Okay. If you not want to hear…" Dagur growled. "Prepare the chains! I don't want her to ruin my new ships!"
Dagur looked at Heather with narrowed eyes.
"Okay, wait till he is in range…Now!" Dagur commands. A single chain with a grappling hook flew upwards and wrapped around Windshears tail!
"NO!" Heather thought in shock. Another chain flew up and wrapped around Windshears body. The dragon turned and tried to fly away, while Heather tried to loosen the chains.
"Good! Now reel the dragon in! But careful, we don't want to hurt it!" Dagur ordered.
The berserkers tug on the chains.
"Stop fighting it, Heather! –Arg, this girl is deaf to my words!" the berserker chief growled. Two more chains came flying from the other ships, one misses, but the second wrapped around the girls upper body. With a scream she was slammed against Windshears neck, now unmovable trapped.
"Good! She is immobile! Now we can reel her and her dragon down." Dagur nodded satisfied. "I will show you destroying my ships!"
Hiccups eyes went wide when he spotted the captured Heather and the dragon who were slowly tugged down to the ships.
"Heather!"
"Heather, for Thors sake, don't fight it, you will only hurt yourself! As I said: "I-only-want-to-talk!" Dagur shouted.
With a growl, Hiccup turned to Dagurs ship and floated beside it, till he spotted the Berserker chief.
"Dagur! What the hel are you doing!" he shouted angry.
"Oh, hello Hiccup! I don't want to harm her! But she attacked us out of the blue! It's the second time she went after one of my ships! She already destroyed and robbed two of them I newly bought! And now she want to do it with these too! I called for her to get down for a talk- but instead she always attacked us with her dragon!" Dagur answered. "I am only defending my ships!"
"Okay, Dagur! Release her! I know her and I will talk with her!" Hiccup said.
"You know her?"
"Yes, she was washed on the shores of Berk four years ago! –I tell you the story another time! -
But there must something have happened, because why else is she so upset and attacking your ships! Is there something you haven't told me?"
"Well, it could be that I raided her village-but this was before I got imprisoned!"
Hiccup shot him a skeptical look.
"Relase her! Now!" he ordered.
"But you must go up and loosen the grappling hooks!" Dagur instructed him.
"Okay!"
Hiccup steered Toothless upright. First he tried to shoot the chain that held Heather bound to Windshear. But the plasma blast showed no effect. The chains were dragonfire-proof.
"Okay, this doesn't work."
"Heather! Don't worry! I will free you!" the Hooligan called.
With the help of Toothless Hiccup was able to loose the hooks, the chains slid from the dragon and fell back into the sea.
"Okay, now pull them back aboard!" Dagur commanded. "And get us out of here! There will be another chance to talk with her. Let Hiccup reason with her, maybe he can bring her to her senses again."
Heather watched the leaving ships with rising anger.
"No! He is getting away!" she roared.
"Heather! Stop it! " Hiccup said with a stern voice.
"What?"
"Leave Dagur alone!"
Heathers eyes widened. She couldn't belive what she have heard!
"Are you insane?! I must destroy him! For that I risk everything!" she shouted enraged.
"Even Windshears life?"
The Razorwhip whined.
Heather lowered her head and sighed.
"No, girl. I would never let you hurt again." she said.
"Heather. It may sounds insane, but Dagur is trying to fix the mistakes he had done. That's why he released you after I ordered him to do! He said he wants to talk with you-but you always attacked him and never listened."
Heathers eyes went wide.
"I don't belive you! Have you teamed up with this monster?"
"He-is –not – a-monster. Not anymore. He tries to change. And I am giving him a second chance!"
Heather growls frustrated and pulled Windshear around.
"Lets head back to the edge. And when your Anger has cooled of, we should go both and have a talk with Dagur."
Toothless glides alongside Windshear, as they flied back to the outpost. No words have been spoken, since they were on their way back, till Hiccup broke the silence.
"Heather, Trader Johan told me, what happened to your village. I´m sorry for that. Was it really Dagur?"
Heathers eyes hardened.
"Yes. He attacked my village and killed the ones who raised me." he spat. "For that he must pay!"
"Raised you?"
"I was parted from my real family when I was little and they saved me."
"Oh, I see. Do you remember your real family?"
"Not much. I only remember my fathers hands. They were rough, but very gentle. And I remember playing with his shield. And the only thing that I carried with me when I was found was this horn."
Heather held up a white horn with a golden tip.
"A nice token." Hiccup smiled.
"Yeah. I can use it for drinking and when I remove the golden cap I can use it to call Windshear. I don't know if it supposed to mean something, but whenever I look at it, I think of him and I wish I knew who he was." Heather said and placed the horn carefully into her bag again.
"I still can´t belive that Dagur tries to change." she said then.
"He saved my live two times since he broke out of Outcast prison. And he always calls me brother. He started with it when we had a training session at dragon island, where he was all alone to hunt dragons. And I made a big mistake there then. I did not tell him the truth about that we are not killing Dragons anymore. Oh, he was so angry and I saw the disappointment in his face, when I rejected him and to made it more worse, I threatened him openly to use our dragons on him and his tribe, if he dares to attack Berk! It was like a war declaration! But we talked it out and I said I was sorry. "
"You simply talked it out?"
"Heather, Dagur had a lot of time to think things over. Three long years….and he was tortured by Alwin, had you seen all the scars? No, he has paid enough for his past sins! He wants to be a better chief and I am giving him a chance."
"And you wanted me to talk with Dagur too? Sorry, Hiccup, but a talk could not take the fact out of this world, that he destroyed my village and killed people!" Heather growled.
Later, at the clubhouse on the edge.
"Sorry, for locking your dragons in, I just diddnt trust you guys would let me go after Dagur." Heather explained.
Hiccup told Astrid to take Heather with her and keep her busy for awhile.
"She should forget her dark thoughts and see the bright sides of life."
"Good Idea, Hiccup." the shieldmaiden nodded. "Heather, come! Lets do some girls stuff!"
First the two went to a quiet place to practice axe throwing. During their small competition Heather asked if there is something between her and Hiccup.
"No! We are just Friends. Nothing more! Just-Friends." Astrid says.
"I see. But the looks you share and the way you are together…"
"Its nothing, really."
"Okay, enough of that. What else do you do for fun around here?" Heather asked. Astrid smiled. Dagur and Heathers dark thoughts are far away at the moment.
"Come on!" the shieldmaiden called her friend and stormed off.
While the two girls continued to have fun with their dragons, Hiccup studied a map, while Toothless sniffed curious at Heathers black leather bag, who hung from the wall near the entrance of the clubhouse where she have left it. Then he digs his snout into the satchel and start rummaging through it.
"Toothless, no! What are you doing? Leave it!" Hiccup said sternly and pulled the bag from his snout. "This is not the best way to earn her trust."
A solid thunk caught his attention. He looked down and spotted the horn who had fell out of the satchel. The Hooligan picked it up when something engraved on it caught his attention.
"This…is my dad´s chief seal!"
Hiccup remembered Heather saying that her father gave her this horn. Could it be that….
"Toothless, lets head to Berk!"
Heathers old camping ground was the destination where the two girls with their dragons finally landed.
"Why are we here?"
"We are looking for something."
"For what? It would be helpful if you tell me."
Then Astrid spotted a slight movement. She swings her axe forward and rips someone from a bush smashing a person to the hard ground.
"Trader Johann?" she asks in surprise looking down at the trembling man.
"Mistress Astrid!" Johann said and hold up his arms protectively in front of his face. "Its nice to see you again, but would you mind lowering your axe so my frightened soul could return back in my body?"
Astrid huffed and removed her foot from the chest of the trader.
"Johann!" Heather rushed to him and helped the trader to his feet.
"Mistress Heather! Thank Thor you are not dead! When the Terror with the message I send you returned, I was worried and when I arrived here and saw your camp abandoned, I feared the worst!" Johann said.
"Can someone tell me whats going on?" Astrid asked.
"Well, I have the exact location where a certain Berserker is at the moment." the Trader begun.
"And I am the warrior who will takes care of him!" Heather finishes, giving another showing how skilled she was with her double-bladed axe.
"Dagur has purchased some new ships and they will meet here, in the sea of despair. They have powerful catapults and dragon-proof chains and winches. And I don't need to tell you what power he will get with this new Armada.." Johann says and opens a map.
"Yeah, but I don't think, Dagur…" Astrid began, but before she can finished her sentence, Heather thanked Johann for the map, took it and stormed off to her dragon.
In the meantime Hiccup arrived at Berk and went straight to the great Hall, where his father held Berks gripe day and listens to the small and big problems of his tribemates.
"Father, I need to talk to you. Its urgent!" Hiccup said and lifted the horn. Stoiks eyes went wide. He recognized the gift.
"Hiccup when a chief gets a child, its common that it gets gifts from befriended or allied tribes. Remember the tiny axe I let Gobber made when you were still a baby?"
"Uh, yeah." the Hooligan heir nodded. "Its still in my toy chest."
"We have to go now!" Heather shouts in the clubhouse before the gathered Riders and her dragons." Dagur wont be out in the open for long!"
The girl clenched her fists angrily.
"Heather…Hiccup wouldn't allow that! I know, you want revenge for your destroyed village and killed family, but he would not tolerate to go into battle against the Berserker!" Astrid said.
"Guys, I wished Hiccup and Toothless were here, trust me. But they are not and we couldn't wait any longer! Who knows what he will do with his new armada if we not stop him now and destroyed the fleet! For what other purpose do you think did he buy the ships?!"
"It is not sure, that Dagur is planning to attack other villages. He promised Hiccup—" Fishlegs began, but Heather cut him off.
"Promised to be not deranged anymore? Never! He is not to trust! So if we attack all at once, we can crush him and his armada!"
The riders shared skeptical looks. If they attack Dagur without reason, Hiccup will never forgive them.
He gave the Berserker a chance.
"You heard Johann. This is our last chance to get him! Tell them, Astrid!"
"Look, Heather, a revenge is the wrong way…" Astrid starts.
"So you too? just forget it, all of you. I guess all that stuff about trust and having my back was just talk. So I am on my own again!" Heather hisses, whipping around and running towards Windshear. Astrid watches her mounting her dragon and securing her axe strapped at her back.
"Where did you get this horn?" Stoik asked.
"Its Heathers. The girl who stranded here a few years back."
"Yes…Heather…"
"She said her father gave it to her. But it has your seal on it. Dad….could it be…that Heather is my sister?" Hiccup asked silently.
Stoik looked at the horn, then at his son and sighed.
in the meantime on Dragons edge.
"It seems that it s only you and me, Windshear. As usual." Heather huffed. "Okay, lets.—"
"Hey." Astrid calls and Heather stopped her dragon from departing. She and the other riders are standing with weapons in one hand around her. "If we gonna do this this had to be a capture mission, not a kill mission, agreed? We bring Dagur here and hold a trial about what he has done! But Hiccup will have the last word about this!"
"Agreed. But how will Hiccup find us?" Heather asked.
As an answer Astrid pinned the map with the marking at the gate of the dragon stable.
"You know, where Dagurs ships are, right?" she asked.
Heather nodded.
And whats your plan?"
"Hit him when he at least expects it."
"Then lets go!"
The riders mounted their dragons.
Dagur sighs as he stared out towards the fog.
"When will the three new ships arriving?"
"It must be at any time, sir." Savage said. " I hope they are keeping their word we have already gave them the payment."
"They will. If not-I know where their base is…" Dagur growled and stabbed one of his daggers into the mast.
When Hiccup arrives back on Dragons edge, he found the place abandoned. Then Toothless sniffed at a map pinned at the gate of the dragon pen and warbled.
"What have you found, bud?" Hiccup asked and walked to his dragon. He ripped Astrids Dagger from the door and stared at the markings of the map. Then realization hit him.
"Oh no. Heather, please don't make anything stupid!" he gasped. "Toothless! I am sorry, but we have to make another fast flight!"
"There he is!" Heather shouts and pointed down at the ships. The biggest one had the Skrill banner on its sail.
"Okay. As I told you. We are using the element of surprise. You distract the Berserkers, while I and Astrid are going for Dagur." Heather explained.
"Right." Snotlout nodded.
"Wha-Dragons incoming!" the man on the watch suddenly called.
"Is my brother Hiccup with them?" Dagur asked.
"I see only three." Savage answered. Suddenly two fire blasts hit the ship.
"Hey! What in Hels name-why they are attacking us!? Whats got into them?" the second in command cried. " We held the peace!"
"Something is strange here…prepare the grappling hooks and the bolas! Lets get one of these boys down and hope we will get some answers about this!" the Berserker answered.
Dagur couldn't understand why three of Hiccups gang are attacking his fleet out of the blue! And Hiccup was nowhere seen!
Meanwhile Heather and Astrid scale the wood of Dagurs flag ship while Stormfly and Windshear cling to the side of the rump. The two girls pulled themselves up towards the edge of the ship and began to knock out the crewmen who spotted them. They worked quick and silently, Dagur did not notice that he had two silent intruders on board.
When Fishlegs came too near to the ships railing, Dagur was able to catch Meatlug with a chain around one of her hind legs.
"Got you! And now I want some answers!" the berserker growled as he pulled his catch closer to the ship. But suddenly Dagur was thrown forward by two hard kicks.
"What the hel-Hey!"
Before he could react his hands were bound on his back and he was roughly turned around.
"You two?" he gasped when he spotted the two girls looking down at him. "Whats the meaning of all this? Why do you attack my ships? Did Hiccup order this?"
"Quiet!" Heather snarled and showed a gag into Dagurs mouth. Now the Nadder and the Razorwhip entered the ship too. No one registered the low deep growl that rumbled under the planks of the deck.
"Now you will pay for what you have done to my village!-Windshear, finish him!" Heather snarled.
"What? No! We had decided that no one should be killed! You can´t do this! Hiccup will never forgive you if you hurt him!" Astrid shouted.
"Sorry, Astrid, but I changed my mind. "Windshear!"
The Razorwhip retracted his spikes, ready to strike!
An evil smirk appeared on Heathers face. No, that's not her, the shieldmaiden thought with horror. She is now acting like a….a berserker! She had lied to her that Astrid and the others helped Heather to fulfill her revenge! What have I done, the shieldmaiden gasped.
Suddenly a guttural roar echoed over the deck and in the next moment a green big Gronkle came out of an open hatch on the deck, bounded over the planks and butted the Razorwhip away! With bared teeth and a low growl he posed himself over Dagur who was able to cut his binds and spat out the gag, Heather stuffed in his mouth.
"What in Thors name…" Astrid gasped. Fishlegs who still sat on his chained Meatlug could only stare in awe.
"Now you look, eh? Our chief has now trained a dragon for riding too!" Savage grinned, who held the chain in position.
"Shattermaster, hold it! Its okay, buddy." he called and crept out under the dragons belly. Then he petted the massive head and got a low purr from the Gronkle.
Astrids and Heathers eyes got big.
"Is this…YOUR dragon?" the Hofferson asked baffled. "And…he is protecting you…"
"Yeah. Heather had one, you had one-why should I not?" Dagur answered unconcerned and shrugged. "Cause I cant ride Cloudstorm, I have now Shattermaster."
Suddenly a familiar howling sound caught every ones attention.
"Heather! Astrid! Stop it!"
The next moment Hiccup landed on the deck with Toothless.
"Oh, now my brother is here too. You came in the right moment! Your Riders attacked my ships and Heather and your furious Walkyrie wanted to kill me!" Dagur growled.
"Yeah! Like YOU killed my parents!" Heather spat.
"Heather, I wanted to talk to you about…" Dagur began, but Hiccup interfered.
"First you listen to me! Heather, this horn is a present from my father to yours for your birth. It was Oswald, the agreeable! You are his second born! And he is Dagurs father, too! And that means, Dagur is your brother! It would not be right to kill him! Not even for revenge! And-I will not allow it!"
Hiccups look was stern and he gave Heather back her horn. He was standing firm between her and Dagur, shielding him with his back.
Dagurs Eyes went wide as Hiccup spoke the last sentence.
"Is he protecting me?" he thought.
"I-I cant belive it! They are related?" Astrid gasped.
"So its true! This is the last proof! I finally found you! Heather, you are really my little sister! - But every time we met, you attacked my ship with your dragon before we had a chance to talk! And I am only defending my fleet! -Heather look, I am sorry what happened back then and it´s your right to be mad at me! But I want to fix the things I have done, before it´s too late.-I am the only family you have left! I searched so long for you!" the berserker said. Astrid couldn't believe what she heard. So Hiccup was right. Dagur tries to compensate some of his errors he made.
"Astrid! Tell the others to stop the attacks! Return to the edge!"
"But Hiccup…"
"Do as I say! I can solve this alone! And we will later have a talk about this! What did you think about to join Heather in her revenge for Dagur! I want that you apologize to him for your meaningless attack!"
"Uh-we did not want to kill someone, but suddenly Heathers mind changes! She really is a berserker, I saw the evil look in her eyes, as she gave Windshear the order to finish him!" Astrid told Hiccup, then she turned to the Berserker chief. "Dagur, I am sorry. We shouldn't have followed Heathers plan."
Dagur nodded, he acceped Astrids apologize.
The shieldmaiden mounted Stormfly and took off.
"Hey, whats going on there?" Snotlout called.
"We return the the edge!"
"WHAT? And Hiccup? And Heather? And who in Thors name is that green Gronkle?" he asked.
"Hiccup wanted to solve this alone! I will tell you all on the way back! So follow me!"
In the meantime Savage spotted the three ships sailing towards the Berserker Fleet.
They open fire with the catapults and Stones were flying towards the dragon riders.
"The new ships for my fleet have finally arrived! But they think we are under attack.-Savage!" Dagur shouted.
"Yes, my Chief?"
"Call for all the ships to stop the attacks! The dragon riders are going to retract!"
"At once, my chief!-STOP THE ATTACKS!" Savage bellowed and waved his arms. The call spread from ship to ship and the crews held the fire.
In the meantime Meatlugs chain was removed.
"You are free. Return with the others." Savage told Fishlegs.
"Okay." the rider murmured, a bit unsure. What was Hiccup up to?
Heather stands near Windshear, her face down, lips pressed firmly together. Then she lifted her head and faced her older brother with blazing eyes.
"You attacked my village and killed my family!" she snarled. "Dou you think this could so easily forgiven?! You took everything away from me!"
"Dagur!? So it is really true?" Hiccup asked sternly.
"Yeah. It´s like my sister said. It was the tribe that raised her. A few months, before our fight for Outcast island I got a message from my source, that there was a black-haired girl named Heather living on an island. Maybe my long missing sister? So I went to this island to see this girl. But when I landed on the island and get into the village, Heather was not there. I told the villages of my search, but somehow we got into an argue and the inhabitants drove us away, they think I wanted to steal their girl. I got in rage and ordered my man to burn the village down, when we were aboard our ships again. A storm of burning arrows were send to the village…who burned down the whole houses. But I swear in Thors name, that I did not order to kill the inhabitants! But some of them died when they tried to quench the fires from falling burning wreckage. And –your foster parents where two of them. I know that I can´t bring them back from Walhalla. I can only tell you how sorry I am for this, sister."
"But you killed them anyway! When I returned, my village was in ruins, my family dead! I will never forgive you this!" Heather snarled, jumped on Windshears back and bolted into the air. She couldn't belive what she heard! The looks her older brother gave her. In his eyes she saw no malice –only sadness.
"Heather! No! Please forgive me!" Dagur shouted and waved his arms. Sighing he slacked and hung his head.
"Heather told us, after this she lived the last years all alone." Hiccup said. "No girl should experience such losses. First her real family and then her foster parents."
"Thor, what have I done? It happened when I was still this deranged teen. I let the village burn down and sailed away, because the villagers don't wanted that I meet Heather….I was so enraged!"
"It was the wrong way to get in contact with her at that time. Now she is all mad at you. And I don't think she will forget this so easy. She can be very unforgiving. Like Astrid some times. But I will be still behind you."
"You still give me a chance? Brother…I thank you."
The green big Gronkle whined and prodded his rider.
"Don't worry, bud, I m okay." Dagur said with a sad smile.
"Um, Dagur…who is this Gronkle?"
"Oh, this is Shattermaster."
"Shattermaster?"
"Yeah. I have now a dragon too for riding."
"What? How did you train him?"
"Piece of cake. I found him in a dragon hunter trap. Normally I would have killed him-but I remembered what you told and taught me. And I remember Alwin bragging around how he trained a whispering death –and old Milddew babbled a lot when I asked him how you was able to breake out of Outcast prison. The most important fact is trust, he repeated you. So I tried too. And old Shattermaster was so happy when I freed him and tended his paw that he did not want to leave anymore. You see? He is every time wagging his tail and panting like a dog when he sees me." Dagur told with a light grin. And he protected me from Heathers dragon to finish me off. –"Yeah, buddy. This is my little brother Hiccup. Say hello to Hiccup and his dragon Toothless."
"Oh-hi, Shattermaster." Hiccup smiled when the green Gronkle licked his face and warbled happily. Then he began to "talk" with Toothless.
"So you are able to train dragons too. Its good to see you making progresses."
"And don't forget little Cloudstorm."
"Oh yes! How is he?"
"He is back at Berserk island with my uncle. I don't wanted him to bring with me where he could get in danger, till he is so small. He is loved by the entire tribe and he loves my uncle too."
"I don't thought you have still an uncle."
"He is doing the chief thing, since I was imprisoned and I told him to continue with it, till I decided I am really ready for being a chief."
Hiccup looked at the older man and smiled. It was good that he gave him a second chance. And he started to like him in a way he never did before.
"Its getting late…you should return to your friends." Dagur said, watching the sun set.
"Do you mind if I stay the night with you? Toothless and I had a long flight to Berk and then back to you. He is exhausted."
"If you want...you will always have a warm place in my bed, brother."
"Then lets go. It was a long hard day."
"Aye. That it was. I will join you later, I must first check the damages."
When Dagur returned a bit later to his cabin, Toothless was already asleep in a corner of the room near Shattermaster. And Hiccup was sitting on the soft fur blankets on the bed. He wore only his pants and had his arms rested on his bent knees.
"I see you and your dragon already made yourself comfortable." Dagur smiled and started to strip his armor and boots.
"Are they a lot of damages? I am sorry, I don't know what got into Astrids and the others mind to attack your ships!"
"Its nothing serious, little one. Not what my crew can fix." Dagur said, crawled onto the bed and scooped the smaller male into his arms. This time, Hiccup snuggled closer to the bigger male and leaned his head on Dagurs shoulder. The Berserker pulled the furs over them.
"I missed your warmth." Hiccup murmured, already half –asleep. Dagur smiled softly. There it was again. This deep content feeling. Was this the love of a caring brother?
When Dagur awoke the next morning, Hiccup was lying on him his head resting on his chest. "You always searching for the warmest place, eh, little fishbone?" he murmured. When he started to push carefully the long bangs out of Hiccups face, the Hooligan woke up.
"Uh-oh, sorry, Dagur, I don't want…" he stammered and his cheeks flushed red.
"Hey, no problem. Stay if you are feeling comfortable. How did you sleep?"
"Good and safe."
"By the way, did your girlfriend warm you in the cold nights?"
Hiccup lifted his head abruptly.
"No! No… we cant yet…"
"But I think you should start to tell what you are feeling for her. Don't wait too long, little one.-And don't scold her too much for the attack on my ships. She don't wanted to let my sister go alone. And for that I am grateful."
"Dagur…" Hiccup sighed and rolled himself of the larger man and sat up at the beds edge.
In the meantime the dragons were awake too and watched as the older male got up too and sat beside the younger one.
"With you, its so simple…" Hiccup sighed and leaned against the Berserker, when he put an arm around him.
"You can always come to me, when something bothers you. I then will try to help you."
"Thanks Dag.-Its time for me to return, the others are sure worried where I stayed the whole night."
"But I will not let you and Toothless leave without breakfast."
After one hour Hiccup left Dagurs flagship and headed back to the edge.
"Ah, I forgot to ask him where his new outpost is! He talked about that they have build a base. Because the next time, I will visit him with Shattermaster." the Berserker said when he spotted the Hooligan and the Nightfury vanishing between the clouds.
When Hiccup returned to the edge, Heather was about to leave.
"Hiccup, where have you been the whole night?" Astrid asked.
"On Dagurs ship. Toothless was to exhausted for another flight back."
"I see.-Look I am sorry, that we helped Heather attacking Dagurs fleet. He really wants to make peace with his sister."
"Its okay. Dagur told me not to be angry with you and the others about this."
Heather joined the two.
"Hiccup…I-I am sorry, I shouldn't have pulled your friends in this. I will leave Dagur now alone." she apologized to the Hooligan.
"Heather…Dagur really seeks for forgiving. Give him a chance-like I gave him. I have told you what happened after he saved me. He searched so long for you. "
"Maybe I will one time. But I am not trusting him yet! And for the moment I need some time alone to think over it."
"I see. But if you need help-call us or visit us. You are always welcome."
"Hiccup…don't you think that he is fooling us all?"
"No. I was some days with him together and we had a lot of talks…and I saw his eyes. They have changed, Heather. And when Shattermaster trusts him and even Toothless… I believe into him too."
Heather mounted Windshear.
"Thanks for all, Astrid. Hiccup, hold an eye on my so called "brother" on me, will you?"
The Hooligan nodded softy.
The Razorwhip leaped into the air and the two watched Heather fly off.
"I know you two got pretty close." Hiccup said. "I am sorry you´re losing a familiar."
"Well, Hiccup, don't forget, I still have you." Astrid said and put an arm around his shoulder.
"Yes… you have me… And I have my "brother" Dagur." Hiccup thought with a soft smile.
to be continued…
