It was very clear what the murmuring was about. Even if it couldn't be heard directly, she knew exactly what they were talking about. The cold glares given to her and her companion said it all. Ever since coming back to the village just a few hours prior. The glares and clear malice in the air was justified, but still mad Astrid a bit mad. She glanced back at her dragon, who silently stared back. She had ropes tied around her wings and beak, to help keep up Astrid's ruse.

"Have you gone mad Stoick! Why would you bring that demon into our Meade hall?" An outraged voice called out, and it was followed by many grunts of agreement.

Stoick growled and banged his fist on the table in front of him. "QUIET!" He roared, and the whole hall fell silent. Stoick sighed and rubbed his eyes before continuing. "I hate this just as much as all of you. Believe me. This has been one of the toughest decisions I have made. But we need this dragon. Astrid believes she has figured out a surefire way to reach the nest. Astrid, if you will?" Stoick turned to the young teen, and Astrid could almost feel the burning gazes Of the entire hall turning from Stoick to her and Stormfly.

But instead of freaking out, she just let out a heavy exhale before nodding, and speaking out loudly for the entire hall. "That is true Chief. I have made the logical conclusion that the reason we cannot get to the nest is because it is a place that can only be reached by dragons. So I was able to control this nadder here using fish, and now it obeys me without question. So using this dragon, we will have our ships follow it. Maybe seeing one of their own will put the dragons at ease and let us slip past."

"How are you so sure this will work?" Spitelout piped up.

"Because," Astrid answers with a smirk. "dragons are small minded creatures, incapable of complex thoughts. All they desire is survival. And one of the most important things to survival is food right?"

"I… guess…" Spitelout regretfully agreed, searching his neck.

"Then using a system where you show the dragon you are their steady supply of food, and will only give them it if they do what you want, making them bend to your will is quite easy. All they want is that next fish," Astrid explained before brandishing one of her knives and slicing the ropes on Stormfly's beak.

The dragon growled and started to move around a little desperately, scratching at the wooden stage platform. Everyone in the hall cringed back from the dragon. Astrid thought she even saw a few brandish weapons like they were about ready to fight.

Astrid just smiled, and lifted the single fish she had brought with her off the table, lifting it up so Stormfly could see. Once the dragon's yellow eyes caught sight of the fish, Stormfly froze and stared at it, making an excited chattering noise. Within moments she had kneeled in preparation to lunge, but Astrid just simply raised her left hand, which was empty, but this made Stormfly stop and bow, making a submissive croon. Astrid smiled and dropped the fish on the floor by Stormfly's nose. Stormfly quickly snatched it and gobbled it up. The Vikings stared in shock at the nadder. Astrid even could have sworn she had seen some looks of awe.

"Make it breathe fire!" A voice spoke up, followed by harsh shushing.

Astrid silently chuckled as she knew that was Snotlout. "Alright, I will humor your request," Astrid turned to Stormfly, Giving her a cold glare before pointing to the Roof of the Meade hall.

Stormfly lifted up to the sky, pulling her head back. The vikings in the hall were quietly waiting, anticipating what would happen next. Astrid snapped her fingers, and at once Stormfly let loose a torrent of flame. There was an immediate uproar, and multiple Vikings voiced their protest to the dragon breathing fire in their Meade hall. Astrid could under their concern and lowered her hand, with Stormfly following suit by releasing the flame and lowering herself.

Most the outraged voices piped down at this, and Astrid could hear the whispers start up, dancing around the hall like a terrified terror, if terror was invisible and made soft shushing noises. She turned her back to them for a moment, and gave Stormfly an I'm sorry to put you through this look. Stormfly just looked back at her, and blinked once. Astrid exhaled softly, emitting a silent chuckle. Thank gosh Stormfly understood.

Turning back to the mass, Astrid cleared her throat to speak up again. "I know this looks bad. As much as I," She paused slightly pausing to cough before continuing. "Hate these beasts, we will need to use them to help us conquer the dragon nest. This nadder listens to me, as you have seen. I taught it by a strict reward and punishment system. I would beat it each time it refused to listen or did my command wrong, and rewarded it with fish when it followed orders correctly and promptly. This creature has come to fear me as its master, for I am the one who gives it a steady supply of food. And it knows I would not lay a harming hand on it as long as it follows my commands, so it does all that I ask without question."

Silence greeted Astrid when she finished, and she gulped. She felt sick to her stomach but didn't show this. She hated that she had just said she abused Stormfly, which she would rather cut off her own hand before doing anything of the sort. But she had to keep up the ruse.

"I… would like to see a demonstration of more of what your dragon can do…" A voice spoke up.

Astrid eyes widened when she heard a few murmurs of agreement.

"I still hate the beasts, but that lass really has control over that nadder…"

"It breathed fire on her command!"

"It bows to her and calls her its master!"

Astrid almost froze by the sudden cacophony of voices piping up all sorts of things, but they were all focused on how Astrid could control Stormfly. She glanced at Stoick, "May I perform some exhibition for the villagers?"

"In the ring only," Stoick sighed, the reluctance clear in his voice. "Just because that beast is semi intelligent doesn't mean it feels compassion. Keep a firm hand on that dragon. If anything goes awry and someone gets hurt, I will strangle that thing myself."

Astrid paused for a shocked moment, then nodded. "Of course, chief. The dragon is properly disciplined. It knows what will happen if it misbehaves." Astrid shot the nadder a look, and Stormfly cringed slightly.

Astrid spun around on her heels and looked back to the berkians, a wide smile on her face. "Alright everyone," She called. "If you would like to see how I train the nadder, head Down to the ring! I will have it transported down and we will start training in one hour!" This seemed to excite most the villagers as the berkians quickly began filing out. Astrid was moving and picking up the spare rope on the table when Stoick caught her arm.

"Lass," Stoick started, and sighed. "I know you care about that beast, but don't get too attached. We will still need to deal with that beast after we defeat the nest."

"What? You aren't going to kill Stormfly!" Astrid hissed.

"I never said that. You have shown me that dragons are not completely stupid, but that doesn't make them domestic animals like dogs or sheep Astrid," Stoick pointed out, Astrid shrugged in agreement. "Whether they have high intelligence or not they are wild animals. Wild animals that need to eat. And thus will steal, fight or kill to get that food. Stormfly seems to have taken a keen interest in you, but that is most likely only because you supply her that easy source of food. She is protective of you because you are her food fountain, if you will."

"Food fountain?" Astrid repeated, squinting her eyes.

"You supply Stormfly with easy food," Stoick explained, Astrid nodded in understanding. "You dwindle that supply and Stormfly will leave. Like if a well were to dry up, People would move on to make a new well, Stormfly will depart to find a new source of food. And also, you are only teaching this dragon reliance, Astrid. She relies on you for the food. Soon she will forget how to get her own food, and if you are not around to feed her, Stormfly will surely die. That is why we need to be done with this as soon as possible."

"What are you saying Chief?" Astrid said wearily, giving him a glare.

"I am saying that I will allow you to keep the dragon until we defeat the queen. After that, you are to release it."

"What?!" Astrid cried, taken aback.

"Dragons are not our friends. We are not buddies, we are not allies. We are simply using that one as a tool," Stoick said giving Stormfly a look as she looked back, tipping her head. "They don't belong on this island as free roaming citizens. If the dragon nest is gone, we have no reason to keep dragons in the ring, as they won't be a problem."

"No more dragon training then?"

"That will just be mixed in with normal training. If the nest is gone, dragons won't be around nearly as much. We all know how to fight them. If need be, maybe we can keep a nadder or gronkle temporarily for new teens to adjust to fighting dragons. This war has been going on to long. I need to think for the future of Berk. and the best future is one where dragons do not plague our lives. Do you understand?" Stoick asked firmly, but not harshly.

"I understand chief," Astrid replied immediately, looking up at him.

"Good. Alright tie the dragons beak closed. I will call for someone to get a trolley to-"

"Chief may I take her?"

Stoick gave her a look, about to say no, but Astrid's pleading gaze got the better of him. "Fine. But keep it on a tight leash!" He ordered, before jumping down off the wooden platform and heading out to the Meade hall entrance.

Astrid watched Stoick leave, and couldn't help but release a soft sigh. As much as she did not want to give up Stormfly, she also couldn't choose to abandon Berk to leave with Stormfly. She wasn't Hiccup. The best option would be for them to go their separate ways after this was done. Her priority was her village, who had raised her. As much as she loved Stormfly and pained her to think it, she just knew she could not pick Stormfly over Berk. She just hoped after this maybe Stormfly would and she would cross paths later in life, or maybe the nadder could even make her way to Toothless and Hiccup.

Wherever those two are, Astrid thought with a grumble.

Hiccup made Astrid flustered, so she shook away any thoughts of him and began to gently tie Stormfly beak shut with the ropes. Astrid gave her dragon a reassuring look, and rubbed her neck, which made Stormfly croon. She adjusted the ropes so that they were tight, but still just loose enough so they wouldn't rub too hard against Stormfly's scales. She then tied the remaining piece of rope around the metal loop on Stormfly's collar, which was a few old dog collars stitched together to make a suitable neck restraint for the nadder and make it much easier to keep her in one space. Astrid double knotted the rope around the metal collar and pulled it to make sure it held fast, She then wrapped the spare rope around her arm and held it taut. She gently began to lead the nadder down the steps on the far side of the platform, around the tables and chairs, and outside. Astrid lifted her free hand to block the bright sun, and squinted her eyes. The sudden light change had shocked her, as it was much more dim in the Meade hall, even with all the torches keeping the place well lit.

Once her eyes adjusted, she gave the rope a gentle tug and began down the stone steps to the square.