H-hey, everyone. After getting a few new readers expressing their love for this fic, I had the motivation to finish this chapter before my long weekend was over. I'm finally getting the chapters to the length I like them to be at again; I strangely remember the last few being shorter than this one.

Anyway, stuff's starting to happen in this chapter. We're getting closer to the big escape to Berserk and that's when the story's going to pick up a bit more. ... I may even add in some NSFW in those later chapters, if you guys want me to. I'm not too experienced in that kind of thing, but I'd be willing to give it my best for this fic. So... guess it's up to you if I do it or not.

Thank you all so much for following this story and enjoying it as much as you do. I never thought this fic would be popular at all; it was kind of something I thought up out of boredom, so it surpassed my expectations of it. I love reading your reviews... and the strange increases in followers after every time Dagur shows his face in the show. It's like Dreamworks is helping this fic out or something. :P Anyway, enjoy~!

Alvin angrily paced in front of his scale model of Outcast Island, glaring at it as if it held the answers to all of his problems. It had been two weeks. TWO WEEKS since Dagur and Hiccup had slipped through his grasp! How could they have possibly not have turned up yet? They were either really good at hiding or already dead somewhere on the island. Alvin was hoping for the former, just so that he could torture the two of them for double-crossing him. He wanted to make them suffer for as long as possible before he let them get anywhere near death.

Especially that so-called chief of Berserk. Ever since Dagur ran off with the only leverage the Outcast had on Stoick, his army had been remaining in the village, actually faithful that Oswald's little brat would come back for them. If only they knew better. Now that he'd betrayed the Outcasts and left them behind, it wasn't exactly likely that the teenage leader was going to risk the capture of his prisoner or himself just to save a few hundred replaceable soldiers. He probably had thousands more on that island of his, so why would he even think twice about them?

But that still left Alvin with hundreds of people who were doing nothing but eating up all of his resources. Sure, they retreated back to their ships until their packed rations ran dry. But now they were cutting into what the Outcasts had been building up for the winter. Something had to be done about them, that was for sure.

But what?

What could he do with so many men who were confident that Dagur would return? The loyalty in the Berserkers ran pretty deep. They almost never questioned whoever came into power. Sure, they gossiped and spread rumors, the usual stuff, but they always listened to their leader. In other words, if they had remorse towards the current chief, they never said it so much as remotely near the man. They put up a façade of blind respect and only in a few instances in history did they ever make plans to kill or overthrow their chief. It seemed like the only way they would fall to new authority would be if…

Now there's an idea. Alvin chuckled evilly.

If a chief dies without an heir, the spot is up for grabs. If Alvin could convince the Berserkers that Dagur was dead, he could align them with his own army. He'd instantly be stronger and the size of that army would double in size. Berserk would then be a piece of cake to take down all the way, not to mention Berk.

Oh, this was rich! Perfect! It shouldn't be that hard to convince the lot of them that Dagur was dead. After all, he very well might be by now.

"Remind me again why we're going fishing?" Hiccup questioned as she and Dagur trekked through the woods.

Dagur huffed "Well, since you won't let me kill dragons anymore and we need some kind of meat don't we?"

"People can live without meat, ya know?" The brunette retorted, crossing her arms.

"Maybe, but I can't." The red-head boasted as he let himself fall behind Hiccup. He grabbed her shoulders and peered over each one with a smirk as he continued "I mean, dragons and Outcasts could be anywhere out here trying to kill us. If neither of us can't put up a fight, we're screwed."

Hiccup rolled her eyes at the statement "I think that says something about you, Dagur."

The Berserker got back in front of her "You think so?" He chuckled "Maybe my hunting skills? My amazing warriorness?"

"Something like that…" The Hooligan played along as the older teen led her through the trees. They were both keeping an eye on SkyEyes, who was gliding from branch to branch ahead of them. He had been doing pretty well with his training, so Hiccup figured taking him out into the field for some practice couldn't hurt. A real Outcast was nothing compared to those wooden cut-outs, that was for sure.

The first night that the two teens had started to get along, they started to develop a new escape plan. Though, it took a few days of effort to perfect the idea. Once SkyEyes was fully trained, they would pick a dark night and slink out into the woods, with him and what was left of their food in tow. The Terror would help navigate them around any Outcasts that might be around and get them close to the village.

But, from there, it would be more difficult. One more thing that they had to ensure was that at least some of Dagur's men were still on his side. And that part of the plan required Dagur to sneak into the village before their escape attempt and persuade them to have a boat ready, so that they can get away as quickly as possible. Dagur had yet to do that, but he was apparently aiming to within the next few days. All Hiccup could do was hope that he would.

Because he'd been, well, around more ever since they called their truce. He didn't leave the cave as much and, when he did, it wasn't for nearly as long as before. Sometimes he'd come back with things that he found and thought would be of some use to them. A few days ago, he came back from another scouting mission and had about ten feet of rope tucked under his arm. And he treated Hiccup with something else today. He claimed he found a knife that one of the Outcasts must have dropped while combing through the forest. And, mostly so that she'd give his dagger back, he gave it to her for protection. But she'd been using it more for fixing kinks in her new prosthetic and carving into slabs of wood when she was bored.

The only real disagreement that the pair had left was the destination they would take once off the island. Dagur had his heart set on taking Hiccup to Berserk, but Hiccup was just as keen on going back to Berk. She didn't have Toothless and she couldn't swim all the way there, so the boat was the only option that she had. She had to get back home. Her father must really be missing her by now, along with the other members of the Dragon Academy and Toothless.

Sure, she knew that Berserk was in a pinch right now. But how could she be totally sure that Dagur really would take her back home once she took care of his dragon problem? What if he just tossed her in another jail cell and turned her into his personal slave, like he'd helped Alvin do about a month ago? Of course, she had more faith in him now... but could she really trust him? This is the guy who threw knives at her head, tried to kill her dragon, and aligned with Alvin just so that they could kidnap her. What would make him suddenly change from enemy to ally? What could there possibly be in his mind that would incline him to actually help her instead of hurt her again? Nothing that she could think of.

But it was great that the two weren't at each other's throats anymore. Hiccup guessed that Dagur couldn't be that bad, if he was working with her and all. But she still had her guard up, just to be safe. Every night, a little conversation between them would strike up and pass the time. Whenever one left the cave, they told the other where they were going and that they'd be back as soon as they could. Hiccup and Dagur were finally working like a team! They had a plan, a decent hoard of food, and they both learned where all of the close rivers and ponds were. With one canteen having to be shared, let's just say that it had to be refilled quite often.

That's exactly what Hiccup thought that she and Dagur were going to do when they left the cave together that morning. She brought the almost-empty canteen and everything. It wasn't exactly that she was against going fishing, but they had plenty of things to eat in the knapsack. Why did they have to go fishing so badly? Oh yeah, Dagur's desire for meat. Surprise there.

They made it to the edge of a small creek and followed the flow until it filtered into a pond, which funneled into a larger river leading to the ocean on the other side. Hiccup knelt down and submerged the canteen under the surface, while Dagur was most likely trying to find some fish to catch. She brought the canteen back above the water and took a drink so that it wasn't filled to the brim. She closed it and slung the strap (made out of a part of the rope Dagur found) over her shoulder "Find anything?"

"Maybe…" He answered in a mumble.

Hiccup walked over to his side and peeked into the water as well. She saw a few small forms wiggling under the surface and she and Dagur exchanged a look "Too small."

"Way too small." He confirmed "Probably be all bones, anyway." He started down the other river "Come on."

"SkyEyes," Hiccup called, finding the dragon taking a drink from the pond himself. He perked up upon hearing his name and looked at her "come on, we gotta go." He chirped and followed her and Dagur down the river's edge.

The Vikings kept their eyes glued to the flowing water, senses keen on anything that could lead them to believe there were fish to be found. For quite some time, they didn't see anything worth stopping to catch. A few bait fish, some stray branches that must have fallen into the river, even a few frogs who haven't hidden themselves away yet for the winter, but not a fish worthy of a meal anywhere in sight. Hiccup was concerned that they'd run into a watch tower at any time, or even reach the beach. They'd be totally exposed out there on the sand. There was nothing to hide behind or use as a buffer to escape. It would be too risky to spend any time there. Unless, of course, they didn't have a choice.

She actually thought of telling Dagur that it seemed like a lost cause until the taller of the two stopped in his tracks. Hiccup only realized that when she bumped into him and was sent backwards as she lost her balance. She caught herself and looked back to Dagur, who was flicking his eyes back and forth from her to the river, almost like he didn't want to lose sight of what he found but wanted to make sure she was alright as well.

His focus fully turned back to the river after a moment "Check it out." Hiccup peered into the river and saw a decent sized trout swimming against the current "At least it's something, right?"

Hiccup nodded "I guess, yeah."

Dagur knelt down by the edge of the water and watched the fish for a moment before he stood and took a dagger from his belt. He gripped it and smirked at Hiccup "Watch this." He threw the weapon into the water and some splashing sounded directly afterwards. The Berserker waded into the river and pulled his weapon back to the surface, the trout still limply flopping about on the blade.

He smiled proudly at Hiccup, who put on a cocky grin of her own "Is that what your 'target practice' with me was helping?"

Dagur shrugged as he came back on land "Not entirely."

The Hooligan scoffed as they pressed on, heading back in the direction of the pond "Glad to know I was almost killed so that you could kill a fish."

"Oh come on," Dagur coaxed "you'll be thanking me when we're eating this later."

"Yeah, because half a fish is so much more inviting than the fruit we still have."

The red-head shrugged "Suit yourself. More for me, then."

When the two of them got closer to the pond, they noticed that a few more fish had appeared in it since their last visit. A few more trout must have been hiding or something before, since the stream was definitely too shallow for them.

But these fish were a little more than a meal for Dagur. They were also a small opportunity for him. He'd already shown Hiccup he can effortlessly score a fish. Catching more would only emphasize that. These fish were a chance to stay on her good side, now that he'd gotten there. And… maybe there was a little more to it than that. After all, what woman in their right mind would turn down someone who could provide for them? Surely even Hiccup could see something in that.

Dagur looked back at the brunette and found her and SkyEyes watching a few guppies. She said something to the dragon and he started getting ready to pounce. He leapt into the water and Hiccup held up her arms to try to shield the water from hitting her face. She laughed and watched SkyEyes resurface with one of the guppies sticking out of his mouth, which he ate once he had his feet back on the ground. Hiccup scratched the dragon under his chin and her eyes wandered over to Dagur.

She stood and casually strode over to him "So~, wanna make this a little more interesting?"

"Interesting how?"

Hiccup slowly paced in front of him, holding her hands behind her back "Nothing big. Just to see who can catch more trout before we lose them again?"

Dagur's lips quirked into a grin "I'm listening."

"Whoever catches more fish gets to…" She stopped in front of him "eat the biggest of the bunch."

The Berserker blanked "… That's it?"

The Hooligan's shoulders sank "What else can we make bets with? Sticks?"

"… Good point…"

"So," She held out her hand "are we on or what?"

Eh, what the hell? Dagur thought before he shook her hand. That familiar warmth rushed up his arm again, but he hardly noticed it this time. Let's just say that his competitive side was taking over for the time being. It's not like she can beat me at this.

…Apparently Hiccup was better at catching fish than Dagur thought she could be. Sure, he thought he was in the lead when he caught another two trout with his daggers while Hiccup had yet to get any. She was busy using her new knife on a stick she found nearby. It looked like she was sharpening it to a point, as if that would help her. He was pulling ahead while she was spending her time making a weapon when she had a perfectly good one in her hand! It didn't make sense to him, but he just kept at the contest.

He managed to catch another fish before Hiccup finally started making attempts. She'd fashioned the stick into a spear and was using it in a way similar to Dagur's method; the only difference being that she never completely let go of the staff. She'd wait for the fish to get close and then stab them with the end of the stick.

By the time SkyEyes was starting to make noises telling them some guards might be approaching, each Viking had collected four fish. Once they got back to the cave, they started a fire and began to cook them. They both just settled for eating the ones that they caught themselves, since there wasn't exactly a winner (though, in Dagur's opinion, he got the bigger fish anyway).

Hiccup really was an interesting girl, when Dagur thought about it. She's the first Viking to ride on a dragon's back, resourceful enough to fix her leg so that she could walk again, and she could catch just as many fish as he could. The little brunette may have been small and, well, the size of the fish bones they were picking out of the meat, but she wasn't exactly a damsel in distress either.

It was a breath of fresh air, he supposed. He'd seen a lot of different kinds of women around the archipelago, but Dagur had never met one as… entertaining as Hiccup was. She had intelligence that made up for her lacking muscles. And it made her just as challenging an adversary as Berk's toughest warriors. Her methods were more evasive, too much so for Dagur's personal taste, but that was what made the hunt all that more fun when they were out for each other's throats. Now, it was just fun to pick her brain and see what she'd come up with next.

Speaking of… Dagur looked out at the skyline and saw it turning shades of orange and red. He ate the last of his fish and stood "I'd better get going." He leaned against the cave wall and scanned the immediate area. No Outcasts… perfect.

Hiccup perked up when she noticed him moving and followed him with her eyes "Going to talk to your men?" She questioned.

"Yep." Dagur replied "Might as well, right?"

"It would be helpful to have a boat, anyway."

"Yeah, yeah." He glanced at her over his shoulder and caught how bright her eyes were in the flickering of the fire; along with the shine it gave her damp hair. Heat crept up his neck and he looked away "I'll be back soon." He stated "Don't wait up."

Dagur slipped into the shadows of the night and stayed as elusive as he could manage until he got to the borders of the Outcast village. Alvin still had patrol squads out. Not as many as before, but they were still hovering around the woods in search of the two escapees. The thought of them finding Hiccup did enter his mind, but it left just as quickly. If these loons hadn't found the cave by now, he didn't think they would. Besides, Hiccup had a dragon with her and she was a decent fighter. She should be able to handle herself until he got back, anyway.

The Berserker lingered on the border for a few minutes, surveying the area and seeing if the square was any busier than usual that night. Thankfully, it wasn't so it should be easy to stay out of sight. As much as he hated being so quiet and indirect, he knew it was necessary for this particular mission. If he was caught, he could be captured. Whether he got away or not, being spotted would mean Hiccup would be in danger too. Patrols would pick up again, comb through the woods even stronger than the last time. It would be weeks before they'd let up again. Dagur couldn't let that happen if they wanted to escape. The ice would be setting in all over the ocean in a matter of weeks. That window was his and Hiccup's only hope of escape, before having to endure the bitter cold of an Outcast winter without proper supplies. Outcast Island was a few days North of Berk, by boat. If Dagur though Berk's winters were brutal, he couldn't imagine what it was like on Outcast Island.

The village was quiet but still alive, as Dagur came to discover as he closed the distance between himself and the square. He hugged the walls of the buildings until he decided he was clear to dash into the next shadow in his line of sight. The tactic was working pretty well until he almost walked right by an open window. The only reason he didn't was because a bottle flew in front of him just as he reached it. After that, he decided he should probably stay lower to the ground. His helmet added a good foot or two to his height, which tended to be something he forgot about, on top of how tall he already was. So, he slipped the object off of his head and held it close as he stalked closer to the docks, slipping the helmet back on as he went.

It seemed like the Berserkers were still going back to the boats during the nights. At least that made it more convenient for Dagur to find them. He sauntered down the pier until he came to his boat, the one with the Skrill proudly displayed on the sail. If any group was going to still be loyal to him, it would be the one on this boat. He only let his best on that ship, the best crew, the best warriors, even the best cook. They were all Berserkers to the bone. They'd never turn their loyalty to an Outcast, of all tribes.

Dagur smirked and chuckled before he climbed onto the ship and made his way below deck. As his footsteps sounded off of the walls, the boisterous yelling and crashes below silenced. He heard shuffles and the occasional clank of metal being banged against something. At least they're still sharp. He turned the corner and met the mob of men poised to attack with a blank face. When they saw him, a few looked from one to another in disbelief while others just dropped their weapons as if they were on fire. The chief smirked again. Just like he expected.

"Chief…?" He heard one practically whisper.

"You're alive?" Another one asked in awe.

"Of course I'm alive!" Dagur responded "What'd ya think, that I can't take a week or two on this pile of ash?"

"O-of course not, Chief." Captain Vorg stepped forward "It's just… Alvin came and told us this morning that he found your body." He gulped "That you were dead."

Dagur crossed his arms "And did you see this 'body,' by any chance?" He looked around the room "Anyone?" Head started to point to the floor and mumbling resonated.

"N… No, sir…" Vorg admitted.

Dagur drew his axe and threw it at the captain. The blade flew inches from his face and lodged itself in one of the beams on the walls. Its owner trudged over and gripped the handle, never taking his eyes off of Vorg "Maybe you forgot from the last time," he yanked it out of the wall and directed it at Vorg's throat "don't assume your leader's dead until you see the body." He lowered his blade "Got it?"

Vorg gulped "Y-yes sir. O-of course, sir. Our mistake."

Dagur made a sinister smile "That's right." He put his axe back in its holster and backed away "Now, I'm sure you're all wondering where I was after I disappeared. Your answer is I was laying low until Alvin started to call off his army of search parties."

"What about the Dragon Conqueror, sir?" One solider questioned.

"Don't worry about her." The red-head ordered, shrugging the matter off "What I want to know is how soon we can all pull out of here and get back home. I don't know about all of you, but I'd rather not spend winter up here."

"Provisions are low, sir." Vorg explained "If we request some from Alvin and he complies, we could be ready in about a week. Only problem is… how are we gonna do that?"

The room was silent for a moment before Dagur spoke up "He told you that I'm dead, right?" Vorg timidly nodded "There's your answer right there!" He declared.

"I… don't follow."

Dagur rolled his eyes "You all know that I'm not an only child. Go and tell Alvin you're going home to find my sister to crown her the new chief."

Nods and mumbles started again. Now they got it. Idiots.

"What about you, sir?"

"I've been lying low in the woods since I pulled that stunt." Dagur explained "I can continue doing the same until we're set to leave. I'll be near the border every night around sunset. When you have a definite time of departure, send someone to meet me out there and pass the message on."

Vorg nodded "We won't disappoint you, Chief."

Dagur chuckled "You'd better hope so." He turned around "I'd better get going before I'm discovered."

He started to climb the stairs again before he stopped. There was a yak skin blanket hanging on the banister. Dagur thought about it for a moment before he grabbed it and disappeared into the night.

By the time he made it back to the cave, the moon was hanging in the sky and the fire that was blazing when he left was nothing more than a bunch of embers on a log. Dagur scanned the cave and found Hiccup curled up to SkyEyes against her usual wall. Despite the dragon's body heat against her own, the girl was shivering in the cooling air.

After a small internal debate, he slowly snuck over to Hiccup, unfolding the fur draped over his arm as he went. His steps were slow and quiet, with his only intention being to not awaken the brunette. He really didn't want to have to explain himself if he was caught doing this. But, as long as she didn't see him do it, he was in the clear.

He took a corner of the blanket in each hand and lightly draped it over the tiny Hooligan girl, covering every part of her except her face with the article that could easily pose as her father's cape. That is, if Stoick was into unruly yak fur on his capes. He honestly didn't know what that thing was made of.

He stepped lightly back to his side of the cave and started to work on getting the fire lit again. He'd like to have some form of comfort for another night on the cold, stone floor if he could find it. And, with Hiccup being given the rights to the furs, he was left with only the blaze to maintain his body heat while he slept.

Occasionally while he was fixing the flames, he'd peek at Hiccup for a few seconds. For some time, her shivering continued. But she did settle back into a more peaceful sleep with time. Plus, the fire burning hot again probably helped the fur retain some heat for her. If not that, SkyEyes was doing his job underneath the fur.

She buried her nose in the blanket and Dagur couldn't help but grin. Gods, why does she have to be like this? So… cute? This was either going to be his downfall or the thing that would keep him going until he got home. After that… he'd have to see what happens.