Toothless flew over and grabbed Zephyr by her shoulders with his claws. Shadow Streak rawred, looking quizzically at Zephyr. Zephyr groaned. Toothless flew her out of the crystal cave through the Alpha Crystal room, the Dragon Kingdom, and the Moss Columns to the waterfalls. They exited The Hidden World after getting thoroughly soaked. Shadow Steak stopped following them at the entrance.

Zephyr didn't know how long Toothless flew with her. Her shoulders hurt and she was exhausted after sailing away from New Berk and riding Shadow Streak. And now she was most definitely going to get a serious punishment, well from her mom, if the backup plan didn't go correctly.

A boat appeared on the horizon. Toothless zipped down and perched on the edge of the boat, dropping Zephyr onto the wooden planks. Her mom rushed over from the steering oar.

"Are you okay?" her mom asked. "Zephyr, what were you thinking?"

"There was nothing to be worried about," Zephyr said.

"Fishing boats have been disappearing! You shouldn't have been sailing alone in the first place."

Toothless growled at Zephyr.

"Thank you," her mom said to Toothless.

He jumped up from the boat and flew away.

"Now we need to get back home," her mom said. "Your father and brother will be waiting for us."

"How did you know I was going to The Hidden World?" Zephyr asked.

"All you would talk about was dragons since you were eight," her mom replied, sitting back by the steering oar.


Zephyr and her mom approached their hut. It had a porch in the front with a firepit for cooking. The sun was just setting on the horizon and they could smell the freshly cooked dinner. Her mom opened the door, revealing her brother sitting on a chair next to the dining table.

"We're home!" her mom called.

"Great," Zephyr said. "Just let all of New Berk know we're home."

"What's the harm in that?" Nuffink said. "Practically all of New Berk knew you were gone."

"What?" Zephyr said, turning to her mom.

"It's nothing," her mom responded. "Now I'm going to get your father." She headed to the back.

"How was your trip?" Nuffink asked sarcastically.

"Great," Zephyr said. "Once I got off the docks it was smooth sailing."

"Not anymore," Nuffink said. "You knew what you were doing."

"I still do," Zephyr responded smugly.

Two shadows spread over the room; one was her mom with her disappointed glare the other…was her father. The chief of New Berk. A Viking with a pegleg and a love of dragons that might have been even greater than Zephyr's.

"Hi, dad," Zephyr said.

"How's Shadow Streak?" he responded, pulling a chair out from the dining table. That wasn't the greeting she had expected. This was going to be easier than she thought.

"Good," Zephyr said. "Toothless seemed fine too."

"Was Crackle anywhere to be seen?" her dad asked, sitting down. Her strategy appeared to be working. As long as she told him about all the dragons he would have to agree that it was perfectly fine for her to go to The Hidden World by herself.

"He was hiding in the shadows as always," Zephyr said.

"How was your voyage to The Hidden World?"

"Speaking about that," her mom said, facing her dad, then turning to Zephyr. "You shouldn't have sailed out there all alone."

"I didn't say that," Zephyr's dad said.

Yes! It was working.

"What?" her mom inquired with shock.

"She's sixteen now," Zephyr's father said. "Maybe it's time we let her have a little more freedom. By the time I was fifteen my dad didn't really care where I went off to in the woods on Old Berk. That's how I met Toothless."

"But our boats have been disappearing all over the place. We can't let our children sail around the world."

"It's probably nothing. They might have gotten lost. There's no reason to believe that they were ambushed."

"Yes, there is! We fought Dagur, Ryker, Viggo, Krogan, Johann, Drago Bloodfist, and Grimmel. There are still immoral people in the world," Zephyr's mom said.

Zephyr's dad stood up and sighed. "I know there are. It's just hard to believe we have to face something like this again. I guess I thought that after the dragons went away…everything would calm down."

Her parents kissed and Nuffink stuck out his tongue. Zephyr slapped him on the back of his head.

Zephyr's mom walked over to her. "Now that doesn't mean you're off the hook."

"Dad?" Zephyr said turning towards her father.

"Your mother's right," her father said. "What do you think would be the appropriate punishment?"

"Every punishment should fit its crime," her mother said. "You're going to learn how to fight. Every day in the morning with Nuffink."

"No way," Zephyr said.

"I didn't get to vote on this!" Nuffink added.

"Dinner will be ready in a few minutes," her mom said before leaving the room with her father.

Zephyr and Nuffink both went to their rooms.


Ever since fishing boats started disappearing Zephyr and her family had visited The Hidden World way less. Her dad's duties as chief got in the way of so many things. Whenever her friends were doing something fun her dad would hold a big meeting they had to attend. And when she did see her dad, it was no less than a few hours, and nowadays, they never went to The Hidden World.

"Zephyr?" Zephyr's mother said. "Are you listening to me?"

"Uh-huh," Zephyr lied, snapping back to reality outside the back of her home. She tightened her grip on the dagger she was holding.

Nuffink looked at as if he was trying to read her mind.

Their mother started lecturing again. Zephyr didn't pay any attention though. She was thinking about dragons. There was only so much the Book of Dragons could fulfill. It told you about dragons, but you couldn't fly them. You couldn't behold the overwhelming magnificence of a dragon's presence.

Which is why she was going back to The Hidden World. Somehow, someday, she'd go back. Soon, because there wasn't much that could keep her from a dragon.