Alvin smiled as his Outcasts surrounded his prize. But he thought he was going crazy when he thought he just watched the girl change in appearance.

Astro turned to the other Riders, "Quick! Everyone! To your dragons!" But the dragons were gone.

"Trusting dragons." said Mildew, shaking his head, "This is what it gets you."

"No!" shouted Astro, pointing to the sky, "Look!"

All the Riders' dragons flew over to Hiccup's aid. Yutholth and Thornado lured most of the Outcasts away as a diversion. Barf, Belch and Meatlug created fire walls to keep the remaining Outcasts away from their Dragon Saviour. Stormfly used her tail to cut the ropes, and Hookfang carried Hiccup back to the group, as her bad wing was injured on the way down.

Hiccup ran over to Astro, "Can someone tell me what the hell just happened?"

Astro rested his hands on Hiccup's shoulders, "They came to help you. Looks like they took our training to a whole new level."

"Let's just get out of here!" yelled Stoick.

Astro handed a spare prosthetic tail to Hiccup, to replace the one Alvin tore off back at the "Isle of Night."

Everyone mounted their dragons. Mildew mounting Toothess behind Hiccup.

Alvin had his Outcasts launch catapults at Hiccup and Toothless. Toothless barely dodged it, and Mildew almost fell of the dragon. Hiccup held Mildew's armas the man held on desperately to Toothless' saddle.

"Hiccup." said Mildew, "You have to leave me. I can't risk the heir getting captured again."

Hiccup wanted to insist on helping, but she realised something, "Wait a minute. You're never this selfless. This is too good, even for you."

Hiccup saw that Mildew was unresponsive. She glared, "You never changed. You were extracting information from me."

"Well, well, well. You're a fast learner, for a dumb animal."

Hiccup wanted to pull the man back onto Toothless and knock him out, but Mildew bit her hand and made her drop him. Mildew fell through the branches of the barren trees.

Hiccup steered Toothless down to retrieve him, but Stoick stopped her, "We have to leave, Hiccup. Before you get recaptured, again."

Hiccup knew he was right.

She turned and followed the others back to Berk.

000

Astro looked to Hiccup, "What was that all about? You completely transformed. Your eyes were purple! Parts of you literally turned black! How did you do that?"

Hiccup sighed, "When I lose my temper, I lose control of my dragon side."

Fishlegs pointed to Hiccup, "Well then, you'll just have to learn to keep that under control. And we'll have to keep away from your bad side."

Hiccup smiled nervously.

Stoick looked to Hiccup. He noticed that she was holding something. "Hiccup? What is that?"

Hiccup knew she couldn't hide it anymore. So she held it up for everyone to see.

Snotlout tilted his head, "What is that? Your favourite toy?"

Hiccup shook her head. "It's a voodoo doll. After I was healed by the Scauldron venom, I went to the cove to get some water for the hut. But Mildew attacked me. He cut some of my hair and used it to make this doll. Anything that anyone does to this doll reflects on me."

"And just how, Hiccup," asked Ruffnut, "do you know this?"

Hiccup extended a claw and scratched the doll's shoulder. After wincing at the pain, she pulled the tunic over the same shoulder and revealed her cut. The cut turning red as it began to bleed.

Stoick's eyes widened, "This is why you were agitated around Mildew."

Hiccup nodded, tears forming in her eyes. "I'm so sorry. I couldn't tell you. If I did, Mildew threatened to use this to make me kill the dragons. I couldn't risk it." She buried her face in the palms of her hands.

She cried until they were a mile away from Berk.

000

Hiccup sat in front of the hearth, observing the fake map. Toothless nuzzled her cheek, "It's okay Hiccup. The important thing is, you're not under Mildew's say anymore."

"It's not that, Toothless. I promised you we'd find other Night Furies. But I failed."

"Don't take it personally, Hiccup. I'm sure we'll find other Night Furies sooner or later."

The front door opened, revealing Astro behind it. "You still want to take part in the parade?"

"Well," said Hiccup, "Dad wanted me to run this parade. So, why not?"

Hiccup mounted Toothless, and followed Astro and Stormfly as they lead the dragon parade. Hiccup smiled as the children cheered for them. Hiccup did her best to hide her fear. She feared that Mildew would remember everything she had taught him and share it all with Alvin. This would make him more than a threat.

As she finished the parade, Alvin was resting his palm on the snout of a now-calm Whispering Death, that they had recaptured.