"Explain it again, slowly," Stoick said as he tried to make sense of what the riders were telling him. So far what they had told him made no sense. Hiccup was going younger and Krogan had stolen him? That made no sense. To make someone age backwards was impossible for one and Hiccup being kidnapped…well that he could see. Hiccup would be a powerful bargaining chip if Krogan was after something from Berk but that didn't seem Krogan's style. He was a bounty hunter. He would only capture Hiccup if someone wanted him captured. Which meant Viggo's return from the pit of the volcano may have stirred a yet more hostilities between the Hunters and Riders. More specifically the personal war between Viggo and Hiccup. It was days like this Stoick wondered if he did the right thing by letting his sin and his friends leave Berk to explore.

"We don't know how it happened or how to reverse it," Astrid confessed, her voice wavering in sorrow and anger. "All we know for certain is he went from nineteen to eleven or twelve in less than a day and Odin only knows how much younger he is now. But Krogan took him. Whatever he shot Hiccup with earlier…he knew this was going to happen and he knew we would try to take Hiccup to Berk. It was a coordinated attack. The fliers have locked us down here to keep us from interfering."

"Well you're not locked down anymore," Stoick said firmly. "Everyone who can fly, saddle up. The rest of you stay here and prepare for incoming. I'm not letting that man keep my son."

He turned toward Gothi. The tiny woman looked ready for battle and held her staff in both hands.

"You're staying, old woman. I need you to find a cure for my son," he explained calmly. "Have the remaining riders gather you whatever you need."

"I'll stay behind to help," Fishlegs offered. "I know all the herbs on the island."

"I'll stay, too," Heather said, placing a hand on Fishlegs's shoulder. "Between the two of us we can get everything Gothi needs."

Snotlout sauntered over to his chief. "Great, you two do that while I go out and kick whoever's ass it was that shot me down."

"Yeah, us, too," Ruffnut shouted, volunteering herself and her brother.

Astrid shook her head. "Your dragons are in no shape to fly for a ling distance," she tried to reason but there was a reason Snotlout and the Twins were labeled Snotnuts; when they got something foolish in their heads they didn't back down.

There wasn't as many fliers now. Stoick had quite literally plowed his way through them to get to the small outpost. Nevertheless, those that could regrouped, ready to stop the riders, fully expecting another chaotic distraction. This time they didn't fall for it, but that in itself was another distraction. They weren't prepared for Stoick charging into them with Skullcrusher, or Snotlout and the twins swooping up to startle them and engage them in and aerial game of cat and mouse. The few that stayed behind were quickly handed by Toothless, Sleuther and Stormfly as they took off in the direction Krogan was last seen with Hiccup. Astrid flew Toothless while Stormfly stayed close to the Nightfury's right flank, Sleuther and Dagur on the left. Stoick and Skullcrusher joined a moment later, watching the rear encase of surprise attack, an unconscious flier draped over his saddle. Nothing short of Loki himself was going to stop them from finding Hiccup.

. . .

Viggo stared at the small vial of liquid in his hand. It didn't seem like much more than colored water yet Excellenor ensured him it would stop Hiccup from de-aging any further. A part of him highly doubted it. He didn't trust the witch and his mind still refused to accept magic even though he had proof of it sitting right before him. Hiccup had grown even younger over the evening. Now it was past night fall and he stood no more than three feet tall and either four or five years of age.

"What is that?" the boy asked, eying the vial suspiciously.

Viggo considered it for a moment more. "This will help stop you from getting any younger," he explained, although he wasn't sure why he bothered. The child wasn't the quick witted young man he had faced off with anymore. He was just a little boy now.

"Why don't you want me to get younger?"

And sometimes he asked big boy questions.

"Because you're not use to me as an infant or…" He let his voice trail off, not wanting to think of what was to come if not stopped now. He popped off the stopper and rank smell filled the tent.

"EWE! That's worse than Snotlout's socks!" the child cried, covering his nose. His eyes watered. "No…it's worse than Tuff dirty underwear!"

It was hard not to laugh, but the boy had a point. Whatever was in the potion was utterly disgusting. It made Viggo's eyes burn as he fought not to gage from the smell. As quickly as possible, he dabbed several long needles into the mixture then corked it. The smell didn't going away. Viggo was forced to open the tent to let it air out.

"That was gross," Hiccup whined. "Worse than yaknog gross. I'd rather drink yaknog than that," he informed Viggo, his face a little green.

Viggo felt for him. Whatever yaknog was it sounded better than this. He set the needles aside. One should do the trick. After all Krogan had shot Hiccup twice from a distance whereas Viggo had the boy right in front of him and could place the in a nice thick vein.

"Come here," he commanded, holding a hand out to the boy.

Hiccup immediately stepped back, his gaze on the table and the pointy needles. "No."

"Hiccup. Come. Here."

"Nuh uh," the boy insisted. "Krogan already made me a pin cushion, I'm not letting you do it, too."

Inhaling through his nose, Viggo counted slowly to ten. This boy was going to be the death of him, and he wasn't even dangerous. Tired of the kid games, he snatched the boy up and sat him on the table. He held one arm tightly as the child struggled, grabbed one of the potion tipped needles and quickly jabbed it into the big vein on the inside of the boy's elbow. He waited only a moment before yanking it out and repeated the procedure with a free needle. The boy stared at his arm in horror before big fat tears rolled down his cheeks and he wailed in anguish. Once again Viggo was taken back by the sheer volume one small child could reach. He pulled the boy on his lap, hoping to sooth him but Hiccup would have none of it. He clambered off the man's lap and ran toward the opening as if trying to make a break for it. He didn't get far. Krogan scooped him up before he made it past the threshold.

"And where do you think you're going, little one," the bounty hunter purred, holding Hiccup's bottom as he cradled the boy on one hip. "You should be careful with this one. He is slippery regardless of age."

"I've noticed," Viggo grumbled as two men carried in a child size cot into the tent.

Krogan eyed the small be with a frown. "Are you certain would rather put the boy in a cage so he can't run?"

Voggo gestured to where he wanted the cot placed. "If things continue to progress as they have, he won't be able to run much longer."

"And your brother refused to take him?" Krogan pressed, unsure why the boy was even alive still.

"He has his own family to care for." He strolled to Krogan and took Hiccup from his arms. "Besides, there are some things I'd rather care for myself."

"And what of our guest tonight. We need privacy, not a screaming toddler."

"Hiccup will be fine," Viggo assured, lying the child on the cot and covering with a thick warm fur.

"I'm not tired!" Hiccup objected, only to yawn widely at the end.

A smile finally lifted Viggo's lips. "Liar. Go to sleep. You've had a long day and the medicine needs time to work."

"I hate medicine," the boy grumbled, laying his head on a soft pillow.

"We all do."

It wasn't long before Hiccup was snoring softly. The rattling in his chest when he breathed was less noticeable with the large fluffy pillow. There was still a small wheezing but nothing too concerning. Asleep the child was adorable, especially with how small he now was. The tension that had fill Viggo all day finally slipped away as he adjusted the fur. Sleeping kids he could handle. Awake ones should be handed off to a nursemaid. He made a mental note to hire one as soon as possible.

Krogan has one raised at he watched Viggo. "What medicine?" he asked, his gaze shifting to the table and the small vial sitting upon it.

Viggo stood and snatched the vial off the table before Krogan could grabbed it. "Something to stop Hiccup from getting any younger. I want him alive not dying…not like this."

"You care for the boy."

"Nonsense, he happens to be very valuable. We could bring Berk to its knees or raise an army of dragons as your master wants. Hiccup Haddock hides many talents that we are still only beginning to understand. To kill him now is to willfully watch them waste away. I have many uses for him. And like this I can raise him as my own and into a power Hunter, perhaps even the most powerful of us all."

Krogan's found deepened. "You're playing a dangerous, Viggo. I'm assuming you no longer plan to ransom him off?"

"Hardly," Viggo acknowledged. "He may be a handful but he is only a child now. With the right upbringing he'll be everything I ever wanted in an heir, without the messy relationship nonsense."

There was a deep chuckle from the entrance. "If only that were possible," Johann said by way of greeting.

Viggo glanced quickly at Hiccup to make sure he was still sound asleep. Thankfully the boy had yet to move and was breathing deeply. "And what does that mean?" he demanded, gesturing for the men to speak on the other side of the tent and away from Hiccup. "Are you insane?" he sneered at Johann. "If he sees you it'll blow your cover." He glanced once more at Hiccup's sleeping form before grabbing Johann's arm and pulling him outside. He may plan to raise Hiccup as his own but he was not taking any chances just yet.