Hey guys, it's me. I'm really sorry I haven't been able to get this out earlier, quarantine is not going well for me. I hope I can get another chapter out by this week, but no promises. Stay safe, and thank you everyone :)

Astrid breathed.

The sea air was refreshing, and the yelling coming from behind her was always welcome. The chiefess turned to see Snoutlout approaching, tripping over his feet on the unsteady wooden floor of the boat.

"Any sign of Fishlegs?" Astrid asked immediately, swatting away some mist. The rain from a few days ago still left lingering signs. Snoutlout shook his head, and wiped his nose as he finally could stand up straight.

"Before you demand I go work on something, I've got more bad news" He said with a worried/sarcastic expression. "While you were out planning this great attack, the twins escaped. There was a huge hole in the stone. I found Tuffnut's clothes on the floor." Snoutlout shuddered. "I really don't know why he had to take those off when I couldn't find any of Ruffnut-" He began to ramble, but Astrid cut him off with a look as she turned back to face the ocean.

"Put that down in the log." Astrid said, tossing him a book from the table.

"How exactly would you like me to write it down, O great and mighty Astrid?"

Astrid scowled, but began to monologue.

"No sign of Fishlegs, disease suspected. Has been missing for two weeks. Possible contact with Hiccup? No sign of Ruffnut nor Tuffnut. Clothes found in the prison, alongside a hole in the wall. Updated dosage needed."

Snoutlout frowned as he scribbled the words frantically, while Astrid squinted out on the horizon. "Does that…" She stopped, so Snotlout went to stand next to her. It was clear what she was about to ask: Was that someone jumping off the cliff? The fleet had gotten close enough to see through the fog. It looked as if a large shape had plummeted off the top of the flat, grey cliff. In fact, the shape was followed by a swirling red...cape? Anyone else's attention would have been focused on the shape hitting the water, but Astrid's eyes were on the skywards outline of what only could have been a night fury.

It was if the entire ship had come to ask Astrid what was going on. Around twenty vikings erupted from below the deck, surfacing only to ask questions. In the front, was Eret. Nobody seemed to be concerned, more annoyed than anything. As Astrid waved off the less important ones, Eret began to come closer, standing on her right side.

"I'm sure it's nothing. If it was...One of them, it would have died from the impact." Eret didn't look at Astrid as he talked, focusing more on the grey-blue water below. There was a tone of sadness in his voice, but Astrid didn't have time to waste comforting him about whatever. "I'm not disturbed by that whatever it was," She hissed, and subtly gestured upwards. "I'm disturbed by that."

As soon as Eret got the message and looked up, he frowned, and cursed under his breath. "Where's he going? Stupid Oaf." He muttered, as the night fury soared to the flat part of the cliff. Astrid shrugged, only half-listening. The fleet was too close to the bottom of the cliff, so they couldn't see anything at the top. The chiefess scowled. The cliffs were strictly vertical, there was no way up like she'd hoped.

Astrid began to think of plans. The first one that came to her mind was to travel to the hidden world for more firepower, but she couldn't do that to her dragon. She couldn't pull Stormfly from a happy life. The boats creaked as Astrid turned to look at the few following ships. In the back of her mind, she wondered how the kids were doing.

It had been a few minutes before Astrid called the order to return to New Berk. The battle would have to wait for another day, but it was coming. Suddenly, Eret spoke. "Why do you want to hurt them? They haven't done anything wrong, Astrid." He threw his hands in the air, and spoke bitterly. "One of them is your husband, for Odin's sake!"

It happened in a blur. Before Eret could say another word, Astrid had pointed one of her axes to his throat. "Why do you care so much?" She was trying to keep her voice steady, but near the end of the sentence the facade started to crack.

Eret thought for a few seconds, and gulped. He stayed silent, as if he were considering something. Then he spoke, averting his gaze. "I just think they haven't done anything, anything at all, to make you this mad." Astrid pushed the axe closer to his throat. "You're lying." She hissed, venom in her voice and the beginning of a tear in her eye.

"Astrid…" Snotlout began, but the chiefess shut him up with a glance. But abruptly, Eret began to laugh. He casually pushed the blade away from his throat, which was easy due to Astrid's confusion. "Is something funny?" She asked, eyes narrowed.

"You really had no idea? Not a clue?" He asked, his laughter increasing. Astrid stood up a little straighter. "About what? What is it? Tell me or so help me I will execute you." She said shrilly. Eret wiped a tear from his eye, his laughter fading and a frown appearing on his face.

As Astrid scrutinised his face, she couldn't help but notice the large bluish-purple scales that had suddenly formed under Eret's eyes. It took him only a split second to notice what she was looking at, and Eret raised a hand up to brush his fingers over the scales. Eret's grin returned, mere seconds before Astrid realised what was going on.

She fumbled for her axe, but it was too late. The few vikings on rowing duty gawked at Eret, immediately running over to inspect him as he quickly began to shift. Eret, now in the form of a large Stormcutter, seemed to be enjoying the chaos while hovering over the boat. His four wings billowed in a mesmerising pattern. The lustrous blue-purple colour of his scales and underbelly was beautifully complimented by darker stripes along his body and top of his wings, similar to a tiger's. His now slitted brown eyes peered out from an enormous gradient-like purple crest.

Nobody else would have caught in, but Astrid noticed his eyes drop down to the sea directly below the ships. After what would have been a worried look in human form, Eret swiftly began his ascent with an echoing roar.

Astrid cursed as she watched him glide upwards. She threw her axe in the ground, then stomped on the flat blade. "Get out of here! Get out of these stupid cliff waters!" She bellowed. Despite her anger, she wondered what could have caused Eret, a brave warrior, to make such a face. She slumped over the wooden ridge of the ship, and scowled into the water.

She looked at the ocean just in time to see a brown eye the size of her ship open, and focus directly on her.