Wow, been over a year since I've posted to this one. I managed to have enough motivation and drive for this chapter, and hopefully I can keep that for a long time. I'm almost done with college as well! Which means, between work and home, I'll have plenty of time to write again! And so exicited and ready to be done with school, you guys have no idea. Okay, enough rambling. Enjoy the read.

Ch. 10
Declaration

I was sitting in a cave on the outer edge of the haven, my helmet in my lap and my hair all undone. I stared off into the gray, cloudy sky as I started to redo my braid. Mom, Dad and Gobber were all inside the haven, discussing battle plans. They were more than unnerved when I told them what happened on Drago's ship, especially Dad. He was furious that a man like that would try to make a pass at me. And Mom was just as angry when she heard of how he treated his dragons.

I felt my hair start to tangle and fall out of its braid- again- and I huffed irritably and tossed my hair away from my face. I folded my arms as I looked out into the sky. Drago was definitely coming, do doubt about it. He could be here any second, and I had to be ready to sound the alarm when that happens.

"Hicca?"

I turned my head to see human Toothless, crouched on the ground, peeking his head around the corner. He looked like he was hesitating to come over. Like he wasn't sure if he should leave me alone. I nodded, and he slowly made his way over and sat down next to me.

"Are you okay?"

I shrugged. Toothless raised a hand and gently placed it on the back of my head.

"Your hair's out again."

He ran is fingers through the back of my head, and I sighed contently, leaning into his touch.

"May I?"

I nodded. Toothless scooted behind me and began to gently braid my hair.

"So, do you want to talk about why you're out here by yourself?" he asked.

I sighed. "I just... was really hoping that I could avoid this mess. I thought that since he asked me to meet him that he would actually consider stopping, but..."

Toothless patted my shoulder. "You did everything you could, love. You can't reason with a monster like that."

We remained silent as he continued to braid the rest of my hair. Once it was done he moved it to hang over my shoulder, and he leaned forward and kissed my cheek.

"What's going to happen?" I asked him. "After all of this?"

"Well, we'll win, obviously," Toothless said matter-of-factly. "We'll show him who's boss, bring peace back to Berk, and move on with our lives, making the best that we can."

"What if we lose?"

Toothless didn't answer for a moment. I looked over at him to see him staring off out of the cave, not looking at anything in particular. I waited patiently for an answer.

"We will win," he said. "We have to. For our home, for our people, for us."

Us... That brought up another thing I had been thinking about; the spell the Alpha gave me. I hadn't even thought about how I would tell Toothless yet. I wanted to. I desperately wanted to, but I was scared. Scared of what he'd say if he hated it, scared of what he'd say if he loved it. Would he let me do it? Would it even really work?

"Uh... Hicca?"

I looked up in the direction that he was looking and froze. I heard them before I saw them. Dragons were roaring and screeching as they flew quickly out of the haven and out towards the beach. I stood up and walked closer to the cave exit, and I gasped. It looked like the whole island was flying out of the haven, all in the same direction, and all with the same dead set look in their eyes.

"What's happening?"

"I don't know."

Toothless and I looked at each other before standing up and running out of the cave. There was a huge bang and the ground shook. We ran out of the entrance just in time to see a giant shard of ice fall off the mountain. I looked out into the ocean in horror. There was an entire armada in front of me, with what looked like thousands and thousands of soldiers on the frozen beach. They were firing canons up at the mountain. Drago was here.

"Hicca!"

I turned around to see mom, dad and Gobber running out of the cave. Mom skidded to a halt next to me as she stared out, looking as horrified as I felt. She glared, I could see the wheels turning in her head at incredible speed. She huffed angrily and whipped around. My dad caught up to her and grabbed her arm.

"Val. Val! It's alright, it's alright…" he assured her. "We're a team now. Now what do you wanna do?"

She turned to look at both of us. "We have to save the dragons."

Dad nodded. "Aye! You got it," he reached out to me. "C'mon, dear!"

I nodded and followed them out. I snatched up my helmet as Toothless changed into this true form. He ran up to me, spreading his wings. It took half a second to hop on and click my foot into place.

"Go for the traps," mom shouted as she leapt onto Cloudjumper. "And stay out of range! We have to keep them safe."

"Got it!"

With that, we all flew out on our dragons. As Toothless flew up I looked down to get a good view of the crowd below. There was a whole line of traps set up behind the soldiers, some with dragons already in it. I watched as a blue Deadly Nadder flew down into one trap holding a Gronkle, and the trap suddenly closed around it.

"We gotta break those traps!" I shouted to Toothless.

But before he could respond there was suddenly a huge explosion from one of the nearby traps. I turned my head in time to see a Zippleback fly out… and there were two people riding it.

'It's the twins!' said Toothless.

I stared in amazement, and that's when I noticed it. Snotlout, Fishlegs, even Austen, all of them with all of their dragons, were here! Where the hell did they even come from? I watched in amazement as Barf and Belch sprayed green gas along a line of traps, and Stormfly flew by and blew her fire, setting it off.

"Let's go help them out," I shouted, patting Toothless' head.

Toothless flew higher up into the air before curing down to the right, heading straight towards Austen and Stormfly. But, as we were, a canon suddenly fired in their direction, missed, and hit the mountain instead. A giant shard of ice fell, knocking even more chucks of ice down. They fell right towards Stormfly.

"Toothless, plasma blast!"

He immediately opened his jaw and let out a huge blast of fire, blowing up any ice that was heading for them. As it cleared we curved and dove right next to them.

'Hey… Hicca, it's Eret!"

I whipped around and gasped. He was right! There, on Stormfly's back and in front of Austen, was Eret himself. Not sure whether to be happy or suspicious, I lifted my helmet and laughed.

"Welcome aboard, dragon rider!"

"Thanks!" he shouted. "I think…"

"Where have you been?" Austen demanded.

"Oh, you know… catching up with mom."

I nodded out to the center of the mountain, where I could see mom standing on top of Cloudjumper, holding her staff high above her head. There was a massive, loud rumbling as bits of ice started to crumble down. Suddenly, the Alpha himself started to lift his head from the ice. It wasn't until he had fully stood up that he reared his head back and let out a massive roar that shook the whole island. I turned to look at Austen, and laughed when I saw how far his jaw had dropped.

"That's your mother?!"

I shrugged. "Welp, now you know where I get my dramatic flare!"

I winked at him before putting my helmet down and leaning down, telling Toothless to fly low. I watched as the Alpha smashed his way through the ice, his booming roar echoing.

'I WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO HARM MY DRAGONS IN MY OWN HAVEN!' he roared.

He reared his head back and opened his massive jaw, blowing ice out on the beach. It stretched along the edge, taking out soldiers and most of the traps. I grinned.

"C'mon, Toothless. Show them whatcha got, bud!"

'You got it!"

Toothless turned and dived straight towards a low trap that was holding several Zipplebacks. He opened his jaw and fired at just the right spot to open the trap, and the dragons flew out, immediately firing at the other traps and soldiers.

"Woohoo! 'Atta boy!"

Toothless fired at several of Drago's dragons as they attacked our own, and took out several more traps. Things seemed to be looking our favor. Suddenly, I heard loud yelling unlike any other I had heard. I glanced down and saw Drago standing feet away from my mom, only he wasn't yelling at her. His back was facing her, and he was waving his staff in the air as he yelled.

'What the hell is he doing?' Toothless asked.

Before I could say anything I saw the water move. It looked like a huge wave was coming. That's when I saw the ships start to shift and tip over as the wave pass by. I had a sudden flashback to what I had seen in the water last night, and my blood ran cold.

What is down there?

Trust me, you do not want to find out.

"Oh no…"

The surface of the water broke, and a gigantic, spiked head suddenly surfaced. I gasped. It was a dragon exactly like the Alpha, only this one was all gray and with terrifying, bloodshot eyes.

"Another one?!"

"That is a Class 10. CLASS 10!" Fishlegs shouted.

The dragon marched onto the beach, not even watching as he stepped on several traps and ships, and maybe some soldiers. I didn't watch closely enough to know. The Alpha stared in surprise and roared at the newcomer. They roared at each other before suddenly running at each other and slamming their heads together. They twisted and turned their heads, hitting each other with their massive tusks. From up here, I suddenly saw mom and Cloudjumper fly up to the dueling dragons and move between them. It looked like she held her hand up to the Alpha, and he ceased his movements for just a moment. But, the other dragon wasn't letting up, and immediately went to smash his head again. Mom managed to get out of the way just in time before they collided, and began to fight some more.

"What do we do?!" I shouted.

'I don't know, this is kind of a first for me!' said Toothless.

The Alpha gave the other dragon one good hit, knocking its head back. The dragons' eyes were wide and wild as I suddenly leapt forward and knocked the Alpha's head back. It suddenly trapped his head in between his tusks and started to push the Alpha back. I gasped as I grabbed the handles of the saddle and pushed down, and Toothless dove forward.

"If we fire in his eyes, he'll be weakened for a moment. Can we fire at him?"

'I can't! We're too far away, my blast will miss!'

"Then get closer!"

Toothless dove more, going so fast my helmet started to shake on my head.

Please, just a little bit closer…

The Alpha was pushed back until he was pinned to a wall of ice on the mountain.

Just a bit more…!

The dragon used his tusks to tilt the dragon over and threw him onto the ground. I gasped.

"Now, now! Do it!"

'We're not close enough-'

"DO IT!"

Toothless opened his mouth and let out a large plasma blast that was aimed right for the dragons' eye. It got closer, and closer…

It missed.

The dragon reared his head back and lunged forward, his tusks going straight into the Alpha's stomach. The Alpha opened his jaws and let out an earsplitting roar that almost sounded like a cry. I gasped, lifting my helmet up as I watched in horror. The Alpha's eyes rolled back in his head as he laid down, and was still.

There was a solid moment of silence, in which everything seemed to remain still. I felt my heart in my throat as it pounded loudly, and I suddenly had the urge to sob. The other dragon stepped back, shaking his head. Then, he reared his head up and let out a loud, booming roar. Nothing happened for a moment. Then, I heard multiple roars and growls as suddenly, all the dragons on the island flew up towards the beast. I stared in shock as they all flew over and landed in front of him, and they all bowed their head towards him.

He had taken the Alpha's place… as their new Alpha.

I whipped my head around to see Drago still standing in the same spot as before, his staff in the air. I felt a wave of rage come over me. I could feel Toothless' anger as well as he growled. I pushed down and he immediately followed my order, taking me down towards Drago.

"STOP!"

Drago turned to face me as we landed in front of him. I jumped off of Toothless and took off my helmet, tossing hit aside. Drago smirked at me.

"You could have avoided this if you had just listened to me. You could have been a part of something wonderful," he snapped.

Toothless began to march forward, growling, but I put a hand on his snout to stop him. I glared up at Drago.

"All of this loss, all of this pain and suffering, and for what? To become unstoppable? To rule the world? To become a tyrant against anything and anyone that stands in your way?"

Drago glance around the entire scene, nodding slowly. He grinned.

"I know you're angry at them, and I know you've lost things because of them-"

"You have no idea what I've lost," he stabbed his staff in the snow, and began to circle around me. "You have no idea what it's like to live in fear, to see your village burn, to have your family taken. But, even as a boy, left with nothing, I vowed to rise above the fear of dragons… and liberate the people of this world."

"Then why a dragon army?" I asked. "If you hate dragons so much, why even use them?"

He looked at me matter-of-factly. "Well, you need dragons to conquer other dragons. Just look at your precious "Alpha" over there!"

He laughed manically, and I felt a rushing urge to rip his tongue out for laughing at the Alpha.

"Or maybe… you need dragons to conquer people," I snarled. "To control those who follow you. And to get rid of those who won't…"

He chuckled. "Clever girl… You know, you'd make a fine bride if you weren't so stubborn."

Toothless took a step forward and roared. 'SHE WOULD NEVER BE YOUR BRIDE!'

I reached up and placed my hands on Toothless' head, trying to calm him down. He took one step back, but remained in attack mode.

"Shh, easy bud," I soothed. "I'm here, don't worry..."

"Ha! How cute!" Drago snapped. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say the beast fancied you!"

I placed a loving and protective arm around Toothless, glaring at Drago. His eyes widened and he smirked.

"No…! You actually love the beast!" he roared with maniacal laughed. "What a joke! He's not even a man!"

"He's more of a man than you'll ever be," I snapped at him.

Drago continued to laugh. I heard Toothless growl threateningly, but he remained still.

'Just say the word and I'll blast him.'

Not yet, bud.

"I'm not here to be anyone's bride," I stated. "I'm just here to try to make the world a better place for dragons."

"Well, you've certainly done an amazing job thus far."

"This world doesn't need more violence, Drago," I said seriously. "It wants peace, and we have the answer back on Berk. It's not too late to change what you've done, just… let me show you-"

"NO!" he snapped. "Let me show you…!"

Drago suddenly started shouting at the top of his lungs. He picked up his staff and started thrashing it and spinning it around his head. I stared for a moment before I realized what he was doing. I looked up to see the new Alpha had turned its head away from the mountain, and directly at Drago. It stepped down and marched its way over to us, causing the ground to shake.

"No dragon can resist the Alpha's command," said Drago. "So, he who controls the Alpha, controls them all…"

He raised his staff, and pointed it directly at Toothless. He and I stared at each other before we stared up at the Alpha. It glared menacingly at Toothless. A moment later, Toothless suddenly shouted out, doubling over and shaking his head.

"Toothless?" I gasped. "T-Toothless, you okay, bud? What's wrong?!"

'It's… in my head…!' he shouted. 'It… it hurts…!'

"Witness true strength," said Drago. "The strength of will over others…"

'Hicca… run!'

Toothless let out a painful whine as he ducked his head down. A moment later he was silent, and he slowly lifted is head up. His eyes were open and wide, and his pupils were thin slits. I had never seen him like this before. I turned my head to glare at Drago, and he was glaring right back at me.

"In the face of it… you are nothing…"

He pointed his staff away from Toothless, and directed it at me. The Alpha followed the staff and looked at me with its bloodshot eyes. At the same time, Toothless turned to face me as well, with that same dead-eyed look.

"Uh, what did he just tell you?"

For the first time ever, Toothless didn't respond. I didn't hear his soft voice in my head. All he did was stare. Then, he snarled as he started to approach me. I felt myself start to step back, holding my hands up.

"Toothless? Bud, it's me! What're you doing?"

He snarled more, his expression becoming more hostile by the second. I felt my heart pounding in my chest.

"No no no, c'mon! knock it off!" I yelled. "Stop! Snap out of it!"

As I stepped backwards, my foot caught on some ice and I fell onto my back. I gasped as I started to scoot back with my feet. Toothless didn't stop as he got closer, his jaw opening slightly.

"Toothless, please! Don't!"

"HICCA!"

I turned my head in time to see my dad leaping over the ice, heading right towards me.

"Dad?! Dad, no!"

But he didn't stop until he finally reached me. He grabbed me by the arm and held me behind him, holding his other arm out in front of Toothless.

"Toothless, stop!" he roared. "This isn't you, lad!"

Toothless growled viciously, his jaw opening more.

"Fight it, Toothless!"

I saw light appearing in the back of this throat. The blast was coming, there was no stopping it.

"DAD!"

My dad's eyes flashed in front of me for just a moment before he stepped in front of me, wrapping his arms around me. There was a loud bang and I was suddenly knocked off my feet. I fell onto the ground, slid, and my back smacked against the ice. There was a loud pop and pain shot through my shoulder. I cried out, grasping at it. I used my free hand to roll me over and force me up on my knees. My head was slightly fuzzy from the hit. After a few seconds my vision started to clear as I looked around.

Toothless was still standing in the same spot he had been when he blasted at us, barley moving, his jaw hanging open as he panted. I looked around and saw, amongst the ice on the ground, there was also a large, dark mass laying slumped on the surface.

"No…"

I felt my heart plummet into the pit of my stomach. My mind started racing rapidly.

Get up.

"Dad?!"

Get up!

I leapt to my feet and sprinted forward, skidding on the ice. I grabbed him by his massive shoulders and started to pull him, trying desperately to get him onto his back.

Please get up!

"Dad…!"

I heard high panting and breathing coming from my left, and next thing I knew my mom was next to me, pulling at my dad's shoulders. Once she started helping it became much easier, and we flipped him onto his back. His eyes were closed. He made no sound, no movement. I leaned forward to grab him, and I felt my hand grab something wet. I felt my throat close up as I looked down at my now blood-soaked hand. I inhaled sharply and looked down. My dad's right hand was missing.

My mom had already acted by the time I even registered what was happening. She took a scarf from around her waist and started to tie it around his massive wrist. Once she had tied it tight enough, she leaned forward and started to look all over him. She touched his face gently before leaning down and pressing her ear to his chest. I sat, and waited…

"I hear his heart."

For a moment, everything was suddenly alright. Dad was alive, dad was okay. Anything after this doesn't matter. Mom leaned up, and her face remained somber.

"His beating is faint," she said in a small voice. "He took a really bad hit, and he's losing blood. If we don't get him to a healer and soon, he'll die."

I turned my head to look down at my dad's face; the face of the man who raised me and watched me grow up. The same face that looked away with embarrassment every time his little girl caused a scene. The same face that glared at me when I accidentally set half the village on fire. The same face that looked at me with disgust for loving dragons. The same face that had begged me for forgiveness and had given me nothing but love since. I felt my arms start to shake as I let out a small sob, and I threw myself onto my dad's chest. I felt mom put a hand on my back, but I ignored her. What was there to do? There was no way we could get to a healer in time.

"Hicca! What's happened?!"

Austen suddenly slid down next to me, staring down at my dad. He stared at his bloody wrist as he gently grabbed my shoulder. He asked me if I was okay, and I didn't respond. I don't know if I could.

'Stoick…?'

I didn't look up when I heard the voice. I didn't even register it. But, out the corner of my eye, I could see a black mass approach us.

"He's alive," I heard my mom say to him. "But, he's lost his other hand."

'Oh Gods… Stoick, please forgive me,' he leaned forward and gently nudged the remaining hand. 'I couldn't-'

"NO!"

With sudden energy I didn't have before, I lunged forward and pushed against Toothless' head, forcing him back. He stepped back a few feet, looking surprised for a moment. Then heartbroken as he looked into my face.

'Hicca, please-'

"No!" I shouted again. "Get away from him! Get away from us!"

'What? Hicca, I-'

"No, get away!" I glared at him, tears stinging in my eyes. "Just leave! I never want to see you ever again!"

Toothless' eyes widened, his whole body freezing for a moment. His face fell as he dared to take one step forward.

'Hicca…'

"Go on, get out of here! I don't want to see you! GO!"

Toothless stopped and took a step back. I had never seen a sadder look in his eyes than I did at that moment. He turned away from me, looking down at the ground.

'I'm sorry.'

And just like that, he turned and ran off in the opposite direction. The second he started to run I wanted to scream for him to come back, but the weight in my chest prevented me from doing so.

"It's not his fault," my mom's voice said softly. "You know that…"

I sighed, falling down onto my knees. Austen wrapped his arms around me, trying to comfort me. Mom put a hand on my shoulder.

"Good dragons under the control of bad people do bad things…"

At that moment, the new Alpha let out a mighty roar. I heard the others gasp in shock, and I looked up in time to see Meatlug, Hookfang, Barf and Belch, even Stormfly suddenly fly into the air and head straight for the Alpha. Suddenly, I heard a familiar, strangled roar. My head snapped up. My heart sank as I saw Toothless in the air… and Drago was riding him.

"TOOTHLESS!"

I sprang to my feet and started to run, my hand held out. Instant regret and guilt filled my heart. My head was spinning and my heart was racing as I broke into a sprint. Don't touch him! Get away from him!

"No, don't!"

My mom caught up to me and grabbed both of my arms, pulling me back. I skidded to a halt unwillingly. I felt tears appear in my eyes as I stared up into the sky, watching the black dot fly further and further away.

"Toothless…"

It's been 20 minutes since the armada went away- since all of our dragons had been taken away. Everyone was sitting close to each other, muttering to themselves, trying to figure out what to do. Mom and Gobber were staying close with my dad, keeping an eye on him.

"Is there another way to get off the island? A boat? A raft? Anything?"

Mom shook her head. "No. The dragons were the only kind of transport we had."

"There's got to be a way we can help Stoick! He'll die out here!"

I ignored them both and walked over to my dad, kneeling beside him. I reached down and gently grasped his remaining hand, squeezing it.

"I'm sorry, dad…" I whispered. "I'm… not the chief that you want me to be, and I'm not the peacekeeper that I thought I was. I've failed you, I've failed Berk, and I've failed my family. I don't know… I don't know what I'm supposed to be, and…"

My throat tensed up as tears started to fall down my face again. I used my free hand to wipe the tears away as I looked to the water, lost in thought. I heard footsteps, and out the corner of my eye I saw my mom reach her hand down to take mine. I did, and she helped me to my feet. We stayed silent for a moment, staring out into nothing. Suddenly, I felt her hand gently move some hair behind my ear as she spoke softly.

"You came early into this world. You were such a wee thing. So frail, so fragile. I feared you wouldn't make it," she paused to look down at my dad. "But, your father… he never doubted. He always said you'd become the strongest of them all. And he was right."

She grabbed my shoulders and turned me to face her, eye to eye. I suddenly felt a kind of comfort that I had never felt before. She gently held my face up.

"You have the heart of a chief and the soul of a dragon. Only you can bring our worlds together. That… is who you are, my dear."

She smiled at me, looking proud. I stared up at her for a minute before turning and taking a few steps towards the beach, staring off at the rising mist all around us.

"I, uh… I was so afraid of… becoming my dad," I confessed to no one in particular. "Mostly because I thought I never could. I mean, h-how do you become someone… that great, that brave, that selfless…? I was never as brave or as strong as him, and… I don't think I ever will be. But…" I took a deep breath. "That doesn't mean that I don't want to try. I guess… that's all you can do. You can only try…"

I turned back to my dad, who remained still as ever, his massive chest rising and falling very slowly. I walked over to him and took a knee beside him, staring at his face.

"I wish I had listened to you before, dad. If I had, maybe you'd be okay, and you could help me figure out what to do. But… I think it'll be okay. I think… it's about time I started taking my own chances."

My dad lay peacefully in his sleep, not moving and inch. I made a small nod. My dad was right; peace was not an option at this point. Drago had gone too far this time. I raised my left arm and pulled my dagger out of its sheath. I could hear the others footsteps behind me, and I could feel their eyes on me. I looked down at my father, then down at the dagger, determination filling my heart. I reached up with my free hand to grab onto my braid, holding it tightly. I took a deep breath before raising my dagger up behind my head, and in one swift motion I had cut my braid. I thought I heard Austen gasp behind me. My hair fell around my face in waves, now only touching shoulders. I tied the other end of the braid tight and set in on the ground. I stood up and turned to face everyone else, who was looking at me in shock and pride.

"A chief protects her own," I said determinedly. "We are going back to Berk. We're going to save our dragons, and save our home."

Mom beamed with pride, Gobber smirked, and Austen nodded in approval. The others, however, looked less enthusiastic.

"Uh, with what?" asked Tuffnut.

"Uh, he took all the dragons," said Ruffnut.

As soon as she said that, a pang of realization hit me.

"Not all of them."

I ran past them back towards the haven. I stopped after a few feet, brought my fingers to my lips, and blew hard. My whistle echoed loudly thought the island. A second later I heard loud screeching and chirping, and I could see a group of tiny dots flying quickly in our direction.

"Oh boy…" my mother sighed.