12 Ask and It Will Be Given

The young Hobblegrunts were very nervous being so near to the Dragon Riders and it was plain to see that they still did not trust anyone at all even though they were receiving a little coaxing from their parents.

"Time" Astrid noted "hopefully that's all they need."

"And a few choice fish" Tuffnut grinned "always the best way to a dragon's heart."

"Are you sure you're well enough?" Hiccup asked "I think you'd be better off relaxing on Stormfly."

"I love it when you worry about me" she kissed his cheek "but I want the younger ones to see me riding on Redcrown so that it will become normal and familiar to them."

Hiccup wanted to suggest that one of the other riders take on the task but he could see from the look in her eyes that Astrid wouldn't go for it.

"Okay but stay close and above me; that's a big lump on your head and I want to have the best chance to catch you if you should pass out again."

"Hey... I'm fine... trust me."

The buzz of Gronckle wings made its way into Hiccups ears as Fishlegs and Meatlug returned to the group.

"Any luck?" Hiccup asked.

"Total success Hiccup; Dianta will be back soon" Fishlegs grinned.

"Well done Fishlegs" he turned to Snotlout "HEY; are you busy?"

"Need my help again, do you?"

"I could ask someone else if..."

"No don't bother" Snotlout puffed out his chest (it moved quite a lot) "I'm sure you need someone with skill."

"Yes he does" Fishlegs smirked "but Astrids recuperating so you'll have to do."

"Yeah? Well... Gronckles are slow and ugly" Snotlout huffed.

"You know you've gotten to him when all he can do is insult your dragon" Tuffnut chuckled.

"Be careful you two" Astrid called as the young men went to their dragons "you know those guys will still be very angry with you."

"Why do you think I'm taking a bodyguard?" Hiccup smiled.

"Don't worry gorgeous" Snotlout grinned "I'll bring him back to you alive and kicking."

"And with all his remaining limbs I hope" Astrid shook her finger at them.

"I swear" Ruffnut remarked to Astrid "now that Snotlout knows that he doesn't have a chance with you, he's actually getting worse."

"Yeah" Astrid agreed "confident and flirtier."


The wagon had only departed for the fishing village less than ten minutes prior and so it did not take Toothless and Hookfang very long to catch up and overtake it; they landed a few hundred yards ahead and dropped to the ground.

"Let's take the dragons off to the side" Hiccup suggested "I don't want them to think we're trying to stop them."

"Yup we're not trying to" Snotlout grinned "we are going to stop them."

"Ah... no."

"Really?"

"Just back me up if there's trouble."

"Gotcha" Snotlout nodded.

Hiccup left Toothless with Snotlout and Hookfang so he would appear less threatening as he walked towards the approaching cart full of forlorn and wounded men.

"Oh great" their leader mumbled "I wonder what that little bastard wants now."

Hiccup stopped as the wagon neared and tried to appear friendly.

"SO WHAT IS IT THIS TIME?" the man called out as the wagon stopped "HAVE WE GOT SOMETHING ELSE YOU WANT?"

"Well actually we've got something that you'll want."

"I know" he stood as he fumed "but you WON'T GIVE THEM TO US."

"I don't mean the dragons" Hiccup informed them "take a look on the road behind you."

Turning his head rapidly, the man expected to see another dragon about to attack but instead he was surprised to see a small cloud of dust rising in the distance and soon over the rise, Dianta appeared riding on one of the escaped horses with the other three being led behind her."

"They're not my horses you know; I got them from the village ALONG WITH THE WAGONS."

"I am sorry about the wagons and I know that the people you borrowed them from will be very upset but as least you can take back the horses."

"I still hate you."

"I suspected as much" Hiccup sighed "but remember that I didn't set out to make an enemy of you."

"Well you did" the arrogant man hissed.

"You tried your best" Dianta told Hiccup as they watched the wagon disappear over the next rise "but some people are just imposable to get along with and that guy reminds me of the way I use to be back when you first met me; everything has to be done his way and he doesn't care what anyone else thinks or feels.


"What was that for?" Astrid asked in surprise as Dianta gave her a big hug upon her return.

"I just wanted to let you know that I'm really sorry for being so selfish in the past and for all the trouble I've caused."

"But Dianta... you've already done a lot to make up for all that."

"Thank you for saying so but I think that I've only just realised what I was like... I just wish my Mom and Dad were here now."

"You should be home later tomorrow if all goes to plan" Hiccup interjected.

"Oh come on" Snotlout threw up his arms "When does anything we do ever go according to plan?"

"I hate to admit it" Fishlegs grinned "but he's right."

"Whatever" Hiccup shrugged "let's get back to camp; it's past lunch time and I haven't eaten all day."


"So we're keeping the Hobblegrunts then?" Ruffnut asked on the flight back.

"I'd like to" Hiccup replied "but after what they've been through, I'm thinking that maybe we should give them a chance to go back to their old lives first and let them make up their own minds."

"We wouldn't have to dump any stuff here if they did come home with us" Fishlegs pointed out "and we'd be able to carry all your stuff from here so you could pick up the pack we hid on the first day rather than go back for it after you drop Dianta home."

"True but it's not as if these are wild dragons from close to our home" Astrid noted "if they return to Berk with us, we'll be taking them several days flight away from their home so we have to see if they really want to come with us or they may suddenly disappear halfway back to Lookout Island."

"Right then" Hiccup decided "Astrid and I will take them back to their own island; Snotlout can take the other riders back to camp and we'll see what they want to do when they get home."

"What should I do?" Dianta asked from Stormfly's back.

"You've seen me guide Stormfly" Astrid answered "so go with Snotlout and the others and I'll see you soon."

"Okay... I hope this works" Dianta said apprehensively.


For the first time in many days Redcrown was truly happy; her family was back together again and she had made some new friends and allies.

Looking back, it had been over a year since she and Ironjaw had escaped from Dragon Island when the Vikings had attacked and they had both been enjoying their new freedom immensely; especially since her eggs had hatched and she could at last raise a brood that would not be enslaved by the Dragon Island Queen as the others had been - or so she thought.

To say that she was shocked to find her children gone when she and Ironjaw had returned from their little fishing trip would have been quite the understatement; it was true that the young ones could all fly well but they were not yet ready to go off on their own and so when the signs and smells of man became apparent the two dragons knew that there was trouble in the air (as well as the aroma of burning wood).

Sure enough the source of the smell turned out to be one of the floating things that men would build from cut trees and the four young dragons were tied up on it although they had managed to set it alight in several places. Redcrown and Ironjaw tried their hardest to get close enough to retrieve their young but the men were far too numerous and fought without mercy; Ironjaw was even gravely injured in the fight and so they were forced to retreat to the mainland.

Both the dragons felt extremely sure that no humans could ever be trusted and so Redcrown was not pleased at all to find herself being pursued through a forest by one of those two legged devils after she had procured some food for her injured mate. She was soon to discover however, that these humans weren't wild at all but instead were the highly trained pets of a group of dragons led by a Night Fury and not just any Night Fury but the very same one who had once lived in the very same volcano as Redcrown and Ironjaw had only a year ago.

These dragons that she had the good fortune to meet, all had at least one pet Viking although some had two and they were all trained to help with food and care of injuries. Redcrown found this very curious and hard to accept at first but not only were they very helpful to all the dragons but they even assisted the Night Fury to remove the metal tipped stick that the wild humans had hurled at Ironjaw.

All that night as she slumbered, Redcrown had wondered if these pet Vikings could be employed to help get her children back and by morning she concluded that it was definitely worth a try but she could not think of how it could be done.

The next day, one of them had tried to ride on her back and that upset Redcrown greatly at first until she realised that it was not fair of her to expect the Nadder to have to carry two Vikings at once while she carried none and so she relented and was surprised to find that the experience was quite enjoyable. After Redcrown had been in the air with one of the pet Vikings for a short time, she suddenly realised that her chance had come and so she and Ironjaw flew them back to their island home to show them what had happened to her offspring.

Things had started to happen almost immediately and soon all five of the dragons were with them and flying off in the same direction as her lost brood and so Redcrowns confidence began to grow although their journey was far from direct. The dragons sent some of their pets off on some kind of mission to a nest of dangerous wild humans and it appeared to her that they had barely escaped with their lives when they came running back to their dragon masters soon after. They must have had some success in their task however because the next place they flew too turned out to be the place where they had their final and complete victory.

Redcrown and Ironjaw had expected to fight for their children and they both felt very confident that they would succeed with the help of their new friends and their pets but to their surprise however, the other dragons had done all the work and they were not called on until most of the fighting was over. As the powerful Gronckle led them to the scene of the battle with two pets on its back and the graceful Nadder by its side, the first two of her captured children appeared in the air and so she cried out for them to come. The Viking girl who had once ridden on Redcrown returned to the Nadder who took the girl to where the other two children were still tied up. Redcrown watched the girl put herself in great danger as she dropped onto the moving cart and cut the young Hobblegrunts free.

'I have got to get myself one of those pet Vikings' Redcrown thought 'and one for each of the kids.'

To Redcrowns shock and disgust, the first thing that her children did when they were freed, was to attack the Nadders highly trained pet and so it came as no surprise when that same Nadder grabbed them both and threw them high into the air. Ironjaw called to the confused young dragons and the family of Hobblegrunts was united once more all thanks to a chance meeting the previous day in a forest to the south.

Her new friends continued to amaze Redcrown for later when one of the men who had taken her offspring approached them again, all the trained Vikings stood between him and the Hobblegrunts not letting him get anywhere near to the dragon family; such loyalty. Ironjaw found himself having to scold the young ones regularly as they continued to show distrust and anger towards those who had saved them but soon they all were given the chance to see their own mother carrying one of the Nadders pets as they set off for the south once more.

During the journey, most of the other dragons continued south on the mainland but the Night Fury escorted the Hobblegrunts all the way back home to their island and Redcrown began to ponder if the wonderful Nadder was possibly giving her the pet Viking on her back as a gift or was she just being allowed to borrow the girl? The answer soon came when they all arrived home; it was good to be back but after a few minutes of goodbye hugs from the Viking pets, the Night Fury lifted off and bore them both away.

Ironjaw and Redcrown looked at each other and both seemed to decide simultaneously that they would all be much better off with this odd wyre of dragons that had done so much for them over the last few days and so, with a loud screech, they called their offspring to follow them once more and they all left the island for perhaps the last time to see if they would be permitted to become members of a family that was much larger than they were currently aware of.

Of course they were all welcomed by the Dragon Riders with open arms.


When I am not writing fan fiction, playing the Ukulele or feeding Moon, I work as a Mini Bus Driver and I often wonder if one day when I am driving some people to the airport or whatever, that I will overhear someone say to their friend "Have you read the latest post from Marty the Martian?" That would be so cool even though it will probably never happen. :-D