Nightfall comes too slow for me. I am eager to get off this boat, even more so to finally earn my place tonight.

I walk upstairs to the top deck, where Windshear is chained and muzzled. It makes my blood boil to see her like that; to see any dragon like that.

This is why I take this mission so personal. No more chains, no more muzzles, and no more cages.

Alvin and I differ in opinions on what gaining the knowledge kept in the Book of Dragons will truly bring. Where the book will bring Alvin control, it will bring my liberation.

Despite the horror stories Alvin has told me of Berk, more specifically it's leader, dare I say I'm jealous of the dragon riders.

"Heather, we're going to be on stand by. Don't mess this up." Alvin sneered. "Savage, release that dragon!"

I know he only called Windshear 'dragon' and not 'beast' or 'lizard' for only my benefit. I mounted Windshear and flew around the seastack and straight into the village plaza deliberately.

I know I'm supposed to be on a stealth mission according to Alvin and Savage, but that doesn't make sense to me. These people should welcome a fellow dragon rider.

The first step of my plan is to hide somewhere until morning. (It is now since no one heard me land in the plaza, or so I think.)

While I'm looking for a hiding place for Windshear and I, I choose to look around some. To get to know my surroundings of course.

The place is prettier than Outcast Island. Even the forge is tidy, and for some reason it's not locked. These people are too trusting.

I tell Windshear to stay, then I enter the forge. Like I said, it's wicked organized. All of the incomplete weapons are laid out on the table and they are all shiny. This is only a surprise to me because even the new weapons are rusted on Outcast.

There is another table with more complex contraptions. There are some thin metal rods draped in a red cloth with a white design. I thought it looked familiar, but it's hard to recognize anything in this lack of light.

As I exit the forge I am not paying attention and my foot gets caught on a stick that seems as if it was put deliberately in my path.

Windshear catches me before I hit the ground, possibly making an unwelcome disruption in the village's peaceful silence. When I look up and glance around for the offending stick-to toss into the ocean, that thing is a hazard- I find that it's not a stick but an ornately decorated staff, oddly with baby dragon's teeth dangling from the top. Then my eyes slowly roved over to the visage of the first ugly thing I've stumbled upon-literally- on Berk. An old man and a sheep.

The old man is glowering and the sheep...looks like a sheep.

Windshear placed me on my feet, and I glower back. To my surprise he breaks the silence. "Alvin has told me a great deal about you miss Heather."

I probably look stricken. I never met this ugly, old man in my life.

"Alvin hasn't told you about me then? I'm Mildew and my sheep is Fungus."

I try to stifle my laughter at such an asinine combination. Needless to say, I failed.

Mildew looks confused so I quickly change the subject. "You know Alvin? Great!" I realize I had shouted which seems to be amplify my voice ten times in the silent village square.

"You need a hiding place, right? There is a wrecked ship on the west beach. Just keep your lizard out of sight. You need to convince them you crashed here on that ship."

I don't like being told what I need to do in general, and I don't like my dragon being referred to as a lizard. "You don't like dragons," I observed.

"No, I'm afraid of dragons. I hate Hiccup." He stated plainly.

I remember that name. Hiccup. He leads the dragon riders.

This mission starts to become too real. Hiccup rides a Night Fury and he is hier and son to Stoick the Vast.

I suddenly feel the full weight of this mission in my chest. I start backing away from the old man, turn and run away, barely aware of my dragon chasing me and Mildew yelling at me to come back.

I don't know where I'm going and only realize it when I trip over a lever sticking out of the ground. I tumble through the now open gate into the Kill Ring. No, Dragon Training Academy. Unfortunately I only come to a halt between two sleeping dragons. A Monstrous Nightmare and a Hideous Zippleback.