The boat the two females were in suddenly lurched. On the top deck Hiccup was running around the boat as it was slowly moved outside. Suddenly the sound of ropes snapping against the side of the ship caused a few hatchlings to wake up or become more alert. The whole ship then groaned and the sound of water rushing to fill the spot were the ship previously rested.
Up above Hiccup was still yelling directions and Toothless was observing. Then once again the ship groaned as it was placed back into the water, hoping to never do that again. Dragons began to land on the deck.
"Thank you all for helping." Hiccup praised. He went to each of the dragons and gave them scratches and pats, and thanked them again personally. Toothless landed as well to take Hiccup's spot. While Toothless began to explain to the slowly growing group of dragons on the ship what was expected of them, Hiccup collected the rope. He took the now soaking wet and heavy rope and began to tie as much of the separate lengths as he could to the figurehead and other anchor points on the front of the ship. When he was finished, Toothless was also done speaking with the group. Hiccup rejoined them and looked to each one.
"Thank you all for what you're doing." Hiccup said. "I know that for some of you, you wish that you could stay here and fight with us. But know that what you've been tasked to do is equally if not more important than what's going to happen here. You very well may end up being the last of us by the end. If so I ask that when you select a new leader that you take into consideration more than just their physical strength. But either way, you've survived harsh conditions before, so it's not like you couldn't do it again if necessary.
If we don't think we're going to make it, I'll try to send someone to tell you. But if it is as bad as we're preparing for then don't expect anyone." Hiccup climbed onto Toothless' back. "Now get out of here, and be safe." Toothless rose into the air and headed back inside. As they left Hiccup watched the first set of dragons take the ropes in their mouths and began towing the ship away. Toothless flew up to their shelf and landed.
"I need to go talk with my dad." Hiccup said while hopping off Toothless. He turned around. "Would you go check to see if the scouts have gotten back yet? They should be here soon, if they aren't back already. Truthfully I'm wondering if they're going to make it back at all." Hiccup sighed. "Did I send them to their death, Toothless?" Toothless curled himself around Hiccup.
"Don't get worked up Hiccup. They'll be back. They're just as tough as anyone else. And you told them to turn tail if they thought it was bad. They were there to look, not engage. But if they don't come back soon, unfortunately we'll have to assume the worst. But that does let us know that the Bewilderbeast and it's flock are hostile. So we'll be able to prepare for that. Set a trap to better our odds and minimise losses. Right now, while I know you're going to hate hearing this, we can't worry about people's lives. If we are about to head into a fight we just have to turn a blind eye to all the death and loss around us until it's safe to look back. But once we can, we sympathize, and try to make sure everyone feels better, feels safe again. Right now we have to look forward and never look back at the path of destruction that's going to follow us.
But also remember this. If they didn't want to defend our home with us, they wouldn't have to. They've been allowed to leave from the very first day we were here. That was our way of showing them trust. So that they're here right now shows us that we've done something right. We've put our trust into them, and now they're doing it for us.
Look, when we're out there, in the thick of it, just remember that we aren't forcing them to lay their lives down. They're doing it because this is their home and they want to keep it." Toothless tried to sooth Hiccup.
"I can't promise that I won't look back." Hiccup pressed himself against Toothless.
"I think you'll have enough to look at in front of you that looking back would be the last thing you do."
Hiccup slowly removed himself from Toothless' embrace. "Thanks bud." He smiled at the dark dragon. "I'm going to go find my dad now. Hope he isn't in tears watching his ship sail away without him." Hiccup walked to the edge of the platform and peered around to see if he could spot any of the humans roaming around. But unsurprising to him he didn't immediately see any of them. He decided that his best bet would be going up to the top to check. Since most of the dragons tend to not hang out up there. He began to climb up the platform leading out to the top.
Below him Toothless watched, making sure his mate didn't slip. But once Hiccup had made up a few of the platforms he was confident enough to leave and do as he was asked.
Hiccup poked his head out of a hole into the daylight and looked around. He spotted most, if not all the visiting humans sitting around talking, with his father standing near the edge with Hiccup's monocular held up to his eye. He squeezed himself out of the hole and slowly walked up to his father's side, where he stood silent for a minute.
"I'm sorry about your ship." Hiccup said to make himself known. Stoick didn't say anything. Hiccup looked up at the large man. "Know that it's being used to save lives." Hiccup looked out at the black spec in the sea. "It just happened to be the best way to get them away from here. Some, or more, of those hatchlings piled in there are going to lose their parents. If that Bewilderbeast is hostile, but at this point we're preparing for the worst. We don't need children watching their parents die in front of them.