First of all, I'm going to tell you my list of excuses on why I posted so late. First of all, there was the trip, which I already told you about. Second, one of my best friends just left the country for three years, so I threw a surprise party for him and we spent time together while we could. I wasn't the happiest person in the world after that, so it took me a while to get over the fact that he actually left. (Still not completely over it.) Third, I was celebrating my birthday. Fourth, I finally got the Skylanders Swap Force game and was sorta addicted for a very long time. (I counted my Skylanders. I'm up to 36!) Fifth, I went on vacation to Maine. Sixth, A Very Potter Musical Marathon. Seventh, excessive YouTube watching (mostly Markiplier). Eight, I've become suddenly and entirely obsessed with Corpse Party.

Oh yeah, another thing! I went to McDonald's at the Lima airport, and apparently all they had was Happy Meals, so I'm like whatever I'll get a Happy Meal. So I did, and it turned out it was HTTYD toys so I got a Monstrous Nightmare. So, yeah. I thought it was sorta ironic. That's actually the same dragon I have on the School of Dragons website.

Also, while in Peru, we had ham sandwiches for breakfast. And lunch. Every. Single. Day. I'm never eating a ham sandwich again.

MY CURSOR IS NOW A DIAMOND SWORD FROM MINECRAFT!

Roses are red, violets are blue. I suck at rhyming. Go away.

Sorry, off topic.

REVIEWERS!

*list

OH I JUST THOUGHT OF SOMETHING! Reason number nine, pez dispensers.

Bah bam.

Okay, sorry.

CHAPTER!

Chapter 13

"Can we go yet?"

"No."

"..."

"How about now?"

"No!"

"Okay, jeez."

"..."

"Now can we..."

"Snotlout, if you ask that question one more time..."

Hiccup sighed and rubbed his forehead. Snotlout and Astrid's bickering was giving him a headache. They'd been waiting for the right time for Thor knows how long, but Ruff and Tuff seemed to be doing just fine on their own. They must've told the Outcasts something, because they all seemed content with the two teenagers walking around their village. Every once in a while, a couple Outcasts would stop them and ask them to identify themselves, but the twins seemed to have it covered. Now, all the Berkians needed was to get Ruffnut and Tuffnut on their own so they could talk to them about a plan, however, no such luck. Wherever they went, it seemed like there was an Outcast guard there, too. A couple times, they hadn't seen anyone and had started to move in, but an ironically-timed patrol would come around a corner, and Hiccup and the others would have to retreat. It seemed like the gods were against them today, because it had started to rain after a few hours.

Hiccup glumly looked over at his friends. Astrid and Snotlout were still arguing and Fishlegs seemed just as uncomfortable as he was. What they needed was a distraction...

"Intruders! Coming in from the North side!"

Huh. That would work.

Hiccup watched as Outcasts from all positions went to cover the Village Entrance. The twins seemed along enough.

"Hiccup," Astrid said, desperation evident in her voice. She wanted to move.

"Okay. It's time," he said, loud enough for his friends to hear, but soft enough not to alert any Outcasts to their presence.

"Finally," Snotlout declared, unnecessarily loudly and completely defeating the purpose of the hushed tones. Astrid glared at him, but looked relieved at the same time. Even Fishlegs looked happy to stop sitting around.

"Okay. Here we go," Hiccup said as he slid down the incline into the heart of the island of Outcasts. He tip-toed as quietly as he could toward the hut near which Ruff and Tuff were standing.

He never knew what hit him.

~Page Break~

"Hey, Stoick," Gobber called, swinging his makeshift hand in the air. "Are we really going to just march right into their camp? I mean, won't they notice that?"

"That's the idea," the chief grunted. Brute force. That was all it took.

"Shouldn't we have a plan, or something?" Gobber asked.

"By the time we come up with a plan, it could already be too late," Stoick grumbled. Toothless let out a roar of agreement. The blacksmith shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, if you really think this could work..."

"I know it will," Stoick said, confidently. "It has to," he added, his voice more hushed so that only his best friend could hear. He nodded in understanding.

"Intruders!" came a foreign shout. "Coming in from the North side!"

"That's our cue," Gobber said, grinning.

"On my signal," Stoick shouted to his troops. Some of them looked nervous, but most looked ready to fight for what was theirs.

That's the spirit, Stoick thought.

The Outcasts were getting closer and closer to the mass of Berkians. The chief was waiting for an opportunity. One guard launched himself over a hill, followed by all the others. Closer... closer... Now!

With a loud cry and a gesture of his hand, Stoick the Vast launched himself into battle.

~Page Break~

Astrid was in a very bad mood. Today hadn't exactly gone their way. First, they lost Hiccup. Then, they went through Odin-knows-what to get to Outcast island. Once they finally found Hiccup, they lost Toothless. Now, the Outcasts found them.

And by Outcasts, she meant one, more authoritative Outcast and a small band of soldiers. The specific Outcast introduced himself as Savage, Alvin's right-hand man. To be honest, Astrid thought that Alvin didn't really need someone like that. The Outcast leader still had both his hands.

Fishlegs and Snotlout looked frightened with their predicament, but Hiccup just looked exasperated. His face clearly said, 'Really? Again?' Things only got worse when they ran into the twins.

"Oh. Hey, guys," Tuffnut said, waving to them. Astrid felt frustration building up inside of her. Could things get any worse?

Apparently they could. Just not yet. She saw Hiccup shoot her a look and knew that he was thinking along the same lines as her. It was go time.

"OH MY GODS! WHAT IS THAT?" Hiccup screamed dramatically, staring at a nonexistent distraction behind the outcasts. They all turned to look. So did Ruff and Tuff. Astrid rolled her eyes and punched the nearest Outcast in the back. The soldier jumped and turned around, readying himself to jump on the culprit, only to be met with a fist to the face.

Again, Astrid was having a very bad day. But, it was getting better.

The small band of teenage Vikings easily took out the even smaller band of confused Outcasts. Astrid grinned with pleasure. She'd needed to punch someone.

"Well, that was fun," Astrid said, beaming. Hiccup smiled.

"Okay. Now, let's go help my dad," he said. Sounds of fighting could now be heard from the entrance to the camp. Among that, a familiar screech that would be recognizable to anyone. The screech of a Night Fury.

The six Vikings set off, their minds full of determination, with not even the slightest clue of what was about to happen.

It was so horrifying that they couldn't even imagine it.

~Page Break~

It's a terrible thing, survivor's guilt. It starts with an uncomfortable, nauseating feeling, then it begins to gnaw at you until your insides turn to dust. Until there's nothing left; nothing but guilt. It completely takes over, and all that remains is an empty shell. A shell of your former self.

Berk had been lucky, so far. In the last decade, very few Vikings were forced to endure such torment.

But that was all about to change. Because, you see, the battle that was about to commence was going to be filled with unexpected twists. Unforeseen events that were going to form tight knots in the stomachs of several Vikings.

These happenings could very well turn out to be the cause of Berk's victory... or its doom. We may never know, but we may very well guess.

So, as Stoick the Vast, chief of Berk brought his hammer swooping through the air, eliminating another Outcast from the swarm, he looked at his best friend, Gobber. Gobber looked up, exchanging a glance with Stoick.

Suddenly, a strangled cry arose, barely audible over the din produced by the fighting. Stoick and Gobber looked up to see Snotlout, Ruffnut, Tuffnut, Fishlegs, Astrid, and Hiccup charging into the fight.

Take a good look at that last sentence, my friends, because it's the last time you'll ever hear those eight names together.

Sorry for the short chapter, but I didn't have anything else to put in it.

I am again sorry for the late update.

Watch out for bagels, as usual.

-Shadow