A barrel chested, red haired man with an impressive beard studied the sky, trying his best not to let his worry show on his face.
He glanced over to the harbor and gritted his teeth. When he got his hands on that jerk...
A shrill whistling noise alerted him to his son's arrival, and he hurried over to Hiccup as the Night Fury landed.
"Dad? What's going on?" questioned the youth.
"We've go' a situation," he replied, steering his son toward the harbor.
"Would you just tell me what's going on?" sighed the youth.
"Stoick!" yelled a peg-legged viking with a hook for an arm. He waved as he ran toward them. "He says he's gettin' impatient."
"Tell 'im we're comin', Gobber," said Stoick loudly.
Gobber shrugged and scurried back to the docks.
"Who's getting impatient?" Hiccup asked impatiently.
"Daggur," sighed Stoick, rubbing his forehead.
Hiccup jerked back. "What's Daggur doing here?"
"He's go' a wee lass he's 'olding captive. He says you've go' somethin' of 'is and he'd like i' back."
Hiccup furrowed his brow. "I've got something of his?"
"Tha's what 'e says," Stoick replied as the dock appeared.
There a young man with scars and a wild look in his eyes stood, surrounded by his own guards.
"Brother!" he said, holding his arms out.
"I'm not your brother," Hiccup said through gritted teeth.
Daggur shrugged. "Whatever. Now give it to me, brother. I'd be willing to trade you for it."
"For what?" Hiccup said in exasperation. "Daggur, I don't have anything of yours."
Daggur laughed wickedly. "You do, and you know it. Now... GIVE IT TO ME!" His face writhed like a rabid weasel's.
Hiccup sighed. "Just tell me what you want!"
Daggur chuckled. "The map, brother. The one you found on the ship? The one leading to the island that magically disappears? There's something on that island that I want."
Hiccup frowned and pulled a piece of parchment out of his pocket.
Daggur grinned. "Great. I'll trade you her for it." He waved a guard forward. Next to a guard, with her arms tied behind her back, stood a girl with red hair and very frightened blue eyes. She said nothing, but her eyes begged for help.
Hiccup looked down at the map, hesitating.
Daggur drew a dagger and held it against the girl's throat. "I won't ask again, brother," he snarled.
Hiccup narrowed his eyes and tossed the map to Daggur.
Daggur laughed and shoved the girl over to Hiccup. "Pleasure doing buisness with you, brother."
And with that, he boarded his ship and sailed away.
The girl held still as Hiccup cut her bonds, then sank to the ground and curled into a defensive ball.
Astrid knelt beside her. "Hey, it's alright. What's your name?"
The girl didn't reply, but simply looked at Astrid.
Astrid frowned. "Well, in any case, you'll need a place to stay. Why don't you come with me to my home, and we'll get you settled?"
Mutely, the girl nodded and followed Astrid.
Stoick looked at his son. "What was on tha' island tha' could possibly be so impor'ant?"
Hiccup frowned. "I don't know." He looked over at Toothless. "But I do know it's bad news. If Daggur wants it, it's gotta be trouble."
Stoick nodded. "Which is why I want you to go figure out wha' 'e's up to."
Hiccup frowned deeper. "But what about the girl?"
Stoick looked toward Astrid's house. "I'd say Astrid's go' tha' situation 'andled."
Hiccup nodded and mounted Toothless, then took to the skies.
He rubbed his dragon's head. "If we found that island once, we can do it again, right bud?"
The dragon gurgled happily and flew faster.
"well," sighed Hiccup, "Whatever's going on, it's a race now."
