Despite the rain, Astrid decided to hurry out to the stables to check on Stormfly before the storm grew too fierce. She pulled on her cloak, and hurried outside. The lightning was growing more intense in the distance. As Astrid hurried down to the stables, she held her breath. Lightning made her nervous since she became temporarily blind as a result of it.

Astrid kept watch over her footing and also the sky. She didn't want to trip in her hurry, but also didn't want to be blindsided yet again by a bolt.

Stopping just outside the stables, she noticed something seemed, different.

The lightning seemed too…rhythmic out in the sea. Astrid became a little mesmerized with the lightning. The funny part about the lightning, is it didn't look like it was coming from the sky. It looked as though it were coming from the ocean. It couldn't have been heat lightning. It was too cold outside for it to do that.

When it struck again, she counted. "One muttin-head—Two muttin-head—three—"

The lightning struck again.

"One muttin-head—Two muttin-head—three—"

And again.

Astrid gasped, panic flew flew Astrid's veins, and she rushed inside the stables. She knew they were S.O.S. signals from Toothless. Hiccup had created the code just in case someone had been stranded. They were out to sea and in trouble. She came face to face with her dragon, Stormfly, who was restless inside her pin.

"You sense it as well, don't you girl?" Astrid said to her. She pulled the lock from the gate, and Stormfly busted through. Astrid climbed on top of Stormfly and they began heading out to sea, not thinking twice now about the danger they were heading towards.

Unfortunately, before they weren't even off the island, Cloudjumper jumped in front of them. Valka was standing on top of her dragon, blocking Stormfly's path. Valka was in her night gown and had her heavy cloak pulled over herself, her hood stuck to her from the weight of the water.

"What are you doing out here?!" Valka demanded.

"The light!" Astrid yelled. "That's Toothless—"

"That is just lightning, Astrid!" Valka yelled back at her.

"It's Hiccup!"

"That storm will swallow you whole. You can't—"

"Let's go Stormfly—"

Cloudjumper and Stormfly were beginning to fight each other, sensing their master's anger. They were exchanging squawks, biting at each other's legs, and were beginning to make sudden movements towards each other. Their trainers couldn't predict their actions. Valka tumbled off of Cloudjumper, but was caught by her own dragon just before she started to fall towards the waves against the sand below them.

"Valka!" Astrid screamed, throwing her hood from over her head and pointing at her mother-in-law's face from above. She pulled Stormfly backwards a little bit so that the fighting would end between the dragons. "I am going! With or without you. Your choice. No one is stopping me!"

"Astrid—"

"Are you coming or not!" Astrid screamed. Her eyes were drawn behind Valka, who was climbing up to the top of Cloudjumper, again to the light she was seeing. "Something is wrong—"

Astrid was beginning to sob. "It's them, Mom. I know it is!"

Valka sighed, knowing here she was not going to stop Astrid. She was being stubborn like her parents, especially her mother right now. Astrid was going to do what she was going to do. Astrid was not a child, and Valka was trying to treat her like one. The truth was, she was trying to keep her safe. She wouldn't forgive herself if Astrid was hurt while Hiccup was away.

"Astrid, you are a stubborn girl!" Valka yelled, and with that she and Cloudjumper moved aside to allow Stormfly to pass by them.

Stormfly zoomed forward before Valka changed her mind. Valka and Cloudjumper turned and they flew into the storm together. They could tell that they were going into the very heart of it.

They were not far past the shore of their island when they hit a cold, hard pouring rain. The wind was picking up as well. Stormfly was blown sideways a few times, but she caught herself and kept pace with Cloudjumper.

Valka was beginning to have doubts about the "lightning" Astrid was claiming to see. She sighed, guided Cloudjumper in front of Stromfly, stopping them from going any further.

"Astrid, that is lightning," she cried. "It isn't Toothless—we need to get home and get safe—"

Just then, about two miles ahead, the light came through the clouds in front of them. Without even a thought, Stormfly flew upwards into the clouds, above a great deal of the storm. Due to the pressure, Astrid felt her ears begin to pain, and then they popped. Higher above the storm, they weren't experiencing the heaviness of the cold rain below. Stormfly halted, looking for the light again.

Valka met them there seconds later.

"Astrid, quit being—"

"Stupid!?" Astrid screamed to her. "Hiccup is out here!"

"I refuse to believe this—"

"Valka—"

It was the first time Astrid had called her that directly to her face in a year. She liked having someone to call "Mom" since she had lost her parents before she could entirely grow up.

"If you knew this was your son, you would be going out there after him." Astrid was trying to catch her breath. She was angry. Her chest was heaving between the screams and the cold air she was taking in. "Years ago, Hiccup developed an S.O.S. signal with fire bolts. Just in case—well, things like this happen. Toothless could be down in the water right now—" She was breathing heavier."—Don't you get it?"

Valka sighed, and turned her head to look for the signals.

A moment went by. No signal, no lightning.

"Toothless-" Astrid breathed. "Please—"

Suddenly, the light returned, and Stormfly was off again towards the light. Cloudjumper followed. Then, Stormfly suddenly nose-dived down out of the clouds. Astrid's stomach turned suddenly due to the instant rush. The heavy rain was now on them again, leaving Astrid even colder than she was before.

Stormfly hovered with Astrid as they searched the surroundings through the rain. The sea was black. The waves were rocking with the wind. The thunder cracked heavily, but no lightning, again.

Valka was close by, and she didn't say a word to Astrid. Not even after a few moments of waiting.

Astrid worried they had missed their opportunity. She was searching the waters below them for any sign of someone below or within sight. With how dark and heavy the rain was, there was little chance of seeing something. Worry grew in her chest and her throat, and her mind began to see the image of her husband and Toothless slowly sinking to the bottom of the rapid sea.

Suddenly, another sound was heard, startling them all, and both Stormfly and Cloudjumper turned and flew a few hundred yard into the sea.

A moment later, there it was: A small sailboat rocking in the heavy waves. Its mast was smoldering to they believed a lightning strike a short time ago. All that was there was about 6 feet of post. The boat was barely big enough to hold two dragons inside. The heavy rain was doing a good job at keeping the fire down. As they grew a few feet away, they recognized Toothless, who was trying to make another plasma blast. He was out of power.

"Oh no!" cried Valka.

"Toothless!" Astrid screamed, and in turn it hurt her throat. She could barely hear the sounds of his tail clank the boat as he wagged it with glee as she approached. He was lying in the bottom of the boat, not getting up to greet them.

Both Valka and Astrid jumped down into the boat, their dragons floating above them, riding the wind so that their masters could inspect their findings.

Astrid approached Toothless and he licked her face and cooed excitedly. She could barely see him through the wet darkness that surrounded them. A crack of lightning made her jump, and Toothless put his head against her cheek gently to keep her close to him.

The boat rocked suddenly, throwing Valka backwards. She caught herself before she went overboard. Astrid reached a hand out to her and pulled her close to them again.

"Where is he?" Valka asked. The alarm in her voice wasn't hidden. This was real. Astrid had been right.

Toothless barely unfolded his wings as he cooed gently. Astrid could tell he seemed nervous. She knew he was protecting Hiccup from the wind and the rain. Astrid stuck her hand down into his wings. She felt a cold skin at her fingertips.

"Hiccup! Hiccup she screamed!"

Valka forced Toothless to move his top wing over Hiccup up more, and she in turn went under.

She knew her son was unconscious. He would have greeted them had he not been. She knelt down and listened with her ear for breathing from his lips. She could feel shallow breaths against her cheek, and it sounded as though something was blocking his airway for a clean breath. He was sick, she gathered.

"We need to get home," Valka said, tucking Toothless's wing back down to protect Hiccup.

"Mom—"

"Leave him under there, Astrid," Valka called to her. She gestured Stormfly down to them, got into her saddle bag, and pulled a length of rope from them. She tied one end around the mast, and then threw to rope to Cloudjumper. Together the two dragons started pulling the small boat towards the island. Valka nearly lost her balance again from the sudden pull of the boat, but caught herself

When Valka turned around, she saw Astrid curled up over Toothless. She was in tears, sobbing uncontrollably.

Valka sat down next to Astrid. "Easy," she said, pulling Astrid into her arms, letting her cry. She realized her fingers felt numb when she reached to hug Astrid. They both were numb with cold. "It's going to be okay."

Toothless cooed at them gently. Together, they allowed Cloudjumper and Stormfly to tow them back home.