Chapter XVI

A week passed since the incident but it's not so bad. We got really good at flying and shooting and we also discovered new islands like the one we think dragons use to lay eggs because we found a lot of diferent egg shells there and we found new types of dragons like the screaming death. That was the only time we almost got killed while not minding our business and going into a scary and creepy underground tunnel. We had the same routine almost every day. Get up early because your dragons are early birds, have breakfast, go for a flight and explore, get back home for lunch, do some shooting practise, have dinner and go to sleep if the dragons are tired enough and if not, fly until they do get tired.

I was sitting at the camp fire inside the house, lost in my toughts when Rina came behind me and put my dinner in front of me. I didn't even look at it.

,,Hiccup, are you okay?" she asked sitting beside me.

,,Yeah, I'm fine. Where are Toothless and Heartbeat?" I asked poking the fire.

,,They're sleeping. Hiccup?" she called.

,,Hm?".

,,Do you want to visit Berk?" she asked and took me by surprise.

,,What do you mean?".

,,Not directly. I was thinking we could sneak there to see how is everyone." she said giving me a hopeful smile. I let out a sigh.

,,We can't Rina. As much as I would want to, we are outcasts now. We aren't welcomed." I said putting the stick into the fire.

We sit in silence until she said: ,,Okay, I'll go and sleep. Don't stay up too long." she said getting up and walking upstairs . I watched her leave and then took a few bites from my meal. The words my dad said were still fresh in my mind.

I don't even remember when I got into my bed and fell asleep but the next thing I know someone is shaking me.

,,Hiccup wake up!" screamed Rina making me wake up. I sat down on my bed and looked around and by the looks of it, it was morning.

,,Hiccup, the boats from Berk! They're leaving toward the dragon island!" she said panicking.

,,What?!" I got up and we all headed to the highest point on the island. I could see all ships from Berk and on each one of them, there were dragons of different tipes. Dad figured out a way to find the dragon island. It was over. They were all going to die.

,,No..." I said loosing hope. There was nothing we could do. Rina came standing next to me.

,,They're going into their doom." she said with a sad voice.

,,Why couldn't I have killed them when we found them in the woods. It would have been better for everyone." I said depressed, whispering so Toothles and Heartbeat couldn't hear me.

,,Don't forget I didn't kill them eather. I mean, everyone else would have done it. I know why I didn't. I'm a softy, I can't even kill a sheep. But why didn't you?" she asked.

,, I don't know. I couldn't.".

,,That's not an answer." she said.

,, Why is this so important to you all of a sudden?".

,,Because I need you to say it now and clear. Why didn't you?". I looked in her eyes. She waited for an answer and wasn't going to give up until she found one.

,, I wouldn't kill him because he looked as frightened as I was. I looked at him and I saw myself." I said and she nodded. She looked like she was satisfied with my answer.

,, Three hundred years and I'm the first Viking who wouldn't kill a dragon." I said turning my gaze back to the ocean.

,, First to ride one, though." said a voice that startled me. It was Astrid. She was standing behind us with her arms crossed and a small smile.

,,You happy now?" asked Rina looking at her.

,,Yes, very." she said tapping Rina on the shoulder.

,,You two? Did you plan this?" I asked surprised. They nodded with a smile.

,,She wanted to know why did we break all of the rules. Now she knows. And they need help since I told them what was on the island. Sorry I kind of went to Berk while you were sleeping" said Rina. I didn't know how to comment on that.

,, So? What are you going to do about this?" asked Astrid. We looked at each other.

,,We need to get back home!" I said getting on Toothless.

,,And then?".

,,Probably do something stupid." said Rina getting on Heartbeat and giving Astrid a hand to climb too.

,, Good. But you've already done that." said Astrid mocking us.

,, Then something crazy." I said making a smirk. I looked at Rina and she returned the smirk.

,,I think I know what you're thinking." she said and we took off.

,,I hate this!".

...

Rina and I stood in front of the arena looking at the dragon door from the shadows while our dragons waited, hidden. There was one Viking guarding the door.

,, If you're planning on getting eaten, I'd definitely go with the Gronckle.".

We turned around and saw our fellow recruits, watching us with folded arms.

,, You were wise to seek help from the world's most deadly weapon. It's me." said Tuffnut stepping forward before he got pushed away.

,, I love this plan." said Snotlout taking Tuffnuts place but then he got shoved away too.

,,You're crazy. I like that." said Ruffnut looking at me with dreamy eyes but then she got shoved away too.

,, So? What is the plan?" asked Astrid. We turned back pointing at the guard.

,,We need to distract him." I said.

,,How do we do that?" asked Fishlegs.

,,Like this." said Rina taking a big rock and throwing it at the guard, hitting him right on the head, knocking him out. We all looked at her, stunned.

,,Marry me?" asked Snotlout wide eyed.

,,Where did that come from? And at the exam too?" I asked looking at her with amazement.

,,I never said I was weak. I just look like it. You really need to pay attention more." she said stepping out while Tuffnut and Ruffnut tied the guard and put him away from the ring. Rina opened the dragon door and let me go inside. She whistled making Toothles and Heartbeat come to her. They made a few studs and then landed in front of our terrified friends.

,,Everyone, this is Hertbeat and Toothless." she said nuzzling with the dragons. Everyone's jaws dropped. While they were admiring them I got inside the dragon cage.

,,A real Night Fury." Fishlegs said, almost fainting. They all turned to me when they saw me taking out a the Monstrous Nightmare out of its cave. Snotlout nervously reached for a spear laying near his foot but Astrid slapped him, not allowing him so. I slowed to a stop in front of everyone, with the Nightmare inches from my outstretched hand. Then I reached over and grabbed Snotlout's trembling hand.

,,What are you..?!" he started protesting.

,, Relax. It's okay... it's okay." I said but I wasn't sure who was I convincing at the time.

I replaced my outstretched hand with Snotlout's, putting him in control of the massive beast. The Nightmare snorted, but remained calm. Snotlout, by contrast, chuckled nervously. It's at once terrifying and amazing. The others watched, spellbound.

,,Where are you going?!" asked Snotlout panicking when I turned and walked away. I grabbed some rope from a crate near us, passing it to each one of them.

,, You're going to need something to help you hold on." I said pointing at some other dragons at the door. By their looks I think they got my plan.