Hiccup walked through the field of dragons, showing her wings to reveal that she wasn't a threat. Mildew watched in amazement as the dragons let her pass without a hint of hostility towards her. But as he passed, they stared at him, ready to kill him if he tried anything.

To Mildew's complete shock, Hiccup seemed undaunted as a yellow and white Deadly Nadder confronted her.

"No one passes this way without my say."

"It's okay." replied Hiccup, "I'm not gonna hurt you." Hiccup saw Mildew raising his staff in the corner of her eye. She took the staff and threw it away, "Threatening the dragon is the last thing you want to do. especially when you're surrounded by them."

Mildew gestured to the dragon in front of them, "I threatened him?"

"'Her', Mildew. You threatened, 'her'."

Mildew stared at the dragon.

Hiccup walked up to the dragon, making soothing gestures and purring, "It' okay. Everything's okay. I just want to pass through to help my friend."

"If you're gonna help any of us, you have to help us all. The last dragon that attempted to save us was thrown out without his head. What makes you think you can get out safely?"

"These guys need me alive. There's no way they'll kill me."

"Are you sure you'll be able to do this?"

"My friends are coming to help. I'm sure of it. Where I come from, humans and dragons live together, treating each other as equals."

"... I don't want to risk any more of us getting caught... But I don't want to spend the rest of my life on this godforsaken island either... Fine. Go ahead and try. But don't blame me if you get your tail cut off." The Deadly Nadder turned to look at Mildew, "What about this prawn here?"

"He's a friend of mine." explained Hiccup, "I know you might not like this, but I really need someone to help us get there quickly."

"So, I have to carry him?"

"He's not the fastest of runners."

"Well, if it means getting us out of here. I'll do what it takes."

"Thank you. It's okay, Mildew. You can ride her."

"Woah-woah-woah-woah-woah! Woah! If there's one thing I'm never going to do, Hiccup, it's climb onto the back of an animal such as this!"

The Deadly Nadder looked to Hiccup, "Not the brightest of humans. Is he? Certainly a human would know better than to offend the dragons."

Hiccup shook her head, "You know that she can hear you. Right, Mildew?"

"Yeah." said Mildew, "So?"

"It's just that... dragons don't take kindly to comments like that."

Mildew looked at the dragon nervously, "Uh... sorry, girl."

Hiccup shook her head, amused by Mildew's sudden change. Mildew was always thought of as a man who hated dragons for every little reason he could think of. Now, he was trying his best not to get on a dragon's bad side. But then again, he was at the mercy of one.

000

Stoick, Gobber, Astro, Fishlegs, Snotlout and the twins were about three miles away from Outcast Island. Astro and Stoick were very concerned. What was Alvin doing to Hiccup? Would she be okay when they found her?

Astro looked to Stoick, "Do you have any plans as to how we get Hiccup and Toothless back?"

Stoick nodded, "Alvin will most likely expect us to arrive up in the air. In order to get on the island without him knowing is near the water."

"How will we do that?" questioned Snotlout.

Ruffnut folded her arms in front of her, "Let's see if Johann will let us ride his ship."

"And how," asked Fishlegs, "do you suppose we do that?"

Ruffnut pointed to the sea below them, "His ship's just below us."

The Dragon Riders joined Johann.

000

Toothless entered the dungeon, following Hiccup's scent to her cell. He ignored the remaining prisoners as they backed away in awe of what he was.

Once he saw an unconscious guard, lying on the floor, he dragged the body into the cell that Hiccup was in. The guard woke up and looked into Toothless' eyes. His scream made the prisoners think that he was being eaten alive. But when Toothless walked out of the cell with no hint of blood, and closed the door, the guard tried to push the door open.

Toothless stood on his hind legs and growled at the guard, "Where is Hiccup?" He had spent so much time talking with Hiccup, that he had almost forgotten that humans couldn't speak in the dragon tongue. When he realised that he wasn't being understood, be looked to the floor. He recognised two shoe-prints in the dirt. Both of them were Berkian. "Hiccup must have left to look for me."

He ran out of the dungeon and began to run back to the dragon's prison.

000

"He's here!" exclaimed an Outcast. A large group of Outcasts ran to the docks as Trader Johann lowered a plank to let them board his ship.

He raised his hands as if welcoming a friend, "Outcasts! My greatest trade partners! Welcome!" Johann watched the Outcasts dig through the barrels of weapons and jewels. "That's right! I've got many different treasures! And," He grabbed the handles of a hatch, "today, I've got a little surprise for my friend, Alvin." He lifted the hatch, and let an angry horde of Berkians and dragons erupt from it. They quickly subdued the Outcasts.

Stoick grabbed one of their prisoners and pulled him close, "Where is my daughter and her dragon?"