"Looks like I'm going to have to go out hunting for you guys, and I can't exactly do that without a bow." Her hands expertly manoeuvred the knife over the wood, carving it into the right shapes.

"I didn't know you could shoot a bow." Said Astrid. Shadow just shrugged. "I can use a multitude of weapons. Had to learn as many as possible. Some places I've been to don't use weapons from other countries. You know what they say, when in Rome…"

"Uh, what?" said Tuffnut. Shadow took her eyes of the bow she was making. "Have you guys never heard of the saying? When in Rome, do as the Romans do?" they looked at her with blank expressions and questioning gazes.

"Pray that you never see Rome. It's a beautiful place, yes, but if you piss off the soldiers, be prepared to learn first-hand what it's like to fight in gladiator battles." She half mumbled.

"I've heard you speak of a few different places that we haven't even heard of, where exactly have you been in the world?" asked Hiccup.

She went back to her work of making the bow and shrugged. "I've been all over the world. The United Kingdom, saw many castles there. Scotland, hated there music. Sweden, they got good chocolate. I've been to Spain to see the bull fights, Italy and France for the scenery, even Transylvania for all the stories surrounding that place."

She shuddered at the last place she mentioned, not from fear from the things she learned, but from the last experience she had in that place. It had been kind of fun at the time thought.

Snotlout asked what happened in Transylvania. "Lets just say the inhabitants believed I was an evil spirit with lycanthropy and had connections to witchcraft."

She neglected to tell then that in a way, it was true.

Ruffnut asked what lycanthropy was, and Shadow promised to tell them later that night after the sun went down. She chuckled at her thoughts of them screaming at her ghost stories.

She spent another hour talking to them of the places she had been, as well as some of the people she had met and what became of them. All the while, she was strapping together the pieces of wood she had shaped together with leather strips.

She was almost done making the bow, and Astrid and Ruffnut were just about done with the arrows.

"What would you say was the closest you have ever come to being killed when in a new country?" asked Tuffnut. Shadow thought for a moment, there were many times in which she had come face to face with death. She wasn't sure which one to mention.

"Well… one of the closest times I have ever come to death would have to be… when I was in some southern country where it was always really hot. I had been accused of being a traitor to the king himself and tied to a whipping post. I had been given seventy lashes that covered almost all my body, and I had been left tied to the post with my injuries unattended to, and given no water. I was left there for three days.

"I got a seriously bad infection from the heat and flies, and was suffering from severe dehydration. I came incredibly close to death, and I almost didn't live to see the next sunrise. But I did. I got help, and I managed to escape. My wounds were treated, I got out of that city and managed to stay hidden until I was back to normal strength. Then I went back and assassinated the king."

Everyone gasped at how relaxed she said it, as if it was no big deal that she killed someone of such high status. To her it wasn't really a big issue, she killed all the time, the king had hardly been her first, and definitely not her last, and to be frank he deserved it. His rule was tearing the kingdom apart. She did everyone a favour.

Eventually, she finished the bow and quickly fashioned a quiver for the arrows, then she got up and went out onto the forest to catch them some dinner.

Shadow ventured into the forest of Dragon Island alone, since the others were not experienced with hunting. She used her highly sensitive nose to sniff out a wild boar and kill it quickly. She returned sometime later, the pig hefted over her shoulders, already been gutted and blead out.

The teens were impressed with her catch as well as her proficiency with the bow, and they asked what other weapons she could use while she carved up the boar to be roasted over the fire.

"Well, you already know I can use the bow and sword. I can also use a crossbow, but that doesn't require an awful lot of skill. I've used many types of swords before from the two handed broadsword, to the dirk, to the one handed gladiator sword. I've used spears, javelins, bolas, axes, maces, Warhammers and many others. The most unusual weapons I've used would have to be the voulge, deer horn knives and the scythe."

Astrid was the most impressed, some of those weapons she hadn't even heard of. She wondered why Shadow didn't carry any weapons on her, since she can use so many different types. She asked, but only got a vague answer saying, 'I always lose them. A month goes past and then poof, gone.'

The guys took care of the boar and set about cooking it, and soon the delicious smells of roasting meat wafted around the clearing. Everyone spent time talking with each other, especially with Shadow, who was opening up more and more about her past.

Finally the meat was done and they all tucked into eating. The meat was tender and covered in fat, but tasted divine on their tongues. They mostly ate in silence but occasionally someone spoke about something. Shadow didn't really pay much attention to small-talk.

After their food, they sat around the flames talking before one of the twins spoke up with a suggestion. "Hey, I got an idea. Let's play truth or dare!" they said. Everyone either groaned or heartily agreed. Shadow was one who didn't wish to play, but they all got dragged into it anyway.

Tuffnut went first. "Ok then.. um. Snotlout, truth or dare?"

"Dare. Truth is for wusses." He bragged.

"I dare you to stick your hand over the fire for as long as possible without screaming."

Snotlout's eyes widened, but he stood up and held his hand over the flames. He lasted about a minute before screaming from the heat and running towards the river.

"Oww. Tuffnut, I will get you back for this. Ok, umm. Astrid, truth or dare?"

Shadow was slightly supprised when she answered 'truth'. She expected the shield maiden to choose dare.

"Aww, you're no fun. Who would you rather kiss, me or Fishlegs?" he asked.

Hiccup held a hand over his mouth to hide his laughter. Astrid scowled and crossed her arms. "I would choose Fishlegs over you, Snotlout." He looked almost heartbroken at her statement.

Next it was Astrid's turn. "Ruffnut. Truth or dare?" the female twin instantly said dare. Not much of a surprise. "I dare you to breath in Barf's gas." She dared.

Ruffnut looked horrified for a moment, but went over to do it. By the time she came back, she looked about ready to puke.

She had a bit of a hard time talking, so she gave her turn to Hiccup. He looked around the group until his eyes landed on Shadow. She met his stare and didn't back down to him.

"Shadow, truth or dare?"

"Dare." She challenged. He grinned at her with that goofy lopsided grin of his, and she promised herself that whatever he dished out, she would get him back for.

"I think its time for you to show your gratitude to Toothless after he wanted to become friends…" Shadow stared at him curiously, trying to catch on to what he was saying. Then he continued. "I dare you to swallow a fish, then barf it back up again for Toothless. To show him how much you care."

Oh how she wanted to wipe that smug look off his face. He was just asking for it. That stupid grin of his would be the death of him.

Shadow growled and stomped over to a pile of fish left for the dragons to eat. She reached into the slimy pile and found a small one. Then she went back to her spot at the fire and sat down, before glaring at Hiccup again.

"Just so you know Hiccup, this is not what sushi is."

Then she tipped her head back and held the fish by the tail over her open jaw, and swallowed the little fish whole. Everyone cried out 'eww', Fishlegs and Snotlout dry heaving at the sight.

Shadow glared at Hiccup as he doubled over laughing. "I thought you said sushi was a type of dish from an eastern country made from raw fish."

"Not a whole raw fish you idiot." She spat back. Shadow then forced herself to regurgitate the fish from her stomach. In that moment she was reminded of that god dammed eel that caused her to get sick, and she actually threw up. The fish landed with a disgusting squelch and a flop.

Toothless bounded over and ate the fish happily. Everyone went 'eww' again.

Finally it was Shadow's turn. She called out Tuffnut, who called out dare. "I dare you to run right at that boulder head first and try to break it with your skull."

Ruffnut butted in saying that only she could make Tuff do stupid stuff, and turned it into a double dare, so that Shadow had to do it too. She just smirked and agreed.

Tuffnut got up and ran head first at the boulder with a yell. His helmet made a solid smack against the stone, but it didn't break. He stumbled away looking incredibly woozy.

"Ok then… you-your turn Sh-Shadow." He mumbled. She smirked and stood up. She silently thanked herself for having the horns hidden under her hairline. They were meant for things like this, well, more for head butting other dragons, but still.

She ran at the rock with her head lowered and collided with the rock with a massive crash. The boulder cracked under the impact. Shadow's head was perfectly protected thanks to her horns, and the ivory had absorbed the impact so she didn't have a headache at all.

Everyone gaped at her and she smirked. She didn't say a word at all, so Tuffnut went to have his next turn.

hahahaha. that was fun to write. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. :) rate and review!