Sorry for the delay. Somehow this story has gotten more difficult to write with recent chapters (I hope you still like what I got done) and other things like moving have messed with what writing I have done.

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Comments:

Rojas-L: I haven't read those and have only heard of them from other fanfiction writers referencing them in their stories so to answer your question: no.

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Hiccup's fingers flexed and pressed against black scales as they idly scratched back of Toothless' head. He sat next to his draconic brother leaning lazily in the comfy crook between the thick neck and -front leg. Sharpshot slept on his lap. Hiccup had stared aimlessly at the sky since their morning flight. It had been a long time since the future had last been so uncertain. Everyone around him expected him to decide what to do and he had no idea, none that didn't involve them dying. That was one concern that having his entire flock around him failed to ease.

Actually, it wasn't quite the entire flock. Windshear had not returned since she had left to see Atali days before, though Hiccup could still feel her presence. Now it was getting stronger. Toothless stirred awake and Hiccup turned his head

"Windshear is coming back," he told Fishlegs who was cooking fish for lunch nearby and then carefully lifted Sharpshot onto Toothless' back. He had enough experience to do so without waking the little dragon.

'I wonder if she has good or bad news,' Meatlug wondered as she and Fishlegs joined Hiccup and Toothless.

'She doesn't feel alarmed, maybe a bit concerned but I could say the same about everyone,' Hiccup responded and spoke to Fishlegs: "I hope she has news about Ivar."

"He survived the whole flight here. Eir would have to hate him to let him die now while in the Maiden's care," Fishlegs said.

"The gods have kicked us around so many times I believe it when I see him healthy. There she is." Hiccup pointed at an approaching razorwhip in the sky. Windshear touched down in front of them and met Hiccup's raised hand with her snout as a greeting.

'I hope you have news,' Hiccup told her.

'Not as much as I would like. Atali seems to have grown more stubborn and argues with Minden a lot. I am sorry, I haven't been able to change her mind.'

'It is not your fault,' Hiccup assured. 'She has good reasons for her choices. I am not even sure if helping us is the right thing for her. There is some other reason why you came back.'

'I think Ivar wanted me to get you. He is still very ill, but he is awake and can talk.' Windshear's thoughts exposed to Hiccup the disappointment behind them.

'Has Atali… accepted this visit?' He asked.

'She was there.'

'Okay,' Hiccup nodded and looked at Fishlegs. "It might be okay to visit Ivar."

"Might?" Fishlegs asked.

"Windshear thinks it is okay, but it sounds like things aren't going as well as we'd hope."

"It is better if we see for ourselves. Even if they are unhappy, we can't simply wait forever without knowing what they are going to do. Do you want to go right away?"

"As soon as I get Toothless' gear back on." Hiccup jogged to the rock they had left Toothless' flight gear. Toothless' motion as he followed him woke up Sharpshot.

'Nice Viking going somewhere?' The little dragon asked and jumped aside so Hiccup could put the saddle on.

'Yes, we are going to meet Ivar.'

'Other nice Viking better now?' Sharpshot jumped happily across Toothless' back. 'Can come with?'

'If you behave,' Hiccup answered as he tightened the leashes. 'Don't want to do anything that might annoy the Maidens.'

'Sharpshot behave good. Keep winged Vikings happy.'

Sharpshot jumped over the saddle to stand on Toothless' head and waited as Hiccup finished putting on the tailfin. Fishlegs was already on Meatlug's back as he Finished, and they headed out following Windshear. It only took a few moments in the air for the village to come in sight. Windshear led them directly towards the healers' house. A woman walked out of the door. Hiccup recognized Minden as the approached and landed next to her and two spear-carrying Wingmaiden warriors. Her expression was tense with a hint of sadness in her eyes. Hiccup slid down from the saddle and stood next to the woman quietly searching for the right words.

"Seems Atali was right," Minden said. "Windshear did go to get you."

"She said Ivar wanted to see us… and that it would be okay to visit."

"Sure. Atali has already made her decision so visiting won't hurt you. The healers think your friend will survive, but it will take days, maybe weeks for a full recovery."

"That is good… I'm guessing Atali chose to stay away from rest of this?" Hiccup asked. Minden's face got even tenser and she nodded.

"All of you are to leave this island as soon as healers consider Ivar well enough to travel and will not be allowed to return as long as you remain in conflict with the Dragon hunters. We would do anything for our own hatchlings, but others'… apparently not."

"Sounds like you disagree with her?" Fishlegs asked.

"No, I mean I know why Atali wants to stay out of this. I used to think the same. Maybe I have spent too long listening to your Ivar. I don't want to just look away from what has happened to his home. If the hunters can do that to one village, what will stop them from coming here." Minden squeezed her hands into fists as she spoke. Then she relaxed, a little, and looked Hiccup in the eyes.

"The Wingmaiden village might not stand with you, but I will find a way to help you. There are others too." She gestured to the two warriors next to them and then all three took flight with their hatchlings. Hiccup looked after them for a long time. Minden's promise had not made him as happy as it should have. Windshear took flight sometime after Minden left.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Fishlegs said.

"Yeah," Hiccup sighted barely audibly and turned around. "Maybe Ivar knows more about what is going on."

They stepped into to house. Someone was making quiet noises in a side room, but Ivar was the only patient in his room, laying along on his bed staring at the ceiling. Hiccup hesitated and stopped a few steps away. Ivar spoke first without looking at them.

"Have you figured out how to defeat an army yet?"

Hiccup gulped.

"No really. Ivar I am s…"

"Don't say it is your fault," Ivar interrupted. "This is Hakon's and the Grimborns' fault."

"Without us they wouldn't have done any of this."

"And without me they probably wouldn't have found the hatchlings and Hookfang. You can't do anything to help them if you spend time blaming yourself. If we can't save the village, you at least have to get them out. That is least we can do for Shortclaw at least."

"We will find a way. Shortclaw is doing… pretty well. She seemed to be pretty harsh, but mostly she is just confused with her emotions."

"I know. I wish I could have done something to help her but…"

"She'll be okay," Hiccup interrupted. "The maidens might not be willing to help but the flock won't leave the hatchlings behind."

"That is something, but you are wrong about the Wingmaidens. That is actually what I wanted to talk to you about. You have to stop Minden."

Hiccup blinked and looked at Ivar for a long moment.

"What do you mean? She seems to be the one who actually wants to help us."

"Not the only one and that is part of the problem," Ivar said and pushed himself more upright against the wall. "When I look at what she has been doing I can't help but think about Hakon. After she chose, she wants to help us she's being arguing with and talking against Atali."

"We noticed that. She is still trying to get support for us."

"Maybe, but the way she is doing it reminds me about Hakon."

"Hakon?"

"I knew I had a bad feeling about things," Fishlegs said.

"It is like Fjoll again. I think Minden is just as capable of going against Atali as Hakon did against father. If neither side backs down it could divide the village, again. I kept asking for their help, but I came to find help for Fjoll, not ruin another village."

Hiccup looked at the ground and inhaled slowly.

"Seems we keep causing trouble to everyone around us."

'Don't make me slap you,' Toothless warned. 'You should be happy that his wounds smell better than they used to, not so rotten anymore.'

'So, there is one good thing,' Hiccup responded quietly before raising his head.

"Toothless might not like it but every time we focus on a single problem, we cause new ones. We have to help Fjoll without making this one worse. Even if it makes helping Fjoll harder, "Hiccup gulped, "and more dangerous."

Ivar sighted and nodded.

"I should have done it already, but I couldn't. What little I managed to say Minden didn't listen."

"I know how that feels," Hiccup said. "We'll go talk to them.

"At least it should help our relationship with them. We might be able to visit more often until you recover," Fishlegs added, "but we should talk to them right away. Minden seemed already prepared to challenge Atali."

"I fear it might already be too late," Ivar sighted.

"No," Hiccup said. He looked at Fishlegs. "Let's go find them."

"We'll come back soon," Fishlegs assured Ivar. "Then we can plan what to do for Fjoll."

Hiccup nodded and turned to leave. He reached out with his thoughts to locate Windshear. By the time he reached the door he already knew where to find Atali, and Minden.

"We should hurry."

Hiccup jumped on Toothless back and they were in the air before Fishlegs could even reach Meatlug. In few seconds they could already see Windshear and a crowd of Wingmaidens around her. As Toothless landed several of their hatchlings started waving their wings and reaching their heads towards Hiccup. He didn't have a chance to enjoy the little ones' attention as Atali looked at him with a stern look even as she held onto her hatchling. Hiccup quietly asked the little one to calm down. Thankfully even the hatchling could recognize the seriousness in his thoughts.

Both Atali and Minden stood quietly several steps from each other as Hiccup slid to the ground. Only the hatchlings were making noise. Minden opened her mouth to say something but Atali raised her hand to keep her quiet. Minden scowled but did so. Leaving Atali to greet Hiccup and Fishlegs. Her expression was stern, but her voice had a tint of sadness.

"I hope you haven't come in the hope of changing my mind. I can sympathize with your situation but getting involved in the wars of men is too dangerous, especially when the dragon hunters are involved."

"Might be too late already, in more ways than one," Minden said. Atali scowled at her.

"Our people have been used by others in the past and your presence has already disrupted the village severely. I cannot let things go on simply because your story is a sad one."

"That much is clear," Hiccup said without much emotion. "I'd be lying if I pretended not to be disappointed, but we didn't come to ask for your help again. The opposite actually."

He turned to look at Minden who had raised her eyebrows.

"What?" she asked.

"We appreciate how much you have tried to get us help, how far you seem to be ready to go, but I have to ask you not to. Even if you don't share Atali's focus on possible dangers of helping, this argument is hurting your village now. Ivar is even worried it might split the village like Fjoll, and… you would be the Hakon."

"By Frigg, what do you mean I would be like Hakon. I am the one trying to help you."

"And because you believe it is right, you are ready to go against your chief and village, and probably take others with you. I don't know if we can help Fjoll, but I know I don't want us trying to help to cause more problems for someone else… again."

Hiccup breathed in deep and closed his eyes as Fishlegs took over talking returning the focus on Atali.

"We will leave your island as soon as Ivar is ready. Maybe it was a mistake to come in the first place with things the way things are, but we hope to leave as friends."

Hiccup finally faced Atali again. She was staring at the without even blinking an eye. Windshear whimpered behind her. Hiccup turned away and put his hand on the saddle.

"It is best if we leave now and wait outside the village."

"Hiccup" Minden called Hiccup as he climbed to the saddle.

"No Minden. You should focus on keeping your village peaceful. It has chosen that problems of others aren't yours."

With Hiccup on his back Toothless took off.