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Chapter 12:

When eight Deadly Nadders and one Night Fury landed on the cliffs of Berk which Hiccup designed to be their training area, the seven girls were shouting and cheering and congratulating each other about what they accomplished by the Island of Berserk.

The new riders successfully ambushed a few patrol ships under the assistance and directions from Astrid and Hiccup. They met the caliber set by Astrid before the mission.

"Well, I have to say, you guys really did a good job, for beginners of course," Astrid said to the new riders as they lined up in front of her.

"That was a lot of fun. I didn't feel any uncertainties," one girl said.

"Ok then, Xerxianna," said Astrid, "Explain it."

The girl's name was a variant of the name Xerxes, the famous Persian king who won the Battle of Thermopylae. She was a tall girl with dark hair and blue eyes. Her dragon was a purple and blue Deadly Nadder who liked to eat vegetables instead of fishes.

"Well, I didn't even think about how I should control the dragon. I just followed my instinct, and it worked out pretty well," she responded.

"Good."

"Sorry if this interrupts your battle reflections," Hiccup stood beside Astrid and faced at the girls, "But I think you should name yourselves. By which I mean create a group name."

"Well, consider that we all have a Nadder as our dragon, we should call ourselves the Nadder Team," a girl answered.

"The Nadder Team?" Hiccup thought about the name for a moment, "That's a good one, Elise. Then Nadder Team it is."

"Ha, I knew it could work," the girl who's name was Elise gave her friend a nudge.

Meanwhile, on the Island of Berserk.

"They are getting stronger and stronger. Their dragons ambushed a small group of patrol ships," said Dagur to Alvin as they were standing on the deck of Dagur's ship.

"You think the Las Cosmos Armada won't be able to crush the Berkians?" Alvin asked.

"I don't want to take any risks that will extend the war. I want a quick battle, maybe two or three, to destroy their defenses."

"When will we attack?"

"Tomorrow. Cosmos 5 will lead the attack, and Cosmos 2 will set the traps. Heather will lead Cosmos 3 as the auxiliary troop. Just in case the battle stretches too long."

"That's it?"

"What do you mean by 'that's it'?"

"Sounds pretty simple."

"Oh, and we have a deep cover who works for us."

"Where is this spy, if that is the right word."

"She is living with the Berkians, but deeply covered. The Berkians won't know about her until she shows herself. But we will use her only when it's necessary. Otherwise, we will waste this precious person."

The battleships were filled with heavy weapons and armed soldiers. A trip to Berk by ships would take a few hours, and Dagur needed time to deploy different divisions into positions. All the ships were colored in dark grey, and the sails were decorated by the emblem of the Las Cosmos Armada, a curving spear with a lightning bolt carved on the tip.

"How about your Skrills?" Alvin asked as their ships led the ships toward Berk.

"We don't need those dragons in the first battle. The Berkians will 99 percent fell into our trap."

"Well, well, well, look at those young, fresh riders," Snotlout said as the Dragon Riders met the Nadder Team on the clifftop for a meeting.

"Were we ever that young?" asked Ruffnut as she leaned on Hiccup's body.

"Hey, watch it," said Fishlegs, trying to act serious, "He is taken."

"Do you even call a guy taken? I thought it's for gals," Tuffnut pointed out.

"Guys, this is an official meeting so that I can introduce you to the new Nadder Team," Hiccup interrupted their "trash talk", "I want you to be on your best behavior."

"Uhh, they are all girls. Does that mean…"

"No, Snotlout," Astrid said before Snotlout could finish his question, "You can not randomly pick one as your... well… 'flirting gal'."

"You really know me, Astrid. You really really do know me."

"Don't push it."

"Um, Hiccup," a girl poked Hiccup as the Riders started banging each other on the head, "I know that those are the Riders, but are you sure they carried their brains with them?"

"You know what, Alkai," said Hiccup as he patted on Alkai's shoulder. Alkai was Elise's best friend and hang out with her all the time. "I think they lost them," continued Hiccup.

"Guys, seriously? You really need to calm down," bellowed Hiccup at the Dragon Riders.

Nobody listened, so the girls from the Nadder Team were standing by their Nadders and watching them screwing around.

"Ok, then," Hiccup turned to Toothless, "Can you help me, bud?"

A plasma blast exploded among the Riders, creating a small dark crater among the pistachio green field. Snotlout ducked to the ground for protection while Astrid already moved herself to the side of Hiccup.

"Hey, you should control your little Night Fury. He almost killed me!" Snotlout yelled at Hiccup.

"First of all, Toothless is not small," said Hiccup as he placed his right hand on Toothless' forehead, "And second of all, I told him to do so."

"Then you should learn how to give an order to a deadly dragon!"

"First things first," said Hiccup disregarding Snotlout, "As you can see, the Nadder Team's dragons are all Nadders, and the riders are all females."

"Yeah, I wonder why that could happen," commented Fishlegs sarcastically.

"I and Astrid will act as their instructors when we don't have to mess around with you guys and a gal until they can lead themselves. Do I need to read their names?"

"No thank you. I don't want to memorize eight weird names," Snotlout said.

A couple of hours later, when the sky was dark enough to see the stars, Riders and the Nadder Team returned back to the village. The field on top of the cliffs remained absolutely silent, except the breathing sound of two young Vikings. They cuddled each other when they sat by the edge of the cliffs. Their feet dangled in the air, which the undulatory sea located about seventy feet below them.

Besides the beach was the dock, which some Berkians were holding torches in their hands during night-time patrol. Ships were connected to the stakes on the dock. Their sails drifted in the wind.

"Peace won't last long," Hiccup said as he placed a kiss in Astrid's hair, " Enjoy the valley, beach, sea, and life before they get covered by carcasses and blood."

"I know. It's just like the night before the Battle of Odin's Sea," Astrid responded as she lay on Hiccup's laps.

That wasn't a safe position, consider that the edge of the cliffs was only two inches away from her face. She put her arms around Hiccup's torso for safety.

"You know, there is a possibility that the war will go on forever. Maybe we won't be able to end the war before our deaths," Hiccup massaged her blond hair.

"It won't because we have you on our side. You defeated the Romans and you can kick the Berserker's ass as well."

"Why are you so sure about that?"

"It doesn't matter," Astrid withdrew her body and pulled Hiccup away from the edge of the cliffs.

"Hey, I still want to watch the Aurora," Hiccup objected.

Astrid pushed Hiccup to the ground as she lay beside him. The dark sky was adorned by stars and a bright moon. Toothless and Stormfly were lying on the grass ten yards away from them, napping. The air was chilly, so Astrid turned towards the Viking next to her and pressed her body against his.

Hiccup pulled her closer to him, gently rubbed her neck with his thumb. She placed her hand on his chest so that she could feel his breath and heartbeats.

They didn't say a word, just indulging the halcyon scenery in each other's arms.