Chapter 28: Protection

"Goodbye, Dad!" Snotlout called while jogging to the door of his hut. "I'm off to patrol with Ingrid."

"Ingrid?" said Spitelout. "You're still seeing that lass?"

Snotlout stopped and turned around to face his father, frowning. "Why wouldn't I be? I thought you liked her."

"I do like her, but it doesn't sound like you're making much progress. How long have you been together now?"

Snotlout scrunched his eyebrows as he thought back. "I think it's been a year."

"Then if you're serious about her, why haven't you asked her to marry you yet?"

Snotlout's eyes widened in shock. "M-marriage? We're not ready for that yet. Besides, Hiccup and Astrid have been together way longer, and they're not married."

Spitelout gave him a pointed look. "Do you want to follow someone else's lead or set your own path?"

Snotlout rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "It's just... we're not there yet. And we haven't even said we love each other yet." He was not an expert on relationships, but he was pretty sure that was a prerequisite to marriage. At least if you wanted a happy one.

Spitelout crossed his arms and shook his head. "No? That's no good. Well, do you love her?"

Snotlout had not given the concept much thought. Actually, he purposefully avoided thinking about it because he disliked dealing with pesky emotions. He knew he cared for Ingrid, and she believed in him and was always there for him. Sure, he could say the same for Eira, but there was something different with Ingrid. There was something more. His worries eased as he thought about her, and he found himself smiling. "Yeah, I think I do. I should tell her, right?"

"Wrong!"

Snotlout's smile vanished. "Why not? It's true."

"But you can't tell her that. Not yet at least. It's the woman's job to bring up such things. If you do it, you might scare her off. That's not what you want, is it?"

Snotlout shook his head. "No!"

"Good. Then you need to get her to admit it first. Make sure you know she's invested, and then you can do some proposing."

Snotlout was still not sure about the marriage concept, but he decided to let it go for now. "Okay. I'll do that. Thanks for the advice."

Spitelout grinned at him. "Anytime, boy-o. Have fun on your patrol!"

Snotlout's mind raced as he stepped outside, and he was so distracted he almost ran straight into Ingrid. "I'm sorry! I didn't see you there."

"I came to get you because you were taking so long," Ingrid said with a hint of annoyance.

Snotlout's heart hammered. Was she mad at him? How could he get her to confess like this? "Uh, sorry. Let's go get our dragons and start the patrol." He ran off towards the stables before she could say anything else. He needed a plan if he wanted this to work.

While Hiccup had a rare break from his chiefly duties and Toothless was engaged in dragon business, Hiccup took the opportunity to work in the forge on a new tailfin for his dragon. He had found the blueprints he created years prior and made several adjustments. This had to be perfect.

"There you are," Astrid said upon entering the forge. "Where's Gobber?"

"I don't know," Hiccup said without looking away from his work. "He was here when I arrived." He had not paid attention to anything going on around him when he started his project.

"Ingrid and Snotlout just got back from patrol. Dragon trappers have set up camps on several uninhabited islands."

This caused Hiccup to pause. "Did they do anything about them?"

"They destroyed the traps when no one was around but avoided the trappers themselves. Do you want me to send a team to take care of them?"

Hiccup remembered the advice he had been given about not angering anyone else in the archipelago. It might be fine if there were no other villages involved, but he still did not want to risk making a big scene. "No, I'll get my mom on it. She's experienced at not drawing attention to herself."

"If you think that's best." Astrid leaned against a wooden frame and watched him work. "We need a better plan, you know. Maybe we can become self-sufficient, but we can't let the trappers do whatever we want to dragons."

"But if we engage them, we might harm our dragons." Hiccup sighed. "I know we need a plan. I'll think of something."

Astrid's eyes fell to the black tailfin in his hands. "If you're not working on a plan now, what are you doing?"

Hiccup hesitated, afraid she might reprimand him for taking a break. "This is a tailfin for Toothless that will work without a rider."

Astrid's eyes widened. "An auto-fin? Didn't you try that before? He destroyed it, remember?"

"Yes, I know, but a lot has happened since then. We're in a lot more danger than we realized, and for his safety, he needs to be able to fly if we get separated. I have my flight suit, and he should have this." Hiccup held up the tailfin to examine it in the light. It was nearly complete. "Besides, the Light Fury seems to like him, and maybe he can make more progress with her alone than if I'm with him."

"Ah, so that's what this is about. Don't you think you're trying too hard with the Light Fury? Toothless is clearly not interested."

"Only because she keeps attacking me, which won't happen if I stay back. I'm sure Toothless will understand once I explain the situation. It won't be like last time. We've both matured since then."

Astrid shook her head. "If you say so. I'm just warning you, it might not be so easy. It is difficult to adjust to change, even for a Night Fury."

"I just need to learn more more about the Light Fury... and make sure Toothless is safe. Once I do that, I can figure out how to keep all dragons safe." Though it would be difficult, Hiccup believed he could do it. He would not let anything stop him.

While searching the village for areas of improvement, several children approached Viggo and Oliver, wanting to see them demonstrate a game of Maces and Talons again. So, the two of them obliged. After losing, Oliver ran off with a younger boy Viggo thought might have been the chief's son. He hoped he would not cause any trouble.

Viggo looked at the kids to gage their interest in playing the game, but an older Viking man sat at the table instead. "I hope you don't mind if I give it a go," he said. "I used to play years ago."

"Not at all," Viggo said as he set up the game. "I trust you remember how to play."

The man smiled. "But of course."

The man did put up a surprising fight. His skill even surpassed Oliver's, and Viggo told him as much. "Perhaps you could take over and teach the children when my companions and I leave your village."

"Yes, that's right. You're merely visitors." The man looked at him curiously. "Why do you not return home now? You have a family to get back to, don't you?"

"That is a complicated question filled with many political considerations. Suffice to say, it is not for a lack of caring that I remain here."

The man glanced at the game board. "Yes, I suppose you know what you are doing. While you are probably acting in your own interest, I still want to thank you for helping us out, especially with this." He motioned to the game. "I think we could do with learning some more self-reliance around here."

Viggo looked at the three children still watching them with interest. "Yes, I would say that is very true."

After her talk with Reidun, Eira found Dagur playing with some of the children once more. She joined them in their games when Dagur prompted her. For once, she was able to let go and have some fun in the moment despite their current circumstances. They played a rousing game of tag, and then Eira allowed Dagur to take control while she took a break.

"Alright," said Dagur, snatching a large stick from the ground, "where are you in your battle training?"

"Battle training?" said a confused young boy. "We don't have that."

Dagur frowned. "Then how will you learn to become warriors?" The children looked at each other and shrugged. "Your parents know how to fight, right?"

"Sure," said a girl, "but they haven't battled since-" An older boy elbowed her hard. "Never mind."

Dagur shook his head. "That's no good. You need to be able to defend yourselves if you're attacked, right?" He looked to Eira for confirmation.

"Correct," said Eira. "You need to defend your village if it is attacked." It seemed to her that a village allowed greater evil to take control if it could not protect itself. Still, this sounded like something that should be brought up with the chief. "We should talk to Reidun about it... and possibly their parents."

"But I want to learn now!" the first boy whined.

"There's no harm if we're just playing, right?" said Dagur.

Eira hesitated. "I suppose not."

Dagur grinned. "Everyone grab a stick!" The children cheered.

"But please be careful." Eira decided to join in to make sure no one got hurt. Dagur had good intentions, but sometimes he went overboard.

Krogan felt better than the previous day and managed to assist another family in house repairs. Perhaps Eira was right and he could do some good here. He just needed to take it slow and one task at a time. He dared not yet consider what lie ahead.

Krogan's thoughts were broken when he heard the piercing scream of a child. He ran in the direction of the noise, stopping at the trees. He was not supposed to go in there. He hesitated for only a second before running into the forest. He heard a second scream, though it seemed to come from another, deeper voice.

Krogan skidded to a halt upon arriving at a small clearing and center of the commotion. Oliver and a young boy cowered before a scarlet Triple Stryke growling at them ferociously. The dragon raised his tail and made a clicking sound. "Look out!" Krogan shouted. He leapt at the younger Vikings, managing to push them out of the way before the Triple Stryke attacked with his tail. He continued to push them until they were a good distance away for good measure. "Stay back."

"What are you going to do?" Oliver said with wide eyes.

Krogan ignored him and faced the dragon. He had received extensive training on all known species of dragons, and he knew the Triple Stryke better than most because of Dagur's frequent, incessant ramblings about his own dragon. They were difficult to train... but not impossible. And he simply needed to calm the dragon down long enough for them to get away.

The dragon roared, and Krogan darted to the side to take his aim away from the kids. Thinking quickly, he pulled out two daggers and struck them together, creating a clanging sound. The Triple Stryke paused and stared at him. Krogan made the sound again, and this time he took a step closer to the dragon, who growled but made no move to attack. He continued to clack the dagger together while inching closer to the dragon. Finally, he stood right before him.

Krogan carefully returned the daggers to their sheathes. Then he slowly reached out his hand. The Triple Stryke's growl turned into a low rumble, and he allowed him to touch his head. Krogan instantly relaxed. "Thank you," he said. "We'll leave you alone now." He turned around, his eyes flashing in surprise when he saw chief Reidun watching him, the younger boy clinging to her side.

"How did you do that?" she asked, causing the Triple Stryke to growl at her. Krogan looked at the dragon and then back at her. She nodded. Wordlessly, the four of them left the forest.

"Triple Strykes make a sound with their tail to communicate," Krogan explained once they were in the clear. "Mimicking that sound calms them."

"I see..."

"But that's not important right now." Krogan rounded on Oliver, glaring at him. "What do you think you were doing? You know we're not supposed to go into the forest. Why would you put you and that boy in danger?"

Oliver cringed. "I - I wanted to show him the dragons. I thought I could find mine, but-"

"But you found a wild one instead. Did you consider that scenario? This isn't Torvald. The wild dragons here aren't tame. You could have been killed!"

"It's my fault," the other boy said timidly. "I wanted to meet a dragon. I asked Oliver to show me."

"Jarl, what were you thinking?" Reidun chided. "You know dragons are dangerous."

"Oliver says they don't have to be."

"But the dragon you met was."

Jarl pointed at Krogan. "But he tamed it."

"And what would have happened if Krogan hadn't shown up? You have to stop acting so recklessly."

"Maybe I wouldn't if you didn't ban everything related to dragons! You won't even talk about them! Just because Dad was killed by a dragon doesn't mean they're all evil! You're just afraid!" Then Jarl ran off into the village, leaving a stunned Reidun behind.

Krogan shifted the weight between his feet and stared at the ground. "I'm sorry," he mumbled. "This won't happen again."

Reidun's expression softened when she looked at him. "There is no need to be. You saved my son, and for that I am grateful. I wish I could thank you properly, but I should go after him. Perhaps another time. Thank you, Krogan." She gave him a small smile before following Jarl's trail.

"So, that turned out well, huh?" Oliver said with a weak chuckle.

Krogan resumed glaring at him. "Don't think you're out of trouble yet. Come with me. You're going to tell Eira what you did."

"Aw," Oliver whined. Krogan grabbed his wrist so he could drag him off to find his sister. Eventually, they came across Eira and Dagur running around with kids holding sticks.

"Eira," Krogan said sharply, "Oliver has something he would like to tell you."

"You can let go now," Oliver grumbled, earning no response.

Eira left the kids to join them on the sidelines. "What's going on?" She looked quizzically from Krogan to Oliver. When Oliver said nothing, Krogan let go of his wrist and elbowed him.

"I was playing with Jarl, and we decided to go into the forest to look for dragons."

Eira gasped. "Oliver! That's dangerous. Not to mention against the rules."

"I know. He already reminded me." Oliver cast an irritated look at Krogan. "I wanted to show Jarl that dragons are our friends, but the Triple Stryke we found attacked us."

"Fortunately for them, I heard the commotion and intervened," Krogan said. "I calmed the Triple Strike, and it left us alone."

"Did I hear that right?" Dagur said loudly, walking up to them. "Krogan trained a Triple Stryke?"

"Yes," Krogan said, looking at him in annoyance at his grin, "but that's hardly the point. Those two put themselves in danger, and chief Reidun was there to see it!"

"But she also saw you save her son," Oliver said. "That makes you a hero, which overrides me breaking the rules." He smiled as if that solved everything.

"It's not that simple," Eira said. "You can't go off doing things like that. You put Krogan and Reidun in a stressful situation. And thank you, Krogan. You are a hero." She smiled at him, and he nodded before looking away.

"But he does have a point that this could turn to our benefit," Dagur said, his smile fading when Eira shot him a look. "I mean, it's bad, but the situation was resolved. Maybe now the chief will see that dragons are manageable if treated properly."

Eira sighed. "Maybe, but we'll have to approach the topic carefully."

"I'll talk to her," Krogan said. "I think I've come to understand her a bit."

"Oh yeah, I heard you two talking last night," Oliver said with a knowing smirk.

Krogan glared at him. "Whatever you're thinking, you're wrong. She has talked to each of us privately."

"Not at night."

"Neither of us could sleep."

"I haven't seen her smile at anyone else."

"She smiled at me because I saved her son. There is nothing else to it." Krogan stalked off before the teen could continue to argue, not even wanting to see Eira and Dagur's faces. He needed to figure out what to say to Reidun to lay the path for them all to finally leave the island. That was all that mattered.