000

Toothless kept a safe distance from the Terrible Terror he was following. He wasn't too concerned on being noticed. Terrors were known for their short attention spans and lack of awareness to their surroundings. After Hiccup had been captured, he did a once over of the island, looking for said dragon. He counted himself lucky being above the spot the Terror broke through the trees and flew into the open seas. And he had a pretty good assumption of where the Terror was going. More specifically. To whom he was going to.

He had followed the Terror all night and well into the early hours of the morning, just as the sun was peaking over the horizon. Toothless began getting concerned. Had he made a mistake? Had he followed the wrong Terror from the island? He was flying in the opposite direction of the people who captured Hiccup. And he had no idea where they were taking him. He was putting all his faith into him. Hoping he'd have a change of heart just this once. Well, considering what he was up to this entire time, Toothless had a feeling he wouldn't refused.

The sun was halfway up in the sky when he spotted an island in the distance. He hadn't come across any major Viking settlements or islands recently. And this island, which looked no bigger than Changewing Isle, even as he approached, did not even seem to be on the many maps that he and Hiccup charted over their travels.

"He really didn't want anyone finding him."

As the terror dove for the island, he noticed a small camp in the centre of the island, with massive holes surrounding the main tent. Toothless wouldn't wait for him. Time was the utmost importance. And Hiccup was running out of it every minute. He dove straight for the camp, the impact sending up dust and the tent's entrance. He waited, seeing if he'd come out of his tent and talk. If not, he was going to burn his home down.

"I know you're here!" He growled, looking around and keeping an eye on the Whispering Death holes. Which he's all too familiar with. "Come on out or burn everything!" He fired a warning shot at the fire-pit in the centre of the camp. He felt the ground rumble underneath him. Toothless felt the tremors directed to one hole, before a massive Whispering Death emerged from the hole, body littered with scars, and that dead stare in its eyes. Toothless only huffed in annoyance. "Hello Bladewing."

"You're not supposed to be here." The dragon said before turning away to examine the damage.

"It wasn't my choice. Look, Hiccup's been captured by dragon trappers. I need your and his help-"

"You know damn well that he and I want nothing to do with him." His ears flattened against his head at the tone.

"Bladewing, please! You have to listen to reason!" The dragon stilled, and Toothless felt the air drain out of the area.

"Listen to reason?" Bladewing turned around. Toothless was on alert. Bladewing was a warrior dragon before and during the massacre. He himself mentored Toothless on fighting. Facing the Whispering Death was the last thing he wanted to do on this mission for aid. "If you remember, his reason did this to me!" He spread his body, and moved his head from side to side, gesturing to the scars. "We were the only dragons to survive that day. All the others were butchered!"

"I know! I know! I was there."

"Then you very well know why we won't help."

Toothless took a deep breath in, ears perking when he heard footsteps. "Well, well, isn't this a surprise." He looked to see the only other surviving Jormung, boar slung over his shoulder and javelin in hand. His six-foot four stature was still as intimidating the last time he saw him. His cold, blue eyes were another memory of the last time they saw each other.

"Ripper." He didn't realize he'd held his breath. He watched his former friend walk to the slightly charred table by the fire-pit, smirking as he placed the boar on it.

"If you were hungry you could have just waited you know. Or fish for yourself." He turned around, leaning back against the table and folding his arms. "What do you want?"

"Hiccup's been captured. I can't get him back on my own. I need your help."

"Yeah... I'm not interested." He said, pulling out his dagger, turning around and proceeding to gut and clean the boar. Toothless on the other hand, held a disbelieving stare.

"Just like that?"

"Were you expecting me to jump onto Bladewing and just rush in there?" He asked as he slit the belly of the boar in one clean motion and began to pull the innards out.

"No, I wasn't. But he's still your blood-brother, Ripper. You two were thick as thieves back then."

"That was before he fucked everything up. Forgive me if I'm not the least bit concerned in him losing his head."

"I wasn't. Because you were going to go after him regardless of me asking for help, weren't you." Ripper stilled his actions, finally glancing in Toothless' direction. "How do you think I found you? I'm not a tracking dragon by any means. I followed the Terror that you sent to Changewing Isle."

"I'll give you points for creativity Toothless."

"Cut the dragon shit with me, Ripper. I notice the dragons that visit. Different, seemingly random Terrors showing up for a day or two and then leaving...all in the same direction? It could only be you sending them. To keep tabs on Hiccup." Ripper reached for a rag to wipe the blood of his hands, briefly glancing at one of the larger holes in his camp. "Those dragons you sent was your way of making sure Hiccup was never in trouble, and always safe." Ripper finally turned his full attention to Toothless. "You can continue lying to yourself about how you don't care about him after the massacre, that you wished he died instead of Laia, but the truth is, you'll always be his big brother. You'll always be his best friend."

"Yeah, I said those things. And I meant every single word, Toothless. And you're wrong about those dragons." Ripper said as he began walking towards Toothless. "They were not to make sure he was safe. I sent them to update me on his location every few weeks. I sent them to make sure I knew where he was so that I could be somewhere far, far away from him." He was nose-to-nose with Toothless now. "Where I make home, depends on where you two are. The farther you move in the opposite direction, the better. The closer? I just pack and head somewhere else. I never want anything do with him again. If you ask me, fate's finally caught up to him." Ripper turned his back on the Night Fury, walking back to the table.

Toothless couldn't believe what he just heard. He never suspected Ripper's hatred to run this deep. But he wasn't going to give up. There was one more tactic he could try. Bladewing might kill him for it but, he had no other option. "Laia would be beyond disappointed in the man you've become." Ripper halted in his tracks and Bladewing was immediately face to face with Toothless, but he barely flinched.

"Don't you DARE bring her name into this!"

"But it's true isn't it. What she loved about you was your compassion and love for others. Especially for Hiccup! She saw you as his big brother! Hel, she was concerned that she'd ruin the friendship between the two of you before your relationship. She sent you to check up on him during the massacre! To make sure he was safe! I know you blame him for her death, but please remember what she'd have wanted. For the two of you to stick together."

He couldn't see if he was getting through to Ripper or not. Bladewing's enormous head was still in the way. "Just say the word Ripper, and I'll rip his wings off." Bladewing snarled. Toothless wasn't there to see the pain and misery Ripper went through when they parted ways. They weren't there to hear the countless nights of cries and wails and curses.

They weren't there to see him try and take his own life.

"Please, Ripper. Just this once. Help him just this once, and we will go where there'll never be the chance of running into each other. And if not for that, for Laia. Just this once, please!" Bladewing inched closer, opening his jaw, and for a brief second, Toothless trembled under the massive dragon's jaws.

"Hold Bladewing." Toothless breathed out a sigh of relief as the dragon closed his jaw, huffed in his face, and moved aside, but soon wished Bladewing was in his face again. Because the death glare Ripper was sending him would have made a Skrill tremble in terror. "You're lucky I still have some respect for you. Because dragon or not, I would have slaughtered anyone else who spoke her name." He turned around once again, gathering all the innards and carcass of the boar.

"But you're right. She would have wanted me to save him. But just this once Toothless, and after that I never want to see the two of you ever again." He began walking to, what Toothless noticed, was the largest hole in the camp by far. Much bigger than something Bladewing would have dug. "What are their numbers?"

"Uh, they had three ships. And I don't know how far they've gotten and whether they've met up with others."

"That's quite alright. We have enough firepower here." He said as he reached the edge of the hole.

"How? It's only the three of us against who knows how many. We need more dragons."

"Just one more should do." Ripper said as he tossed the boar into the hole, and stared into the apparent abyss. He waited, never hearing the boar make contact with the hole's inevitable ground; but he couldn't help the smirk inching across his face at the blood-curdling roar that would have sent any known Viking fleeing.

000

Hiccup had never been on a ship before. Growing up in a region only accessible by dragons had made them, to his people, rather redundant. To think, that riding on the back of the fastest dragon alive, performing unimaginable maneuvers that would knock the wind out of any regular Viking, not once made him sick. The rocking and swaying of the ship on the other hand... He was glad his stomach was empty. Otherwise whatever he'd eaten in the last few hours would be moving about the floor.

His captors weren't taking any chances. He wasn't placed in the brig. They believed no ordinary cell would hold him. Instead, they placed him in the dragon hold. Iron cuffs securing his wrists, arms above his head with chains secured to the ceiling. Countless efforts of pulling and attempting to loosen the fastenings were in vain. These were made to hold dragons. And even though he was a Jormung, he wasn't as strong as a dragon.

He didn't know if Toothless would come. If anything, he hoped his best friend would never return for him. It would be best for the Night Fury to live out the rest of his years without constantly looking over his shoulder.

They had been at sea for a few days now. His only way of keeping time through the small port-hole in his cell. No way of telling where they were or which direction they were heading.

The blonde Viking was the only one coming down, handing him food and water. She'd lower the chains down so he could eat, with her always keeping watch. Neither saying a word to each other. And to think he believed for a second she was...different...from the rest of them. He should have known better.

After all, it was that same hope that that his people paid the ultimate price for.

000

She should have been happy. Just a few days ago she, Astrid Hofferson, proud daughter and oldest child of Bjornson and Asta Hofferson, had aided in the capture of a Jormung. Ever since her Uncle Finn's untimely demise, and subsequent shame brought upon her family, this feat would not only reinstate her family's honour, it would remind Berk that the Hoffersons will always be a clan deserving of respect for their bravery, loyalty, and their warrior prowess.

"Why have we changed course?" Hence the reason for her unhappiness.

She had confronted Eret on the main deck. Said man bore a sheepish grin while holding his hands up, glancing around at his men for some support. Unsurprisingly, all them were keeping busy. They learned that no one should interfere in any confrontation with an annoyed Hofferson.

"Well, I might have failed to mention a prior agreement with the Berserker Chief."

"You made an agreement? With Dagur the Deranged?"

"It was if I ever caught the Jormung, which if I'm being honest was a long shot, I'd meet with him so he could have a look at the guy."

"Why not wait until after you dropped me on Berk's shores?"

"Because I already sent a raven to with a message attached that we had captured the Jormung alive. And before you ask, it was as soon as we boarded the ship. And I just received a message with the same raven earlier this morning with Dagur saying he'd meet us with his ships."

"And you're not the least bit concerned that he might try- no scratch that - will try and take the Jormung for himself?"

"We'll cross that bridge when we get there." Eret shrugged her concern off.

"Unbelievable." She muttered and turned away from the conversation.

"If it makes you feel any better, you won't have to wait long. We'll meet up with his fleet by sunset." He called after her as she opened the door that led to her quarters below and slammed it shut behind her with enough force to rattle the whole ship. She stood, door and commotion to her back, Jormung and quiet down the steps ahead of her. She took deep breaths in and out, calming herself down to think rationally. There was no way she was getting out of this meeting. In fact, she had a good suspicion that Dagur would want to bring them along to Berserker Island and parade the Jormung around the villages' streets for the masses to see.

The Jormung.

This was her chance to learn something, anything, about the once legendary people. In fact, this was her chance to learn about the massacre. After days of not speaking a single word to him, and being the only constant person to have some actual contact with him, she might as well commit to memory her encounter with him before the Gods know what's done to him. With a glance to the door behind her, she rushed down the hallway and down the stairs to the cell he was kept in. She soon reached the massive, reinforced iron gate, with him still on the other side, unmoving.

"Legends say that the Jormung's physical senses are nearly twenty times stronger than that of an average Viking."

No response.

"So you clearly heard everything going on up there. Don't bother denying it." Again, nothing. She huffed, pushing a few of her bangs over her ear. "What's it going to take to get you to talk? You seemed much more invested in conversation back on the island." He finally acknowledged her, glancing his eyes towards her through between the bars. "Finally."

"Don't you have better things to do?"

"Well, I'm certain you had been listening on what was going on above, so I don't think I have to explain myself."

"Even if I did happen to overhear your annoyed, exhausted conversation with Eret, which I didn't, you still didn't answer as to why you're here."

"Isn't it obvious?"

"Perhaps you haven't noticed, but I'm not exactly a people person. Or did you think I was running for my life for the past year because it's a pastime hobby of mine?"

"You really are a sarcastic shit aren't you?"

"Comes with the lifestyle M'Lady. And forgive my inability to bow to her greatness because-" He glanced to his chained hands suspended over his head, "-my hands are tied."

"Sarcastic and horrible puns. You must have had all the female Jormungs falling for you."

"Only the stubborn, boar headed ones such as yourself."

She smirked. She reached for the keys at her waist, finding the right one and unlocking the gate, walking in towards the side where the chains were secured. She undid them, taking in the satisfaction of him falling to his knees at the sudden weight of his arms coming down. She wasn't going to undo his wrist cuffs though.

"Better?"

"I bet you take pleasure in this, don't you?"

"Only because you were being uncooperative."

"I was chained up like a stuffed boar during your ridiculous holidays. Excuse me if I'm being less than forthcoming." He rolled his shoulders. Gods, that felt good. "So why are you really here?"

"I want to know what happened one year ago." She saw his entire frame go rigid. "What happened that nearly wiped out the entire Jormung tribe?"

"Why do you care?"

"I just want to know-"

"That's not an answer." He said as he stood to his feet. "Did you even question yourself as to why I'm being hunted?" She was silent, but her gaze didn't waver. "I thought so. Just blindly accepting the challenge of hunting down a wild, bloodthirsty Jormung without any context as to why. What did the bounty say exactly? Wanted for mass murder? Wanted for giving aid to dragons? Wanted for minding his own damn business and trying to live his life. Away from any Viking settlement?" She didn't answer. "That's what I thought."

"Then help me understand who you are. Because all I have to go on are fuzzy and drunken tales passed around by sailors and traders. Many of which had been altered by the time they reached Berk."

"What does it matter? My people are dead and I'm about to die. Then there'll only be one Jormung left in this world, and that'll be the end of our people." She saw the tears in the corner of his eyes, which she was drawn to again. She thought she wouldn't be able to look into them, but now, she can't seem to look away from them. She walked up to him. She saw him tense, preparing for some kind of strike, but she grasped his upper arm and turned him to face her.

"I'm listening." It was almost surreal watching his pupils scrutinize her, dilating and contracting, irises constantly changing size. She felt a wave of relief when he smirked.

"What do you want to know?" That's when she realized she didn't even know his name.

"In all our encounters, I don't believe we got each other's names." His blank stare was almost amusing, coupled with his eyebrows disappearing underneath his auburn bangs.

"That's your first question?"

"Isn't it important to know who we're talking to? I'm Astrid by the way. Astrid Hofferson."

"Hiccup. I don't have a last name." He cast her an annoyed look when she snorted at the mention of his name.

"Hiccup? Really?" He could see she was really struggling to hold in her laughter. The sound of her giggles though, was almost cute.

"Yes really. Now that we've got names out of the way, what do you want to know about my people." She wiped a stray tear from her eye as she composed herself.

"Well, whats...uh... what was home like? What were you people like? What about parents?"

"My parents...I never knew my father. I don't think he was ever a part of the Jormung. My mother told a few stories of him though. How she met him after she washed up on the shores of an island. She never mentioned the name though."

"What was your mother like?"

"She was the best. She was the most caring mother a boy could ask for. Although, she was different. Her eyes were just like yours." He said and stared into her diamond blue eyes. He watched said eyes widen in surprise.

"Your mother was a Jormung, and she had normal eyes?"

Hiccup shrugged his shoulders. "A few Jormung were born with regular looking eyes. It was rare, but it did happen. My mother happened to be one of them."

"Were the Jormung with regular eyes treated differently?"

"No. Contrary to popular beliefs of regular Vikings, Jormung were an incredibly tolerant people. We never discriminated. Especially never against our own." Astrid looked away as he turned his eyes towards her. The way he judged her. There was no point denying his silent accusation. She witnessed discrimination in Berk. Anyone who didn't fit Berk's norm, was not safe there. "As for the rest of my people, we were a peaceful tribe. Yes we lived with dragons, and we wanted to stay out of the conflicts of regular Vikings. Which is why we made our home in a land only accessible by dragon-back. We called it Jormand, a shorter name of the great world serpent himself."

"What does it look like?"

"You mean 'did.' Before the massacre." She cursed herself at he slip-up.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to.."

"It's fine. It's a day I'll always remember. The day I..." He took in a deep breath, "...the day I learned trust doesn't mean anything in this world." Now that was unexpected. She could almost feel the self-guilt and blame radiating from him. Whatever happened that day, he clearly felt he was responsible for. She closed the already small space between them, and sought his eyes. Bending her head down so that she could see his eyes, and wouldn't look away until he looked at her. And with rather reluctant eyes, he did.

"What happened?"

But before he could begin his story, his ears picked up the sound of the door leading to the hold opening. "Someone's coming." Astrid promptly moved away and ran to the gate, looking out and seeing one of Eret's men running to her.

"Bring the prisoner up. The Berserkers have arrived."