Transfixed a young maiden with long wavy black hair stared out the window. She was in her room and could hear with clarity the battle cries of her neighbors and the screams of the dragons.

Just a normal night on Berk.

Was it absurd that she envies the dragons? Most people saw them as nuisances, but she wanted to fly like them.

Just away from Berk.

Away from a life she didn't choose but had to live it. She sighed and put a bit of hair behind her ear.

Wallow in her misery wouldn't help anyone, she needed to get out and do her job.

Gothi was counting on her.

It just was one of these nights where anything seemed too much.

She wonders sometimes if her best friend felt this hole in his chest too. He may be a born Viking, yet it was clear that in the eyes of the people of Berk and his own father, he was no Viking material.

They put him in the same spot as her the "weird foreign girl".

A knock is heard on her room door and her stepmother, Sigrùn Jonnson, enters her sanctuary from the world.

Under her big belly with her future half-sibling in it, even the proud Viking woman has to gasp for air.

"You should rest.", she says to her stepmother, before she can talk.

"And you should be out helping Gothi with the wounded, Leandra.", reminds her Sigrùn.

"I was on my way."

Not believing it the red-haired woman raises one eyebrow.

"Really? It looks more like you are daydreaming. I swerve to Odin Stoick's boy has you infected with it."

Angry Leandra stands up from her windowsill and grips her pouch, with her ointments and healing herbs in it, slinging it over her shoulder.

"We don't talk about Hiccup! We only seem always to fight when he comes up and frankly it's my free right to be friends with whom I want to be, comprender.", she hisses.

Sigrùr raises her hands in a way to pacify her stepdaughter.

"All right, all right. I won't say a thing. I will go back to bed, your brother is confusing my stomach for a ball. Don't forget to greet your father."

With that Sigrùr waddles away.

"It could be a girl.", Leandra grumbles after her.

She doesn't know if she was heard, but it was important to her to say this. Leandra knows how much her parents want a perfect Viking boy and not another little Spanish senorita like her from her father's first marriage.

It all just sucks.

The black-haired girl goes down the stairs and sees her father stirring the fire in their fireplace.

"Papi.", she calls over to him, already reaching for the door. "I'm off to help Gothi."

"Hasta luego mi amor! And be careful out there."

"Si!"

With that, she steps out and has to dodge already a Gronkel.

Ah yes, nothing better to start her work day!

"I'm sorry, really!", Leandra whines at the old Viking woman and can barely dodge her walking stick.

Gothi shakes her head, scribbling down on the ground.

"That's a bit mean, I know I should be here earlier, I was just distracted."

More scribbles.

"No, Hiccup, hasn't anything to do with it. It's just one of these days."

The old woman gives her a pitiful look and writes down.

"Yeah, you are right. It's tough for me to find my place here.", the black-haired girl signs. "But I like helping you, Gothi."

She gets just a nod as answers and Gothi points out at the fighting Vikings.

"Yes, I will see if someone needs healing."

With that Leandra runs into the fry, careful not to crash into a dragon, looking for Vikings who need healing and ones she needs to send to Gothi.

She may be "the weird foreigner", but her dear neighbors respect and trust in the healing wisdom she learned from Gothi.

The black-haired girl is handing out burn ointment to a few of the men when she sees Mister Svenson holding his right arm tight to his chest.

A quick check on it's clear that it is broken.

"Mister Svenson, please wait here for me. I will stabilize the arm before you can go to Gothi.", she asks him.

"All right, lass."

With that, she runs to the blacksmith stall and calls out: "Gobber, Hiccup, I need some iron poles!"

It's Gobber who greets her, hammering away on an anvil.

"Evening lass, full out on helping the men I see."

She grins and waves at him. Leandra always liked Gobber. Since she can remember he had treated her just like a normal child, never making her feel like an outcast on Berk.

Speaking of outcasted, there was the second one of Berk and her dearest and best friend.

Hiccup has the poles she asked for in his hands, handing them to her.

"Here you are, Lee."

"Thanks, Hic!"

The girl with black wavy hair and tan is my only and best friend Leandra. She is a year older than me and comes originally from a place called Spain. But since her father and she stranded on Berk 10 years ago and her dad fell in love with one of the village women they live here. She is like me on outcast since she isn't a Viking, but she manages to become our village elderapprentice. Once I asked her if she wanted to be a healer in the future and she just told me she is doing this job so she doesn't die of boredom. Yeah, Lee, isn't the biggest fan of Berk. I hear her often mumbling about how she wants to go back to Spain to her grandmother.

"All good with you?", Leandra asks her best friend.

She knows how much he wants to be out there like the other teenagers and help out the grown-ups, but since he is so accident-prone he was basically banished into the blacksmith stall.

"Yeah, all good.", he answers her.

"And about your little, you know.", she pointedly looks in the direction of his new invention.

He gives her a small grin.

"Seems to be ready."

Leandra nods.

"All right, if I get the chance I will join you in your plan, but to be on the save side, good luck, Hic."

"Thanks, Lee!"

With a last wave, Leandra makes her way to Mister Svenson.

It's really dumb luck that Leandra is near the blacksmith stall when she sees Hiccup racing out of it with his invention.

She was currently handing out again burnt ointment and nearly throws it in the face of Mrs. Ingerson.

"Here you go. Gotta go to Gothi, I'm all out!", she lies and ignores the calls for her.

Her best friend needs her moral support!

She finds him on a cliff overlooking the smoking catapult, thanks to the dragon Hiccup so much wants to kill.

"Hiccup, I'm here!"

He turns happily smiling at her.

"Perfect, timing, Lee. Help me set it up?"

"You need to ask?"

Together the two teenagers crank several levers, unfolding and then cocking the bowed arms of his contraption. He drops a bola onto a chamber and then pivots the weapon on a gimbal head toward the dark sky.

Leandra steps back and listens, just like Hiccup for the familiar screech of the Night Furry, while she has her hands in a prayer position.

She hopes the Lord has mercy on Hiccp and gives him this change.

Hiccup's eye is pressed to the scope, hand poised on the trigger.

They hear the Night Fury approaching and Hiccup turns his aim to the defense tower.

It closes in for the final strike, completely camouflaged in the night.

"Come on. Give me something to shoot at, give me something to shoot at.", mutters Hiccup to himself.

Leandra, still praying, mutters too: "Please my Lord, he needs it, please let him shoot it down!"

Boom! The tower topples. The blast of fire illuminates the dragon for a split second.

Hiccup pulls the trigger.

The flexed arms snap forward, springing the weapon off the ground. The bola disappears into the sky, followed by a whack and a screech.

Even if she prayed for it, Leandra can't help it and her chin meets the floor.

Hiccup did it!

"Hic! You did it!", she yells happily and hugs him from behind.

He is like a statue, till he realizes what he did.

"Oh I hit it! Yes, I hit it!", he celebrates.

The boy turns around to hug his best friend better and the two jump around like two crazy kangaroos.

"Wuhu!", shouts Leandra, so happy for Hiccup.

At least one of them would finally fit in!

"Did anybody see that?", ask Hiccup exited.

It's short-lived since when they turn around again the teenagers see a huge Monstrous Nightmare slithering up over the lip of the cliff.

"Except for you.", Hiccup can't help himself and deadpans at the dragon.

The black-haired girl grips his hands and drags him with her.

"Less talking, more running!"

"I know, I was just-"

"Hic, shut it and move these legs of yours!"

Both teens scream like children running through the Plaza, with the Nightmare fast on their heels.

Vikings scatter as Hiccup and Leandra dodge a near-fatal blast. The Nightmare's sticky, Napalm-like fire splashes up onto buildings, setting them alight.

"I swerve to Holy Mary, Hiccup, if we survive this, I'm going to kick your ass!", shrieks Leandra.

"What did I do?! I didn't tell the dragon to follow us!"

The boy makes them duck behind the last standing brazier, the only shelter available.

The Nightmare blasts it, spraying fire all around him.

The two best friends hug each other tight and Hiccup can hear how Leandra is praying to her god, eyes closed and shaking. He never wanted to risk his best friend's life only to get the respect of his father and clan.

This so was not the plan!

But now it seemed that they both are toast.

With a gulp, Hiccup peers around the smoldering post. No sign of the Nightmare.

He turns back to find it leering at him, blocking their escape.

It takes a deep breath.

The boy turns himself and Leandra so around that his back is to the Nightmare and her to the brazier.

It was highly unlikely that they would survive the blast of the dragon, but if his maneuver could protect Lee even just a little bit, he would die happier.

Suddenly, Stoick leaps between them, tackling the Nightmare to the ground. They tumble and wrestle, resuming their earlier fight. The Nightmare tries to toast him, but only coughs up smoke.

"You're all out.", informs Stoick the dragon.

He smashes the Nightmare repeatedly in the face, driving it away. It takes to the air and disappears.

Winded, Stoick turns to Hiccup and Leandra.

The girl has tear streaks going down her tan face, gripping the tunic of his son tight, while Hiccup hugs her too and pets her head to calm her down.

"Gracias a Dios!", mumbles the girl relieved.

Stoick saved them from an early death!

That's when the burnt brazier pole collapses, sending the massive iron basket crashing. It bounces down the hill, destroying as it goes and scattering the Vikings who were holding down the netted Nadders. The freed dragons escape with several sheep in tow.

Both Leandra and Hiccup made faces during the whole scene. It was kind of their fault.

"Sorry, dad."

"I'm sorry, Mister Stoick."

The escaped Nadders fly past with sheep in their clutches.

The raid is over.

The dragons have clearly won.

The murmuring crowd eyes Stoick, awaiting his response.

"Okay, but I hit a Night Fury.", says Hiccup sheepish.

For a moment Stoick ignores his son to look at the young maiden beside him. The girl is still shaking and didn't stop crying.

He gives her a little head pat and calls out to her father: "Gustavo, get your daughter."

Leandra can't even look that fast, as her papi takes her in his arms and Stoick grips Hiccup by the back scruff of his collar and hauls him away, fuming with embarrassment.

The girl knows what is going to happen and wants to step out of the embrace of her father, but he hugs her tighter.

"No mi amor you stay put, I nearly lost you, let your papi hold you."

"B-But-"

"No, but!"

Meanwhile, Hiccup tries to talk to his father: "It's not like the last few times, Dad. I mean I really actually hit it. You guys were busy and I had a very clear shot. It went down, just off Raven Point. Let's get a search party out there, before it—"

"STOP! Just...stop.", say's Stoick.

He releases Hiccup. Everyone goes silent, staring expectantly. Leandra bites her lips. This will not end well for her best friend.

"Every time you step outside, disaster follows.", Stoick nearly growls to his son. "Can you not see that I have bigger problems? Winter's almost here and I have an entire village to feed!"

Hiccup looks around. All eyes are upon him. Only Leandra's eyes are friendly and worried for him. She is still crying.

Damn, he hates to make her cry.

Maybe that's why he jokingly says: "Between you and me, the village could do with a little less feeding, don't ya think?"

A few rotund Vikings stir self-consciously. The black-haired girl can't help to crack a smile.

"This isn't a joke, Hiccup! Why can't you follow the simplest orders?"

"Mister Stoick.", calls Leandra out and sniffs her last tears away. "Please, Hiccup didn't lie. I was with him when he shout down the Night Furry."

"You are a good lass, Leandra, but this is between me and my son.", reprimand her the chief.

Before she can say more her father commands practically: "Suficiente Leandra!"

So she shuts up and looks at the ground frowning.

"I can't stop myself.", speaks Hiccup up and hopes so to get the nasty looks away from Leandra. She didn't deserve them. She just helped him and was now probably scarred for life. "I see a dragon and I have to just... kill it, you know? It's who I am, Dad."

"You are many things, Hiccup. But a dragon killer is not one of them."

Autsch, this hurts!

Leandra looks at her best friend sad, while the other Vikings agree with Stoick.

"Get back to the house.", wants Stoick from his son.

Gobber comes up and gives Hiccup a little slap on the back of his head.

"Make sure he gets there.", Stoick tells Gobber. "I have his mess to clean up."

Leandra wants to follow them, but her papi takes hold of her hand and leads them to their house.

"That was enough excitement for a night, young lady. We are going home!"

The black-haired maiden signs.

Oh, she will hear on earful when Sigrùr hears about all this.

Yeah!

Dictionary:

Comprender…. Understand

Papi….Dad

Hasta luego mi amor…. See you later my love

Gracias a Dios….Thank god

Suficiente Leandra….Enough Leandra

I don't speak Spanish, so I used old google translator for it I hope it's right!