Hello, friends. Here's the rest of Chapter 58, in which we finally get to that canon character I mentioned way back when. Of course, it wouldn't be fun without YET ANOTHER recap of HTTYD2, from a slightly different perspective. It had to happen so that I could get to the second bit of it, which is important.

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Ty-ten

Thank you, lovely people. You rock my socks. Onward!

James was in the forge, working on some repairs. Gobber was nowhere in sight, Aeri was busy with some other things, and Sahko had not yet returned from wherever he'd gone with that male Night Fury, so he was alone in the stifling heat. After a while, he'd stripped off his tunic and replaced it with an apron, which was less for the insubstantial protection it provided and more to not be half naked should someone walk in. Not that Gobber cared, and Aeri seemed to have no problem with him with or without clothes, but she did tend to worry over him if he had nothing covering his torso while he sent sparks and splinters of metal flying. So for her sake, he wore the dumb thing, though he felt slightly ridiculous with it on. The one time he had made that complaint, though, she had offered to stitch some flowers onto it, so he knew better than to try that as an excuse.

Though she'd never said a word, he knew she didn't particularly like it when other women came by the shop while he was shirtless. The younger girls would blush and giggle, but some of the older women would openly stare, and a few even had some suggestive comments they felt necessary to share with him, which, now that he was thinking about it, probably bothered him more than it did Aeri. But still. She was never possessive of him, nor was he with her, but he had to resist the random urges to hold her hand, or tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, or wrap an arm around her waist, or gods forbid, kiss her in public… Sometimes he suspected she felt the same, but the only indications that she might want those things were fleeting glances, meaningful smiles, and a few occasions when she'd rested a hand on his arm for just a bit longer than would be considered appropriate. No one seemed to have caught on besides her family, and they seemed perfectly content to leave them be. But…

What had started as an attraction based on intrigue had now blown far beyond what he knew was permissible. Not knowing her had made her interesting, but getting to know her made her irresistible. And not just the things that made her the incredible, unique person that she was. It was just so nice to have someone to talk about life with, all the mundane things, the things that made him laugh or think of her, and occasionally small pieces of his past that he deemed safe to share. It seemed so simple and straightforward, but it was so meaningful in such a complex way at the same time. He would sometimes worry that his feelings were stronger than hers, and then a wave of sad, painful disappointment would wash over him.

It doesn't matter how I feel. It never has. I'm forgetting my purpose, forgetting my guilt, and it's unacceptable.

He'd be found out, or he'd confess, or maybe he'd just leave in the dead of night. In any case, it would be the end. The end of feeling truly at home for the first time in his life. The end of his newfound heart, the feelings he'd never fully developed before he'd become Silver, and had only just begun to understand. Like the stupid, selfish bastard he was, he was going to care for Aeri and revel in every scrap of attention she gave him until the bitter end, rather than stop it, or at least attempt to rein it in, for her sake. And she was going to get hurt, because she trusted him, and he'd never even deserved that trust in the first place.

"Damn it," he growled, and brought the hammer down with such force that he shattered the axe blade he'd been working on. A shard of it sliced along his forearm, and he swore again, throwing the hammer to the counter angrily and stomping around as he looked for a rag to soak up the blood. He finally found one, and leaned against the counter, pressing it over the cut. Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to calm down. Doing his best to clear his mind, he closed his eyes, breathing slowly as he listened to the wind outside, occasionally rattling the shutters with a strong gust. A few minutes passed, and he blinked, lifting the rag to see that the bleeding had stopped, leaving a long, red line on his skin. With a sigh, he tossed it aside, aiming for the other dirty rags piled in the corner.

As he swept up the shattered axe blade, he did his best to think logically. I don't want to hurt anyone else. Especially not Aeri. But I can't distance myself from her now, she'd be confused and maybe even upset… It was selfish, he knew, but he just couldn't bring himself to do what he should have done in the beginning, and stay out of the village and away from Aeri unless it was absolutely necessary. Once again, I've managed to make myself feel awful without anything to show for it. He deserved to feel awful, he knew that too, but it was miserable not being able to entirely devote himself to the people and things he cared about. Because part of him was just a concentrated mire of guilt and shame, and that would never change.

Deciding against forging a new axe blade right away, James turned to a different stack of orders. On top were two identical swords in their sheath, short enough to wield with one hand but broad enough to require a bit of strength to manipulate. Settling down at the grindstone, he sharpened one, and had just started on the second when there was a knock on one of the shutters.

"Gobber? Are you in there?" a muffled voice called.

"Come in!" James called, still focused on the blade as the door opened with a blast of cold air and then shut.

"Oh. I'm sorry, I was looking for Gobber, but I guess he's not here. I had hoped to pick up my— oh, you've got one there."

James finally looked up, holding the sword away from the grindstone. The man who had entered vaguely reminded him of Haku, though he was not as fine-featured as the young Chief. His black hair had streaks of grey at the temples, and there was a geometric tattoo on his chin. He was looking expectantly at the sword in his hands.

"These are yours? I just need to finish this one, actually, if you don't mind waiting."

"As long as I don't have to wait outside," the man chuckled.

"I suppose there's room for you in here. I'm obligated by Gobber to demand that you "keep yer mitts off the merchandise" but other than that, make yourself comfortable."

"Thanks. Winter, was it?"

James nodded. "And you're Eret?"

Eret grinned. "Guilty. It's always amusing when two people know of one another but have never actually been introduced."

"Berk seems to run on two things: anything to do with dragons, and gossip."

"That's true. It took a while for me to get used to it, but now I can't imagine life any other way."

"You're not from here?"

"Oh, no. And I was certainly not a friend to dragons."

"So what changed?"

"It's a long story," Eret cautioned, but James just laughed.

"The best ones usually are. Besides, it's not like the shop is overflowing with customers right now anyways."

"Well, people usually like to tell this tale. About how Hiccup became Chief after defeating Drago Bludvist."

James nodded again. He'd heard that one before. Toothless challenging the Alpha and all that.

"But there are generally some very key omissions. Things that most people prefer to remain undiscussed."

"Like what?"

"Like the nature of Stoick's death, for one."

"I thought he died in the battle beforehand?"

"He did, but it's not common knowledge as to how it actually happened. There are other things, too, but that's the most important."

"So, how'd he die, then?" James asked as he turned back to the grindstone.

"I'll get to that. Let me start by telling you my old 'profession': dragon trapping. In fact, I was the finest dragon trapper alive. I had my own outpost for capturing dragons and caging them until I was ready to transport them. And I worked for Drago." James glanced over as Eret reached up and tugged the collar of his tunic down to reveal a nasty scar. "He gave me this the first time I turned up empty handed. Let me say, I was properly motivated to do my job after that incident. A better word to describe me might be desperate. The first time I met Hiccup and Astrid, it was the day after my outpost had been utterly destroyed. Apparently that's what caught their attention in the first place."

"Destroyed?"

"Decimated. We were infiltrated in the night by a rogue dragon rider, who freed all of our captive dragons. By the time the alarm was raised, it was too late. A dragon the size of a small mountain blasted my fort to bits with giant spikes of ice."

James frowned. "A Bewilderbeast?"

"Valka's Bewilderbeast."

Oh. James had heard some stories regarding how Valka had vanished, taken by a dragon, only to reappear twenty years later with a whole horde of them. But he hadn't heard anything about what she'd been doing with them for all that time. "Wait... Aeri's grandmother was some kind of vigilante warrior working with the dragons?"

Eret chuckled. "I believe she was once described as 'feral', though that term didn't come from me. It was her mission to thwart honest- and I fully understand that is not the proper word for what I was doing- trappers like myself. She would free the dragons, who would then join her in her quest. Anyways, I'd had quite a hellish night, so I wasn't in the finest of moods when two strangers appeared on dragonback. My men, of course, did their work- we still had some functional weapons, and we managed to net Stormfly. Hiccup and Toothless caught Astrid before she hit the ground, then proceeded to try and convince me to let Stormfly go. That fire sword of his is definitely an attention-grabber, but I was still intent on capturing that Night Fury for Drago. Unsurprisingly, they had other plans, and managed to free Stormfly and escape unscathed. Feeling entirely wretched and despairing for my life, my men and I set sail, leaving behind our ruined fort and heading north. The idea was to hopefully collect a few heads on our way to Drago. Imagine my surprise when two very familiar dragons appeared in the sky, with their just as unpleasantly familiar riders.

"They dodged our nets and proceeded to land on the deck, at which point Hiccup declared that they were surrendering. I still remember the expression on Astrid's face when he tossed a net over her head and took her axe away," Eret chuckled. "I guess she wasn't in on the plan. But he got in the brig, gave up his sword- which my men managed to cause a small explosion with- and then tried to tell us all about how loyal and good dragons were. His plan was to change Drago's mind about them, but he hadn't yet met the man. He had no idea what he was getting himself into. Once again, he failed to convince me, but before I could run him through with my own, perfectly functional and normal sword, he was rather suddenly abducted by a Monstrous Nightmare."

"Valka?" James wondered.

"Snotlout," Eret grinned. "And the rest of the gang. Using that fancy suit of his, Hiccup freed himself and glided back to the ship. It took them all of twenty seconds to surround us, though there seemed to be some disagreement on the necessity of the 'rescue'. Then an impressive Rumblehorn landed, with an equally impressive man astride him."

"Stoick," James guessed with more certainty.

"Indeed. I made the mistake of trying to intimidate him, but I don't even think he glanced at me as he shoved me to the deck. Gobber clubbed me on the head, and Grump just laid down on me and went to sleep. While I was being smothered by a dozing Hotburple, there seemed to be something of a family dispute taking place. I remember it fairly well. Stoick told us the tale of a gathering of Chieftains, who had gathered to discuss the dragon scourge they all faced. Into their midst came a strange man, from a strange land, in a cloak of dragon skin, who spoke softly and carried no weapon. He offered to put an end to the threat of dragons- if they all chose to bow down to him. Naturally, they laughed, until he wrapped himself in his cloak and shouted, 'Then see how well you do without me!' With no warning, the roof burst into flames, and through it crashed armored dragons, who burned the hall to the ground. Stoick was the only one to survive. I think what he said was, 'Men who kill without reason, cannot be reasoned with.' He ordered Hiccup back to Berk, but he refused, entirely determined to find Drago and at least try to prevent the war. That was my first real glimpse of Hiccup's determination. It actually made me pause. He and Toothless took off, but when Astrid went to follow him, Stoick ordered her and the others to return home. Then, he and Gobber went after Hiccup, leaving my ship and I worse for wear, but otherwise unharmed."

"Was that when Valka came into the picture?"

"For Hiccup, yes. But my crew and I continued north. It was late in the day when it was apparently my turn to be suddenly abducted. Astrid demanded that I lead her and the others to Drago. What did I say? Oh, yeah. 'Just kill me now,' or something. Well, she cheerfully informed me that could be arranged, and before I knew it, I was falling from the sky. I'll be honest, I lasted maybe five seconds before giving in. After Stormfly caught me, I swear I heard Astrid say, 'Works every time.'"

"What happened next?"

"Well, I led them straight to Drago's camp. Stormfly sat on me while they all ran to peer over the edge at his massive fleet. The next thing I knew, Stormfly was gone, the other dragons had been incapacitated, and we were surrounded by Drago's men. We were taken to his ship, at which point I attempted to save my own skin, but Astrid seemed determined to antagonize Drago with stories of Berk's dragons and, in her words, the 'greatest Dragon Master this world has ever seen.' This, understandably, did not please the man. He believed that he alone could control the dragons, which I had no trouble agreeing with. Shall I describe him to you? As big as Stoick the Vast, with dark skin and long black hair. Lots of scars, the dragon hide cloak, I think you get the idea. But the most unnerving thing was how he would scream at the dragons, roaring back at them and swinging his bull hook around until they submitted to his dominance. It was truly terrifying. So when it was suggested that there was someone alive who could rival that dominance, well, he didn't take it too well. He ordered all preparations to cease. First, he declared, they would attack the Dragon Rider's nest, and take down their Alpha, and then, they would take Berk. I wasn't entirely sure what he was talking about at the time, but then, almost as an afterthought, he told them to 'get rid' of me. I thought that was it. Axes were spinning towards me when I was suddenly knocked to the ground. Stormfly had come back, and saved me. They immediately subdued her, but that was when I had the realization that perhaps I had been wrong all along.

"They took me, and Astrid, and the other riders to the back of the ship, our hands bound, and were ready to shove us to a freezing cold death. I had a plan, though. What did I say? Oh yeah. 'Ladies first,' which had Astrid fuming, but as soon as I said 'duck', she dropped, and I knocked her guards out with a nice spinning kick, caught one of their spears, cut off my binds, and that was that. It was too easy. At one point Fishlegs took a guard out by jumping on him, and I think I got the last one with one of his own blow darts. I think that's when Astrid started to hate me less. Anyways, we split up and went off in search of their dragons. I was fortunate enough to open the trap with Stormfly inside, and after I climbed in, we had this crazy bonding moment. I was sure, then, that I had been entirely misguided from the start.

"A long while passed, until we began hearing lots of shouting and noise. The trap was lifted from the ship, and set down again, and as soon as we heard the explosions, we knew it was time. I got on Stormfly's saddle and hung on for dear life as we blasted free from the trap. It was absolute chaos. There were dragons everywhere, brightly colored ones streaming endlessly forth from a massive ice fortress and clashing in mid-air with Drago's armored and subjugated ones. Whole platoons of men were on the snowy beach, operating enormous traps and launching nets at the nest dragons. Fishlegs and Meatlug came up alongside me, Astrid riding with them. It was so gratifying to hear her tell me that I was full of surprises. Then she jumped- jumped!- from Meatlug to Stormfly. She is truly the most fearless woman I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. Anyways, we were flying straight at the mountain, which was still being fired upon with explosive projectiles. We dodged falling ice, until we found ourselves directly in the path of a giant chunk. There was no time to get out of the way, and I think we might have died right then and there had it not been for a flash of purple light, which practically vaporized the entire thing. To my surprise, it was that scrawny kid on his Night Fury, flanked by both Stoick and Gobber on their own dragons. While I was quite shocked, he didn't seem perturbed in the slightest to see me riding on his girlfriend's dragon. 'Where have you been?' Astrid shouted, and he just said, 'Oh, you know, catching up with Mom.'

"It was then that we saw the mysterious, rogue Dragon Rider, standing atop a four-winged dragon and twirling a staff, as the great Bewilderbeast burst through the side of the mountain, his anger palpable. I've never seen anything so magnificent. Astrid recovered first, saying 'That's your mother?!' or something, and cheeky as can be, he replied, 'Now you know where I get my dramatic flair.' Then he flipped down his mask and Toothless was off like black lightning, screaming around and blowing stuff up. I thought we had the upper hand, but Drago, the bastard, had a trick card up his sleeve."

James knew what happened next. "The other Bewilderbeast."

"Yes. The two dragons fought, shaking the very earth with their fury. Astrid and I flew around, helping where we could, until- well, you know what happened. I had been a dragon trapper up until that day, but seeing that beautiful giant fall, I felt more despair than I ever experienced working for Drago. We had lost the battle, but it wasn't over yet. We still did our best to fight back, until Astrid cried out in fear. I hadn't seen Hiccup on the ground, trying to talk to Drago. I hadn't heard the maniac summon his twisted servant. I hadn't noticed Stoick and Valka and Gobber running as fast as they could to the battlefield. I hadn't registered the sound of a plasma blast over the din of the battle. By the time we got down there, it was over. The new Alpha had shifted his focus elsewhere, Drago was walking away with a despicable smirk, and Toothless was just standing there, eyes vacant, jaws wide open and smoking. It was very clear what had happened, though we didn't know the full story until later. Drago had ordered his Bewilderbeast to take control of Toothless's mind, and turned him against Hiccup. That blast had been meant for him. But at the last moment, he was pushed out of the way- so when we got there, it wasn't Hiccup's body in the rubble, but Stoick's."

A wave of shock coursed through James. Toothless was the one who had killed Stoick? Hiccup's best friend? Oh, gods.

Eret seemed to know exactly what he was thinking. "By the time the Alpha released Toothless, there was nothing that could be done. Hiccup pushed him away, his grief overwhelming him. But when the Alpha called, none of the dragons were able to resist. Drago personally rode Toothless from the battlefield, and Hiccup could do nothing to stop him. We were left there, in the ruins. Drago had the dragons, Stoick was dead- all seemed hopeless. We salvaged a wrecked boat, really barely more than a tattered dinghy, and laid to rest a man who had been larger than life, who deserved the glory and honor of a thousand blazing ships. Gobber gave a simple eulogy that was more powerful than a bard's epic. We found a few bows, and lit some arrows, and with them set the pyre ablaze. Hiccup spoke, not with the grandeur of a Chief but with the torment of a grieving son with the weight of the world on his shoulders. We all had tears in our eyes, as Valka approached him and told him of the faith his father had always had in him, even when he was a frail infant that no one believed would survive. 'He always said you'd be the strongest of us all. And he was right.' She said that he had the heart of a Chief and the soul of a dragon, and that only he could bring our worlds together. I'll never forget what he said, lit by his father's funeral pyre. 'A chief protects his own.' He meant all of us, human and dragon. He said we were going back. Then he led us to the baby Scuttleclaws and off we went, back to Berk. I'm sure you know that part well enough."

James nodded mutely. He had finished the sword a while ago, and had it balanced over his knee. Not knowing what to say, he stood, grabbing the other sword, and laid them down on the counter, where he proceeded to start polishing the blades.

"But after it was all over, and Drago was dead and everyone was cheering, I suddenly felt very vulnerable. I was without my crew, in a strange place, surrounded by the creatures I had made a living by trapping and the strange people who loved them. I had worked for Drago. I thought that any moment, they would notice me, and I knew very well that after taking out Drago and his Bewilderbeast, I wouldn't be a particular challenge. I was about to jump off the cliff after them, when I saw that scrawny kid, who I would later learn seemed to have a knack for saving the world he lived in, with a familiar Rumblehorn. Despite my concern for my own well-being, I had to talk to him. I had never felt so much respect for another person before, especially not a dragon-loving, peace-seeking twig like him. Now, I know he wasn't really a kid, twenty years old and heir to a Chiefdom, nor was he as scrawny as he apparently was as a teenager, but he was younger than me and I reasoned that while he seemed vastly smarter than me, I could maybe beat him in a fight if I was quick about it. That wasn't important, though. I wanted to commend his courage, his strength, his valor, but I lost my nerve, and ended up complimenting his dragon wrangling, and stupidly suggested that he would make a good dragon trapper. As if I could say anything more ridiculous at that moment. But then the Rumblehorn gave me a bit of a shove, and Hiccup said something that blew me away."

Satisfied with the shine of the blades, James looked up at Eret, who was smiling fondly. "What did he say?"

"He said, 'You know, Skullcrusher is going to need someone to look after him now.'"

"Wait… your Rumblehorn is the same dragon that Stoick rode?"

"That he is. A more noble creature I have never met. And with that honor, my past was forgotten. All that mattered was who I decided I wanted to be, and I very much wanted to be a dragon rider. So I stayed, and they trained me not just to ride and care for Skullcrusher, but to think like him, to bond with him and know him as well as I know myself. We're the best trackers on Berk, though he really does all the work. I just have to understand when he wants to communicate with me, which was unbelievably difficult for me at first, but once I started figuring it out, it was smooth sailing.

"Interestingly enough, Valka was the one to teach me the most important things I now know. In the early days, she started coming around a lot, in part because I think she felt as out of place as I did, but also because of Skullcrusher. She grieved in silence over Stoick's death, and I think spending time with her husband's dragon helped ease the loss a bit. Astrid was invaluable to the both of us, she made us both feel at home and a part of everything while Hiccup was busy running the village. I don't think I could have done it without her."

"She's really something, isn't she?" James smiled. He had grown very fond of Aeri's feisty mother, though he had to say that he appreciated her father's company even more.

Eret looked around, as though checking to make sure he would not be overheard. "I never told anyone this, but since you're in a similar boat I think it's safe to tell you. To me, Astrid was the living embodiment of a Valkyrie. So beautiful, but oh so deadly. We've sparred regularly for more than twenty years now, and I've never once managed to best her. I'd never met a woman her equal, and I must say, I was quite enamored for a while. But I had far too much respect for her and Hiccup to ever act on it."

"That seems like it might have been awkward."

"Well, I did my best to hide it, and I figured no one had noticed. At least, Astrid never said anything to me. Though looking back on it, Hiccup probably knew. He knows everything that goes on around here, especially concerning his family. He probably knew exactly how I felt, and still allowed me near his future wife on a daily basis. I find that remarkable, because even though Astrid probably would have skinned me alive if I'd made any unwanted advances, Hiccup trusted that I wouldn't do anything. Me. A dragon trapper, who had worked for his worst enemy."

"When push came to shove, you came through, though."

"I guess that's true. And a couple of years after I reformed, I met my first wife while I was away on a trading voyage. When I married her, I wasn't in love with Astrid anymore, but I still care for her as a close friend. She's an incredible woman, and she passed her strength onto her daughters, which I'm sure you've noticed. When Aeri was growing up, she started off pretty skinny and clumsy, but by the time she was fifteen, she was as skilled and fierce as Astrid had been at that age. Everyone would always comment on her prowess as a warrior, how she handled her weapons, who she had beaten most recently in a fight- but there was one thing they also said, every time she was brought up. 'She's her father's daughter.' I thought they were referring to her hair and eyes, to be honest, until Gobber explained it one day to me.

"The ideals of Vikings have always centered around physical characteristics. All that really ever mattered was how big a hammer you could lift, or how far you could throw an axe, or how many dragons you could slay. Everything changed when Hiccup, the village runt and screwup, trained Toothless. The most terrifying creature they could fathom, and he put a saddle on its back. Then they killed by far the largest dragon any Viking had yet to encounter, saving every man, woman, and child in the archipelago from certain death, and they did it on their own, not with brute force but with strategic cunning. It changed the way that they understood strength. How could a weakling like Hiccup do all that? The only thing that made sense was that perhaps he wasn't so weak after all. That perhaps, he was stronger than any of them could ever hope to be, in his own way."

James nodded. "I've heard some of that from Aeri. She loves her father, though she wonders if she'll ever be able to measure up to him. I've tried explaining to her that she already has, but I'm not sure she realizes it yet."

"What I would've given to have a daughter like Aeri. Though she probably wouldn't be as special as she is without the people who raised her. The whole family is bloody unstoppable, and I thank my lucky stars every day that I get to be a part of their world."

"I do the exact same thing," James murmured. "Did you and your wife ever have children?"

Eret smiled sadly. "She died in childbirth, our son with her. I look after my second wife's son now. He just turned eleven. She had him with her first husband, who was lost at sea not long after the baby was born, but his mum and I have been married for seven years now, and he calls me Da, and I call him son, and I love him just as much as if he had my blood. He gets up to a lot of mischief with his cousins, but that's fine with me, so long as they're not lighting the sheep on fire or blowing the doors off the Great Hall."

Before James could reply, there was a series of rapid knocks on the shutter. "Eret? Are you in there?"

Eret laughed. "Yes, dear!"

The door was abruptly shoved open, and a slim woman practically ran in. "Gods, it's colder than Odin's— well, hello, there."

The sharp-featured blonde shot him an appreciative glance, before shouting, "Are you coming? You're letting out all the warmth!"

"Yeah, one second…" A few seconds later, none other than the Chief traipsed in with a grin, followed by Toothless, and when they finally managed to get the door shut, it was quite cozy indeed. "Hey, Eret. And hello to you, Winter."

James gave him a small wave as the woman set right in on Eret.

"I've been looking all over for you. Hiccup offered to help me, and I was just starting to think I should just run away to a nice sunny beach with him, then I remembered you saying you wanted to get your swords. So. You need to have a talk with your son."

Eret smirked. "He's only my son when he's gotten up to something. What did he do this time?"

"He took Snotlout's pants while Snotlout was looking, so of course, Snotlout chased him around the village wearing only his underwear and boots, but really he was just leading him to the twins, who were hiding on two rooftops with a lot of snowballs, and—"

"Wait, wait, wait. Does Snotlout only have one pair of pants or something?"

Hiccup sighed exasperatedly. "Oddly enough, yes. His wife makes him a new pair every other month, but something always happens to the last, so he only ever has one at a time."

"That is fairly stupid. So, what, the twins started throwing snowballs and he had to walk home half naked in shame?"

His wife coughed. "Not… exactly. Hiccup, you figured it out, you tell him."

"Alright," Aeri's father seemed like he was suppressing a smile. "The twins appeared with snowballs at the ready and threatened to use them if Snotlout did not cease and desist. Then, I guess your son stopped in the street, waved the pants around, and made a few, um, playful remarks, to which Snotlout responded with his own, uh, playful remark and proceeded to charge forward. However, his feet got stuck in what seemed to be tree sap, which I have absolutely no idea where they got so much, but they must have poured it onto the ice hot because when he stepped in it, it was just sticky enough to catch his feet, and then harden entirely. And then, declaring that he had committed an act of war by not retreating, the twins opened fire. Half the village heard his colorful screaming, but by the time I got there, the kids were gone, and it took an hour to convince Snotlout to leave his boots behind, because he was freezing and the boots weren't budging. They're still there, in case you were wondering. Anyways. Astrid rounded them up, and has been scaring the Hel out of them for about half an hour now, since Tuff isn't really known for lecturing his kids, and I'm pretty sure it was his idea in the first place. But you two should probably go at least try to look disappointed for a few minutes, just long enough for them to apologize to Snotlout and hear that they get to clean Hookfang's stall for a month. Sound manageable?"

It was Eret's turn to sigh. "Ruff, were you really that bad as a kid?"

She smiled demurely. "Oh, no." At Hiccup's snort, she laughed. "Far worse."

"Well, at least you're not training them to be miscreants like your brother is, right? Wait, I don't want to know. Don't tell me."

They all laughed then. "Alright," Hiccup said. "You think you can go assist? They're in the Great Hall."

"Yeah, we can do that. Hey, Winter, are you—" James just held out the swords, and Eret whistled appreciatively. "Look at that shine! Absolutely gorgeous. Better than new! You're a miracle worker. Thanks for this, and for letting me talk your ear off. I hope we meet again soon." In a few efficient motions, he had the blades sheathed and strapped across him.

"The pleasure was all mine," James replied. "Good luck."

"Thanks," Eret rolled his eyes. "Another day, another disaster. Let's go, Ruff."

"You coming, Hic?" Ruffnut asked.

"No, I think I'll sit this one out. I don't think I'm as scary as Astrid."

She pouted. "So, you're saying we have to walk up there?"

"Hey, it wasn't snowing when we got here. I'm sure it'll stay that way long enough for your walk. You could also use the time to formulate a plan for how you're going to attempt to reprimand your son and then let him off the hook after a day or two."

"You know us too well," Eret laughed. "Farewell, then. Come on, dear." He scooted past Toothless, and as Ruffnut followed she winked at Winter.

"Keep up the good work, stud." His face flooded with heat, but she was already patting Hiccup's cheek. "Thanks, Chiefy. You're the best."

As she walked out, he heard her grumble loudly, "Damn it's cold! Explain to me why Skullcrusher isn't here again?"

Then Hiccup shut the door with a chuckle. "Mind if I sit here for a few minutes?"

"This is your place, not mine," James replied. "Sorry about the mess."

"It's always messy, and it's your place now, too, you know."

James frowned slightly, turning so the Chief couldn't see his face and busying himself polishing another sword. "If only," he murmured softly.

He heard some quiet clanking and glanced up to see Hiccup clearing off one of the counters, moving some scraps to the side before laying the hilt of his fire sword down. Reaching around, he plucked a number of small tools out of random piles, somehow knowing exactly where to find what he was looking for. He caught James staring and smiled ruefully. "Something is sticking when I try to release the blade, and instead of extending properly it just jams and sends out a spurt of fire."

"Ah." James had no idea how to even begin constructing something like that, so he knew he wouldn't be of any assistance. "Wish I could help, but I'd probably break it or blow something up, so I'll let you take care of it."

"I'll gladly show you how it works sometime. You may or may not want one for yourself, I know Aeri decided against it, but it's a pretty interesting piece of equipment."

"Interesting is one way to describe it."

The Chief chuckled. "It's the kindest way to describe most of the things I come up with. Have you spoken much with Eret before?"

"No, this is the first time we've really met." James turned back to the sword in his hands, methodically polishing the blade.

"He's a good man. We're lucky to have him around."

"He said he's not from here."

"No, no he's not. He doesn't much talk about his old life."

"I don't know much about it, but the transition was quite interesting to hear about."

"Oh, so he told you about the trapping, then?"

"And, uh, his old employer."

Hiccup's voice didn't change at all. "Of course. Drago was certainly a major part of that story."

"I'd never heard that side of it before."

"Most people don't. There are some things that are often left out when history is retold."

"That's what Eret said." James couldn't help but think of Aeri's grandfather. How had Hiccup been able to move past that? His father had been killed by his best friend. Death was hard enough to cope with as it was, let alone like that.

"What are you thinking?"

Startled, James nearly dropped the sword, then looked up sheepishly to see the Chief watching him. "Oh, uh, nothing." When Hiccup raised a brow, he sighed. "Just… I'm just thinking about the story." He didn't want to reveal that he knew about Stoick's death. That seemed far too personal to bring up, or ask questions about.

"I take it some of that new information has changed your perception of a few things."

"Uh, yeah." Unable to resist, he glanced over to where Toothless was dozing by the door, curled up like a giant kitten. Then he hurriedly looked down again, focusing on the sword, which couldn't get any shinier even if he tried.

"Winter."

Reluctantly, James met the Chief's gaze, finding the intense green trained on him with unusual gentleness. "Yes?"

"If you have a question, you aren't going to hurt anyone by asking. If I don't have an answer or don't want to answer, I'll tell you. So, what's on your mind?"

James tried but couldn't suppress a grimace. "I… I just can't believe it," he said quietly, not wanting to wake Toothless. "How do you get past something like that?"

Aeri's father smiled kindly. "Think of it this way. If someone shot you with a bow and arrow, would you blame the bow, or the person holding it? Toothless was used. I do not blame him for the death of my father. No one who knows the whole story does. The sad thing is, though, that my best friend isn't just a bow, a weapon to be picked up or cast aside at will. He is a sentient being. He bears a terrible burden, because he feels that he is ultimately responsible for the act. But I know that he is not at fault for what happened. He doesn't need forgiveness, because he didn't do anything wrong. If he were in any way to blame, then I would be even more so. After all, my father sacrificed himself to save my life. In those first few months, though, when the both of us would wake up in the middle of the night, crying out from our nightmares, the only reassurance we could offer each other was that there was nothing we could have done to change what happened."

James really didn't know what to say. Mute, he looked back over at Toothless, and realized with a start that the dragon's vivid green eyes were open, and trained on him. His breath caught as he got the distinct feeling that the Night Fury could read his thoughts, and was scrutinizing his entire character. Though he felt guilty, he somehow knew he shouldn't look away, so he steeled himself, doing his best to meet Toothless's regard as respectfully as possible.

After what seemed like an eternity, the dragon shifted his gaze to his best friend, expression softening, and James felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

Hiccup was still smiling slightly, though he wasn't looking at James anymore. He and his dragon seemed to be communicating without words, so much so that James felt like he was intruding. What would it be like to be so attuned to Sahko? He generally had a vague idea of what the Skrill was thinking, but this was something else. Something far more complex, far more intimate, and far more special.

Sheepishly, he looked down, turning the blade over and over in his hands. In that moment, he wished so desperately that he belonged here that his heart seemed to ache.

"I almost forgot."

James turned to see Aeri's father smiling cheerfully again. "What?"

"I left Aeri with Kai hours ago. I told her I'd be gone for ten minutes. How about we go rescue her, and then we could all go get some dinner?"

It was bittersweet, how sad it made him that these wonderful people seemed so willing to accept him and bring him into the fold. "That seems like a valiant endeavor."

"Heroic, even. Put your shirt back on and I'll gladly lead you to civilized company."

James had to chuckle at that. He knew in his very soul that he would never forget moments like this, no matter how short a time he might have left. The gods had shown him a heaven, and he would cling to it as he rotted in hell.

Shade was starting to get frustrated.

Ash was nowhere to be found. He'd searched the village, then searched it again, then once more for good measure. He'd checked the cove, finding no trace of her. Snowstorms made it impossible to pick up a scent or trail, and he wasn't feeling entirely up to fighting the elements for hours at a time yet. So he searched the village again, ignoring the curious stares and whispers that followed him.

Once again, he found no sign of her, and sat down in the snow with a huff. She was somewhere on the island, but how was he supposed to find her? Maybe he should-

"Shade?"

It was Cinder. Shade did his best to hide his irritation. "Hey, Cinder."

"Holly and I are leaving to fly to the colony with the other Furies soon."

"They're all going?"

"Yeah. Some of them aren't handling Svar's sentence so well, and they're ready to go home."

There was that prickling guilt again. "I understand," he said quietly. "How's Holly holding up?"

Cinder grimaced. "She's hanging in there. The past few days have been rough, but she'll be okay. There's not much I can say to make it any easier for her, but she's strong, and she knows that you didn't have a choice."

The prickling guilt was starting to burn. "I'm sorry, Cinder. I wish-"

"I know you never intended for anyone else to get hurt, Shade. Holly knows it, even Palo understands. Svar went too far. He had to be punished. You did the right thing, and no one is holding it against you. Don't feel guilty that you were the one to decide his fate. He's the one who crossed the line, several times. Their pain is a direct result of his actions. And it's not like you're not hurting from all this. Remember what I said? Out of the three of you, you have the least reason to feel sorry."

Shade looked down. "But I am sorry."

"That's because you care, Shade. It was a difficult position to be in, but I personally believe it was the best decision you could've made."

"I just wish things would go more easily for a while. But it doesn't look likely to improve anytime soon."

Cinder nodded. "You'll figure it out. Don't worry."

He felt a surge of frustration. "How am I supposed to figure it out when I can't even-" he cut off abruptly, scowling at the ground.

"Can't even what?"

A soft growl escaped him. "Can't even try to work out my biggest problem. Because I can't freaking find her."

"Oh."

Shade glanced up at Cinder. His face was carefully blank, looking far too innocuous. Immediately he narrowed his eyes. "I can't believe this. You know where she is. Why wouldn't you tell me that?! You know I've been going crazy looking for her!"

"Hey," Cinder said defensively. "You never asked."

A much louder growl tore through the air. "Damn it, Cinder! Tell me where she is!"

"I can't."

"Can't, or won't?"

"Does it matter?"

"Does it- of course it matters! What do you think I'm going to do? Attack her? I want to fix this!"

Cinder looked sympathetic. "Look, even if I hadn't promised not to tell anyone, I couldn't."

"Why?" he hissed through gritted teeth.

"Because I don't know where she is now."

"What?" It hadn't occurred to him that she might not be staying in one place. Which meant it would be nearly impossible to find her, unless she decided she wanted to be found. He groaned loudly, wondering if perhaps he was destined to be alone for the rest of his life after all.

"Well, I think I'll go get lost in the forest and die of starvation after losing what little remains of my sanity now. Nice knowing you, Cinder."

The older male gave a surprised laugh.

"I'm glad someone is enjoying this," Shade gave him a withering glare.

Cinder's expression quickly became serious once again. "Ah, no, not at all. How about this, I'll tell you the last place I saw her, and you can go investigate?"

"I guess that's the closest thing to progress that I've made in the last few days. Where was she?"

A short while later, he landed on the deserted cliff top. The forest surrounded the small clearing, dark and quiet. Glancing around, he saw no sign of recent activity, and sighed. No footprints, no sign of a fire...

He sat on his haunches, sighing again. The wind whipped around him, freezing cold and carrying the scent of the churning sea below. Despair began to creep over him. He wanted so badly to find her, but what if she decided she never wanted to return to the village? What if she wasn't even on Berk anymore at all?

Staring at the flat snowy ground, he pictured her face, her smile, heard her voice- Then he frowned. The flat, snowy ground. It seemed undisturbed, but now that he was really looking at it, it was a little too smooth. Almost as if it had been intentionally cleared...

The wind shifted and he stiffened. He was not alone out here. He knew the scent, but couldn't place it... As nonchalantly as he could, he stood and began to meander aimlessly, or so he hoped it appeared. When he got to the bushes, he looked away deliberately, then leapt through them without warning. As he had anticipated, he slammed into another body, and they tumbled end over end until he pinned them with a ferocious growl, staring down menacingly... And then he realized who he was on top of, and hurriedly jumped off, his surprise entirely extinguishing his aggression.

"Was that really necessary?"

"Was it really necessary to hide from me?"

Kiva rolled her eyes as she got back on her feet. "A simple "sorry" would suffice."

"Sorry. What are you doing out here? Aren't you going to back to the colony with Cinder and the others?"

"You're a lot stronger than you look, and you look very strong. Yep, that's gonna leave a few bruises."

It was Shade's turn to roll his eyes. "I already apologized. Now you know, don't spy on dragons who are close enough to smell you. Answer the questions."

She sniffed. "A little politeness goes a long way."

"Ugh. Fine. Answer the questions, please."

"I guess that's as nice as you get. Well, I was just tidying up. And yes, I'm leaving. I was about to go back, then I saw you, and figured I should keep an eye on you."

"What?"

"You know, make sure you don't cause any trouble?"

"Yeah, I got that. I mean, why were you tidying up?"

"I didn't want to leave any evidence behind."

"Why?"

"So no one would know that-" she quickly shut her mouth, her expression clearly betraying that she knew she had said too much.

"Would know what? That Ash had been here?"

"Uh-"

"Save it. Do you know where she is now?"

She shook her head, and he snorted impatiently. "Liar. Why won't anyone tell me? What do you think I'm going to do to her? I'm not Svar, I'm not going to hurt her. I just want to talk to her."

"About what?"

"About the weather. What do you think I want to talk to her about? Come on, Kiva. Where is she?"

She now had the same sympathetic expression that Cinder had. "I told her I wouldn't tell anyone."

"But why? Why is she hiding?"

"She's trying to work some stuff out. She didn't think she could ever go back-"

"Did she leave? I can't believe it. This is just-"

"But we changed her mind."

He sighed with relief. "So she's still on Berk?"

"Yes, but she's not ready to go back yet."

"Why not?"

"She almost got you killed, Shade. The son of the Alpha and the dragons that saved her life and took her in. She thinks that's unforgivable. She's not quite over it yet."

His irritation was beginning to return. "Well I'm 'not quite over it' either, but I'm still trying to work through it. I can't actually do that without her, though. Please, Kiva. I know that you have no reason to want to, but I need your help."

"You're wrong there. I do want to help you. You were right, I wasn't actually in love with you. I really don't know you at all. Even if I did, I still wouldn't be right for you, and I get that you wouldn't make me as happy as I thought you could. Not only that, but I love Ash, and I'm worried about her. She hasn't really been eating, and I don't think that's going to change without Cinder and I bringing her food."

Concern rippled through him. "Then it's important that I find her sooner rather than later. We'll figure it out-"

"I hope you will, but it won't happen until she's ready for it to."

"And it won't happen at all if she starves to death!"

"Don't worry. I'll make sure she's taken care of."

"But-"

"But nothing. You need to be patient. She'll come to you. She loves you, which is why she's so messed up. Seeing you hurt and nearly killed because of her is tearing her apart."

"How long do I need to be patient? I feel like I should have a say in this, seeing as how I'm the one who almost died. Does it seem like I'm not also being torn up? Because I assure you, the pain of almost dying is nothing compared to what my heart is going through right now. She's the reason I vowed never to feel again, she's the reason I decided to give it another chance, and I should regret that but I don't. She could've been the one to try and kill me and I still wouldn't change any of it. So you know what? Fine. I'll wait for her. I'll wait the rest of my gods-damned life if I have to. And since you're going to go straight to her after I leave, I'm counting on you to make sure she gets that message. I'm counting on you to make sure she doesn't starve to death, or stay out here forever. Can I trust you to do that?"

Kiva seemed taken aback, but then she smiled. "You can. Now go home. I'm sure we will see each other again, and you can thank me then. Goodbye, Shade."

Though it pained him, he nodded. "Goodbye, Kiva. Be safe. And... Thank you." And he left, swallowing his hurt and preparing himself to wait as long as it took for her to come back. I love you, he thought fervently. Please come home soon.

She stared at the wall, trying to comprehend the warmth that had suddenly begun permeating the cold numbness surrounding her. Kiva was gone, leaving behind a pile of fish and a tiny flicker of hope. She didn't understand why he was seeking her out, after everything. He couldn't love her now. And even if he could, no one else would forgive her.

Slowly, the warmth faded, and the cold reigned supreme. If you don't return on your own in the next few days, someone will be coming to get you. And you need to be ready.

How could she be ready? That was stupid. She just wanted to be alone. That's not true, the voice in her head challenged. You want to go home. You don't want to live without them. Without him.

With a whimper, she shut her eyes and curled into a ball. Why did it have to end up like this? She missed him so much, her feelings for him a punishing ache in her chest. Her body felt strange, as if it was rebelling against her mental state.

A few days. It seemed like an eternity, and yet not long enough. Her thoughts circled like vultures, waiting to devour her, and miserably she sank into an uneasy sleep.

Svar had been flying for days. He hadn't stopped to eat or sleep, determined to fly off the edge of the world. At one point, he had vaguely registered that the air was not so cold, but that was the most he had allowed himself to think. There was no point in allowing himself to ruminate, to be angry or miserable or afraid. He didn't care where he was, so long as it eventually led to the end of the world, and the end of him.

So focused was he on the horizon, and not on his surroundings, that he didn't see the net until it hit him with a stinging slap. Screeching, he tumbled from the sky, the weighted trap tangled around his wings and tail. Finally, he hit the water, so hard that the air was forced from his lungs, and desperately, he clawed at the net. Horror dawned when he realized that it was made of metal wires, but he continued to struggle, slowly sinking beneath the surface of the waves.

The harder he pushed against the net, the deeper the wires dug into his hide, but he could barely feel the pain in his panic. Suddenly, something caught on the wires, and he was hauled upwards and out of the water. He was dumped onto a hard surface, and for a moment he just lay there, gasping for breath and staring up at the blue sky. The roaring in his ears died down until he could hear harsh shouting, and he realized with a sense of foreboding that he was on a human ship. He'd never encountered any humans other than those living on Berk, though he knew they were out there, and he knew they were not always friendly to dragons. He had a horrible feeling that the humans who had just shot him out of the sky were not of the same mind as the jovial, kind people he was familiar with.

His panic returning, he began to thrash around, knowing that he had to escape, that he was in terrible danger.

"Restrain it!"

Then he was being dragged across the wooden deck, and he could see the humans, big, mean-looking men holding big, mean-looking weapons. Futilely, he fought against the wires, hissing and snarling.

An especially nasty brute approached him with a leer on his scarred face, raising a long, barbed spear. Svar immediately hated him, and stared him down, his fear mingling with his anger.

Right before the jagged metal made contact with his hide, a new voice called out, "Hold!"

Immediately the spear was pulled away, and all noise ceased, beyond the lapping of the water against the hull and the creaking of the sails. Then he could hear footsteps, an unhurried gait in his direction. They stopped, and Svar worried what was coming next.

"I don't believe it."

A face loomed in his vision, masked below dark, calculating eyes.

"So there are more of you."

It wasn't a question, and Svar wondered frantically what that meant.

"Oh yes," the human continued. "You have different eyes, and you're smaller, but you are definitely the same species."

What?

"I'll admit, I'm a little disappointed, but you'll still be worth a pretty penny, no doubt about that. But maybe..." The calculating look was back. "Maybe you can assist me with something. As you may have gathered, I capture dragons for profit, and, admittedly, a little fun. However, I've been looking for a specific dragon, for quite some time. You're the first lead I've had since my best hunter deserted my cause."

If Svar hadn't been sure before, he now knew with certainty that these humans were bad news. But what the human said next shocked him to his core.

"The dragon I'm looking for is like you, that is, the same species. He's big, and travels with a girl. Oh, and his eyes are bright blue."

Oh, no. No, no, no.

She must have seen recognition flash in his eyes, because she let out a low chuckle.

"So you know them. Excellent. Here's how this is going to work. You will lead me to them, and in return, I will let you live. How does that sound?"

Lead her to Berk? This was the woman who had destroyed the refugees' home, the reason they had come to Berk in the first place. As much as he disliked the place at the moment, there was no way he'd willingly put so many innocent lives at risk. Not to mention, he wasn't really interested in risking the Alpha's wrath by returning.

"Don't make this harder than it has to be," the woman purred. "That girl and her dragon have caused me a great deal of trouble. I just want to settle the score between us."

She was lying. He knew it in his bones, and angry, he snarled at her, wishing he could tell her exactly where she could shove her talk of settling scores. He wasn't overly fond of Shade by any means, but he could never justify sacrificing hundreds of dragons and humans just so he could have the last laugh over his rival.

She sighed. "Very well. You won't be worth quite so much after this, but I very much want to find them, and, as you will soon discover, I have many ways of getting the things I want."

Some of you guessed that this would happen. Poor Svar. I'm not his biggest fan, but I wouldn't wish running into someone like Surmata on anyone.

So, we spent some time with Eret! I always wondered how things would go for him, and finally decided to give him a bit of a story. I like the idea of Ruffnut calming down and maturing a bit, so that it wouldn't be agonizing to be married to her ;) I also like the idea of Tuffnut cultivating a new generation of delinquents and pranksters. It seems like something he would do.

And I hope you liked that little bit with James and Hiccup. The notion of second chances is perhaps worth thinking about.

Lastly... Oh Ash, what are we going to do with you? How long will we have to wait until you and Shade make up?! ;)

We're close to the end, friends. But there are many questions that have not yet been answered, so I thank you for your patience as you await those resolutions. See you next week! :)