Gyda did not return after setting her traps. She knew Hiccup would not like this. He considered her a part of is tribe and a part of his nest. Both as the Heir to the tribe and the Alpha of the nest, he knew his responsibilities to those under his protection. He would not be pleased that she detoured the plan a bit and now set in a tree on the peninsula of land north of the swamp the Flightmares now called home. A swamp that now housed as many traps as she could place in the time she had.
None of this had happened in the shows but Gyda made a judgement call upon where she believed Alvin would go. The cave under Berk was denied to him as he would have to past the harbor to get to it. Even in the shows, none of Alvin's ships ever came near that part of Berk. She suspected he would assume a patrol would cover the village and the docks even with his false belief the dragons were all gone. She also banked upon him wanting to catch the Berkians unawares. Three hundred years of raids had left the Hooligan tribe with a hair trigger once an alarm sounded. Alvin might believe he held the upper hand but even he would not be stupid enough to risk the catapults on Berk's southern shore.
East and west offer access to the island but Gyda guessed Alvin would go for the farthest point to keep the illusion of stealth for as long as he could. The north bay just beyond this peninsula fit that. Add to the fact that since Alvin had come from Berk and had at least one of two exiles from Berk. He would know about the Berkians believing the grove of trees upon this piece of land belonged to Odin. What better way to take an island than through a place even the locals feared to go?
Gyda set up as the darken shapes of two Viking longships drifted out of the fog blanketing the waves. She smiled. He had timed it perfectly, at least according to his belief. The dragons gone and the moon a small sliver to provide enough light to get ashore but not give away too much. Gyda leaned back against the tree knowing they would not see her. No one really looked up for one thing and she was clad in her black gi with a mesh-faced hood covering her entire head.
An hour past before the first Outcast stepped onto the shore. Gyda tensed but kept her breathing even. She watched all fifty men steal into the shadows cast by the trees. She set back. In the stillness of the grove of trees, Gyda did not need a dragon's hearing to know when the first unfortunate soul found a trap. Her upper lip curled back into a teeth-bared grin as a faint shout of pain ended in a gurgle. She dropped from the tree and entered the shadows.
Savage glanced back. Did a quick tally in his head. He paled. He turned forward.
"Chief," he whispered harshly. "Seven men be missin'."
Alvin stopped walking and turned. Bearspit and Mildew along with the rest of the Outcasts also stopped. Savage saw Alvin's eyes narrowed.
"Find'm. Be quick about it. Iffen Berk learns.."
Savage turned to a cluster of ten men. He pointed into the shadows behind them. He saw their fear but one glance at Alvin had all of them turning and heading out.
"Dis woods be cursed," Mildew whispered. "Be Odin's since 'fore I be born. Warned ye-"
Savage took great pleasure that Mildew stopped talking due to Alvin's sword resting at his neck.
"I bring ye cause ye know Berk better den I," Alvin growled lowly. "I no ask fer yer 'pinon on dis woods. Keep yer trap shut till I say speak."
Savage smiled at how pale Mildew went before frowning as the shadows lengthened and no one returned. He felt cold rush up his spine. The trees were watching them. He knew it. He could feel it. Mildew, as unpleasant a man that ever been born, had been right. These woods were cursed and they were cursed for walking through it.
"Move on," Alvin snarled. "We'll deal wiv dem later. Get me dat dragon conqueror 'fore he wakes."
Savage gestured and the rest of the men moved on. He heard a faint scream that ended with a noise he knew all to well. Somewhere, somehow, one of those men they would take care of had already been taken care of. Savage walked on, not wanting to be alone in the darkness, but also wondering what power this boy had to have the shadows killing for him.
Gyda prowled the shadows. She stalked ever trap. Dead Outcast were left as they had died. They would be removed later and their rites set by Gothi. Those who still lived, if it could be called living, were granted the mercy of a dagger slice across their necks. She hated that they were here. She hated their reasons for being here. She did not hate them. She would not let them suffer. They were just soldiers. They just followed the orders of a chief with less sense given to a common yak. They did not deserve to wallow in pain.
She continued on, guided by faint cries and the sounds of her traps being sprung. A new sound accompanied them and Gyda knew she was not alone in this hunt. Something, someone else hunted with her.
Bearspit knew a loosing battle when he saw it. He knew they were doomed. Fifty men had left the two ships Alvin ended up bringing. Twenty men made it to the bridges that connected the village to the rest of the island. Bearspit did not know if all thirty were dead or just deserted after that walk through Odin's Grove. He did know that twenty men were no match for the worst of Berk's defenders. The raids had done one thing for the Berkians that none realized until after the dragons stopped attacking. Their worst fighter was still better than an average fighter upon an island not used to dragon attacks. Johann had confirmed that not long after the war ended.
Bearspit also knew that Stoick would have anticipated this attack and had to have some counter planned. The man was a blind fool about his thieving and murderous son, but he was a shrewd and calculating chief who did try to protect his own.
"Bearspit, ye and Mildew go first," Savage ordered.
Bearspit shoved Mildew onto the bridge. If there was a counter planned, let the old fool who almost had him killed by the mage go first. Let him die first.
Astrid felt a hand upon her wrist. She looked up. Stoick shook his head. He gave a hand motion that meant wait. Astrid tipped her head. Stoick let her wrist go.
This was still the plan. Let them reach the bridges. Let them get into the village. Then surprise them. The moon played its role too. The low light meant the dragons waiting upon the rooftops were unseen. Course the Outcast looked left and right but none looked up anyways.
Astrid looked towards the Great Hall. She could not see him, but she knew Hiccup, Toothless, Moondust, and Toothless' sister were there. The Night Furies clung to the sides of the statues, hiding Hiccup in the shadows their own bodies would cast. Astrid took a deep but silent breath in. Wait. Hold. Hiccup would give the signal. Then she could go. She let the air out in a silent exhale.
Blue against black. Stoick tipped his head. Astrid gave a feral grin. She lifted her hand. Sliver flashed against the faint moonlight. Her aim true. Mildew gurgled. His staff dropped. Arms lifted to his neck. Hands gripped the dagger. His body fell. Bearspit spun. Outcast raced back across the bridge. Savage and Alvin at the back turned for the trees. Lights against dark appeared all over the village. Dragons holding fire in their throats.
"Alvin!"
Astrid felt a shiver rush down her spine. The draconic growl undercutting Hiccup's voice calling to her. Making her want to move. To stand at his side, even if he was up the side of the Hall. She shifted her grip upon her axe.
The tribe stepped out of the shadows. She stared at the five men still on this side of the bridge.
Gyda stopped just in the trees. She saw Alvin pause. She saw him look back at Hiccup's call. She saw the moment he realized he had erred. Torches rose as Viking hands held them aloft. Every dragon in the nest available to fight rose into the air. The Scauldrons and the Tide Gliders rose out of the water and hovered to either side of the bridge. Five men still stood upon that bridge. Those same men saw the dragons and dropped their swords and fell to their knees.
She watched Toothless detach from the Great Hall's statue and moved to hover above the bridge. Moondust and Toothless' sister hovered to either side of him.
"Do you surrender, Alvin?" Hiccup demanded.
Gyda's eyes narrowed as Bearspit rushed towards the Hooligans.
Hiccup heard the slunk of wood hitting metal. He glanced back. He paled. Astrid parried a sword strike with the flat of her axe. Ducked a back slice.
[The male and ten others ran for the trees,] Moondust said.
Hiccup did not care.
"Land!"
Toothless dove. The four Outcast not the bridge yelped. Swords clanked against the ground. Knees hit dirt. Hiccup did not care. Astrid danced away from a downward slice. Her axe rose. Bearspit yelled. Astrid circled left. Her foot snapped out. Bearspit's knee buckled. He swung. Astrid cried out. Hiccup felt and heard the snarl. He let it rise.
He dismounted. Toothless screeched. He did not care. Astrid shifted her axe to her left hand. Her right arm dripped blood. Bearspit swung. Astrid ducked. Axe sliced up and right. Blood stained Bearspit's knee. Bearspit snarled. Astrid danced away. Bearspit rushed her. He hit solid air that crackled with fire. It encircled him. He cried. His sword fell. Hiccup reached Astrid's side. Bearspit stared up at him. Smoke rose from the man's clothes. Burns covered unprotected skin. Hiccup did not care.
"Astrid?" Hiccup asked.
"I'm okay."
Bearspit made to stand. Hiccup drew his seax. Blade edge rested against Bearspit's neck.
"Don't."
Bearspit's face paled.
"Do you surrender?"
Bearspit spat. Made to stand again. Hand reached for his belt. Hiccup snarled. The seax bit deep and jerked left. Hiccup did care when the body crumpled to the ground. The seax followed, slipping from numb fingers.