I didn't abandon this!

I won't abandon this!

I promise.

(Oh, and there's a book shout out! Namely Adeline)

"What do you mean I have to stay here?!" Snotlout shouted, as Hiccup, Ocean, Astrid and Xzander were getting ready to head out.

Astrid rolled her eyes and turned to look at him. "I mean that you are staying here. You can explore the island if you want."

"But-"

Xzander held up a hand and Snotlout automatically quieted.

"Snotlout. The more dragons that are flying in the skies, the more chance there is of attracting Dragon Hunters. You will stay here. As Astrid said, you can explore if you want. I'm sure there are plenty of places you can go to to get in trouble."

Snotlout huffed at the last part, while Astrid, and Hiccup burst into laughter. Ocean rolled her eyes while turning to her, newly found, cousin.

"Snotlout, you could go search for treasure."

Snotlout immediately perked up, while Xzander raised his eyebrows and Hiccup and Astrid stopped laughing.

"Treasure you say?"

"Yeah. When we first arrived on this island, Kira found ancient ruins speaking of a treasure hidden in the Hykli mountains, which are on the other side of the island. We just haven't had time to search for it. Maybe you can?"

Snotlout tapped his finger against his chin. "I mean, I guess I could." He swiftly nodded his head, turning to Hookfang. "Come on, Fangster. We have a treasure to find!"

"Ocean, you do know what's going to happen, right?" Xzander asked, once Snotlout was out of sight.

"Yeah. He'll be okay. I mean, he'll be furious. But he'll be okay."

"Why is he going to be furious?" Astrid asked as she climbed onto Stormfly. "Not that I'm complaining." She quickly added.

Xzander bit back a laugh, "He'll be furious because for one, once you make it to the Hykli mountains, it's almost impossible to fly in them. Unless you're riding a Night Fury. The second thing he'll be furious about, is the fact that, last I knew, there is no treasure in the Hykli mountains."

Ocean shrugged her shoulders. "Well, there IS a legend about a treasure. I just never told him if it's still there or not. It could be! Just because we couldn't find it, doesn't mean it's not there."

"In other words, you sent him on a wild goose chase?" Hiccup asked slowly.

Her answer, was a quick shrug and mischievous smile.

Resulting in Astrid laughing, Hiccup smiling, and Xzander just shaking his head, while laughing under his breath. They were going to have an interesting conversation, about the ways Snotlout could die, on the way to the island. He just knew it.

"Why are we doing this?" Layla moaned as she hopped onto Hena.

"Simple. We don't want Snotlout killed." Landon answered as he climbed onto Midnight. He had wanted to stay with Kira, but she shooed him off, saying that she only needed one person, AKA Hunter, to boss around that afternoon.

"But, why, don't we want him killed?"

Landon squinted at his sister/cousin (we'll just refer to her as sister). "Lay" He said in a warning tone.

"I know I know. 'Just because someone annoys you doesn't mean that they should die or get injured.' " She said in a, pretty good, impression of Landon. "I was kidding. I don't really want him dead, I just want him far away from me. He actually would be tolerable if he didn't have flirt written all over him."

"Really? I didn't notice any words on him?" Landon teased.

"Oh hush! You know what I mean."

"I do." He smiled. "I also know that, even if you don't admit it, you aren't that violent and wouldn't mind being friends with him."

"I did say hush." She bantered. "Something must be wrong with you're hearing."

"Will you two quit it?" Snotlout asked as he and Hookfang came into view. "I'm happy that you want to help, but for the love of thor, do I have to listen to sibling squabbles."

Layla crossed her arms. "We're not squabbling, we're teasing. There's a difference."

Snotlout rolled his eyes. He didn't really understand what she was talking about. His relationships with his brothers including, punching, kicking, screaming... You know, normal viking sibling fights... Although, his and his sister Adeline's relationship was a bit better. She just was almost never around. Always on some new voyage with their aunt. Anyways.

"Squabbling, teasing, whatever! We have a treasure to find." He pulled out a map of the island that he had borrowed from Kira.

"Now, if we're here and the mountains are there."

Layla rolled her eyes as he continued to mumble.

"I got it!" He pointed East. "We fly that way!"

Layla pinched the bridge of her nose, while Landon held back a laugh and pointed South.

Snotlout got the message. "Y-yeah, I meant that way. That way, of course."

Layla gave an exaggerated sigh as they all took off. This trip was going to be long and hard. Well, not necessarily hard, just... Aggravating. Very, very, aggravating.

"So, how long have Zocean been together?" Snotlout called.

"Zocean?" Layla and Landon both asked.

"Yeah. Ocean and Xzander. Zocean."

Layla rolled her eyes, not wanting to admit that his name was pretty clever, but would probably end with him covered in sticky messy honey and some leave.

"They've been best friends forever. They've always liked each other. They started to 'officially' date when Ocean turned sixteen, and it took them just over a month to be betrothed. In other words. Forever." Layla answered. "Why did you want to know?"

Snotlout shrugged, "No reason."

Landon raised an eyebrow.

No reason? He thought. Yeah, sure. He would be keeping his eye on this Snotlout.

Okay, so, as I'm sure you all figured out, there was a reason. A very simple reason. She was his cousin. He didn't want her to get hurt.

Yes, he only just met her, but he still didn't want her to get hurt.

He had seventeen, almost eighteen, years to make up for after all!

Hunter paced the Dragon Nursery while Kira played with the newborn dracling. He couldn't help but glance at the Silver Phantom egg.

If there was one thing that made him nervous, it was dracling.

Especially Silver Phantoms. They were very... needy. And stubborn. And dangerous.

"When do you think it will hatch?" He asked, his nervous gaze flicking to Kira then back to the egg.

"Hmm, a week maybe."

"In other words, Ocean should be back? Right? You know that you can't handle a Silver Phantom, and I can't handle a Silver Phantom. Neither can Landon or Layla-"

"Hunter!" Kira laughed. "Calm down. Even if it hatches while she's gone, we won't have to take care of it for long."

Hunter sat down. For a minute. Then he was up and pacing again.

"Okay, how in the world are you so, macho and tough out in battles. And every other day. But a wreck around draclings?"

Hunter cleared his throat. "They make me nervous."

"They're no different than a human baby. Or a kitten, or puppy, or chick, or duckling..."

"I know, I know." Hunter glance at the Thornridge baby. "But they do. Especially Silver Phantoms. I can handle the others, even though Xzander and Astrid will find nests for them before they hatch. Are you sure there's nothing else I can do?!"

Kira rolled her eyes, and held out the Thornridge. "Hold him."

Hunter paled. "No. No no no no no."

"Yes! Hold him."

There was no point in arguing, he knew that. So he slowly held out his hands, and flinched when the scales of the dracling touched his skin.

"See? The little one won't hurt you." Kira soothed.

Hunter looked down at the Thronridge. It was small, and blue with red patterns.

For a moment, he thought he could do it! He could hold the dracling.

Then it bit him.

It wasn't hard, but it still did it.

"Here! Take him." Hunter quickly handed the dracling back to Kira.

"Hunter!"

"Please Kira. I beg you. Let me do something else."

Kira sighed. "Fine. We're going to need more fire wood. Can you please go chop some?"

"Yes!" He reached out to hug her, but then decided not to, as the dracling was on her lap. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" He called, as he rushed out the door.

Kira turned her attention back to the dracling. "We'll get him to like you, little one. Mark my words, we will."

"So, what will you guy's be doing while Hiccup and I are on the island?" Ocean asked Xzander.

"We get to find nests for the Deadly Nadder and Timberjack eggs."

"Lucky."

Xzander laughed. "Ocean, you hate that part. If you had you're way, every dragon egg we rescue would stay on Night Gem Island, and each dracling would be trained."

Ocean sighed. "I know. But I'm getting better."

"You are." Xzander agreed. "Are you looking forward to spending time with Hiccup?"

"Well, yeah. I'm just hoping that it won't be extremely awkward. I don't think we have much in common."

Xzander smiled, even though Ocean couldn't see it. "I don't know. You guy' might find something. And just think, you can exchange stories with each other! I'm sure you both have many."

Okay, this way true. Definitely true.

"Okay. That's true."

"You'll be fine."

"I hope you're right."

Of course, Hiccup and Astrid were having a very similar conversation.

"She's a warrior. I'm not." Hiccup stated, with a sigh.

"That doesn't mean anything. I'm a warrior, and you're best friend." Astrid replied. "A-after Fishlegs." She quickly added.

"Before Fishlegs." Hiccup corrected, squeezing her shoulder, "And that's different. You and I have known each other for forever! We were best friends when we were little, and even though we had a rough bump in that friendship, it did return. But I've only known Ocean for a few days. And she's not like you. She's spent her whole life training to take on the Grimbornes. She's been in way more battles than we have. Dragon raids don't count. And who knows what else."

"Hiccup. You two will find something you have in common. You have plenty of stories to share, and you'll learn a lot about each other. You'll see."

Hiccup smiled at her. How he hoped that she was right.