I know it has been quite a while since I've been able to post here, but I hope you guys are ready for some updates! A lot of the medical issues I had been dealing with have been resolved, so I have time to write again FINALLLY.

This chapter I started back in the summer but just now got around to finishing out the last bit of it. Hope you enjoy, and I'll see you soon!

Hiccup and Astrid: around 30 years old; Zephyr: 6 years old; Nuffink: 3 years old

"Zephyr, are you sure you want to take your brand new boots on the ship with us?"

"Yes, Momma!"

"But what if they accidentally fall off the ship? Or get wet and ruined?"

Astrid waited patiently for her daughter to call back her answer, holding the small boots in her hand as she went through Zephyr's attempt at packing her own bag. She was just about to call back out to her daughter when she heard little hurried footsteps bounding her way.

"Um... Maybe I'll save my new boots for later," Zephyr said, snatching the boots out of her mother's hands and running back up the stairs to her room.

Astrid chuckled as she turned back to her daughter's bag, refolding the clothes that had been haphazardly thrown in.

"Alright, m'lady," Hiccup said as he came down the stairs, another bag under one arm and his son wrapped in the other. "Nuff's all packed up."

"Did you pack his stuffed Naddar?"

"Of course, I wouldn't put any of us through that," he chuckled. Nuffink blushed and buried his head shyly in Hiccup's shoulder.

"Oh, he's just messing with you, sweetheart," Astrid cooed at her son as Hiccup kissed his head. "Is your bag all packed up, Chief?"

"That it is, Chieftess. Just need to grab my spare legs and we're good to go. So if you could take this," Hiccup said, handing Astrid Nuffink's bag, "and this," he added, handing Nuffink over to Astrid. She showered his face in kisses as she dropped his bag next to Zephyr's and pulled her son into her chest, making him giggle and attempt to shy away from her.

Hiccup chuckled as he turned and climbed up the stairs, nearly getting toppled over by Zephyr. "Woah, there, little warrior! Slow down!"

"Sorry, Daddy!" she called back breathlessly. She rushed to her mother and held out an older pair of boots. "How about these, Momma?"

"Much better," Astrid praised. Zephyr flashed a wide smile and rushed back upstairs. "Where are you going?"

"To help Daddy so we can leave faster!" Zephyr cried, already out of sight.

Zephyr burst into her parents' room at full speed. "DaddyDaddyDaddyDaddy!"

"Oh boy," Hiccup laughed, "What is it, baby girl?"

"Come on, Daddy, we gotta pack all your legs!" She rushed around the room looking in drawers and cabinets, trying to find where her father hides his spare prosthetics.

Hiccup chuckled and opened the lid to the chest he was standing next to. "You mean these?"

Zephyr turned around and giggled at herself. She rushed over to her father's side and helped him pack the last of his things before rushing back down the stairs.

Hiccup followed behind, setting the sack with the rest of his family's packed belongings. "Someone is quite eager to get on that ship," he said to his wife.

"I noticed," Astrid agreed with a laugh. "I think you got her a little too excited with all those bedtime stories."

"Well, I am an epic storyteller," Hiccup said before suddenly leaning over to snatch up his daughter as she attempted to run past her parents. She giggled with delight as he growled into her stomach before righting her on his hip. "You know, there's not so much room on the boat to run around like this," he joked.

"Are we really gonna see the dragons, Daddy? Toothless and Stormfly?" she asked, eyes wide and eager and sparkling like the stars at night.

"That's the hope," Hiccup replied with a heavy sigh. "Odin willing they'll be near the surface when we get there."

"I'm sure we'll see them," Astrid said, giving his arm a reassuring squeeze.

Hiccup smiled at her as he set his daughter down. "But Daddy," Zephyr started, "how do you know Toothless and Stormfly are still the same?"

"Well, we don't."

Zephyr seemed to consider this as Hiccup and Astrid gathered all their supplies at the door. "Well, then how do you know they still like people?"

Hiccup sighed. She always asked the hard questions. "We really don't, sweetheart."

Zephyr quietly contemplated again. Hiccup and Astrid took one last inventory as Zephyr sat down in one of the nearby chairs around the fire pit. Nuffink immediately sat next to her, snuggling up happily into her. She instinctively wrapped her arms around him to hug him closer, letting him lean into her. "Momma, is Toothless gonna eat Daddy?"

Astrid snorted so hard she almost choked. Hiccup stood straight up and shot his wife a bewildered look. "Toothless is not going to eat Daddy," Astrid choked through laughter.

"But what if they don't like people anymore?" Zephyr argued.

"Trust me, Toothless will recognize Daddy in a heartbeat."

"But-"

"He'll be fine!"

But Hiccup couldn't get the worry out of the pit of his stomach the entirety of loading the boat. What if Toothless didn't remember him? The thought hadn't even occurred to him before his daughter brought it up. Was this a bad idea? Should they cancel the trip? Was he putting his family in danger?

Astrid tried to reassure him. He felt in his gut this was the right decision all this time, why change that now? Zephyr didn't know Toothless like they did, she had never met him before. Of course she would have her doubts; the only animal-human relationships she knew were that of the New Berkian livestock, and that was hardly the same as dragons.

But every once in a while during the trip to the Hidden World, Hiccup would turn around to see his daughter curiously watching him. "What is it, Zeph?"

"He's gonna eat you, Daddy," she would immediately reply.

"He's not going to eat your father!"

"He won't eat me!"

Zephyr would eye her parents for a moment before leaning closer to Nuffink, who was typically snuggled up next to her. "He's gonna get eaten."

Nuffink would giggle at the interaction and all would be well until Zephyr brought it up again.

But all grew quiet as the boat was blanketed in a soft mist, a gentle fog rolling over the wooden planks of the deck and kissing the cheeks of the humans aboard. Zephyr still swung around on the ropes in excitement, imitating the practiced sailing techniques of her parents as they dropped anchor. Nuffink was as still and watchful as he had been since boarding, sensing the nervous energy of his father. And Hiccup was indeed quite nervous, desperately praying Odin would protect his family; let all the harm come to him, but for the love of Thor, protect his wife and children from the smallest of scratches. Astrid was ever supportive, letting her husband know she stood with him.

That nervous energy extended to every human on the boat as the mist revealed two great beasts perched on rocks ahead, one bright and white and the other mysteriously black as the night sky. Astrid stepped back with the children slowly as Hiccup froze; he let out a sigh heavy with relief, shock, surprise, nostalgia, desperation, sadness, and joy all at once as three tiny beasts of mixed white and black patches popped up behind the white one.

And suddenly, the mass of black scales and bared teeth rocketed from the faraway rocks, jolting the boat as he landed on the bow. All excitement disappeared as Astrid and the children watched the beast slowly advance on Hiccup in terrified anticipation.

"Hey, Toothless," Hiccup whispered, preparing himself to extend a shaky hand. "Remember me?"