The training grounds have now been transformed. There are banners and flags flapping in the morning sun. A festive crowd had gathered around the ring. All of Knothole has turned out of this event. "Well, I can show my face in public again." Stoick said shouting to the roaring crowd. The entire crowd laughed and applauded. "If someone had told me that in a few short weeks, Miles would go from being, well… Miles, to placing first in werecreature training… I would've tied him to a mast and shipped him off for fear he'd gone mad. Yes! And you know it! But here we are. And no one's more surprised…" We now see Tails standing at the entrance of the ring. He is listening and feeling burdened. "Or more proud than I am. Today my boy become a Viking. Today, he becomes one of us!" The crowd cheers and roars. Cosmo approaches Tails. "Be careful with that werecreature."
"It's not the werecreature I'm worried about." Tails said. "What are you going to do?" Cosmo asks him worried. "Put an end to this." Cosmo eyes him, dubious. "I have to try. Cosmo. If something goes wrong…just make sure they don't find Sonic."
"I will. Just promise me it won't go wrong." Then Gobber approaches the two. "It's time, Miles. Knock him dead." Tails puts his helmet on and enters the ring. Tails locks eyes with Stoick. Stoick nods with a smile. Tails returns a half-smile. He takes a deep breath. He hoists his shield onto his forearm and selects his weapon from a rack of many – a small dagger.
"Hrmph. I would've gone for the hammer." Stoick says. Tails turns to face a bolted, heavy door. He takes a deep breath. "I'm ready." The door bolt is raised slowly. The crowd grows quiet. Suddenly the doors slam open, a werechipmunk tears out of its cave like an irate bull as the crowd roars and jeers. It climbs the wall and chain enclosure like a bat, it is hissing at the provoking crowd.
It spots Tails and descends, leering, and licking its lips. The crowd grows silent, bracing for the big fight. With the werechipmunk's eyes locked upon him, Tails deliberately drops his shield and dagger stepping away from them. The werecreature pauses confused. Stoick is also confused. "What is he doing?" The werecreature presses closer, snorting. Tails extends his open hand. It growls.
"It's okay. It's okay." The werecreature to pace, it is focused on Tails's helmet. Tails realizes, then reaches up and removes it. He takes a breath to acknowledge the point of no return, he tosses the helmet aside and it hits the ground. "I'm not one of them." The entire crowd gasps. They are all whispering. All eyes are on Stoick. He's is clearly upset. Tails avoids Stoick's glare and remains focused on the werechipmuck. He is holding his hand out. It paces around him, calming down. "Stop the fight."
"No. I need you all to see this." The crowd starts to get restless. "They're not what we think they are. We don't have to kill them."
"I SAID STOP THE FIGHT!" Stoick whacks his hammer against the iron enclosure, rattling the arena with a terrible reverberating clatter. The werechipmunk get spooked and snaps at Tails outstretched hand. Tails yelps and springs backward. The spell is broken. The werechipmunk reacts to Tails's sudden movement and tries to snap at him again. Tails screams and barely jumps out of reach.
The Hidden Island
Sonic's ears shoot up and there is panic in his eyes.
The Training Grounds
Tails scrambles around the ring. The werechipmunk pursues, snapping, and springing from the ground to the wall. Stoick is pushing through the crowd. He is rushing to the doorway. "Out of my way!"
"TAILS!" Cosmo wedges her axe under the arena gate and squeezes through.
The hidden island
Sonic is still trying to jump to the wall without touching the water. It seems like he is fearful of the water but with an incredible burst of effort he makes it to the other side of the island.
The training grounds
Tails is avoiding the werechipmunk by flying with his twin tails but is seems like the werechipmunk is gaining on him. Desperate, he goes to the weapon rack in an attempt to arm himself, but the werechipmunk destroys the rack and closes in on him.
The forest
Sonic is racing through the forest faster than ever before. He is like a panther running to catch his prey.
The training grounds
Stoick wrenches the grated door to the arena and jumps through. The werechipmunk is only a few feet behind Tails. Cosmo is now in the ring.
"Tails." Cosmo picks up a hammer and hurls it at the werechipmunk, hitting it in the head. It turns its attention to Cosmo, and begins to chase her. Stoick raises the arena gate, waving her toward it. "This way!" Cosmo makes it through, but the werechipmunk grabs Tails but his pants leg and throws him the other way. It pounces on him and prepares to finish him off. Suddenly a loud howl pierces the din. "WEREHOG! Get down!" Sonic bounds over the crowd and rolls in a ball and rams through the chain enclosure. It creates a cloud of smoke. (I know that can't happen but it's what happens in the movie so roll with it) The Vikings rush to the railing just in time to see a flurry of claws and tails cutting through the dissipating smoke. Sonic and the werechipmunk tumble the clear, looked in a toothy, vicious fight. Sonic kicks the werechipmunk and plants himself between Tails and it. The werecreature snarls, circling them. Sonic lunges and roars. He causes the werechipmunk to relent and back away. To everyone's shock and horror, Tails gets to his feet and grabs Sonic protectively. "Alright, Sonic, go. Get out of here!
The crowd is gob-smacked and is growing livid. "Werehog!" Tails tries to shoo Sonic away in vain. Viking begin pouring clambering through the enclosure and dropping into the ring. "Go! GO!"
"Take it alive!" Stoick grabs an axe and charges into the arena. Cosmo calls out to him, panicked.
"Stoick, No!"
"Dad! No! He won't hurt you!" The other Vikings start to surround and attack Sonic but he tosses them aside like rag dolls. He is only focused on Stoick.
"No, don't! You're only making it worse!" Stoick raises his hammer as her charges for Sonic. Sonic ducks and pounces on him. They tumble end over end. "Sonic! STOP!" He pins Stoick and raises his paw. His claws start to shing out. Everyone braces for Sonic to attack Stoick.
"NO!" Sonic slowly puts his paw down and turns to Tails, not understanding. "Get him!" The crowd rushes him, piling on, and taking Sonic down. Cosmo holds Tails back. "No! Please…just don't hurt him. Please don't hurt him."
Stoick gets to his feet, fuming, shaken. A Viking presents Stoick with an axe. He eyes Sonic for a moment, then pushes the axe back into the Viking's hands. "Put it with the others!" His burning glare turns to Tails.
The Great Hall – Day
Tails is shoved into the dank, dimmed hall. Stoick slams the doors and pushes past him. He paces against a backdrop of shadowy tapestries and carved pillars. "I should have known. I should have seen the signs." Stoick says angrily.
"Dad."
"We had a deal!" Stoick pauses to say something, but stops short. He snorts and resumes pacing. "I know we did…but that was before…ughhh, it's all so messed up."
"So, everything in the ring. A trick? A lie?" He says as he stomps towards Tails. "I screwed up. I should have told you before now. Take this out on me, be mad at me, but please…just don't hurt Sonic." He says pleadingly.
"The werecreature? That's what you're worried about? Not the people you almost killed?!"
"He was just protecting me! He's not dangerous." Tails continues to say.
"They've killed HUNDREDS OF US!" He shouts at Tails.
"And we've killed THOUSANDS OF THEM! They defend themselves, that's all! The raid us because they have to! If they don't bring enough food back, they'll be eaten themselves. There's something else in their forest dad…it's a werecreature like…" Stoick huffs. "Their forest?" he stomps back. He points an accusing finger. "So, you've been to the nest." Tails begins to back up slowly. "Did I say nest?" Tails goes silent. He has said way too much. "How did you find it?!" He asks stearningly.
"No, I didn't. Sonic did. Only a werecreature can find the island." Stoick begins to glare. He starts to form an idea. Tails watches, realizing what is going on. Stoick begins to stomp towards the doorway. "Oh no. No, Dad. No." Tails starts to chase after him. He is scared for his father.
"Dad. It's not what you think. You don't know what you're up against. It's like nothing you've ever seen." Tails starts to grab Stoick be the arm. He is tugging it with all his might. It is having no effect. "Dad. Please. I promise you that you can't win this one." Stoick says nothing and does nothing.
"No. Dad. No. For once in your life, WOULD YOU PLEASE LISTEN TO ME?!" Stoick throws Tails off him. Tails is on the floor looking at his father. There is an icy stillness. Tails is looking back, stunned.
"You've thrown your lot with them. You're not a Viking. You're not my son." Stoick pushes the door, leaving Tails alone, devastated.
"Ready the ships!" Stoick calls out to the other Vikings. Stoick staggers on the steps, breaking inside.
Outside the Village – Close to the forest
Broken-down catapults and trebuchets are bundled up and lowered from the cliffs. Below near the wagons, Vikings load the heavy artillery into the back of the wagons. Children and the elderly gather to on the walkways to wave apprehensive farewell to the departing warriors. Lastly, Sonic is loaded aboard Stoick wagon which is the largest. He is chained down to a palette, muzzled, and restrained with a weighty neck ring. He looks exhausted, miserable.
"Stoick crosses to the bow as the wagons ride off and join the amassed armada of wagons adrift in the harbor. Stoick's brow is furrowed, all warmth is drained away. He turns west and glares at the horizon with cold determination. "Set sail! We head for Helheim's Gate." He then notices Tails watching from his familiar cliff-side perch beyond the village. Their eyes meet, full of hurt and breaks the stare and turns to Sonic, fuming.
"Lead us home, Devil." Tails is watching. He's powerless to stop what is happening, but he won't leave.
