Later

Another door slammed in Koll's face. He has been trying to find volunteers to put eels on their roofs, but no one trusted him and Astrid wasn't helping. But he wasn't losing his faith. If there was a chance Berk could be helped to trust dragons, he has to try. It'll give him a new mission out here after losing the medallion. The thought that his family was out there stung fresh. When they reached the last hut in the village, the Chieftess opened the door surprising Koll. "Sorry Chieftess Valka. I didn't know this was your home."

"Don't be. What do you need?" Valka asked.

"I'm looking for volunteers to put eels on their roofs." Koll answered and Valka raised an eyebrow. "See dragons don't like eels. They avoid them at all costs. So putting eels on the roofs will keep dragons from burning down the hut."

"I see." Valka remarked before turning to Astrid. "How many people volunteered?"

"None." Astrid answered truthfully and Valka turned back to Koll.

"Well then. It'll be my pleasure to be the first one to volunteer." Valka remarked and Koll was surprised.

"Really?"

"Yes. See I believe there could be peace with dragons. But this is the first time Berk allowed anyone to try. So it's worth a shot." Valka answered and Koll smiled. He has gotten someone on his side. When the door closed, Koll walked to Astrid.

"I knew there had to be someone here who wants peace." Koll remarked as they walked to the forest.

"You're just lucky she pitied you." Astrid replied.

"Yeah. Gobber told me what happened to her son. I'm sorry for all of you." Koll remarked and Astrid rolled her eyes.

"Of course Gobber couldn't keep quiet." she replied and Koll chuckled.

"He is a good conversationalist." Koll added.

"Yeah, but you're still a stranger." Astrid replied.

"Well then ask me anything." Koll said and Astrid looked at the young man.

"Okay then, why did you leave your home after two decades." Astrid asked.

"Oh well, I tried to escape many times. But my adoptive father managed to stop me or my own attempts stopped me. Without Toothless, I would still be in that icy stronghold." Koll answered as they reached camp. Toothless jumped around and ran towards Koll. As Koll pet his friend, the Night Fury licked the Rider. "Yeah bud, I know. You missed me."

"Why are you talking to that thing like a human?" Astrid asked as Koll managed to get the dragon to stop licking.

"Because he's my best friend. Dragons aren't monsters. If you show them trust, you'll make a friend." Koll replied. "Want me to show you?"

"No." Astrid answered and Koll jumped on the saddle. "What are you doing?"

"About to go on a flight." Koll answered.

"I won't be able to watch you." Astrid warned and Koll smirked.

"Then I guess you'll have to come with me." Koll replied and Astrid gave the Rider a death glare.

"No way." Astrid remarked.

"Come on. It'll be fun. Flying is the most amazing thing I have been given. Besides Toothless needs to fly and he can't without me." Koll added and Astrid sighed. "Trust me. You won't regret it."

"Fine. But we better be right back." Astrid warned and Koll nodded. He helped her on the saddle and Koll pat Toothless's side. "If I die, I'll kill you myself."

"Okay bud. Let's take this easy. No fancy maneuvers." Koll said to the Night Fury and it moaned. The dragon opened its wings and took off. Astrid held on tight to Koll as they gained altitude. The wind blew past them when they leveled out and Astrid opened her eyes. Koll felt the grip loosen as they touched the clouds. The droplets of water splashed against them and Koll turned to see Astrid smiling. When they lowered down from the clouds, Koll pointed out the island of Berk. How small it seemed from up here. When they glided down and landed at the camp, Astrid got off. "So how was your first flight?"

"Better than I thought." Astrid answered as Koll got off of Toothless. "Are all your flights like that?"

"Yes and no. Sometimes we do tricks and tight maneuvers." Koll replied as Toothless laid back down on the ground. "But each flight is amazing."

"I believe it." Astrid remarked as the two sat on logs. Koll began to draw in his journal. Astrid tried inspecting the journal to find a drawing of a Razorwhip. "What's that?"

"This is a Razorwhip. I guess you don't get many of those here." Koll answered and Astrid nodded. "Well I guess you guys need more education than I thought."

"Guess we do." the woman agreed.

Elsewhere

Stoick arrived at his home to see Valka and Frida putting eels on the roof. Gobber laughed at the site and Stoick walked to his wife knowing Koll didn't need to say much to convince her that it would work. But he had Frida would convince her mother not to, but Stoick's daughter always adored her mother. When Frida saw the Chief, she ran and hugged her father. "Look what we did daddy?"

"Ah I see." Stoick replied picking the little girl to his shoulder. He walked over to his wife. "I see that Koll came by."

"Yes. He is an interesting young fellow." Valka remarked before kissing her husband.

"He does ride a dragon." Stoick replied.

"True, but I think he has good intentions." Valka added and Stoick couldn't forget that Drago may have raised the boy.

Later

Koll entered the Great Hall to find the Berk Council in the center. Astrid watched Koll with a close eye, but he understood why. No one still trusted the Dragon Rider. It would have been worse if they knew Drago Bludvist raised him. Chief Stoick glared at Koll and he guess the man saw his hut. When he reached the Council, Astrid took a seat at a table while Koll faced the men. The Chief walked forward to the young man. "After much discussion, the Berk Council decided that you may train some of our own to ride dragons. But they must be volunteers and must not be harmed."

"Of course Chief Stoick." Koll replied and the towering man walked closer.

"And you better stay away from my wife. She suffered enough. I don't want her dream of peace to be burned as well." Stoick warned the Rider and he nodded. "You may stay for diner to gather the few who want to volunteer. When you start the training is up to you."

"Thank you Chief. For trusting me." Koll replied as the Chief walked back to the Council.

Next Morning

Koll woke up early today. He was excited to train Dragon Riders. When he got out of the tent, he saw his guard, Snoutlout fast asleep. Toothless yawned as he woke up while Koll gather sticks for a fire. When the Rider put the sticks in the firepit, Toothless fired a small blast waking up the sleeping Viking. Both Rider and Dragon laughed when the Viking fell onto his back. The annoyed Viking stood back up with anger. "Not funny. You dragon attacked me!"

"He started the fire. You were asleep." Koll corrected and Snoutlout sat on a log.

"If that was true, then why I am still alive?" Snoutlout asked sharply thinking he is the best Viking.

"Because dragons aren't bloodthirsty monsters." Koll replied as he cooked some fish over the fire. "So what are you planning today?"

"None of your business." Snoutlout remarked and Koll finished cooking the fish. Koll offered some fish to Snoutlout, but the Viking refused. As Koll jumped on Toothless saddle, the Viking was dozing off again. The two friends launched into the sky. The wind blew in their faces as they dive to the waters. Toothless caught some wild fish and enjoyed the breakfast. After the dragon's breakfast, they flew up to the clouds, enjoying the freedom. After an hour of flying, they glided down to the arena where the training will take place.

Later

Valka convinced Stoick to take Frida on a fishing trip for the day. She knew Stoick didn't want her to take part in Koll's Dragon Training, so much so that he told her there were none. But rumors on Berk travel fast. So now she was walking into the arena where Fishlegs, Twins, and Gustav were waiting to learn while Gobber and Astrid both guarded Koll and to stop the training if the dragons were a threat. Koll was petting his dragon when everyone noticed the woman. Gobber rushed forward. "Stoick won't be happy you're here."

"If Stoick is going to try and stop me from making peace, then he has another thing coming. So don't you try to stop me." Valka remarked and Gobber just shrugged knowing that going against Chieftess would be unwise.

"Okay everyone, what do you know about dragons?" Koll asked as he and his Night Fury walked to the center of the arena. "I'm guessing you've been told that they're dangerous monsters who seek only blood." he added and the Night Fury gave a gummy smile. "Well, they aren't monsters. They're like us. Survivors."

"Which can breathe fire." Gobber remarked as he walked to the cages.

"True, but they aren't monsters. They are just trying to survive and if we are to survive, we need to trust them and let them trust us. So who wants to go first?" Koll asked and Valka walked up. "Okay then. Gobber. Care to do the honors."

"This is a bad idea." Gobber whispered as he opened a cage. Valka remembered the many dragons that were captured and killed in this arena. The dragon Gobber let out wasn't a dangerous one like a Monstrous Nightmare, but it was dangerous. The Stormcutter burst out and widen its four wings. The Vikings raised their weapons preparing for a fight.

"No! Lower your weapons!" Koll ordered with a tone of a leader. The Vikings did hesitantly and the Dragon Rider walked to the Stormcutter. He raised his left hand out as if he was going to touch it but stopped before reaching the dragon. The Stormcutter eyed the young man and sniffed the hand. "Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you." he reassured the dragon. The Stormcutter willingly put its head against Koll's hand surprising everyone. As he pet the dragon he turned to the Berkians. "Some think that I control them. But that's not true. I have no control over their actions. All I can do is trust them and they trust me." he added before walking to Valka. "Hold your hand out like this." Koll said maneuvering her arm as he did. The Stormcutter walked forward, sniffed her hand, then put its head against her hand. She felt the cool scales of the Stormcutter against her palm. It was a sensation she never felt before. It was amazing. Valka stared into the Stormcutter's eye seeing the same spirit like herself.

Later

When Stoick and Frida arrived at the dock, they were greeted by Gobber and Valka. One was nervous and the other was proud. Looking at their faces, Stoick knew Valka went to Koll's Training session. He sighed before turning to Frida who was proudly holding the large cod she caught for Valka to see. The mother smiled and Stoick smiled seeing his beautiful wife smile. He might be angry at her, but he could never get Valka to not do something. She had such a free spirit. For that spirit is what drew the Chief to his wife. When Stoick tossed the rope to the dock workers, Valka helped Frida onto the dock.

"So how was your day?" Stoick asked as he got onto the dock.

"Amazing." Valka answered before walking home with Frida to cook the cod. Stoick turned to Gobber.

"Koll is something." Gobber remarked as the two walked.

"So what did he do?" Stoick asked.

"He got the volunteers dragons from the ring. Even the Monstrous Nightmare. Oh, you should have seen it. Once Gustav put his hand on the dragon it acted like an overgrown puppy." Gobber answered and Stoick was surprised. Stoick has only seen aggression from Monstrous Nightmares, so an overgrown puppy isn't a phrase he would use for such a beast. "He has a way with dragons I've never seen before. He wants to use the Forge to create saddles for them."

"Is that all?" Stoick asked astonished at what he heard.

"No. He didn't put the dragons back in their cages. They're in the arena bonding with the volunteers or sleeping. And tomorrow he wants to let them a few feet in the air as practice for a flight." Gobber answered and Stoick was amazed at how the young man can change so much.

"Did he say anything about his past?" Stoick asked quietly and Goober shook his head. "Is Astrid watching him?"

"Yes." Gobber answered and Stoick nodded.