Heather jerked awake, gasping like she'd been drowning. She swung herself to a sitting position from the bed she laid in, eyes wild as she scanned the room confusingly.
She was home. She was in her own hut. But how? She remembered flying for a long time on Toothless, but the rest of the journey was a blank.
"Easy, Heather," said Astrid's soothing voice and Heather turned to meet her friend's concern sky-blue gaze, looking down at her sympathetically. She placed a hand on her bare shoulder, reassuring her she was safe. "You've had a tough night…"
But Heather shook her off, agitated.
"No no no, you don't understand," said Heather, shaking her head sideways in distress. She pressed her palms against her eyes, chasing away the blur in her vision. She hyperventilated, clearly anxious. The last events of her wake played back in her mind like a nightmare that wouldn't leave her alone. She saw Hiccup, backing off scared as Ryker towered over him with his sword in hand. The vision flashed bright and Heather groaned like it was a physical pain, trying to steady herself. "They have him. They have Hiccup. Ryker, he's – they're on their way to Viggo. We have to help him."
Astrid drew back, furrowing her eyebrows in concern. It had been days since Astrid had returned to Dragon's Edge with what had remained of the other Riders. She had spent days awake and worrying, torturing herself to stay up and figure out a way to get her friends back. She had broken down, unable to find a way to react – unable to find a course of action. She met Heather's gaze again, leaning forward on her.
"Heather," she said, her tone dry and direct. "What happened?"
Heather steadied herself before swinging her legs on the ground, grasping the bed's edge.
"After Hiccup and I got captured, the Hunters took us to an island that's used as a training ground for recruits," explained Heather. "They released us and hunted us down like we were nothing but prey. We thought we stood a chance. But then Ryker showed up… Hiccup didn't make it out. And now they're on their way to Viggo's base."
Astrid drew back, confused but at the same time, somewhat relieved.
Hiccup wasn't on Dragon Hunter Island yet.
If they could find that fleet, they could save their leader before they ever reached the enemy's base.
…
Astrid entered the stables where they kept Dagur. The bright daylight lit up the darkness inside as the shieldmaiden approached the cell with a determined walk, unlike the last few times she'd come to check on him. She had sent the others a few times to deliver his meals as well as Shattermaster's baskets of fish. But usually, she preferred dealing with their prisoner herself. She stopped in front of the stall, arms crossed over her chest.
"I'm still hurt that you don't trust by the way," said Dagur first thing, getting up from his seat to stand. "Even after that shipyard. Wasn't that enough to prove my innocence?"
"What's to say you didn't simply hold back just to inspire us to truly trust you?" asked Astrid, raising her eyebrow questioningly. "You could be aiming for something bigger, as far as I'm concerned…"
"I don't gain anything from any of this!" snapped Dagur, grabbing the bars aggressively; Astrid took a precautious step backwards. "Viggo cast me aside the moment my usefulness came to an end, treating me like I was just another expandable Hunter waiting my turn to be slaughtered in a war that doesn't even make any sense to me anymore!" He turned around, fists tightening before him as the anger built up from this ongoing resistance on the part of the Riders. They needed to hurry and act against the enemy to rescue people that were dear to him, even if they didn't believe him. "I'm not one of them. I'm a Berserker, and Berserkers don't follow orders from anyone but their own…"
"Yeah, well, that doesn't really help your cause further more…" snarled Astrid, as distrustful of him as the first day he'd stepped onto their island.
"Well, you didn't come all the way here just to put into words what I knew all along, did you?" he said, turning back around to face her.
Astrid tightened her lips, her eyes fleeing to the floorboards as she began doubting this idea. But she raised her head confidently again.
"It's Hiccup," she said. "He's in trouble."
"I thought he was already in trouble," said Dagur, narrowing his eyes on her, confused.
"Yeah, well, things turned out to be a little more complicated than we originally thought," said Astrid dryly.
She didn't trust him with her life… but she knew they needed all the help they could get on this mission, and, to be honest, part of her believed him. She felt torn, much like she believed Hiccup had been. Because Hiccup had believed in Dagur, and he'd trusted him as much as Toothless had trusted the Berserker to ride him when drastic times called for drastic measures. This time was no different. As many risks as she was taking by allowing him to come along on this mission to save their leader, Astrid had to trust Hiccup's judgment and trust Dagur for him.
"We can't make it on our own," continued Astrid, never softening her gaze despite her plea for help. "Ryker's fleet will be undoubtedly well-armed, and I am not leaving it up to chance to even the odds."
"Sounds like an invitation," said Dagur, crossing his arms over his chest smugly.
"Don't push it," warned Astrid, glaring. "We'll figure out a plan. But without you. You'll be released when we'll be ready to leave, not before."
"Oh, come on Astrid, where's the trust?" asked Dagur, widening his arms invitingly. But Astrid had already moved on, rolling her eyes in exasperation as she walked out of the stables, shutting the gates behind her while she made her way to the Clubhouse where the other Riders along with Heather herself awaited her return to come up with a solution.
She walked into the building lit up by the harsh light of day. Heather sat at the round table along with the others, her armour back on while she ate some more. Astrid couldn't imagine how much she and Hiccup had gone through these last few days...
"So?" asked Fishlegs from where he sat. "Did you tell him?"
"Yeah," said Astrid, remaining standing. "Quite eager to come along too."
"You guys are seriously asking a newbie to join the most dangerous type of mission there is," said Snotlout, rolling his eyes disapprovingly. "I can't believe whoever came up with that horrible idea."
"We don't have much of a choice," replied Astrid, reaching her hands up to her hips. "We'll have to roll with it."
"Well, let's just hope we're not flying straight into another trap," added Snotlout, looking away. "If you know what I mean."
"We're doing this, Snotlout," said Astrid straightforwardly. "I don't like it that much either, trust me. But Hiccup is out there and we need to get him back, even if it means taking a chance with Dagur. Call it a leap of faith."
Snotlout groaned.
"I wish I could have been able to save him," said Heather, staring blankly down at her cup, the guilt returning like a second wave. The shame of getting them both caught in the first place had been bad enough. At least she'd tagged along with Hiccup. She'd been there to help. But now she wasn't. She was safe - back home - and Heather wondered if things would've been better if she had disobeyed his orders again. But part of her told her things might have turned out worse than they already were. Still, the blame didn't wash away, and she sighed heavily. "I should have fought harder."
"Heather, there's no sense about beating yourself up," said Astrid, placing herself within her eyesight, her tone gentle and supportive.
"But I should have," she stated again, turning to face her.
"Yeah, I have to agree on that…" commented Tuffnut, nodding stiffly.
"Really not helping, Tuff…" said Astrid, a stern look washing over her features as she cast him a look.
"What?" he said, holding his hands up innocently. "She's not lying. Don't you know the saying?"
"'The truth will set you free'," added Ruffnut, answering the rhetorical question herself.
"Yeah, well, Hiccup is not free," said Astrid, turning their way with her arms crossed over her chest irritably. "So your saying's wrong."
Tuffnut stuck his tongue out at her and Astrid rolled her eyes.
"Ryker planned on taking Hiccup and I to Viggo," continued Heather, still staring blankly at her cup, distractedly running her hand up and down its wooden surface. "They must already be on their way to Dragon Hunter Island. If we hurry, we can save him, before they ever reach the base. We have to rescue him before he falls in Viggo's hands, no matter what we have to do."
"Uh, aren't you the one who got Hiccup into this mess in the first place?" commented Snotlout inconsiderately before chuckling to himself.
Astrid stared at him, disbelieving this was happening as Heather sunk deeper into her chair.
"Are you out of your mind?!" snapped Astrid which had Snotlout equally shrink. "We're trying to make her feel better, Snotlout. This is not the time for your snappy remarks."
"No, Snotlout's right," said Heather, defending the Rider.
"I am?" said Snotlout, straightening up a little after Astrid's knife eyes on him.
"If I had just followed orders in the first place, none of this would've happened to begin with," she said, meeting her friend's apologetic gaze.
"Heather, don't blame yourself," said Astrid, placing a hand on her shoulder blade, shaking her out of her guilt and self-doubt. "We'll get Hiccup back, we always do."
"I hope you're right," said Heather, sighing.
"Uh, guys?" called Tuffnut to which Astrid groaned, turning to the male twin who stood at the entrance of the Clubhouse, looking out.
"What, Tuff?" asked Astrid, snappy.
"Geez, sorry someone yakked in your mutton," said Tuffnut, placing his hands up to his hips, taking a lady-like stand.
"Don't you ever have something non-stupid to say?" asked Astrid, approaching him with her displeasure unmasked.
"That would depend on your definition of 'stupid' to start off with," chirped in Ruffnut, holding her finger up matter-of-factly.
"Yeah," chuckled Tuffnut, snorting in the process before exchanging a glance with his sister. "You think 'Dagur has escaped' meets the expectations?"
"What?" snapped Astrid, eyes widening as her brain processed the information in a split second.
"Yeah, I just saw him, he took off like, not even a minute ago," informed Tuffnut, turning around to gaze out at the horizon, holding a hand up to shield his eyes from the sun. "I don't know if we should follow him, or…"
Astrid groaned frustratingly before grabbing her axe from the table and swinging it to her back.
"What did I tell you?" commented Snotlout as he walked out to mount his dragon.
Astrid ignored him and turned to the rest of the gang. "Everyone, get to your dragons!" she ordered, to which everyone reacted right away. "We have to stop Dagur before he ever reaches that fleet."
"Urgh, he must've decided to break out as soon as he learned we were planning a rescue," said Heather. "He'll warn the fleet we're coming!"
"We have to engage now," said Astrid as she hopped on the saddle, grabbing hold of the handles as her Nadder reared and took to the sky. "Let's go!"