(A/N Thank you so much for the reviews! I'm feeling the love!We're closing in on the end of the story-just a few chapters left.Enjoy!)

He woke before her, as seemed to be the norm. Toothless was awake too in the gloom. He could feel the dragon's breaths. It was a few hours before dawn and Toothless usually liked to go flying now for a snack and then sleep a while longer before flying with Hiccup again at dawn.

"Well bud," he spoke softly to let the other three keep sleeping, "do we wake them and head into camp, or let them keep sleeping and have someone come looking for us at dawn?"

Toothless grunted.

"I know she won't want to join us, but we can make some more paste for her and maybe even get some bandages.

He let out a whine.

"Bud. On a serious note…" Hiccup looked up at the sky, unsure how to continue. "We've spent so long looking for more of your kind… If she can lead you to them, I won't stop you. Hel, if you have to choose just her over me I'll understand. I don't want you to go, I don't know what I'd do without you, but I won't keep you from what you want."

Toothless was silent and still.

Hiccup had expected either a grateful warble if he'd been considering these things or a smack to the head and a snort if the idea was considered ridiculous.

"You don't have to decide now. Hopefully you never have to decide. But if it comes down to it… Well I'll always be there for you, even if your path leads somewhere different."

Toothless heaved a sigh.

It was hard to consider losing his best friend, but he wouldn't keep Toothless from knowing his own kind.

Toothless began nudging the light fury, waking her gently. Hiccup did the same to Merida. Hiccup left it up to Toothless to convince the white dragon to return with them or not. In the end she did. Hiccup and Merida rode Toothless to their tent and then he left to hunt with the other.

Merida never fully woke up. She stayed slumped against his side even when standing and her eyes never fully opened. She had a touch of drool in the corner of her mouth that she didn't manage to swipe away when she rubbed her face in her sleeve. Hiccup thought she was adorable in her sleep addled state. He couldn't help but think of ways to wake her up.

Shaking his head he tucked her into the large bedroll. She was asleep before her head hit the pillow. He wasn't sure he could sleep more, so he left the tent and headed to the forge. There was a stack of weapons that needed repairs from the battle. It didn't take long to heat up the bellows and he set to work.

As dawn approached he saw a small flock of dragons approach as well. Taking off his apron and heading to a clearing he waved down the group, Snotlout at the lead and Astrid at the rear.

"King Fergus. Queen Elinor. Thank you for coming." He gave a half bow with his fist over his chest. The company was quick to scatter off of the dragons, faring even worse than Merida had during her first few days in Berk.

"Where is my daughter?" The queen asked without hesitation.

"She's-"

"Mum!" A tangle of red curls and a green dress darted past him, and clung to the queen.

"-right here," he finished with a smile as he watched the display of affection. She'd apparently brought the dress as preparation for seeing her family again. Her circlet was on her head, and her cuffs were around her biceps rather than her hair. The razorwhip nestled onto her back, but you wouldn't recognize she was a dragon if you didn't already know.

"Och! Lass! Look at ye! Are ye alright? Tell me yer plan failed! I'm so glad to see ye darling! But ye shouldn't be here!" All this was said as the queen looked over every inch of the princess she could find.

"Och, Mum! 'M fine." She waved her mother's hands away as the king approached and wrapped her in a hug. Hiccup was unsurprised to see unshed tears in his eyes.

"What were ye thinkin'?"

"That I canno' ask others to fight fer something I won'. And that these are my people and the Hooligans wouldn't e'en be here if it weren't fer me. Every death they suffered is on my hands. I won' sit in comfort while they die fer me."

"That's only half true, at most, and you know it," Hiccup growled as he neared the group.

"Ye told me she'd no' be near the fighting!"

"And I left her on Berk 12, no, 13 days ago not expecting to see her again until this business was taken care of. Frankly, I'm finding out just how difficult it is to keep track of your daughter and how easily she finds accomplices." He glared at her as he spoke to her parents. He was aware of his own parents joining the assembly as well.

"I won' apologize fer doin' what's right."

"Yes, well you wouldn't be able to apologize if you'd have died," he shot back. She flushed.

"Och! Ye- ye- ugh!" Her fists were balled and he recalled how she attacked the stable post when she'd been upset when they first met.

"Merida," spoke the queen, "a princess-"

"Elinor. This is no longer between us, is it?" Her parents looked between him and her as she calmed herself and he held his ground.

"Well!" interrupted Valka. "We're under the impression Angar, the Wailer Chieftain, will be here after midday. How about we introduce you to our allies?" She nodded with a smile and led the way before anyone could disagree.

"No Macintosh?" Hiccup asked Snotlout.

"He and the other two clan heirs stayed with the king's triplets to run the kingdom in their parents' absence."

"How are they?" asked Merida.

"Distrustful of a Viking," he answered with a shrug.

She sighed and he faced her. The group had moved to follow Valka and meet the other leaders, so they were relatively alone now.

"I know yer still mad. But I… Will we move past it?"

"There are many reasons you're not supposed to be here." He pulled her into an embrace. "Your father's reaction being one of them. Your safety being the biggest one, though. You nearly died. You can't avoid that truth. If Toothless was a hair slower. If I was a touch more hesitant or tired. If I hadn't even noticed you in the first place. "

"I get it! Alright!" she yelled into his chest.

"I care for you," he whispered. "Don't make me lose you. Not now, not like this." She burrowed into his embrace, snaking her arms around his waist.

"'M still here. Ye've got to deal with me yet." He smiled into her curls. "Och!" Her eyes lit up as she pulled away from him. "Wait til I tell Da about the men on the bluff. It'll be quite the story."

"As long as he doesn't try to skin me afterwards."

"Eh, that's unlikely." She winked at him as she began following the Scots. He laughed and followed her lead.