CHAPTER 20

A phrase Tengan had once read floated to the forefront of her mind: The night is darkest just before the dawn. At the time, she had thought it was a nice sentiment; something to give people hope when the tragedies of the world sunk in. Now, she firmly believed in its truth.

The atmosphere on the Edge would never again be the unbridled optimism that first built the base, but no longer was it a sweeping black cloud hovering over their minds. Life continued to move onward as time finally seemed to be balancing the scales. Hiccup was officially named Stoick's successor and the future chief of Berk. The small party the Riders had thrown in celebration lasted until sunrise and ended with Meatlug falling asleep on top of Tuffnut, who had rested on the floor just a moment too long. The Dragon Hunters had been conducting less raids as well, in no small part due to the team destroying their Dragon Root supply farm. Snotlout had been the man of the hour after that mission as he alone had discovered the preferred conditions for Dragon Root to grow. Hell, they had even been able to laugh about fending off a plethora of bounty hunters after Viggo placed a hit on Hiccup in retaliation for the destroyed crops.

Of course, that hadn't meant everything was back to normal just yet. While the raids had significantly dropped in number and frequency, the Hunters had still been poaching wild dragon flocks and keeping the Riders busy. Not to mention that Berk was still struggling to regain it's feet with their severely depleted store of gold. These threats were, as always, in the forefront of the Riders' daily thoughts and were often discussed during planning sessions. It just seemed less hopeless lately. As if they were one turn away from establishing a firm upper hand over Viggo.

Tengan smiled and closed her eyes as the warmth of the sun seeped into her very being. While she still had mornings where lying in bed seemed the most attractive option, they allowed her to appreciate all the times the dark clouds in her mind gave way to blue skies. She spread her arms wide, balancing in the saddle with only her knees as Rumble climbed on an updraft. "It's a fine morning, Rumble." She yawned and gazed out over the south side of the island, content to watch the waves crash lazily against the shore as her mind drifted to the one person who seemed to occupy the majority of her thoughts in these moments of calm: Dagur.

She could recall with perfect ease how the setting sun made it seem like his intensely red hair was ablaze the last time they spoke, despite the weeks that had passed since then. His promise hung in the forefront of her mind as well; a declaration that there would be more in her life than battles and mourning. The gentle crease of his eyes and the slight smile on his lips as he spoke often set the almost ever-present heat in her lower stomach ablaze.

Pulling herself to the present, she placed her hands back on the saddle as Rumble swung around to face the sound of approaching wing beats. "Oh, hey Heather!" She called out, fighting to be heard over Rumble's roar of welcome. "Here to join us? It's a perfect day to practice dives. The updrafts are insane."

Heather shook her head, an odd smile fixed in place. "No, I actually came to fetch you. It's almost lunch time." She laughed as Windshear greeted her Skrill companion by executing a tight loop over the pair.

Tengan giggled at the display and held on tightly as Rumble mirrored the other dragon's movements. As the two leveled off she cocked an eyebrow at her friend. "Thanks. Not that I mean to be ungrateful or anything, but what's going on? You usually save me a bit of food if I'm late coming back for meals."

Heather shifted in her saddle and merely shrugged, her weird smile still in place. "Ok, maybe there's something back at base I really wanted to show you and was too impatient to wait for you to come back on your own."

Tengan threw her head back and laughed. "Alright, that sounds more like you. In that case, lead the way!" She crouched low in the saddle to avoid the buffeting winds as Rumble dove after Windshear. Giggles and whooping cries bubbled from the pair of Riders as their dragons, feeding off the girls' lighter mood, rolled, twisted, and playfully snapped at one another as they made their way back to base. Tengan touched down seconds after Heather and quickly slid from the saddle as she gazed curiously around. "I don't see anything different." She mused mildly. "Unless you count how unusually quiet everything is. Are the twins even here?"

Heather chuckled and shoved her friend playfully towards their main hall. "They're still here. Just go inside and have a look, will you?"

"Ok, ok." Tengan chuckled back as she allowed herself to be herded inside. "I still have no idea what you're talking… about..." The words died in her throat as she gazed, open mouthed, at the large table before her. Surrounded by her grinning friends, piled several feet high, were dozens of books and scrolls. Tengan stepped forward and slowly reached out, her limbs shaking as she traced over the handwritten title across one of the volumes. "Are these…?"

Hiccup nodded. "Yup. Your journals. It's about time they made it back to you."

"How did you… I mean… Where?" She gaped, not unlike a fish out of water, as she glanced at each of her friends in turn, half expecting the twins to yell 'Lokied!'. Her eyes snapped back to the journals every few seconds; as if they would disappear if she took her attention away from them for more than a handful of heartbeats.

Hiccup shook his head and held his hands up. "It wasn't any of us." He smiled softly.

"Then who?" Tengan gasped as she clutched a particularly battered journal to her chest. A compilation of cultural observations from her first year on Berk.

Heather stepped up to the table and gently tapped her shoulder. "You have my brother to thank for this." Smiling, she pointed behind them.

Placing the journal back down like a mother would set a newborn to rest in its cradle, Tengan slowly turned to face the door they had come in.

Standing off to the side, having been completely unnoticed as she made her way in, Dagur stood leaning against the wall. His smile widened as Tengan's misty eyes locked with his. "I promised I'd get them back to you if I could." He pushed himself off the wall and began to approach. "I still have a few more to hunt down though. Viggo never hid everything in one place. But I figured-"

Tengan cut off his sentence as she flung herself into his chest, her arms clinging around his neck. She pressed her face into his collarbone and squeezed as tightly as she could, too overcome to speak. She jumped as she felt his arms snake around her waist to pull her in closer, surprised again at just how easily he eclipsed her with his bulk.

Dagur rested his head on top of hers for a moment, losing himself in her wild nest of curls. "Can't wait to see the kind of thanks I'll get for finding the rest." He chuckled into her ear.

Tengan leaned back to stare deeply into his eyes, her arms still delicately draped over his shoulders. For a moment, all she could hear was the pounding of her heart in her ears and all she could see was the endless green of Dagur's eyes. After an eternity or an instant, she couldn't tell which, her eyes fluttered shut and her lips captured his once more. Unlike the first time, their meeting was soft and gentle. She smiled into the kiss as she felt Dagur eagerly press further into it, his grip on her waist tightening. A squeak of surprise escaped her as she felt his tongue ghost across her lips and a chuckle vibrate from his chest into hers. Only when she felt her lungs protesting for air did she resurface, her cheeks wet with tears that had somehow escaped without her noticing. "I say you more than earned that one." She whispered, planting a small peck on his lips. "And many more."

"That is SO not fair!" Snotlout exploded. "I've been working on her for YEARS and he just waltzes in with a stack of books!" he slammed his fist on the table, sending a cascade of journals tumbling off the top of the pile.

Dagur's head whipped up, his arms still tightly locked around Tengan's waist. "Watch it, Snothat! I didn't spend over a month tracking those down and wrestling them away from Viggo's men for you to throw 'em around!"

Tengan, firmly snapped back to reality, suddenly hyper aware of the seven sets of eyes boring into her back. She glanced sheepishly over her shoulder, before turning her attention back to the man still maintaining a firm grip on her waist. Letting her hands slide down to rest on Dagur's chest, she smiled bashfully up at him. "You can let me go now." She whispered, wriggling gently against his grip.

Dagur cocked an eyebrow, a devious smirk taking over. "Who said I wanted to?" he growled playfully into her ear. Shifting his grip, he picked her up and spun her in a quick circle, his booming laugh filling the hall.

"Alright you two, don't make me gag!" Heather teased as Dagur deposited a breathless, giggling Tengan back on solid ground. "Sit and eat before lunch gets cold."

Dagur perked up and allowed his grip to slip off of Tengan's waist as he hurried over to the table. "Excellent! Shattermaster and I have been on the run for a while. It's been easier for him because, you know, eating rocks and all. But, I haven't eaten in days!" Throwing himself down on the bench, he paused only long enough to leave a small bit of space next to him before tearing into the hunk of meat before him.

Tengan slid into the offered space, pointedly avoiding making eye contact with the still stunned and silent riders scattered around the room. "You waited to eat until you gave my journals back?" She asked, a little dumbstruck.

Dagur, his mouth too full to speak, simply nodded vigorously before swallowing with the help of a large mug of water. "Of course!" The bulk of the meat stripped from the bone, he settled more comfortably onto the bench. One arm lazily slid onto Tengan's thigh while the other picked at the few remaining morsels. "Heather, that was delicious! And cooked to perfection!" He smiled warmly at his sister. "Cooking is in our family's blood. I bet you make a wicked Berserk Chicken!"

The awkward tension in the room eased considerably as Chicken let out several loud, indignant squawks as she leapt onto the table.

Tuffnut scooped up his feathery charge, soothing her with gentle strokes of his fingers. "Watch your mouth, mister! She suffers from rotisserie phobia. You know? She fears the ol' turn and burn."

Dagur smiled apologetically. "Sorry Boynut and…" his smile widened. "Chickennut!"

Tengan fought to keep her attention on her own leg of mutton. The warmth and pressure of Dagur's hand sent jolts to her stomach every time he shifted or gave her a light squeeze. She kept her gaze trained on the plate before her, still resolutely ignoring the staring peanut gallery.

"Ok, so is no one else going to ask?!" Ruffnut exploded, throwing her arms into the air. "Dagur why-"

"Have you come to visit?" Astrid cut across as she physically forced Ruffnut into a seat. "I mean besides… well…."

"Besides visiting my awesome sister and bringing a gift to my girl?" Dagur grinned unashamedly at the blond and gave Tengan an extra squeeze as he spoke.

Tengan's head whipped up as her stomach flipped. 'His girl?' The words rang endlessly in her head. Her heart rate quickened considerably as her face heated up. "Dagur, hold o-"

"Yes." Astrid continued, a strained smile on her face. "Other than that."

"Oh yeah!" Dagur sat up straighter, totally oblivious to Tengan's meek attempts to get his attention. "I know how to get back at Viggo."

The amused, mildly teasing atmosphere hardened immediately. Hiccup, who had been comfortably leaning against a support log and smirking at Tengan's expressions, surged forward, slamming his hands down on the table. "What? How?"

Dagur swallowed the last bit of his meat and cast an appreciative smile towards Heather before continuing. "The strangest thing happened while I was out searching for Oswald the agreeable-"

"Wait a minute!" Heather interrupted, her eyes wide. "You've been searching for our father?!"

Dagur nodded as he slid his hand from Tengan's thigh to around her lower back. "Of course! Since I didn't kill him and you didn't kill him, I figure he must be out there, somewhere."

Tengan shifted slightly at the new contact, distracted only mildly by Heather's troubled expression. Making a mental note to pull her aside later, she allowed Dagur to pull her in closer to him while he spoke.

"So there I was," the fiery haired Berserker continued, his smile widening as he felt Tengan lean towards him. "Searching for dear old Dad when I captured the wimpiest Dragon Hunter!" He broke down laughing for a few seconds. "I mean he was just a little tiny, wimpy thing." He continued to chuckle. "I mean pretty much your size and build." He gestured toward Hiccup with his free hand.

An amused bout of chuckles rang through the group as Hiccup glared back at Dagur, his expression almost pouty.

"Oh, no offense!" Dagur quickly added. "Anyway all I had to do was sneer at him, and he gave up everything! I actually had to give him the Berserker choke hold in order to shut him up!"

"Oo!" Tuffnut chimed in, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "I love the Berserker chokehold! Do it to me!"

Dagur gave Tengan's side a quick squeeze before sliding off the bench and playfully tackling the Rider. Laughing, he spun the smaller boy around and encased his throat with the crook of his elbow.

Tengan, taking advantage of the mild distraction, silently slipped off her seat and slid up to Heather's side. "You doing ok?"

Heather sighed heavily. "Yeah I guess. I just wasn't expecting him to say he was looking for our Dad is all…." She smirked, casting the other girl a sidelong glance. "What about you? How are you doing now that you're my brothers 'girl'?"

Tengan failed to hide her grin. "Oh shut up." She elbowed her friend gently. "He's just excited."

Heather bit her bottom lip, coking her head to the side. "I wouldn't be too sure. Remember this is Dagur we're talking about. When he gets an idea in his head-"

"Dagur!" Hiccup interrupted the wrestling bout. "What did the Hunter say about Viggo?" He spoke as clearly as he could while maintaining some semblance of control over the impatience in his tone.

Dagur smiled back, quickly releasing Tuffnut. "I'll tell you if you call me brother. Please?" He clasped his hands together, eyes sparkling. "Just once? Please?" He sighed as Hiccup's stern expression remained unchanged. "Ok, ok." He groaned. "You're just a barrel of laughs today, aren't you? He told me where Viggo keeps his gold."

The Rider's jaws dropped in unison. Fishlegs even let the stack of notes he had been compiling slip to the floor in a messy pile.

Dagur smirked and crossed his arms, the spitting image of a puffed up rooster. "And if I remember correctly, some of that gold belongs to Berk."

"And we can get it back!" Hiccup gasped. "As well as cripple Viggo in one blow!" He nodded once, his face set. "Let's ride, team!"

Tengan, recovering from the shock of what Dagur just explained, glanced quickly at the stack of her newly returned works sitting out on the table. "Wait!" She called out, reaching towards Hiccup. "I need time to put these away first."

Hiccup glanced at the large pile on the table, frozen for a moment. He seemed to be fighting the impulse to refuse her request before he simply nodded once. "Yeah." He said more to himself than the others. "Of course. We'll all help you carry them back to your hut."

Tengan exhaled in relief before gathering as many as she could in her arms. A stream of continuous "thank you"s left her lips as her friends happily scooped up as many books and scrolls as they could carry. Her endless stream of gratitude morphed into a squeak of surprise as Dagur shifted nearly half of her pile into his already overburdened arms. "Dagur, wait! I can carry those!"

"Of course you can." He agreed happily, shifting his body so she couldn't snatch any back from him. "Lead the way!"

Flustered, and well aware of the good natured groans coming from several of her friends, Tengan trotted happily back to her hut, pausing only once to let Rumble sniff at the once lost journals clutched in her arms. As her friends offloaded their burdens in her living space, she quickly stored as many as she could under her bed, in chests, and behind makeshift locking cupboard doors she had installed over a few shelves. "That will have to do for now. I'll organize them all when we get back." Her eyes found Dagur's again. "Thank you again for this. It means the world to me." Her gaze softened. "When we get back-"

"NOPE!" Snotlout threw his arms up and stormed out towards the stable. "I am totally getting out of here before they start making out again!"

Tengan's eyes widened as the other riders sniggered and left to collect their dragons. She could have sworn she caught Heather giving her a wink and a thumbs up as she left. Alone with Dagur and Rumble, she suddenly felt very small. "...where's Shattermaster? I haven't seen him yet."

Dagur smirked as she fidgeted. "He's over by Fishleg' hut with Meatlug. There was a bit of extra granite for him to snack on." He closed the gap between them as he spoke. "Tengan-"

"I'm sorry." she cut him off, trying to hear anything over the pounding of her heartbeat in her ears. "About them, I mean. I never actually told them about our arrangement. I think they're just surprised is all. Except Snotlout. He-" She was cut off as Dagur pulled her into his chest, halting the rest of her comment with a kiss. She stiffened for just a moment before relaxing into it fully, her fingers climbing up his back. This time when his tongue danced across her lips she parted them eagerly, losing herself in his embrace. For several moments there was nothing more urgent or important than the feeling of being wrapped in his arms, the tickle of his beard on her cheek. Twice she broke away to gasp for air before diving back in, her mind blissfully hazy. The third time she refrained from recapturing his lips, opting instead to rest her head on his chest. She hummed in appreciation as his hands rubbed small circles on her back. "I'm glad you came back."

Dagur chuckled and coaxed her to look up at him before brushing a few fly away strands of hair from her face. "Me too. Don't worry about how they take it. I've spent too long thinking about this," He gave her a gentle squeeze. "To let their jokes ruin it."

Tengan smiled and nodded. "You're right." She chewed her bottom lip as his earlier comment resurfaced in her mind. "Although there was one thing I wanted to talk about-"

"Are you guys ready!" Fishlegs' voice echoed from outside the hut, accompanied by two distinct Gronckle cries. "Hiccup's getting impatient!"

Tengan sighed, letting her head flop forward onto Dagur's chest for a second before she slipped out of his embrace. "Yes! We're coming!" She called back as she tightened Rumble's saddle straps. "We'll talk later. It's not that pressing." She smiled back at Dagur as he nodded and gave Rumble a quick scratch under the chin before jogging out to meet Shattermaster. His giddy cries of "Hey buddy! Did you miss Daddy?" brought a warm smile to her face.

In next to no time the Riders had mounted up and were following Dagur's vague directions towards an island beyond the eastern most section of their typically patrolled territory. Tengan found herself smiling at their swelled ranks. There was comfort in knowing no less than eight fire breathing behemoths were ready to tear apart any potential threats.

"Oh, Hiccup!" Dagur called out from his position sandwiched between WIndshear and Rumble. "I almost forgot. Once you have Berk's gold back I plan on taking some of Viggo's for myself!"

"Dagur, you help us get Berk's gold back and you can have the rest of it!" Hiccup called good naturedly over his shoulder. "Just out of curiosity, why do you need it?"

Dagur straightened in the saddle, his chest swelling with pride. "It's not just for me. Heather will need it too! We'll need it as we embark on an epic journey to reunite with our father and rebuild the Berserker tribe as a family!"

Tengan and Heather exchanged equally shocked and confused looks over Dagur's head. In a clear attempt to diffuse the situation, Heather chuckled awkwardly. "Yeah right, brother. I think you've taken one too many to the head." She cast a reassuring smile to Fishlegs as she finished.

Dagur's smile fell as his expression hardened. "I'm serious, Heather. That's why I'm here."

Tengan's heart dropped slightly as she listened in on the exchange. Her thoughts swirled as the formation fell into an uneasy silence for several minutes. After a while, she noticed Heather had nudged Windshear away from her brother and towards Astrid, leaving her and Dagur a small bubble of space. Taking a deep breath, she figured it was now or never to iron out some of her confusion. Going into battle distracted was never a good idea. "Hey, Dagur?" She called out just loud enough for the Berserker to hear. "Can I ask you something?"

"Anything for you, baby." He smiled back warmly, nudging Shattermaster closer to Rumble's right side.

Tengan found herself smiling as her stomach flipped at the nickname. "It's about that, actually…"

Dagur stiffened. "Oh, do you not like that one? I don't have to call you that. I've got a couple others I could-"

She cut him off with a warm chuckle and a shake of her head, her messy curls bouncing everywhere. "No, the nickname is fine…." her voice dropped as her cheeks heated up. "I like it actually. I guess I'm just… confused?" She paused to reassess her current turmoil of thoughts and emotions. "Yes. I mean, I'm so happy you came back and that we're trying to make this" She gestured between them, "work. I just don't understand, I guess? You told me how happy you were to be here…. with me."

"And I am!" Dagur interjected quickly, worry creeping onto his face. "Why? Do you think I'm not?"

"No!" Tengan assured him firmly. "I never thought that. It just all seems so fast. One kiss and you're claiming I'm yours in front of all of our friends. And now I hear that you plan on leaving as soon as this mission is over?" She exhaled heavily, bringing up one hand to rub her face. "I just don't know what to make of all this."

Dagur cocked his head and stared for a moment, blinking owlishly. "Is it not obvious?" He asked after several seconds. "Tengan." He started firmly, his eyes sparking. "I am overjoyed I could finally prove myself to you. And I don't want to go. But I have to rebuild my family and the Berserker tribe if I ever want to be able to provide for all of us."

Tengan jerked Rumble's saddle so hard, the poor dragon flung his wings out in an emergency stop and growled, whipping his head about in search of the unseen threat. It took the frazzled Rider several moments to calm her Skrill down enough for him to rejoin the formation. Her eyes wide, she stared at the calm Berserker beside her. "Dagur, I'm sorry I must have misheard or misunderstood. It sounds like you're saying-"

"That I want us joined in union, yes." He smiled plainly, no hint of hesitation or embarrassment anywhere on his face.

Tengan's jaw fell open as she felt her brain short circuit. It was rare she found herself at a loss for words and it seemed to be happening much too frequently today. "Dagur." She began gently, pausing to further collect her scrambled thoughts. "This is happening way too fast. I mean, we only started courting today."

Dagur shook his head firmly, the gentle smile fixed in place. "Technically we started a few months ago. You know before everyone thought I was dead for a while there. And, if we count that first kiss-"

"We are not!" Tengan's voice rose in pitch and volume before she could wrestle it back to something somewhat normal. "And ok, let's consider the moment on the cliffside our official start. That still only leaves a few months."

Dagur shrugged, undeterred. "That's plenty of time for a Berserker. It's not our way to beat around the bush. When we find something, or someone in this case, worth fighting for we go all out." His eyes hardened with determination. "And, if I'm being honest with myself, this is something I've known I wanted for a long while. Years even. Even back when….." His shoulders sagged a bit as he struggled to find the words.

"You didn't know how to express yourself properly." She gently suggested with a tender smile.

"See?! That's exactly what I'm talking about!" He perked up, gesturing wildly towards her. "You've supported me when the others wanted to feed me to wild dragons. You helped me earn my way back into Heather's life. You're a damn good fighter, and you've managed to tame and train a Skrill for Thor's sake! You're perfect!" He asserted, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Tengan sat quietly for a moment, slowly digesting his claims. If she had to admit to herself, it was nice to have someone find her attractive. While the Riders and Berkians had become accustomed to her darker skin and wild mane of hair, she was not ignorant of the open mouthed stares or hushed whispers that often followed when they visited a trade post or new island. "Thank you." She eventually responded, a true sense of gratitude radiating through her. "But, I'm still not sure if this is something to be so hastily decided. I mean, yes we've known each other for years, but most of that time was spent in conflict. Yes, I know a bit about you and your tribe from that Treaty signing years ago but what do we really know about each other? What do you know about me?" She smiled softly. "Besides those compliments you just gave me." She added upon seeing his indignant expression.

Dagur leaned towards the rear of his saddle, letting his head loll back on his neck as he looked towards the unbroken blue of the sky, deep in thought. After a moment, he shifted so he could sit comfortably in side saddle, his attention squarely on the girl atop the Skrill beside him. "Fair point. Well, we have the rest of this flight to talk. Tell me everything."

Tengan blinked in surprise as she stared back at him. In all her years on Berk, no one had ever asked her to share her life story. She was the one who always asked, remembered, and recorded. "Oh. Well, I suppose I can start with my homeland…" It was difficult to think of things "interesting" enough to share at first. Dagur's gentle questions made it easier and she soon found herself sharing the highlights of her life on the Shimmering Shores, the importance her people place on record keeping, and a thousand little details and anecdotes she never thought worth mentioning before.

Dagur was the perfect audience. He laughed, full bellied, at any tale where Tengan had put her foot in her mouth or embarrassed herself as a young child. He asked engaging questions about her peoples customs, taking particular care when he managed to get her to elaborate on their union ceremonies and often just stared as she spoke, eyes wide with wonder and fascination. He only reluctantly broke away when Hiccup called them all into tighter formation as the island approached.

Tengan, surprised at how quickly the journey slipped by her, raked her eyes over the small, tree dotted landscape beneath them. The island appeared deserted, even as the Riders touched down among a cluster of ruins. Sliding out of Rumble's saddle, she gently caressed the nearest stone pillar, amazed at how new it seemed despite having been abandoned for what must have been decades.

"Are you completely sure this is the right island?" Hiccup asked, exasperation creeping into his tone and posture as he rounded on Dagur.

"Yes, I'm sure!" Dagur asserted, his brow knitting in confusion. "But Viggo could have moved the gold. He can be slippery." He glanced around quickly at their nearby surroundings, desperate to find anything out of the ordinary.

Hiccup nodded, deep in thought. "Something doesn't feel right."

Fishlegs slipped past the group to join Tengan at the nearest pillar. "Gold or no gold, this is an amazing find. Ancient vikings must have lived here!" He shoved Snotlout roughly out of the way as the shorter viking raised a fist to slam it into the stone. "Be careful! We're here to find the gold, not to destroy history!"

Snotlout rolled his eyes but backed off all the same. "Relax, Fishface. If there was any gold here Viggo's men would be crawling all over."

Tengan hummed, deep in thought as she glanced at their surroundings. "Perhaps, perhaps not. Why draw attention to something you don't want found?" Catching sight of an odd cluster of leaves, she walked over and crouched down, brushing them aside to reveal a deep set of wagon wheel tracks. "Case in point." She smiled back at the group, gesturing towards her find.

"Good eyes." Hiccup complimented before he and Toothless took their usual spot at the head of the group. "Let's follow these and see where they lead. Everyone on high alert."

The group started off after the tracks, making a point to stay silent and to travel on foot with their dragons crawling behind them. Several times a twig snapped or a rabbit rustled the underbrush, causing the Riders to flinch or freeze. On each of these occasions, Dagur flinched an arm out towards Tengan as the other went for his axe.

On the third motion, Tengan whispered into his ear. "I appreciate the sentiment, but I can handle a few rabbits on my own, thank you." She smiled gently at his bashful expression before giving his shoulder a small squeeze.

Before long, the group found the trail ended before a couple of large structures covered in tarps camouflaged by loose leaves and dirt. "Expect the unexpected." Hiccup murmured with a begrudgingly impressed nod before yanking the covers off. Underneath sat two large, Gronckle Iron sheds, their doors securely shut and locked.

Dagur was bouncing on the balls of his feet as he sidled up in between Tengan and Heather. "We're so close! I can feel it! Sister, after we get the gold, our real journey begins!" He pulled the dark haired girl into a quick side hug before approaching the shack.

Tengan caught a quick glimpse of Heather's downcast expression and felt a pang of guilt. As the others were distracted by the twins' attempts to sniff out any potential booby traps, she sidled up to the downtrodden Rider. "Hey, so Dagur seems pretty insistent that you'll leave with him after today."

Heather folded her arms, her expression dark. "I know. But does he ever ask me what my plans are? Nope! He just comes in and out of my life like a hurricane and expects me to be alright with all of this!"

Tengan nodded as she listened. "That about sums up your brother. The way he talks about it, it's like he's had this grand scheme of how to rebuild your tribe planned out for years."

Heather exhaled forcefully, casting her friend a side glance. "Oh, is that what you two were talking about? How he's got my whole life planned out for me?"

Tengan held her hands up in surrender and bit her bottom lip, unsure of how to explain their previous conversation. "No, not at all. I mean he told me a bit about it but…" She sighed before opting for the direct approach. "He mainly brought it up to me because he has this grand notion that once he's reestablished the Berserkers we'll be joined in union." She dropped her voice so only the other girl could hear.

"What?!" Heather whispered harshly, turning sharply to face her friend. "It's only been a day!"

Tengan rolled her eyes, folding her arms as well. "I tried telling him that. But if you ask him, he's been pining and attempting to court for years. Shame no one ever told me." She chuckled dryly.

Heather joined her in hushed laughter, her shoulders relaxing. "So, what did you tell him? Are you going to be my new sister?" She teased, batting her eyelashes.

Tengan gave her shoulder a light shove. "Oh, knock it off. And, to be honest, I haven't answered him one way or another. It's a choice that will change my life so I will let him know what I decide when I've figured it out for myself." She stared pointedly at Heather.

"Do all of our conversations have to end with you giving me sound life advice?" She groaned, drawing her hand down over her eyes.

"Only when you're having a particularly sulky day." Tenan teased back. Their attention was drawn back to the task at hand as Toothless' blast echoed dully against the apparently dragon-proof door.

"Oh, what the-" Hiccup groaned at the still standing shack. "It must be reinforced. It's going to take a lot more to get through."

"You tried it your way, Hiccup!" Dagur called out, a playful smirk on his face. "Now it's time to do it Berserker style!" He smiled over his shoulder, making sure Tengan and Heather were paying attention. "Right, sister?"

"Berserker style?" Heather cocked her head in mild confusion. "You mean do something crazy?" She asked, her voice dripping in skepticism.

"No!" Dagur sighed, approaching the two women. "Everyone always thinks Berserker means crazy! But what it really means is going full speed, all out, all the time! Total commitment to your Berserker brothers and sisters." His smile widened as he briefly locked eyes with Tengan. "So, if any of you want to know what Berserker style really is, look closely!" He whistled as he sidestepped, creating a path for his dragon. "Show them our new move, Shattermaster!" He turned to face the first of the sheds, a wicked grin on his face. "Shatter Scatter!" He called out, pointing towards the stubborn metal door. As the Gronckle took to the air, he let out a long, rising and falling cry that seemed to embody all of his chaotic energy into a single shout.

The Gronkly, clearly understanding the yell as some sort of signal, began somersaulting wildly before launching himself at the armored door tail first. The resounding clang that echoed through the clearing forced a flinch out of nearly all of the gathered Riders as several stumbled form the shock wave of the blow.

"Not so dragon-proof anymore!" Dagur cheered as he reached out to steady to stumbling Heather. "Bravo, Shattermaster!" He released his sister's arm as she regained her balance. "That's what you call a Berserker battle cry." He explained, eyes sparkling. "It comes from deep within, understand?" He gave her a gentle pat on the shoulder. "You'll get it." He shifted his attention to Tengan, his smile widening.

Tengan gave him a small smile back. "Remind me to add that to my scroll on the Berserker tribe later. I never heard about the battle cry."

Dagur nodded enthusiastically. "Sure! You should start practicing yours as well." He swept past the two and towards his Gronckle, grinning all the while.

Tengan briefly locked eyes with Heather before they followed, peering over Astrid and Hiccup's shoulder into the now accessible storage unit.

"Empty!" Astrid groaned. "I guess we're too late. Viggo must have moved the gold."

"Nothing about this makes any sense!" Hiccup all but growled as he stepped into the featureless metal shed. "No guards? No booby traps?" He turned and stormed back out, squeezing past the girls.

"I know that look." Astrid called out after him. "What are you thinking?"

Hiccup crouched in the dirt near the sheds, his eyes trained on the several sets of wagon tracks leading to and from the clearing. "I'm thinking that the carts came in from that direction and left going the other way. From the depths of the tracks it seems that the wagons were empty when they left. The gold must have been brought in on the wagons and carried out by hand!" He straightened quickly. "The storehouses must be a decoy. The gold to be somewhere else on the island."

"In that case we should split up." Dagur chimed in. "Cover more ground. Viggo and his men could show up any time. The Berserkers will search the north, and the Dragon Riders will search the south." As he spoke, he slipped a loose arm around Tengan's waist, a silent declaration to the group as to exactly which title he felt she belonged under.

Fishlegs' brow furrowed as he quickly looked between Dagur and Heather. "Wait! I should go with them too."

Hiccup glanced between Dagur's hold on Tengan and Fishlegs' pained gazes at Heather before nodding once. "Ok. That gives us a relatively even split if you take those two with you." He shook his head, clearly not interested in pressing the matter at the moment. "Stay on the ground, send up a signal if you see anything unusual."

Dagur grinned and gave Tengan's waist a squeeze before releasing her to nudge Heather forward. "Comeon! While we're searching for the gold, we can all discuss our future!"

Tengan paused long enough to shoot a rather dark glare at the twins and Snotlout, who were busy miming exaggerated kisses towards her, before following. Tapping her cheeks lightly in an attempt to encourage the blood to flow somewhere else for a change, she sidled up alongside Fishlegs. One glance at the Rider told her he was not handling Dagur's assertions as well as Heather was. "You holding up alright?" She murmured.

"I'm surprised you noticed." He shot back with uncharacteristic malice. Catching her shocked and hurt expression, he deflated a bit. "I'm sorry. You didn't do anything. It's just, how can he come in here and just assume she's going to leave with him! Heather already has a home and a family with me, I mean, us!"

Tengan gave him a small smile and a quick pat on the shoulder. She glanced over her shoulder to make sure all four dragons were still close by before continuing. "If it helps, Heather said much of the same when I asked her earlier. Whether she goes or stays, I think she knows just how important she is to you."

Fishlegs' face lit up for a moment, his hands slackening from stiff, clenched fists to something a bit more natural. "Yeah, she knows I, I mean we, will always be there for her." After a moment, a teasing smile grew. "And how about you? Dagur was making some pretty bold claims on the flight over."

"You heard that!?" Tengan jumped, her eyes widening.

Fishlegs laughed quietly. "Don't worry, I won't tell the others. So, are you going to do it? Become the Berserker chieftess?" He taunted.

"Oh, har har." Tengan spat back. "This is the last time I give you courting advice." She sighed, crossing her arms for a moment. "But to answer your question, as of now, no. But if you ask him-" she gestured towards the siblings quietly speaking several paces ahead. "He thinks the moment the Berserkers are rebuilt we'll be joined."

"Woah, Dagur! Slow down!" Heather suddenly called out a bit louder than usual as she came to a dead stop in a small clearing. "You barge into my life like a Cavern Crasher ramped up on dragon nip and just unload all these grand ideas!" She finished, her breathing slightly ragged.

Dagur stopped as well, a pained expression on his face. "I've been out there, Heather. Living and surviving on my own. It's a lonely, desolate existence. When I realized how hard it must have been for you, all those years, alone, I knew I had to make it right." He gave her a small, hopeful smile. "I mean sure, I have Shattermaster, you have WIndshear, but it's not the same thing as having your family. Your fellow Berserkers."

Heather's glare darkened as her voice hardened. "Maybe you should have thought about that before you set me adrift."

Dagur stood quietly for several seconds before carefully approaching. "I don't know how you'll ever forgive me, Heather. But not a day goes by that I don't wish I could take that back. I was young and foolish. But, I want to make it right. Once and for all. This is my chance, our chance to rebuild the Berserker tribe. I want to give you the family you deserve, sister. Just think it about it. It's time to go home, sis." He gave her shoulder a quick squeeze before backing off to search down a small boar trail.

Tengan, undeniably impressed with his words, gave Fishlegs a quick nudge. "Go talk to her." She nodded at the nervous teen before picking her way through the narrow trail after Dagur. She found him several yards down the path, leaning against a tree as if waiting for her. "That was some speech." She started as she leaned against an opposing tree. "I have to say you've learned well when it comes to giving her space."

"And I have you to thank for that." He smiled and inclined his head. "And it wasn't just a speech. I want to rebuild our people to give her the family I denied her years ago. Once that happens I'll finally be able to bring you home with me too." He stepped forward, taking her hands in his much larger ones.

"Dagur." Tengan warned as she fought to ignore the knot of twisting eels in her stomach. "I already said I can't promise that will happen. This is still too new. Besides, the Riders need me right now."

Dagur's grip on her hands tightened slightly. "And what happens after they are done with Viggo? You told me your people usually go off on new missions or return home to guard the library. I know you well enough to know you'd never want to take up your mother's duties. So why can't your next adventure be with me?"

Tengan exhaled slowly, losing herself in the deep green of his eyes. "Honestly? There's nothing stopping me. I-" She hesitated. "I just need more time to think about this. Heather was right about one thing. You quite literally fell out of the sky with all these grand ideas. You may have had weeks and months to think it through but I haven't. I'm just not as sure about this as you are, alright?" She pleaded softly.

Dagur let his hands slide to her hips as he tugged her into him. "That's fine for now. Just let Daddy Dagur be sure enough for the both of us." He chuckled at the cornered rabbit expression on her face before dipping his head to catch her lips.

Tengan immediately melted into the kiss, any arguments she had sliding away towards the back of her mind. The rustle of nearby branches from a gentle breeze brought her back to reality. Breaking away, she blinked several times. "Curse you, Dagur of the Berserker tribe. My answer is still no for the time being but you make it difficult to argue." Before he could try anything else she spun on her heel and stalked back down the path, hyper aware of the thundering footfalls and deep chuckle behind her. As she rounded the last corner, she nearly bounced off of Rumble's snout.

The Skrill had forced his head as deep into the thicket as he possibly could, his lips curled into a deep snarl as he thrashed against the trunks. Long, deep gashes marred the bark, an indicator he had been at it for some time.

Tengan stifled a giggle as she guided her dragon's head out from between the trees. "I'm sorry, Rumble. I should have told you I'd be right back." She cooed, reaching under his chin to get at one of his preferred spots.

Dagur smiled and gave the Skrill a rough pat on the shoulder. "She was safe with me, I promise." He chuckled. "Any sign of the gold?" He called over to Fishlegs and Heather. He cocked an amused eyebrow as the pair jumped apart. "Looks like we weren't the only ones who took advantage of some alone time." He murmured just loud enough to reach Tengan's ears.

She immediately swatted his upper arm, mildly surprised as the lack of give in the toned appendage. "You leave your sister alone. Fishlegs has been really good to her." She hissed. Her pout morphed into a smile as she raised her voice to carry to the embarrassed pair. "Now come on, all of you. We've wasted enough time as it is. Let's find that gold."

Their search continued in somewhat comfortable silence for a while, with the four subconsciously splitting off into their respective couples. Tengan had been carefully balancing on Dagur's shoulders in an effort to glimpse in a small cave embedded on a steep cliff when all four dragon's whipped their heads towards the south. In unison their lips curled and a chorus of growls filled the clearing.

"Something's wrong." Heather stated darkly as she scrambled into Windshear's saddle. " I know Hiccup said to stay on the ground but we need to get moving."

"We'll stay below the treeline then." Fishlegs asserted as he swung over Meatlug's back.

Tegnan hopped off of Dagur, letting her knees buckle slightly on impact to maintain her balance. "That's going to take a while. Windshear and Rumble are agile but their wingspans are much larger than Shattermaster and Meatlug's."

Dagur rolled his shoulders, reaching up to rub the spot where Tengan's heel had dug in. "Then you two can follow us. We'll pick out the paths. Just stay close on our tails." He grinned over at the young women as he climbed atop his dragon. "Unless you think you can't keep up. Gronckles are masters at maneuvering after all."

Tengan rolled her eyes as she settled in the saddle. "Save your teasing for after we've gotten the others out of whatever mess they're in."

The four sped through the trees as quickly and quietly as they could. Several times Windshear or Rumble had to land and take several running steps before the trees cleared enough to allow them passage. By the time the group retraced their steps back to the cliff side, they were only able to watch as a small army of Hunters loaded cages containing the other Riders and their dragons onto the lead ship of a waiting fleet.

"Hmm…" Dagur mused as the small group, now dismounted, crept up to a section of cliff side hidden in dense bushes. "Hiccup was never that easy to capture when I was chasing him."

Heather produced a spyglass from her satchel and slammed it hastily to her eye. "Viggo!" She cursed after sweeping her gaze across the ship's deck. "This isn't good." She pulled her attention away from the ship and to her friends. "We can't just sit here. We need to rescue them. Now! Before Viggo disappears!"

"We should save them Berserker style!" Dagur piped up, thudding his fist against his palm. "I have the perfect plan!"

"No!" Fishlegs cut across him immediately. "Dragon Riders rescue Dragon Riders." He turned to Heather, his eyes pleading. "I have known Hiccup my whole life. He's my best friend, Dagur. Whenever I have needed him, he's been there for me. And now he needs me." He gently grasped Heather's free hand. "We are doing this my way."

Dagur sniffled, his eyes shining with unshed tears. "That was beautiful, man. Just, beautiful."

Tengan blinked twice in surprise; both at her friend's atypical level of assertion and her suitor's teary display. "Ok, Fishlegs." She soothed as she placed a steadying hand on Dagur's forearm. "What did you have in mind?"

Fishlegs nodded once, his eyes crackling with determination. "Heather and Dagur will dispose of the flanking ships while Tengan and I go after the main vessel. Everyone got it?" He waited until each of the others nodded in response. "Then mount up!"

Tengan tightened her grip on Rumble's saddle as they closed the gap between their small formation and the fleeing ships. "Ok boy. Stay close to Meatlug and be ready to dive." She murmured in her dragon's ear. She quickly glanced at the Berserkers, smiling slightly to herself as she caught a glimpse of Dagur meditating in the saddle, before fixing her gaze on Fishlegs. As the scholarly Rider dove towards their target, she urged Rumble forward, pressing herself flat in the saddle as he followed. "Now Rumble!" She tapped her heels into his side twice, barely slamming her eyes shut in time as the Skrill unloaded a surge of lightning over the deck. The anguished cries rising above the waves confirmed they had hit their mark. She urged the dragon to move a safe distance away before turning to survey the damage. Her eyes widened in shock as she spied several intact sections of deck where Meatlug had definitely landed a direct hit with her lava blast. "No way!" She yelled to Fishlegs. "Don't tell me they have-"

"Dragon proof ships!" He hollered back, his voice straining as he stared at the exposed metal hull of the vessel. "Regroup! Now!" He yelled to the others.

"Ok, that didn't work." Dagur called out as the four dragons circled well above arrow range. "Does anyone else have any thoughts? You know, any that I might have mentioned earlier?"

Heather bit her bottom lip, staring down helplessly at the fleet. "Fishlegs. I think maybe we should try it my brother's way."

"I agree." Tengan cut in as Fishlegs opened his mouth. "We don't have time to argue. If it doesn't work we can retreat and regroup again but for now it's our only hope for saving them. Besides," she smiled across at the red head. "Dagur's a war chief. He knows what he's doing."

Dagur's chest swelled with pride. "YEAH!" He roared, eyes burning. "Berserker style!" Laughing madly, he pointed to Windshear. "Heather, scoot up! You and I are going to do the ultimate Shatter Scatter!" He leapt from his Gronckle's back, barely avoiding the Razorwhip's spines as he landed in the saddle behind his sister.

Tengan hovered in the air next to Fishlegs, watching in anxious fascination as Shattermaster curled into a tight ball and allowed Windshear to scoop him up with her long tail. "If this works I'll have one hell of a story to record." She called over to Fishlegs.

"I just hope it gives them enough time to escape." Fishlegs called back as he nervously wrung his hands.

Tengan's mouth dropped as Windshear whipped Shattermaster towards the ships and the Gronckle, somehow, miraculously, pierced the hulls of ships, one after the other. "He actually did it!" She cheered as the damaged vessels began to take on water.

Within moments, four dragons appeared from one of the holes in the largest ship and fought to rapidly climb towards the others.

Yelling an ecstatic greeting towards her newly freed friends, Tenagn grinned broadly at the cheering Berserker siblings. The smile slipped from her face as she caught sight of Fishlegs' downtrodden expression.

"She's really going to leave isn't she?" He moaned, his eyes glued to Meatlugs' ears.

Tengan's heart seized at the sight of her miserable friend. She gleaned back at Heather and Dagur, willing herself not to think about when the next time their paths would cross and whether or not Dagur's insistence on their future would be just as strong then as it is now. "Looks like it." She sighed.

"Nice work gang!" Hiccup cheered as he and Toothless joined the throng. "Let's head back to the island! I think I know where Viggo's been hiding the gold."

The newly reunited flock of dragons winged their way quickly back to the shore, their riders grinning as the desperate cries of the Hunters attempting to stabilize their ships faded. Following Hiccup's lead, they landed in the center of the ancient structures they came across earlier that day.

"How did you figure out where the gold is?" Astrid asked as she slid from Stormfly's back.

"A few things tipped me off." Hiccup called over his shoulder as he walked along the ruins. "First, the tracks leading to the store house didn't make sense. Then, the Hunters we came across had shovels and pickaxes like they were building something. Ultimately, Viggo gave it away himself when he was questioning me. He had a mask behind his desk of the island. There were no markings for the ruins on there. Tengan, remember the observation you made? About how new the structures looked?" He knocked on the nearest pillar.

"No…." The curly haired Rider gasped. "You're not saying what I think you are."

"Let's take a look." Hiccup smirked. "Hit it, bud!" He pointed to the nearest pillar and took a step back as Toothless unleashed two small plasma blasts. As the dust settled, he grinned as glittering gold laid exposed where the blasts had struck the rock.

With ear splitting cheers, the Riders kicked into gear. Utilizing their dragons, they quickly disassembled the structures into workable nuggets and chunks. Even with their saddlebags bulging, they still had to suspend a discarded Hunter net between Hookfang and Barf and Belch to carry the rest.

Tengan straighted after a while, pressing the heels of her palms into her lower back to alleviate a cramp. She glanced around at the others, torn between the giddiness radiating off of them and the hollow feeling that had been creeping into her chest. Her eyes landed on Fishlegs and Heather, who were taking a moment to speak privately off to the side.

"It won't take too long." Dagur spoke quietly as he approached. "I know of a shifty trader off of the Northern Markets who has a few ships available and leads as to where most of my people went."

Tengan nodded, her throat tightening. "You know, my life would have been much simpler if I had just taken the boats to the deep south and completed my two years with the traders down there." She gave him a small, strained smile.

Dagur laughed and pulled her into his chest, wrapping his arms around her. "You'd have hated how boring it was. It's why you'll make a great Berserker." He gave her a gentle squeeze.

Tengan chuckled, the sound broken. "I still haven't agreed to that, you know." She slid her hand up to his chest, relaxing into the embrace.

He chuckled and planted a kiss in the wild tangle of hair. "Hey, what can I say. Berserkers go big or… no that's it. We just go big."

She giggled weakly, leaning away just enough to tilt her head back and look her Berserker suitor in the eyes. "You really are serious about this, aren't you?"

Dagur nodded once, his face set. "Always was. I know you need time to think this all over. And I'm willing to wait. Just promise me you will?" He cupped her chin with gentle, calloused fingers. "Really think it over and give me a chance to show you what I've built when it's ready."

She smiled deeply, taking a moment to just enjoy being safely wrapped in his arms. "I look forward to seeing how you rebuild the glory of the Berserker tribe. And... I will give your proposal serious thought." She stood on her toes to plant a short, chaste kiss on his lips.

Dagur's face broke into an unrestrained grin. A booming, joyus laugh erupting from his chest as he lifted Tengan off her feet and spun her in tight circles for the second time that day. "Oh, thank you!" His laugh died away as he slowed and gently placed her back on the ground. His smile had become slightly strained. "I'll be back soon." He murmured, determination flooding his words.

Tengan, still slightly winded from the spin, smiled back as she fought the tightness in her chest. "You better be." She slowly, reluctantly, removed herself from his embrace. "Better go get your sister before she changes her mind."

Dagur bent and planted a final, soft kiss on her forehead before turning away to approach Heather and Fishlegs.

Tengan stood, not trusting her legs to support her if she moved, as she watched Dagur clasp arms with Fishlegs before the siblings mounted their dragons. She hardly noticed the others walking up to stand by her side.

"Be safe out there!" Astrid called out, a sad smile tugging at her lips.

"Let us know if you find Oswald." Hiccup added as he placed an arm over Astrid's shoulders.

Heather sat still for a long moment, her eyes moving from one Rider to the next as if she were trying to cram a lifetime of meaning into each glance. "Thank you all. For everything." She eventually managed to force out before coaxing Windshear into the air.

Dagur smiled back at the group, although his eyes never left Tengan's. "Until we meet again!" He hollered cheerfully as Shattermaster took off after the Razorwhip.

For what felt like a long while, although it couldn't have been more than a couple minutes, the Riders stood shoulder to shoulder, watching the Berserkers fade into the sunset. Their dragons, sensing the shift in their partners, cried out in a unified, roarous farewell as Heather and Dagur became specks in the distance.

Hiccup stirred first, letting his arm slide from Astrid's shoulders. Clearing his throat, he shifted his weight uncomfortably. "So…. Tengan? You and Dagur? Did I, um, did I miss something these past few years? Want to let us in on it?"

Tengan burst into a short fit of laughter at the look of utter confusion on Hiccup's face. Wiping tears of mirth from her eyes, she straightened before taking a deep, steadying breath. "Not really. Let's just say he and I made an agreement a while back and he's more than upheld his end of the bargain."

Astrid, catching the look on HIccup's face, elbowed him sharply with a harsh look. "Fair enough." She turned back to the clearing. "Let's focus on getting this gold out of here. I don't want to be within a few miles of this place once he realizes we found his hiding place."