Two hours to spare but look who actually got this up 4 days after the last update! (None of you thought I was gonna pull it off did you? Cause I know I didn't).

Part Two: We Are Searching for Significance

Chapter Twenty-One: Alike and Agile, Part 2

Hiccup looked as Stormfly's skin crept to an orange-pink while Camicazi fed her a few fish. The dragon let out a playful hiss, licking the blonde until the hair over her forehead slopped up, curling at the ends.

Hiccup simply leaned against Toothless, watching the two during their normal lunch break. He took a bite and sucked on his plum.

::Do they really expect me to eat such little food?:: Toothless asked, picking at his fruit as he had already eaten all of the fish he was given in two bites.

::Toothless, you say this every day.::

::And every day I still get tiny human pickings of food.:: the night fury snuffed, blowing little puffs of smoke around his apples.

::Eating fruit won't kill you, you know.:: Hiccup said as he looked down at his own food. He always ate the lightest lunches of a bunch—so Manga said—mostly just being satisfied with a carrot, an apple or plum, and a little wheat porridge. He looked over by the fire watching Alastair as she had taken to helping preparing lunch with Manga, Lashmed, and Hookfang, mentioning something about not wanting to laze around while being in such a large group.

But Hiccup still sighed at the fact that he was so used to being waited on. He barely knew how to cook anything, and was only good at catching fish for Toothless. But since they were nowhere near water, and had to ration their fish between two hungry and fine-growing dragons, his fishing skills weren't exactly known.

At least when he was on Johann's ship, he was busy making Toothless's tail, but now that he had no project to work on he felt…useless again, to say the least.

::Don't feel so down.:: Toothless told him, nudging his side. ::We've only been with these humans for a week, you'll find your place in no time.::

::Thanks for the optimism.:: Hiccup grinned, not knowing whether he wanted to mope or believe Toothless's optimism. But still, he looked over at Stormfly and Camicazi, they had clearly been together longer than he and Toothless had, and he almost envied their closeness. Though, Hiccup wondered…

::Hey, what's Stormfly like?:: Hiccup asked.

::Why don't you find out for yourself?::

::I'm a little scared to talk to her, I mean, what if she says something to Camicazi…or to Asha?::

::Under the assumption they can communicate with our kind, of course.:: Toothless corrected him. ::I still have yet to have a conversation with either of these females.::

::Well I'm almost sure that Asha can, at least, that's what Alastair told me. But still, you're a dragon….::

::Really? I hadn't noticed.:: Toothless curled back down into his forearms.

::No,:: Hiccup laughed, giving the night fury a light slap. ::I mean, haven't you said anything to her?::

::Not really.::

::Why not?:: Hiccup lifted a brown, genuinely shocked.

::Why should I? I have no reason to speak with her.::

Hiccup sighed. It wasn't until Stormfly came into the picture that Hiccup realized Toothless only had him, Alastair, and Nimfir for friends. Two humans and a dragon that couldn't communicate with other dragons. And he didn't seem to have too many friend back at the dragon's next near Berk either…

::I don't really need further companionship, if that's what you're wondering.:: Toothless huffed, though it didn't feel like he was casually dismissive as usual, he seemed more apprehensive, nervous even. Hiccup took a last bite of his plum before he threw the seed at the night fury's head. Toothless shot up, glaring at him, but Hiccup saw the need to change the subject written all over his face.

::You're nervous aren't you?::

::That's ridiculous.::

:But I'm right, aren't I?:: Hiccup smiled. The thought of Toothless being nervous about something as trivial as making a new friend left him feeling somewhat giddy. Almost like it was a problem Toothless had that he could actually solve, or at least help with.

Toothless kept silent, his ears curling in and his claws biting into the dirt.

::Toothless…:: Hiccup probed, trying to bite his lip to hide the excitement bubbling forth.

::You're not fooling anyone, I know this thrills you.:: Toothless rolled his eyes.

::Oh, don't make this about me, just—:: Hiccup looked over at Stormfly, curling around Camicazi as she watching the clouds roll over her, crunching loudly on her apple. ::—Why don't you just go talk to her? I'll be right there with you.::

::I'm not a hatchling.:: Toothless got up, shaking the dirt off of himself and trying to stand tall. ::I don't need your assistance in such a simple task.:: Toothless began to walk away, leaving his little bit of picked-over fruit in the grass behind Hiccup. The night fury turned half way to his destination, eyes shifting. Hiccup smiled, getting up as well and giving Toothless a pat.

::See, I told you that you were nervous.:: Hiccup said.

::Just…tell me what I should say.::

::Um…hello?:: Hiccup bit his lip. ::I mean, if that's how dragons do things, I guess. I only know about human stuff.::

Stormfly noticed them first as they approached, she turned her head into the grass, looking at them upside down.

::Ugh, the human boy and his demon.:: She scoffed and tugged the leg of her rider. Camicazi grinned wryly.

"Ready for another beating?" She asked smugly. "That would make it, what? 15 to 4?"

"You don't have to bring up the races every time we talk you know." Hiccup sighed. He and Cami had been racing all week, but he'd only manage to win 4 out of the 19 races they had done. Toothless was faster, of course, but Stormfly and Camicazi were deft in the sky, maneuvering better than anything he had seen. He and Toothless had even thrown a few races, trying to observe their movements, but Hiccup was sure Stormfly's snake-like body wasn't something Toothless could really imitate.

Camicazi just let out a good-natured laugh, arms moving to her stomach. Hiccup nudged his elbow roughly into Toothless's side.

::Come on, say something.:: Hiccup urged.

::Um, hello.:: Toothless perked up, letting out a small growl as he tried to seem friendly, but Stormfly didn't seem interested. Toothless looked at Hiccup, defeat all over him, it was almost pitiful. ::She called me a demon.:: Toothless whispered.

::Okay so…we'll try approach two.::

::Which is what?::

::I can hear you both.:: Hiccup heard Stormfly's voice butt in.

::Oh um…:: Hiccup gulped, forgetting that dragons could hear him as well.

::We're sorry…:: Toothless started to turn away but Hiccup kept him there.

::Do you have a problem with us?:: Hiccup asked, point-blank. ::Your human seems to like us, so why don't you?::

::I have no problem with humans specifically.:: Stormfly said. ::Though I don't care to get mixed up in the mess you two are associated with.::

::Mess we're associated…what—?:: Hiccup stepped forward but Toothless put his tail in front on his steps.

::Let's go.:: Toothless said, sternly and without a second thought he turned away, bringing his wing to Hiccup's back to move him with his motions.

::Hey come on Toothless, you don't have to take that.:: Hiccup sucked his teeth, looking over his shoulder as Camicazi blissfully stared at the clouds while Stormfly kept her gaze on them, turning darker shades of blue as her glare narrowed.

::Best not agitate this for now.:: Toothless said. ::But this is why I don't make friends.::

::I…:: Hiccup wanted to protest, to make a comeback that would derail all of Toothless's worry but whatever was going on was beyond him. As usual…

0o0

"Hey!" Hiccup pouted as Manga pulled a carrot from his grasp, putting it back in their supply basket.

"Sorry Albar, but we're low on carrots."

"We're low on everything." Lashmed sighed as she unpacked her sleeping linens for the night. "We really should've made that extra trip to Nottingham before going back to the ship."

"You know Nottingham is filled with Sanctuary estates." Fishlegs said. "We made the right choice."

"Not for our guts though." Hookfang plopped down on her sleeping linens, sneaking the carrot out of the basket and crunching on it.

"Okay, okay." Asha stepped in. "Two of us will try and find a spare farm." She squinted as she looked out to the last of the setting sun over the horizon. "There's gotta be someone along these flat lands, they're perfect for harvest."

Hiccup immediately looked up, he felt Alastair's hand at his wrist but shook it off.

"I'll do it." Hiccup volunteered. Everyone turned and looked at him, raising a brow.

"No offense but after what happened with Lizbeth, I'm not sure you're the scout and retrieve type." Camicazi said, not in a particularly hurtful or even teasing tone. She was sincere and to-the-point, and that's what slapped Hiccup the most. "Stealing food along the flats can get kind of messy."

"Well does anyone else here have a night fury that's basically invisible at night?" Hiccup bargained. "We're perfect for the job."

Everyone was silent for a moment and a little sweat broke out on the back of Hiccup's neck, his confidence dropped quickly.

"Alright," Asha shrugged. "But Cami goes with you."

Hiccup gave Camicazi a side glance, and she smirked at him, shoulder's rising.

"I-I'll got too." Hiccup heard Alastair interject.

"Nope, too many people." Asha said. "Besides, you're more helpful with dinner."

"But—!"

"Hey, come on Alastair I'll be fine." Hiccup said, taking a knee to look at her. "I can take care of myself, you don't have to be such a…." he trailed.

"What?" Alastair bit back. "Such a what?"

"Nothing." Hiccup shook his head, looking down at his boots. The tension snapped when Hiccup received a light slap on the back on his head, Cami looking at him so that they could get on Toothless.

"Come on freckle face, I don't feel like being out all night."

"Yeah, coming." Hiccup got up as well, though Alastair's hand kept him there.

"Hiccup," she said quietly.

"Alastair, I'll be fine." He told her, his tone had more of a bite to it.

She leaned back a little, jumping at the sudden acerbity in his tone. Still it was written all over her face that she didn't believe him, and that just made Hiccup burn. He was surrounded by women. Even Gobber, Fishlegs, and Butterball seemed respectfully submissive in letting them be the leaders, but Hiccup wanted to be respected as well.

Hiccup shrugged Alastair's wrist away, his glare keeping her quiet enough that he knew he didn't have to say anything else.

::Why don't you ever talk to me before you make these rash choices?:: Toothless sighed as Hiccup mounted him. ::I'm a little sleepy.::

::I am too.:: Hiccup yawned for emphasis. ::But we've got something to prove to these girls.::

::Do we now?::

::Yes…:: Hiccup adjusted his foot into Toothless's stirrup, looking at Cami as she said her goodbyes to Stormfly and said a few words to Asha.

"Come on," He called out to her. "I don't feel like being out all night." Hiccup looked over at the blonde, trying to copy her wry grin.

0o0

It was about two hours into the night when Hiccup began to get tired. The determination to be at his best faded when all they were met with was open skies and farm-less grounds.

Camicazi held loosely onto him as they flew on Toothless, and Hiccup was immediately noticing the difference between having Alastair ride with him and having Camicazi behind him. She didn't seem as scared, her grip wasn't as tight, her chest didn't press as closely to his back. Though Hiccup was slightly grateful for that, Camicazi was a few years older than Alastair was, after all. The last thing he needed was that much distraction while flying.

"Hey, if we don't find anything in another half hour we should turn back." Camicazi told him. "Or else we'll be flying back all night."

"I know that." Hiccup said, staring forward, his eyes narrowing when he heard Camicazi's chuckle over the wind.

"What's your deal tonight? Pants too tight?"

"I just…know how to do things without you tell me." Hiccup clutched the Toothless reigns harder as they flew.

"Oh well excuse me," a laugh ruffled Camicazi's chest. "I didn't realize your balls had dropped today."

Hiccup had enough at that point.

"What's your deal?" Hiccup yelled. "All you do is walk around like you're better than me."

"Pfft, maybe that's how you see it."

"It's not just me." Hiccup started but he felt Toothless's tug at his thoughts.

::Don't bring me into this.:: Toothless said, his tone was dead serious and Hiccup swallowed back his words.

"Look kid, I don't know you too well, but what I do know is that respect is earned around here. I've had to earn it and everyone in the Bog Boss has had to earn it. You've only been here a week and you expect everyone to treat you like you're already apart of this family. Just who do you think you are?"

Hiccup felt the sting as she spoke, even Toothless winced a little. He bit his lip and kept quiet as they both continued to look for any kind of farmlands on the ground, and just when they were about to turn around empty handed Toothless's ears shot up, his irises to slits.

::What is it?:: Hiccup asked.

::A dragon is coming, just east of here.:: Toothless flapped forward, drawing back.

"What's wrong?" Camicazi asked.

"There's another dragon in the air" Hiccup replied, looking to see the monstrous nightmare fly right over them, its wind breaking their steady float.

::He's heading somewhere…:: Hiccup said, the dragon's motives seeming very home-bound.

::I agree.::

They both glanced at each other, turning to follow the nightmare.

"That dragon's heading somewhere." Hiccup said back to Camicazi.

"In these parts he's probably wild." Camicazi told him.

"Or maybe not. I say we follow him for a little while, just to see where he's going." Hiccup didn't wait for a response, he was already on the nightmare's trail.

The nightmare flew due west for another good 20 minutes before he started descending, and on the ground it was clear that a house was coming in from the distance.

A large estate, farmlands included, acres of territory behind the mansion each section fenced and caged in iron bars that jutted from the ground. At least 50 dragons were housed behind the estate, most of them sleeping, though others restless.

The nightmare landed, in front of the house, greeted by a man that put a chain around his neck and began to bring him around back.

"What's such a huge place doing stuck out here in the middle of nowhere?" Hiccup wondered.

"Dragon slave house." Cami's tone narrowed as much as her gaze. "He's probably collecting them to sell in the market towns." Hearing the definition left just as much of a bad taste in his month then it did when Hiccup first learned of the Saxon's treatment of dragons.

"He's got a farm though," Camicazi continued, shrugging.

"Then I say we go for it." Hiccup said, turning to smile at Camicazi. "Who knows, we might even be able to do a little…liberating while we're getting some food."

"Liberating, eh?" Cami played along, matching his grin. "I'm way ahead of you freckle face."

0o0

Hiccup rounded the edge of the edge of the gates, stepping lightly as to not wake the dragons just sleeping on the other side. He peaked through the bars, seeing beyond the cages of dragons farming fields.

"What are we looking at?" Camicazi hissed, hurrying him along.

"I see some onions, pigs, cows, cabbages..." Hiccup squinted to get a better look. "A lot of cabbages, And I guess those are carrots."

"Anything we can swipe and run?" Cami asked, getting her swords ready.

"Probably the onions and cabbages," Hiccup's nose wrinkled at the thought. "Though everyone's breath is going to stink if that's all we're eating."

Cami elbowed the back of Hiccup's head. "Be picky someplace else. Food is food, now get your swords ready."

Hiccup sighed, and took the butterfly swords Hookfang gave him out of his bag, latching them into the belt of his tunic. He still didn't feel particularly comfortable using anything but a dagger, but he was given swords, so that's what he would use.

"You grab as many things as you can stuff in this—" Camicazi shoved a brown sack into his chest. "Then get in the air on Toothless."

"Should I just fly over on Toothless?" Hiccup asked.

"Nah," Camicazi looked upwards, pointing to a few guard towers around the rims of the estate. "They probably won't spot us hopping the fence, but they'll sure notice a night fury swooping down over the fields."

"Okay, so then what are you gonna do?" Hiccup sucked his teeth.

"I'm going to free these dragons." Camicazi said seriously, whipping her swords through the air in practice. "Just do what I told you, okay?"

Hiccup growled but Toothless nudge him forward.

::Don't be stubborn.:: Toothless told him and Hiccup sighed as the night fury reached up on his hind legs, helping Hiccup get over the fence.

::Wait here until I get back with the food.:: Hiccup told him and ran swiftly around the cages. All of them seemed to be just as exhausted as the next, though some where in a deep sleep while others were still awake. Hiccup wondered as he ran what kind of things went on in a dragon slave house to make them so exhausted, though he did remember Lizbeth and even Johann mentioning dragons being used for working purposes. Those dragons probably worked the field just as hard as any worker did.

::I don't recognize this one.:: Hiccup heard one of the dragons say.

::New human.:: Another called out.

::Free us!::

He stopped short, looking around at the cages and frown when he spotted a thunderdrum within one of the pens. It's large mouth was muzzled and only it's whimpers filled Hiccup's ears.

::Free us please…:: Hiccup hear the dragon say, and he placed his hands on the bars, tempted to reach inside.

::Camicazi's coming to save you.:: He told the thunderdrum. ::Don't worry.::

::You-you…speak like us?::

"Albar, get moving!" Hiccup heard and spun around to see Camicazi trying to pick at one of the locks with the tip of her sword, cursing lightly each time it failed to open. "Get moving!" She hissed again for emphasis.

Hiccup hurried up and climbed over the next fence out to the fields. Acres of farmlands rolling hill over hill. He started filling the sack with cabbages and onions and was able to get a few carrots that were further down.

In a dirt patch within the field while Hiccup was getting some carrots, though, he happened upon a small shed. A sparse candle light was flickering inside, an old man asleep with a book over his eyes seemed like he was the lone soul inside. Though a grumble further in the shed let Hiccup know that the man had a watch-dragon station inside, a hotburple snoozing just as loudly as the man was.

Hiccup looked around inside the shed, nothing of interest worth taking but a few jars of milk over on the far table.

All they had was water sacks that they boiled every day and a few barrels of honey-mead (that Gobber, Camicazi, and Lashmed consumed the most of), but milk was always good as well. Hiccup put the sack down, opening the door slowly and winced as it creaked. Tip-toeing inside, the man and dragon only snoring louder as he moved slowly towards the jars.

He took each one and tucked them in his arms, turning on his heel before he noticed a ring of keys on the other table the man was leaning on.

They could've been keys to just about anything, but Hiccup was certain that it was for the dragon cages.

Hiccup smiled as he stepped forward over the snoring hotburple and curved his arm around the sleeping man, he was skinny enough to do it without waking either of them up, but his arms were just shy of being long enough. Tongue out and a bead of sweat running down his neck, Hiccup put his palm to the floor and leaned on one knee, the keys just barely grazing his fingertips before he looked up and saw an eye open underneath a fur of eye brows and facial hair. Hiccup immediately gasped, dropping the milk jars all over the man's shoes.

The old man's mustache curled up as he groaned and the man grabbed the keys and hopped up in a spring that defied his age.

"Wh-what ya doing in 'er?" He stammered, reaching shakily for what looked like a horn on the wall. Hiccup's eyes widened. Not knowing whether he should make a run for it or still try and get the keys from the man. But the sleeping hotburple woke up at that moment, limiting Hiccup's options quickly. The large dragon moved slowly but Hiccup could already see him reeving up to blast him.

"I-I…" Hiccup bit his lip, eyes cutting over to the sack of food, and cursed himself when the man's eyes followed.

"You dirty thief." The man growled and took the horn to his mouth, blowing harshly. The sound was dull in the room but echoed over the fields. That man was no doubt a watchman for the field. Something that big and prosperous in the middle of nowhere was sure to be a prime target for hungry thieves.

The hotburple let out a messy blast and set half the shed in a dripping inferno, Hiccup just barely making it out the door, grabbing to sack of swiped food and round the corner of the shed, hoping over cabbage patches while the old man was on his heels and the hotburple flew lazily behind.

"Get back 'er ya thief!" He called out, keeping up with Hiccup for all it was worth.

::Toothless!:: Hiccup called out, hoping Toothless wasn't too far away for their link not to work.

::I'm a little tied up at the moment,:: Toothless answered back, a struggle in his voice. ::Seems the humans are onto us.::

::Yeah…that might be my fault.:: Hiccup gave out a nervous laugh before he lost his footing, tripping on onion leaves, the cabbages and carrots in the sack spilling over his head.

A bumpy and heavy weight crushed Hiccup further into the ground, the hotburple's body sank over him in a tackle. The man walked up, hands on his hips and mustache twisting in a frazzle.

"I'll turn ya straight to the dragon pins for trying to steal the master's food." He said.

::Hey come on, you're heavy!:: Hiccup tried to communicate with the hotburple instead, slapping the ground as he tried to move.

::Huh…speak like me?:: The dragon tilted his head.

::Yeah, yeah, I can,:: Hiccup coughed a little. ::Now please get off of me, we're trying to save the other dragons.::

Hiccup could feel the thought tinkering through the horburple's mind. Just as slow as it's movements. But it seemed to be in good favor of Hiccup.

"Albar!" Hiccup heard Camicazi in the background before he saw a perfectly thrown knife land right in the old man's shoulder. He gasped a little, dropping to the ground.

His age put him out of commission though Hiccup didn't think he was dead, even as Camicazi walked up pulling the knife from his shoulder. She shook her head as she saw Hiccup tackled by a hotburple.

::Come on get off me.:: Hiccup placed his face in the dirt, sighing, and the dragon finally lifted its gut off of Hiccup's back.

He expected Camicazi to laugh, but instead she grabbed his shirt roughly and pulled him up to look at her.

"What the hell did you do?" Cami hissed.

"I just thought…I could get the keys from that guy to help you unlock the dragon cages." Hiccup panted.

"Uh huh, and where are the keys?" She cocked a hip when Hiccup grinned sheepishly, pointing back to the half on-fire shed in the distance.

"Albar I swear, I'm gonna kill you." She grabbed the flattened sack of food and shoved it into stomach before taking his hand and tugged him along as they ran through the fields, the hotburple left in the distance.

They were just up to the fence that blocked the fields from the dragons, but a line of torches and guards man was already lining the rim. He heard Cami curse under her breath. "All the guards are up now, you know, we're gonna have to bail without freeing any of the dragons." She told him.

"What!? No I already promised…" Hiccup cut his sentence short, not really able to tell Camicazi that he had promised the thunderdrum that they would be freed.

Camicazi wasn't in the mood to argue, though. She put a hand in front of Hiccup. "Get over the fence with the food and I'll take care of them." She told him.

"At least let me—" Hiccup tried to protest but Cami sent him a glare that cut sharp ice through his skin. He shivered and swallowed the rest of his sentence.

Crossbows shot towards them and Camicazi whipped out her sword, blocking the arrows with precision as she got in front of Hiccup, ramming her way through the air as it spit arrows at them. The metal hitting metal shook Hiccup's teeth while Cami collided with the cross bows, slashing wrists and ankles in clean strokes of her sword.

"Hop to it, Albar!" She called and Hiccup threw the sack over his shoulder, trying to hold it up with his teeth as he had to use both hands to climb the fence. But all the cabbages, carrots, and onions he swiped seemed good while taking but bad when he had to pull all that weight over a fence.

He only had one foot to the third bar of the fence when he felt a hand grab his ankle, and guard took out a knife and shoved it in Hiccup's boot.

The boots Alastair had gotten him with thick for winter, but he still felt the knife at his skin, his flesh sunk around the sharp edge and he felt the wetness of his blood seeping onto the inside of his boot. The sack of stolen food felt from his teeth and grasp and he let out a hiss before his feet slipping from the barring. The man pulled him down the rest of the way, grabbing the sack of food and raising his knife. Hiccup reached shakily for his butterfly swords, only managing to get one out to block the man's jab. He really didn't know how to use those types of swords, and used it more as a shield than anything else. He saw a few openings to slice the man's neck, but all Hiccup could see when thinking to do it was how Camicazi just killed Lizebeth the previous week, and it made his stomach churn. The pain in his leg was starting to effect his wherewithal and just as his vision started to get fuzzy from the adrenaline of blocking a knife and the pain shooting up his leg Hiccup heard the man give a yelp before falling forward.

His body fell against Hiccup's and he saw a dagger wedged in his back. Camicazi right there.

"Come on." She muttered darkly, helping him over the fence to the dragon's cages. They had one more fence to scale to get out, but Hiccup smiled when he saw that Toothless was already waiting for them.

::Hurry up!:: Toothless called out, worry in his words as he fought off some guards that were trying to detain him, doing his best to fend them off without killing anyone. Camicazi picked Hiccup up and carried him the rest of the way, though as they passed by some of the cages, Hiccup saw the thunderdrum he had spoken to.

::Free us…?:: The thunderdrum pleaded.

::I…:: Hiccup sighed as Cami ran right past the dragon, hoisting Hiccup over her shoulder and giving a quick slash to anyone who tried to get in their way of getting to Toothless.

::Free me…?:: the dragon asked again, but Hiccup couldn't do anything, even as they ran more guards were coming quickly. They mounted Toothless in the thicket, Camicazi yelling to get a move on and they took off.

::I'm sorry…:: Was all Hiccup could say.

0o0

Camicazi tore from the cloth off of the food sack, soaking it in their drinking water to clean it off before wringing it out as best she could, getting it dry enough to wrap.

Toothless licked the stab on Hiccup's leg while Cami did that, their camp fire only letting out a few embers and a small line of smoke into the sky as they stopped for the night, too tired to continue back to the other members of the Bog Boss.

"Shouldn't we be hiding out in the thickets?" Hiccup asked, not knowing why Camicazi choose to make camp out in the flat lands rather than finding at least a little bit of brush to hide in.

"Nah, they'll be searching anything dense all night. Stay one step ahead and hide where they're not expecting us to."

"Well…how do we even know those guys were Sanctuary?"

"Don't know, but they're ritzy guards in a ritzy estate with nothing else better to do than track down a couple of food thieves all night."

Hiccup heard Cami suck her teeth as she looked at the food he had managed to bring back. He had swiped a lot more, but between tripping on the onion grass, getting trampled by a hotburple, and getting dragged down by that guard, half of the food had fallen out or gotten squished.

"Geez, all of that ruckus for half a bag of flat cabbage and onions." Cami shook her head and dug around a little. "And one carrot," she laughed bitterly. "This'll last us another day at best."

"I'm sorry," Hiccup said lightly, trying to let Toothless's licking sooth him rather than having the stress of the situation tighten his skin.

"Yeah well, maybe next time you'll do what I tell you."

"I was just trying to help." Hiccup sat up, trying to make a convincing argument, but his guilt weakened his tone. "And we did get some food." He still tried.

"That's not that point, Albar. We have ten people to feed and three dragons, you can't think about taking chances that aren't necessary. You do what you have to get what everyone needs and you get out."

"Well then how come you wanted to free the dragons? Why didn't you just help me get the food so we could leave?" Hiccup challenged her, smiling when she raised a hand to bite back but was at a loss for words. She slapped the damp cloth on Hiccup's ankle and he winced.

"Wrap it yourself." She told him, chewing her cheek. "Since you're the man and all."

"You don't have to be so—"

"I can be whatever I want." Cami spat back at him. "You're not fooling anyone with all that English traveling crap." She rolled her eyes. "I know that Norse twinge in anyone's voice. You're a Viking."

Hiccup's eyes widened. Gobber had been pretty quiet about Hiccup being royalty. Not even Fishlegs knew too much. But Camicazi did say Viking…not Viking Prince.

"They're all Romanized over there too." She shook her head. "I know how you treat your women. And that might be what you're used to, but when you travel with us regardless of whatever Ragnarok destiny you have with Asha, everyone earns their keep equally. And made a pretty poor performance tonight." She said, pointing to Hiccup's swords in his belt.

There was a silence between them as Hiccup wrapped the cloth around his ankle, his spinning thoughts drowning out the stinging.

"Aren't you Roman…?" He felt it right to ask, remembering to what Lizbeth had called her: Miss Imperiosus.

He saw the twitch on Camicazi's eyes when he asked that. She didn't turn to look at him, she just kept her gaze on the horizon. The sun would be up in another hour or so, leaving everything as dark as ever.

"I used to be." She said slowly as her figure fell into the shadows of the grass. "Get some sleep," she told him. "We'll need your leg so you can fly back."

Hiccup looked down, his wrapped leg was sore, it stung but it wasn't that bad. The wounds on his back where worse than the puncture. He kept his boot off for the moment, letting his feet rest on Toothless.

He could feel the night fury's gaze on him, but he remained silent, already knowing all the things Toothless would say.

::I know, I know…:: Hiccup sighed.

0o0

Astrid didn't get too much sleep that night. She was picking at her bowl of wheat porridge from hours ago, Manga giving up on washing her bowl before bed.

The fire was down to nothing but embers and a few trails of smoke, and Nimfir was fast asleep on her stomach, but all Astrid thought about was what Hiccup had said to her.

She felt a tightness at her chest whenever she felt him pulling away. Even though she knew he wasn't doing it on purpose. She knew just part of Hiccup being Hiccup was his never ending struggle to get everyone to respect him—the whole world if he could. How he always felt any new person he met he had to work twice as hard to get them to notice his significance. She knew that he hated her babying him.

But she couldn't help it…

"Getting worried?" She heard Asha over her and focused her eyes to her side. Stormfly was looking up at the sky as well, waiting patiently for her rider to return. "It should morning soon."

"They should've been back by now." Astrid shared her worry. She didn't waste too much time getting up, Nimfir squirmed around as she pulled him off of her stomach. "Do you think Stormfly would mind if I rode her?"

"Don't you think that's a little rash?" Asha said.

"No..I don't." Astrid was already walking towards the mood dragon. She touched her side and Stormfly turned her gaze to Astrid. It was sharp, but worried, and Astrid seemed to connect with her on the grounds that they both wanted to go and see what was taking their friends so long.

Astrid was surprised that worked, but watching Hiccup and Toothless communicate so much with eye contact she was glad she had picked up a thing or two.

"You should come as well, Asha." Astrid said. "So that Stormfly's flying with someone familiar."

Asha turned and exhaled, though, looking back at the sleeping pirates around the fire. "I hate to leave them here without saying anything."

"Don't you worry." Gobber suddenly said. His eyes were still closed but a smile grazed his lips. "Papa will hold down the fort while you're gone."

"Thank you Gobber." Asha bowed her head a little before she mounted Stormfly, Astrid not too far behind.

She had planned to leave Nimfir at the camp, but he clung to her fiercely, still spooked from how long she stayed away without warning when she and Hiccup got mixed up with Lizbeth.

"Okay, you can come, but only if you stay put and stay quiet." She told him, placing a shushing finger over his chattering mouth. She looked at Asha as she flew Stormfly, not making too much conversation. "I…" Astrid started, only wanting to say a few things. "I told you I should've gone with them." She said. "Albar and Camicazi alone on a mission sounds like a bad combination."

"He has to learn his own independence." Asha said. "He can't have his big brother protecting him all the time."

"You just…don't understand." Astrid sighed. Knowing there were plenty of truths in Asha's words, but there was still the kind of logic that Astrid ran on…the one she couldn't ignore. "Albar, Toothless, Nimfir…they're all I've got. I'd rather he be a little annoyed with me and safe than…well than the other alternative." Nimfir chattered a little, but quickly quieted himself and Astrid gave his chin a little scratch.

"Give him a little more credit." Asha said softly, her hood staying over her face as usual, but Astrid could practically hear the smile in her voice. "I'm sure it's hard enough for him as it is, being so different."

"I guess…" Astrid sighed. When it came to Hiccup's journey and all of the dragon heart business, there wasn't much she could do for him other than be there for him and keep him out of harm's way.

Sometimes protecting him felt like the only thing she for sure knew she could do for him.

But then, Astrid smiled, remembering that there were those moments in which he saved her as well. She remembered when she went back to Merkskof, and how he and Toothless wrapped themselves around her, keeping her warm and making her feel loved and safe after losing the last of her family. That was all she wanted for them, Astrid thought, wrapping her own arms around herself, trying to relive that moment.

But her own gentle hug was contrasted fiercely when she felt the tension of thick and scratchy bola ropes grip around her. Her vision turned into a swirl as they all crashed into the ground, her head and neck cracked harshly and her arms dug into her sides as they hit the ground, her eyes darted around, looking to see a bunch of men landing from muzzled and saddled Monstrous Nightmares.

"Sanctuary?" Astrid asked Asha in a whisper.

"Not sure."

Stormfly immediate began to wiggle, she was lanky dragon but even so, she could break free. But one of the men took care of that immediately, spitting a numbing dart right into her side. The mood dragon let out a hiss and Astrid could feel Stormfly's muscles loosening as she slackened.

"This is a restricted flight area," the man told them, "either of you have a permit to be flying around here?"

"No exactly." Asha said, keeping her head turned away from them. As far as Astrid knew, Stormfly wasn't even registered.

"Well then, how do we know you're not heading to attack our master's slavery?" Another man asked. "Like your two friends last night."

"What frie—?" Astrid asked, only to have it dawn on her that Hiccup and Camicazi mostly did get into trouble while looking for food to steal. "Oh great…" she muttered.

One of the men walked up to them, Astrid only seeing his dirt covered boots before he reached down and kicked at the passed-out Stormfly, turning them all over. Asha's hood fell down a little and she gasped, trying to turn her face away, but the man simply smiled.

"Oh ho ho." He laughed. "Asha is it? Or are you using another new name these days?"

Asha kept quiet.

"It's alright, you can play the silent routine, it not like you're not wanting at every Sanctuary station from here to the Holy Empire." He got down on his knees, getting right to Asha's face. "You've been hiding for too long."

Asha seemed distressed, though not out of nervousness, Astrid could tell, it was more of worry. Her eyes kept darting back to the direction they had come from. They hadn't flown too far from the camp, and even though it was faint, the barest indication of their fire pit was seen smoking in the distance.

The man followed her frantic gaze.

"Got some more hideaways back there?" the man asked a little too casually as he perked her chin up. Asha simply bit his thumb but only seemed to make him more interested. "Lads!" he called out. "Keep north, there's probably a whole lot of fugitives down there."

"No!" Asha called out, beginning to struggle in the bola ropes, but her stature was too lanky to break free, and her arms too restricted to reach for any weapon she packed. "Look, I'm the prize here, okay? Don't bother anyone else."

The man looked down at both of them before he reached and tugged at Astrid's chin as well. Her neck was still sore from the landing but she kept her glare icy when she felt his grimy fingers touch her skin.

"Just take me and don't hurt anyone else." Asha pleaded. "I'll go back to Rome, if that's what you want."

The man was silent for a good, long while. Staring them both down while he thought. Asha kept her composure though, and Astrid figured it wasn't the first time she had been through a capturing.

"Take them lads." The man finally said, and the other men hoisted Stormfly up, dragging her long body alongside Asha and Astrid onto the back of the biggest Monsterous Nightmare they rode. Astrid was in no way comfortable with how they were positioned, but in the fumble, tiny Nimfir was able to get untangled.

"Nimfir, go find the others." Astrid whispered before they were about to take flight, but the changewing just gave her doe eyes. "Nimfir," she just hissed. "Listen to me and go find the others, okay…you'll be able to save me that way." Nimfir took another few moments to think but as they took off his grip slipped and he was left on the ground, letting out a small wine as Astrid saw him get smaller and smaller in the grass.

"Do you think he'll be able to do anything?" Asha asked.

"Nimfir will do anything for me…I know that much." Astrid smiled in spite of the situation, but she kept scanning the ground, wondering if they'd run into Camicazi and Hiccup on their way back…or if they had been captured as well.

"Hiccup…" She let out a quiet breath, and continued to jostle in the bola ropes.

0o0

When the sun rose, Hiccup was woken up by a slap at the back of the head from Camicazi and stiff left leg that he had to get them home with.

They had already been flying the two hours it took them to get there but they were only halfway back. Hiccup had to frequently stop, taking a breather from having his foot locked in the stirrup for anything longer than 30 minutes.

"At this rate we won't get back until tonight." Camicazi muttered, but, for once, she didn't sound annoyed, worried was more like it.

Though Toothless's ears shot up and he looked down suddenly.

::What? Are they after us?:: Hiccup asked.

::No it's not the humans.:: Toothless said. ::It's the little one.::

Hiccup squinted, looking down at the ground as best he could but he couldn't see anything. Toothless opened up their link though, amplifying what he heard to Hiccup and they immediately began to land.

Hiccup knew that little whining anywhere.

"Wait, why are we landing again? We just took a breather 20 minutes ag—" Camicazi asked but Hiccup jumped off of Toothless running over to Nimfir shifting through the grass, whining to anyone or anything that would hear him.

"Nimfir what are you doing out here?" Hiccup picked up the little changewing. He was scared and shaking from exhaustion. Nimfir still had yet to learn how to fly, so any long walks for him were tiresome. "Where's…" Hiccup's brained kicked in, if Nimfir was wandering around far away from camp without Alastair…

"Where's Alastair, Nimfir?" Hiccup brought the changewing closer to him, wishing desperately that he could understand his whining. Nimfir squirmed, looking distressed. "Oh no…" Hiccup felt his stomach sink.

::The men looking for us, they must've passed us and found the camp.:: Hiccup told Toothless. ::And they got Alastair…:: Hiccup buried his head into his hands, groaning.

"Don't just sit there crying, we've gotta head back to camp and see what the damage is." Camicazi said.

"But what if they're heading the opposite way."

"We don't know which way they're headed, but if anyone's back at camp I'm sure they'll know." She tugged his arm up, shoving him over to Toothless. "So let's go."

"If…If I hadn't gotten us caught those guys wouldn't have been after us and they probably wouldn't have found the camp…" Hiccup sighed as they flew, his leg was getting stiff again but he pushed through. He half expected Camicazi to disagree with him, or perhaps agree, but just say something. Instead, though, she said nothing, and that unsettled him more. "I'm a screw up aren't I?" He asked instead of waiting.

"Yep." She agreed simply. "That's what you wanna hear, isn't it?"

"Of course not."

"Sound like it to me. No one whines unless they want attention. You either wanna be the man or the baby that every comforts."

"Hey you don't know anything about me!" Hiccup yelled. "I'm just worried about Alastair I..." His breathing got heavy as he yelled but when he let his breath trail, it just came out shaky. "Alastair's always protecting me, always, I just…I want to be strong too."

"And you will be." Camicazi said, more gently than he expect. She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder before squeezing it roughly. "You just have to shut up and pay attention every once in a while."

Hiccup nodded, one firm and submissive nod.

"Tell you what. I'll do the saving this time, and you watch. You may learn something." Camicazi smiled, her tone had a twinge of teasing in it, so Hiccup wasn't sure if she was being serious or not, but either way he swallowed back every wry comeback he had for that comment and kept his mind focused on the task at hand.

Ooooh something super interesting and long-awaited comes in next chapter!

Review Responses:

AliceCullen3 and FireDemon92: Thank you!

Piplilpop: Yep, I'm in art college but it generally goes the same as most U.S public schools go. And those are good questions…too bad I can't answer any of them XD No spoilers!

Q-A the Authoress: Yeah, but being a tease isn't always bad, especially when it comes to writing XD

Wolffury: Haha, That could've worked, but Gustav will show up much later in the story. And I'm pretty sure everyone can make a good guess of who the "her" is.

TheShadowWarrior: Hey there! Looks like you got a lot of reviewing done, I'm glad you're liking the story. To comment on one of your comments, I'm not sure if this ending will match up with the books or the movies or neither since none of which have ended yet (we only know that dragons aren't there anymore…?) But this story draws a little from both franchises so it'll most likely have a different ending.

Guitar Amateur: Well, Astrid's role in the story is definitely super important but how so…? You'll just have to wait and see. And I love how you called Camicazi "the spirited murderer" haha!

Kitty.0: Yeah, I can definitely say that Hiccup's mother is not the dragon heart. I'm gonna laugh so hard when it's finally revealed and I see everyone's reaction. And Astrid hiding her gender is kind of a back-issue in this story line, though she's more on the "I don't care what people think I am" at this point. She's just more comfortable and happier dressing as a boy.

Nicky: Thank you, I hope you're enjoying the rest of the story!

Lord Anubis Judge of the dead: Those are both good bets! Keep looking for those clues. And I love your user name by the way!

Hey thanks for getting this story past 300 reviews! Next chapter should be here next Saturday!

Next Chapter: Alike and Agile, Part 3