The Courtship of Toothless Chapter 12

Toothless and Guana's first concern was Hiccup and Astrid, who were still slightly woozy from their experience. "Are you sure you're going to be okay?" he fretted.

"We'll be fine," New-night-fury answered slowly. "We're surrounded by humans who care about us and dragons who are looking out for us. I overheard them saying they're going to start their own night-watchdragon plan, so this can never happen again."

"And our children are all right – that's what matters the most," Night-fury-mother-of-twins added. "We have to thank you two for that... although I don't know how we ever could."

"When Astrid transformed you, Guana, we thought we were doing it for the Night Furies and for you, and maybe for Toothless as well," Hiccup nodded. "Who knew that we were doing it for ourselves, too? If you hadn't been there for us this morning..."

"But we were," Guana answered. She meant to say more, but she was suddenly struck by the realization that she, Guana, the little shepherd girl with the burns, had flown into battle on behalf of two children, rescued one of them, and had just saved both their lives.

She glanced at her hands, which were now black clawed paws. She shook her wings and her tail. Is this really happening to me? Have I really gone from disabled, to dragon, to hero, in just over a week?

"Guana, can I ask you something?" Toothless said quietly. "How did you move that disc?"

"I heard the Zippleback say they didn't have enough will power to move it themselves," she answered. "Will power is something I've got, so I figured it was worth a shot."

"You figured it was worth a shot," Toothless echoed her. "That's what Hiccup said when he transformed my tail! But you don't strike me as the strong-willed type; you were quite biddable when I was teaching you to fly."

"Will power doesn't always mean you're stubborn," she replied quietly. "When you live in a body where every movement causes pain, it takes a lot of will power just to get out of bed in the morning." He could only nod.

"I'd like you to try something, if you're willing," he asked. "Can you focus on that stone on the ground down there, and make it move, like you moved the disc?" She strained until she was almost in pain, but the stone didn't move.

"I guess the only thing your mind can move is dragon transformation discs," Toothless decided.

"It's not a very useful talent, is it?" she nodded.

"New-night-fury and I beg to differ," Night-fury-mother-of-twins said firmly. "Our children, even more so."

By the end of the day, all the Night Furies were back to normal. The other dragons, however, were not. There was an aura of stress and anger that could be felt all over the town. The great reptiles were getting short-tempered; arguments and fights were breaking out for the smallest of reasons, or for no reason at all. Stoick was worried that some Vikings might get caught in the middle of a dragon fight, or lose a house if the dragons started flaming each other. He finally stopped by the Nest to ask his dragon-son if he had any idea what was going on.

THE DRAGONS ARE RAGING.
THEY TAKE THE ATTACK ON US
AS AN ATTACK ON ALL OF THEM.
THEY WANT PAYBACK

"The kidnappers are all dead, Hiccup! What other kind of payback could the dragons want?"

DRAGONS KNOW ONLY ONE KIND OF REVENGE,
AND THAT'S MASSIVE RETALIATION.
THEY WANT TO PUNISH THE ONES WHO
PLANNED THIS ATTACK AGAINST US

Stoick considered that. "The dragons can attack anyone they want, and I have no power to stop you. But if you raid Outcast Island, I'm afraid the Outcasts will know where you came from. You could start a war between them and us! We'd probably win that war, but the cost in lives would be far too high."

THEY DRUGGED AND KIDNAPPED THE CHIEF'S
GRANDCHILDREN. ISN'T THAT AN ACT OF WAR?
WE'RE AT WAR WITH THEM ALREADY

"Hiccup, if an Outcast gets mad at you and you don't want to fight him, you can fly away. We Vikings don't have that option."

IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING, THE DRAGONS
WILL GET ANGRIER, AND EVERYONE WILL SUFFER.
TRUST ME – WHEN WE'RE DONE WITH THE
OUTCASTS, THEY WILL POSE NO THREAT TO BERK

Stoick shook his head. "I can't stop you, and I won't forbid you. Just remember what's at stake." He gestured at the whole village with a sweep of his arm, then climbed down the stairway to ground level and walked away. Hiccup watched him go, then turned to Astrid.

"Spread the word among all the dragons. Tonight, the Outcast village burns."

"Is this because they went after you?" she asked, somewhat worried.

"No, it's because they went after you and our children," he answered firmly.

"Hiccup, if we attack the Outcasts on their own home turf, some of us are going to get hurt. Some of us may be killed."

"I know," he nodded slowly. "If I could think of any other way to channel the dragons' rage, I'd do it. But we've got a village full of flaming-mad dragons who won't settle for anything less than full vengeance. The best thing we can do is lead the attack and try to keep them safe. After all, that's what Night Furies do."

"Then I guess we'll have to do it one more time," she nodded. "I'm with you, all the way."

When Toothless and Guana got the word, he glanced at her and immediately shook his head. She knew what he was thinking, and she resented it.

"Why can't I go along? Am I a Night Fury or aren't I?"

"You're a Night Fury who hasn't learned how to dive yet!" he exclaimed. "You could be killed."

"There are a lot of other dragons going on this raid who can't dive," she countered. "I can fly, and I can shoot straight. What else do I need?"

"Experience," he retorted. "This isn't a training exercise, Guana. This is about men with bolas and crossbows and no mercy, who will try their best to end your life. You're a Night Fury; your head on their wall would be the ultimate prize."

"How experienced were you when you went on your first raid?" she demanded. He didn't answer, because the answer was obvious. She went on, "I saw what those Outcasts did to the twins, and to Hiccup and Astrid. They're heartless killers. If we don't stomp them into the dirt, they'll be back to try something else against us, and maybe I won't have enough will power to make a difference next time. You keep telling me, 'Don't fight the dragon,' right? Well, the dragon wants to fight!"

When he still didn't answer, she blurted out, "Oh, forget all these words, Toothless! Just look in my eyes."

The picture he got from her was of two small Night Furies lying motionless, their lives fading away, while she stood helplessly to the side, desperately wanting to save them and not knowing how. The overarching message was, "This must never happen again."

The picture she got from him was of himself, standing alone on a cliff, looking forlornly out to sea, waiting for someone who would never come back. The overarching message was, "Don't leave me alone."

She impulsively leaned her head against his and closed her eyes. "Toothless, I don't want to die, any more than you do. But I'm a dragon now! I have to do what dragons do. Our whole nest is united in wanting to do this – how can I stay behind?"

He slowly answered, "I'm not a tyrant. I'm not the Mother. I can't force you or forbid you to do anything. But please, I'm begging you... be careful. You've never fought humans before."

"No, but I know a few things about them," she smiled. "I promise, I'll be careful." Then she had another thought. "Should we get some dragons from your nest to join us?"

"No," he decided after a moment. "They don't know about the attack on the Night Furies; they aren't feeling the rage. My nest has become a peaceful place, for the most part, and I want to keep it that way. We've already got enough dragons to devastate an island; we'll keep this as a Berk affair."

"Then why are you coming along?" she wondered.

She saw his face harden. "Because they tried to kill my best friend. I want payback, too."