"No. It's too dangerous." Hiccup looked up from the map and folded his arms.

"Hiccup," Said Heather, "You'll need the firepower of all of us."

"Not necessarily. This is a stealth mission."

"Yeah. A stealth mission to Viggo's base." Heather sighed. "You're being overprotective, Hiccup."

Snotlout leant against the table. "I hate to say this, but Hiccup's right. We can't risk the Hunters attacking you or Ruffnut. It's bad enough... well, you know."

"I'm willing to risk it," Said Heather. "If it means an end to the Dragon Hunters. I've seen their work first hand, I'll do whatever it takes to stop them."

"Heather," Fishlegs was looking at her intently, "I'd never forgive myself if anything happened to you. Please stay here. For me."

"I agree with Heather." Said Ruffnut. "Why do we have to stay here just because we're women?"

"Because..." Hiccup paused. "Because you might get captured."

"So might you, Hiccup." Said Astrid. "The mission is dangerous for all of us. Viggo and his men could hurt all of us. That's why we all need to go: we need to stop Viggo now."

"Astrid," Hiccup wiped his hand over his face. "You're five months pregnant. There is absolutely no way you are infiltrating Viggo's base in your condition. That's final. Heather, Ruff, I need you to stay here with Astrid."

Astrid raised her eyebrows. "I don't need babysitting, Hiccup."

"Of course not." Hiccup said. "I just need them to make sure you don't try to follow us."

"Fine." Astrid rolled her eyes. "I'll stay here. Exactly what an experienced dragon rider should be doing during the most important attack we've ever carried out."

"If Ruff is staying here, what am I doing?" Said Tuffnut. "I mean, I can't exactly fly Barf and Belch by myself."

"You'll have to stay here too." Said Hiccup.

"Ooh ooh ooh!" Tuffnut stretched his arms around Heather and Ruffnut. "We can toast marshmallows and tell secrets and braid each other's hair!"

"Ugh," Ruffnut pushed his hand away. "You're not braiding my hair. This matted look is not attained easily."

Hiccup groaned. "Snotlout, Fishlegs, let's go."

Snotlout snickered. "You just want to leave before Astrid kills you."

Once the men had left Astrid and Heather began checking the list of supplies the riders would need for Winter. They were periodically interrupted by Tuffnut who was draping blankets over the furniture in the clubhouse. "Tuffnut!" Astrid threw off the blanket that he had dropped on top of her head.

"You need a blanket for our sleepover. First rule of sleepovers: everyone must have a blanket."

"We're not having a sleepover, Tuff. We have work to do." Astrid turned back around.

"Second rule of sleepovers: Astrid's not allowed to be a party pooper."

"I'm not being a party pooper. I'm being a responsible adult."

Tuff stuck his tongue out at Astrid's back. Heather laughed. "Astrid, would it hurt to let your hair down for one evening? You've been working so hard, you must be exhausted."

"Ugh, fine." Said Astrid.

"Yes!" Tuffnut fist pumped the air. "I'll get the snacks."

"I'm not having a sleepover." Said Ruffnut. "Sleepovers are for girls."

"You're a girl." Said Tuffnut. "If you join in I'll let you play truth or dare."

"Okay, I'm in." Ruffnut sat down on one of the blankets.

Ten minutes later Astrid, Heather, Ruff and Tuff were sprawled out on cushions on the floor of the clubhouse. Stormfly had lit candles and they were all looking at each other awkwardly.

"So," Said Heather, "what shall we do first?"

Ruffnut turned to her twin. "Truth or dare?"

"Truth." Said Tuffnut.

"If you could speak to one of our relatives right now, who would it be?"

"Not you, obviously." Tuffnut thought for a moment. "Long lost cousin Inglebar. I want him to teach me how to fly using propellers attached to my feet."

"Bro, long lost cousin Inglebar can't fly."

"How do you know?" Said Tuffnut. "He's been lost for twenty years, that's plenty of time for him to have learned how to fly."

"Do you even have a cousin Inglebar?" Asked Astrid. "Or do you just make up random family members to liven up your conversations?"

"I don't know," Said Ruffnut. "I'd always thought we had a nephew Anthony but it turned out he was just Tuffnut's imaginary friend."

"You don't have any siblings besides each other," Said Heather. "How could you have had a nephew-"

Astrid covered Heather's mouth. "Don't go there." She turned to Tuffnut. "If you want to fly ask Hiccup to make you one of his lunatic flight suits."

"Umm, no thank you." Said Tuffnut. "That's more like a plummet suit."

"True." Said Astrid. "Ruffnut, truth or dare?"

"Uh, dare. Obviously."

Astrid thought for a moment. "I dare you to let Tuffnut do your hair."

Tuffnut covered his mouth and squealed with excitement. "Ohhh, I'm going to wash out all that nasty fish oil, and coil your hair up on your head, and you're going to look so pretty."

"I'm gonna look hideous." Ruffnut grumbled.

Tuff was beaming. "Heather, can I borrow your comb?"

"Why can't you use Ruff's comb?"

"Ruff doesn't have a comb." Said Tuffnut.

Ruffnut scoffed. "I told you, this matted fishy look is not attained easily."

Heather groaned but went to fetch her hair things from her hut. She returned with Cordelia and Amelie. "Alright Tuff, there are some hair pins and ties in here too." Heather handed him a wooden box.

"Awesome." Tuff began to dig around amongst the hair clips. He spoke to Amelie and Cordelia. "Do you want to play truth or dare with us? It's probably your only chance ever, Astrid doesn't normally let us play games."

"Sure." Said Amelie. "Truth."

"What's your deepest secret?" Said Ruffnut.

Amelie and Cordelia glanced at each other. Then Cordelia began to blush and Amelie coughed awkwardly. "Well..." Amelie reached out and took Cordelia's hand.

"Ohh!" Said Tuffnut. "You're telepathic but can only read each other's minds when your hands are touching!"

"No, Tuffnut." Said Cordelia softly. "Me and Amelie... we're together."

Tuffnut looked up from rummaging through Heather's hair things. "Together? Like..."

"Like me and Hiccup." Said Astrid. "Is that why the People Of Hope locked you up?"

Amelie nodded. Cordelia chuckled nervously. "We kept it a secret for years. But we got caught."

"What kind of tribe locks people up for being in love?" Asked Ruffnut. "Like, I know romance is gross, but that's a bit extreme."

Amelie smiled sadly. "We weren't locked up because we were in love. We were locked up because we're both women."

"You know," Said Ruff, "Lately I've been hearing a lot about what we're not allowed to do because we're women. Being female sucks."

"No," Cordelia leant forwards, "Being female is wonderful. Being oppressed is what sucks."

"Well that's true." Said Astrid.

"Do you want to get married?" Said Tuffnut. Everyone turned to look at him. He was yanking a comb through Ruffnut's plait.

"Well, no Viking law allows two women to marry." Said Amelie evenly.

Ruffnut cried out in pain as Tuffnut ripped the comb away, almost scalping his sister in the process. "I can marry you. I officially trained with the town officiator on Berk."

"Tuffnut, you didn't finish your training." Said Astrid.

"That doesn't matter." Said Amelie.

Cordelia grinned. "We could have an unofficial wedding."

"Yes!" Tuffnut fist pumped the air. "This will officially be my second unofficial attempt at marrying someone. Unofficially."

Five minutes later Amelie and Cordelia were wrapped in their cloaks smiling at each other. Heather had picked flowers from Fishlegs' garden to decorate the hut. Tuffnut draped one of Heather's hair ribbons over the clasped hands of the 'brides' and began the wedding ceremony. "Oh Amelie Buckthorn, daughter of Freya, do you take Cordelia Finston, also a daughter of Freya- man this is weird- to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"Wife." Corrected Cordelia.

"Yes!" Shouted Tuffnut. "Lawfully wedded wife. You know, as we're making this up you could be something really cool. Like lawfully wedded lycanwings. Or lawfully wedded window panes."

"Wives is amazing." Said Cordelia as she gazed at Amelie.

"You may now head butt the lycanwing." Said Tuffnut.

Cordelia and Amelie kissed each other. Tuffnut wiped a tear away from his cheek as Ruff, Astrid and Heather clapped.

"How does it feel to be 'married'?" Asked Heather.

"Not as much fun as being a lycanwing." Cordelia chuckled. "It feels wonderful. Thank you, Tuffnut."

"You know," Said Astrid. "You can come back to Berk with us. The Hooligans accept gay couples."

"Wait, we do?" Said Ruffnut.

"Yeah, Bucket and Mulch."

"Oh." Said Tuffnut. "I didn't know they were together. I was thinking something completely different involving changewing acid, a fishing net and a friendship pact." Astrid laughed.

Amelie's cheeks were flushed. "Do you mind if Cordelia and I go back to your hut, Heather? It's traditional for the newlyweds to spend time alone immediately after the wedding."

"Sure." Said Heather. "See you later." She turned to Astrid. "Astrid, truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"What names are you considering for your baby?"

Astrid opened her mouth but Tuffnut interrupted her. "Me and Ruff have so many ideas! What about Elizabreath or Hellzel for a girl; or Mhavyrych or Derflop for a boy?"

"Eww." Said Astrid. "We haven't talked about-"

"That was a terrible question." Said Ruffnut. "I'm asking a different one. Was Hiccup your first kiss?"

Astrid didn't blush. She looked directly at Ruffnut. "No."

"Oooh!" Squealed Tuffnut. "Who was it?"

"Do you guys remember Terje Grippleton?"

"Oh yeah," Said Ruffnut. "He was gorgeous. Wait, you kissed him?"

"Yeah," Said Astrid. "He kissed me right before his family moved away when he was fifteen. Hiccup was my first kiss that actually meant something."

"Does Hiccup know that?" Asked Tuffnut.

"No." Said Astrid. "Why would I need to tell him? Okay, enough boy talk."

"Fine. Truth or dare?" Said Ruffnut to Heather as Tuffnut began piling her hair into a tangled mound on the top of her head. Heather's comb was stuck in a knot close to Ruffnut's scalp.

"Dare."

Ruffnut grinned. "I dare you to put sea slugs in Snotlout's bed."

"Ruffnut!" Said Astrid. "We can't just go into Snotlout's bedroom, it's private."

"Since when did you care about Snotlout?" Said Ruffnut. "Come on, it'll be funny to hear him scream."

"Astrid's right," Said Heather. "I'll do a truth instead."

"Okay." Ruff's eyes glittered. "How far have you gone with Fishlegs?" Heather froze. Ruff grinned. "Ooh!"

Heather blushed "That's private."

"My dear Heather," Said Ruffnut. "I think you have misunderstood the purpose of this game."

"What, to make people feel uncomfortable?" Said Astrid.

"Of course." Ruff leant forward on her elbows. "So, Heather, sea slugs or are you going to answer the question?"

Heather sighed. "Sea slugs. Do you guys keep them in your boar pit?"

"Of course!" Said Tuffnut. "Wait, you're not going to hurt them are you? Those are my babies! My little slimy squealchy babies that chicken eats when I'm not looking!"

"I won't hurt them," Said Heather, "but I can't promise Snotlout won't squish them when he gets into bed."

Once Heather had gathered a handful of sea slugs, the women and Tuffnut slipped into Snotlout's hut. There was dirty laundry strewn across the floor. "Eww." Said Astrid. They crept over to Snotlout's bed and Tuffnut pulled back the covers. There was a scroll of paper hidden under the sheet. Heather dumped the sea slugs into a slimy mess on the mattress and Ruffnut picked up the paper.

"I wonder who Snotlout's writing to in secret." She said. "There's no address."

"Ruffnut! You can't just read people's personal post." Astrid snatched the letter.

"Sure I can." Said Ruff. "I mean, since I learnt to read I can look at whatever I want. We just-" Ruffnut trailed off. Astrid had gone pale. "Oh Thor, you're sick again." Said Ruffnut. "Quick, puke on Snotlout's bed, that'll be funny."

"Ruffnut!" Said Heather. "Astrid, are you okay?"

"He's writing about me." Said Astrid. She looked frantically from the letter to her friends. "He's talking about my pregnancy."

Heather took the letter and read it. "Oh, Astrid. Let's try not to jump to conclusions." Heather was trying to keep her cool for Astrid's sake. "Hopefully it's just a misunderstanding. Maybe it's a diary, not a letter."

"Heather, he's going to tell someone I'm pregnant."

"Well, people are gonna know when they see you." Said Tuffnut. "I mean, it's not exactly easy to hide a giant baby bump. I suppose you could say a terrible terror laid an egg in your tunic..."

"No!" Astrid rubbed her hand over her eyes. "I need to tell people myself. What if he's already told someone? What if Berk already knows? What if my parents-"

"Astrid," Said Heather, "It's probably fine. When the others get back from Viggo's base we'll ask him about it."

"Okay." Said Astrid. "Okay, but if this is what it looks like I'm going to skin him alive."