Hey everyone, I'm back with an all-new chapter!

A note: most of this chapter will be in 3rd person POV. I hope you all enjoy this update!

Brothers

Chapter 28: New Alliances

"I don't get how this is even possible…" Astrid muttered quietly to Hiccup who had taken a half-step back from the Ex-Queen moments prior. The girl and the other riders had disembarked: they and their dragons realized that no threat would come from the behemoth standing idle over them. They all are face to face with the very beast they battled against a year ago.

"Uh…so…what now…" Snotlout asked, nervously shaking from being so close to the beast. Her breaths were literally causing small bursts of wind to strike the group, "I mean…should we finish her?"

Everyone just gave him a hard look, especially Astrid, "Snot! Seriously!?"

"H-hey, you said she's a menace…I mean…you saw what she did."

"Snotlout!" Hiccup exclaimed, stopping his cousin in place. The boy concluded that the Queen won't hurt them, especially since WildWing and Toothless tried their best to defuse the situation, "there's something bigger happening here that we don't know about…"

Hiccup is right: his Night Fury went up to the Ex-Queen and with a display of gallantry: received respect from the colossus. He thought about all the times both Furies flew together from the village without him…perhaps they went here to Dragon Island to help her. Why…he wasn't exactly sure. The only way he could find out is through WildWing and his unusual ability to write.

The brown-haired Viking glanced over to his best friend: the latter is frozen in place, tail flicking...ears so high as if they were trying to touch the dark clouds above them. His pitch-black scales reflected moonlight off them…

The same effect was happening to the smaller Night Fury…what was happening with them? Wait…are they communicating with the Queen, Hiccup asked himself.

Before he can inquire further, the boy heard one of the twins chuckling loudly…as if to get everyone's attention, "check out those scars!" Ruffnut said.

"I need those exact ones, come on…try giving 'em to me!" Tuff begged before Astrid Hofferson yelled at them, her Nadder now next to her, "oh, quiet! What happened to her?" She asked after silencing the twins.

"She slammed into the volcano…there was a lot of debris…I'm not exactly sure how the Queen of Dragons could have gotten out by herself." Fishlegs added in.

"Maybe she hit her head so hard" Tuff grinned.

"Probably knocked some sense into that small brain of hers" Ruffnut couldn't help but say…earning her a loud snort from the Queen herself.

"Yea…remember that one time you slammed into a wall while riding a cart down a hill? You hit your head so hard that you forgot your name the entire day!" His sister asked.

"Wait…who pushed me down that hill again?"

"Was TOTALLY not me" Ruff lied, chuckling.

All Hofferson and Haddock could do during this whole exchange is sigh and shake their heads.

Meanwhile, as all of this is happening: Belin, the Ex-Queen, and the twin Night Furies were having their discussion.

"That was too close…" Toothless sighed, reflecting on the scenario involving him and Flint against Dagur the Deranged.

"Are you alright?" Stormfly chirped worryingly before both Furies nodded.

"At least we're all okay" Flint sighed softly, furling his wings finally, "they'll be back I reckon."

"They definitely will…" Belin nodded from the giant's shoulder.

"So then…what are we going to do?" The teenage Fury snapped his neck back and forth between them, expecting a brilliant answer/plan from one of them.

"We let them help us" Belin the Terrible Terror murmured, but it's not what Tooth expected, or wanted as an answer, "h-how will they help us?" The Fury inquired…but no one is exactly sure of the answer.

As the dragons talk, Fishlegs walked up to Hiccup and got his attention, "y-your dad, Hiccup…he doesn't know."

The Chieftain's son slammed his hand against his forehead, "right…oh man…what do I tell 'em?"

"What WILL we tell your father…that the creature responsible for so many problems in our village is still walking around?" Snotlout raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms.

"He won't be very happy once we tell him the news…and even if we try keeping this all a secret…somebody else is BOUND to tell someone on Berk about this Queen" Astrid added in, "something has to be said, we can't keep this a secret, Hiccup."

"Sure we can! We can bury this whole island, wipe it off the map…we just need shovels…lots and lots of…shovels!" Tuffnut suggested before Ruffnut knocked him on the helmet in response, "I say we give Trader Johann to this Queen and offer him up as a sacrifice instead-"

"Oh, stop it!" Hofferson growled at them.

"Look guys, all I know is that WildWing and Toothless here know something we don't…I wouldn't be surprised they were the ones who rescued the Queen."

Meanwhile, again, the four dragons (Stormfly went to check on the other dragons) across from them continued talking amongst each other.

"Astrid is right…we can't keep this a secret…" Toothless whispered.

"You're nuts!" Callahan retorted, "if other people find out..."

"They will eventually" Belin retorted back, "it's bound to happen, especially now."

"It's time they had found out, Mr. Callahan" Galadriel bellowed. The twin Furies look up toward her as she nods, "whatever happens now…."

Toothless suddenly interrupted her, poking his nose toward his human: Hiccup, "they'll help us…"

Flint sighed at this, getting all their attention, "how, exactly?" Tooth moved in and gave a cheek rub to his "brother."

"They WILL" Toothless reaffirmed.

"You sound VERY sure" the transformed dragon scoffed. Then, something in him made the human-turned-dragon think to himself: he's the only one in the group with enough knowledge of Norse to communicate with the humans. Whatever happens…it's clear that Hiccup and the others are looking at him for answers. Sure enough, Flint turns around to see the Vikings talking amongst one another, occasionally looking straight at him.

Flint the Night Fury decided to act by writing something else in the dirt for them.

Saved Her

The humans read that, still amazed by what they were seeing, Hiccup not so much since he knows WildWing's ability to write. Still, the small reptile kept writing to them out of sheer desperation…trying his best to find the best words he can to send his message across to them.

Safe, please

Once he's done, he crooned toward them…his dragon speech emanating cries they could not understand. He whimpered pitifully toward his friend, Hiccup. Toothless walked up to join them, sitting down to comfort Flint. His neck craning down, the dragon licks the former human. The Vikings, meanwhile, talked amongst themselves.

"Safe…does he mean…" Fishlegs squinted his eyes, examining the Norse words.

"Keep her safe?" Hofferson suggested. Toothless jumped up and nodded greatly at this.

"I guess that's a yes" Hiccup replied.

Astrid looks up at the behemoth and then shakes her head back to the others, "I'm not sure how we can…"

"We'll have to figure something out…" Fishlegs moved in.

"I think first we ought to worry about what Stoick will think of all of this…" Hofferson retorted.

Stormfly, as all this happens, brought in the other dragons from the group to help brainstorm. Flint and Toothless soon joined them. From an outsider's perspective, it looked like two groups…working on a project in school.

"Maybe we should evacuate the island?" Meatlug suggested.

"How can we, the Queen can't leave, can she?" Belch raised an eyebrow.

"And isn't she…blind as well?" Barf added in.

"Yes, to both those questions" Flint nodded his small head.

"What do you suggest, former human?" Hookfang asked sincerely. Callahan moved forward to face them all, "we have the Vikings on our side…for a LONG time now. I don't know about you all, but I'll stay on this island to defend her from Dagur when he returns…if I must do it without their help."

"Flint…no…" Toothless snapped back, like a responsible sibling.

The former human looks back at the larger Night Fury and bravely snarls at them, "You think I'm going to back down!? After all Galadriel had done for me…not going to happen!"

The Ex-Queen felt honored by what he said, but she knew…knew deep inside that this was all about her…not him, "Callahan…" she spoke softly like some angelic creature not meant for this world, "you must come to the realization."

"What?" Flint looked up at her, his heart starting to pound.

"This may be the end for me" the gray/white 'Red Death' muttered softly, "I do not wish for you all to risk your lives for me. You all have so much to live for, every single one of you. Someday, the day might arrive soon that I will perish on this island…but this is ultimately my fate and not yours."

Flint's eyes started to water, refusing to accept this reality. Toothless could SMELL his brother's despair and tried all he could to calm the waters, "we…we dragons of Berk help ANY dragon or person in need…it's what we were born to do" the teen Fury stated, pacing back and forth, "for this human's sake…I would like us to try WHATEVER we can to help you, Galadriel." He said her new name…possibly for the first time in recent memory. The other dragon members looked with shining eyes, being reminded of what they are and what they represent to others, "you helped save Flint and Heather on that human island. The least we can do…is return the favor" Toothless patted Flint on the back to make him feel better, and it worked…his (Toothless) words INSPIRED the others.

Meanwhile (again), the Viking children continued discussing their next move.

"I say we take the fight to the Berserkers then!" Snotlout brazenly recommended.

"It's not that simple…m-maybe if we…deceive them?" Hiccup thought.

"Wh-how!?" Astrid put her hand on her hip in a manner that demanded an answer from the boy.

"I don't know…" Hiccup said cautiously, "if Toothless and WildWing rescued her…it means they trust her…they probably gave her a second chance…who knows. Either way, I trust their word…I mean look at her…" Haddock gestured to the frail and weakened Ex-Queen, "at least we should leave them be."

What he had just muttered is very similar to what Toothless had said not too long ago. Both appeared to mirror each other perfectly, as if both knew what the other was thinking…as if both Hiccup and Toothless knew exactly what to say to their respected races. Flint and his draconic colleague looked toward the Viking with soft grins stretching their muzzles.

Sure enough, Haddock walked up to his Night Fury and mounted him, "Dagur knows there are dragons here now and he'll still be hunting the Night Furies. We need to protect them. It's our duty. He'll be back and we'll have to be ready for whatever happens."

Once his speech is done, HiccTooth took off and hovered beside Galadriel, "hopefully we can trust you…" the boy said to her, and she soon crooned back with Belin joining in.

"Our dragons saved you for a reason, now let us Vikings help you."

Though he couldn't understand what she said, the Ex-Queen muttered, "I'm sorry for all that I had done." For whatever reason, the leader of the Dragon Riders didn't need a translation to understand what came out of her mouth…deep inside he felt her apology. With that, the boy nodded and he, and the others, began leaving Dragon Island…finally bound for home. Flint Callahan stayed for a moment, hovering beside Galadriel and Belin. The dragons that inhabited the island were roosting not too far away, amazed by the Berkians and their alliances with their reptilian friends.

"Whatever happens…please know…you're like a second mother to me" Flint said to the Ex-Queen. She couldn't help but give a small tear at this before the 11-year-old Night Fury rubbed his head against hers.

Belin couldn't help but cry too, but the Terror soon composed himself, "you ought to get going, Flint. You deserve to rest after everything that's happened."

The Fury pre-teen nodded, pulling away, waving goodbye to them both before leaving for Berk finally. The Queen silently whispered in her mind:

Take care, Flint.

Upon returning to Berk by sunrise, Hiccup and the teens quickly went to their respective houses to avoid being caught by their parents. Toothless, his rider and I entered our house through the upstairs window. We hastily got situated just as Stoick the Vast entered, "rise and shine, son! Today's the day we give 'ol Gobber his bath!"

Haddock, feigning sleep, opened one eye with a sharp groan, "can we do it later this afternoon…"

"Nonsense, Hiccup, come along!"

I lifted my head and glanced at Toothless: a frown stretched across their muzzle. The dragon couldn't help but become annoyed by what is happening in front of him…he's even pouting like a child. If he could talk to Stoick he prob' would have cursed at him endlessly for this.

Oh well, I guess with no sleep this'll be a rough day…

After we made Gobber the Belch take a bath, our group…tired from no sleep, had to discuss our next move regarding Dragon Island.

Unfortunately, none of us can think straight now…it's times like this I wish Coffee existed in this period. Then again, my younger body probably would not be able to take it…it isn't long before I passed out either way.

By sunset, when I had finally awoken, I joined an exhausted Toothless by a cliff not too far away from the village. Our black hides reflected the sun's last rays…as if the two of us bravely opposed the sun to welcome the coming night. He gave a long, winded sigh, as I wordlessly approached the Night Fury. I sat down next to him, cooing to him.

A moment passes before I finally speak, "what are we going to do?" I inquired; my voice slightly raspy.

The teen Fury soon sighed back with a shake of his head, "I dunno, I think the best thing to do is to check up on them from time to time."

"Yea…" I looked away, saying in my kid voice, "why did that Dagur guy have to show up…"

Suddenly, my dragon brother stood up, stopping my momentary rant, "listen…I know it's bad, but we don't even know if the Berserkers will even attempt an attack on the others."

"I guess…" I shrugged, but then I snapped my head back toward him with concern flooding my face, "b-but…Dagur…he didn't see us go down…he knows we're still around. He seemed hell-bent on getting us. I think that's a good enough reason for him to return with an even bigger army."

"Flint…" Tooth began, "humans weren't able to kill the Queen before…what makes you think they'll attempt such a foolhardy endeavor?"

"Stoick tried it…and Dagur is quite the mercurial type, to say the least. I think it's safe to say he'll be crazy enough to launch an invasion on Dragon Island just to get to you, me, and Galadriel…no matter the consequences" I raised an eyebrow at him, "plus, those people managed to find Dragon Island without dragons to lead them there!"

"Yea…and I don't understand how…" Toothless grumbled tiredly.

"Maybe it was sheer accident…who knows…"

"No…I mean…I doubt it…but still…" Toothless lays down beside the edge of the cliff again, tapping his paw against the grass, "Flint, like I said…nothing we can do for the moment."

I scoffed at this, nodding slowly to him.

"Flint…" he opened up again, moving slightly closer to me, "are you ever going to tell Hiccup you're human?"

I looked away in response, zoning out…staring at the blue ocean in front of us, "I told the dragons…not all of them anyways…but humans…what's the point?" I whine softly under my breath, "maybe one day…maybe, but I will tell him about the truth regarding the Queen…explain everything."

Toothless raised an eyebrow at this, pulling his head away for a moment, "b-but…telling him about us saving the Queen…when the reason we saved her is because you TOLD me you were human…and we thought she was connected to your transformation. If you tell Hiccup the "truth" it would basically mean…you'll tell him EVERYTHING." The dragon stated…tail flicking back and forth slowly.

I didn't say anything back…Tooth was right: m-maybe…I HAVE to tell Hiccup…b-but…I don't know if it's a good idea or not.

That same night, Hiccup is sitting by his desk drawing Toothless. The latter is resting across from him, passed out from having been awake all day.

I jumped down from my bed and walked over to the Viking, tapping on his leg whilst giving an imploring look.

"What's up, little bud?"

I pointed to a sheet of paper he had resting next to him. Soon he understood my intentions and handed it over. I put on my writing prosthetic and wrote down a few words for him. The human focused on the Norse letters, placing a hand on his cheek as he examined them.

My message read: Patrol the Island.

I didn't know the Norse word for Queen, so I instead drew a sloppy picture of Galadriel for him to understand.

As always, my ability to draw is phenomenally lackluster, but as long as it got the message across, I could have cared less. I point to my words and the drawing right after, over and over for him. Hiccup soon understood, "you want us…to do that?" he asked softly before I nodded. He leaned back, letting his recent memories of standing before the docile Queen flood his mind. He remembered how I wrote similar messages to him on the island regarding helping her. Haddock glances down at me with a firm expression, "why did you and Toothless help her…buddy…I have to know…"

I thought to myself for a moment, placing a paw on my chin. I thought about telling Hiccup about my predicament…about how I'm not actually a dragon at all. Unfortunately, my knowledge of Norse isn't the best still and if I use images to convey my thoughts…he might take the message the wrong way. He might believe that the Queen is the reason I was transformed…but we need him on our side for this…

Soon, I write something else instead.

2nd Chance

I used a number in place of "second", but I hope it helped convey the message. He reads it and nods quietly, "you guys…went all that way to save her…because you believed in her changing?" I nodded back. In some ways that is true. I felt pity for the beast when I found her in that wreckage…something inside me that day got me doing everything I could to help the Ex-Queen. I could have just…let her die…alone…in the cold…in the frost…but I didn't…because I believed she could change…and I was right.

"She did look different…she even acted differently." He started staring into my own green eyes, looking deep into my human/dragon soul in the process, "I always believed people can change…I mean…look at how Berk turned out! We SAVED everybody from so much pain and despair by transforming the way they view and treat dragons. The Queen…she's responsible for so much…much of it is bad, but…when I saw her…I looked into those blind eyes…and I saw a creature that begged to be understood. It's like…when we surrounded her…she wanted us to understand she was wrong…" Hiccup muttered softly. Toothless managed to wake up in the middle of everything from us talking and started making his way to us.

I nodded to him, quite aggressively…he hit all the marks on that one!

"She can't leave that island…can she?"

I nodded my head.

"I figured…her wings are broken…and being blind now probably doesn't help" Hiccup scratched his chin.

Toothless sat down beside me, looking down. He gave a proud smile to me, half-tiredly patting me on the back with a squishy paw.

Hiccup, meanwhile, is beyond bewildered. He couldn't help but lean forward to us, "you…saw the good in her…didn't you?"

Toothless and I looked at each other again and we both soon nodded to confirm this.

The human just stood there, trying to find words to describe the feelings he has regarding this revelation. I stepped forward, side frills opened outwards, ears rising…confidence overtaking me.

"Wild…" Hiccup murmured softly. I give him the deepest look back as if I'm asking him, please in silent body language. Toothless couldn't help but step forward too in a pleading fashion as well. Hiccup, underneath the surface, looks back on all the adventures we had together…why would he back down from helping somebody in need? The answer is: that he won't. After all, he made his decision to help the Queen earlier, but now…it's guaranteed.

Eventually, he nodded back to us and stood up from his chair, "okay, I trust the both of you…you know that. We'll try and help the Queen the best way we can. I'll see if we can patrol the island in some way without making problems. I'm not sure how we're able to just yet." He sat back down as our (Toothless and I) ears drooped suddenly. Then came back that positive energy that I know Hiccup has, "if Dagur IS planning on invading Dragon Island we'll have to STOP him…we'll find a way to save the dragons on that Island. Maybe we can patrol the grounds at a certain time…be back on Berk before any problems arise."

Toothless and I smiled at this. Very soon I held my paw out to them. Both were confused but I soon motioned for the dragon next to me to place his paw on mine. He does, and soon Hiccup understands the pact we are forming. He places his soft human hand on top of our paws, and we smile at one another, "together…" I said softly before we break away.

The next day arrives and the whole village just had to descend into panic…how did this happen? I'll give you a clue…he's named after mold and is truly revolting…it's Mildew.

"Stoick, that Queen is still alive! We have to finish her off!"

The Chieftain could have ignored the old man's pleas; however, the other villagers were emoting the same level of concern toward him. Unfortunately, Ruffnut and Tuffnut decided to brag about the Berserkers and Dragon Island to everyone!

Mildew continued begging his Chief to act, but Stoick, now wary of Mildew's antics…knowing just how much the old hermit HATED dragons, did not want to listen to them. But Stoick the Vast needed to do something, or else the situation on Berk could worsen!

After all, what if this Queen is seeking revenge? What if his son is right about dragons and is as smart as he thinks they are? What if the stories are true and there are still many dragons on Dragon Island defending the Queen? The behemoth is the reason many Vikings suffered…she's the reason his son got hurt! And there have been some dragons that had descended upon Berk since the end of the war, too. What if these attacks: the Typhoomerang, the Whispering Death…what if they are all connected to the Queen?

Stoick figured, if that is the case…maybe Mildew is right for once…maybe the Queen MUST be stopped! Even though such a thought threatened to reverse all he and the village had done to change their views on dragons…this thought alone seemed to suggest a plan like the one he had before his island befriended the beasts.

Finally getting to his nerves, Stoick the Vast turns around toward Mildew with a frustrated look, "what do YOU suggest we do, Mildew!?"

The much older Viking thought to himself, resting his staff against his shoulder. Suddenly, a crooked grin crossed his aged face, "If those children were right about seeing Berserkers on Dragon Island…then they were there to stop the Queen as well."

"We don't know that…" The Chief of Berk swiped his hand as if to discredit Mildew's claim.

"Then why were the Berserkers there to begin with…hmm? Everyone knows about the stories surrounding that island…why would they had chosen to land forces there? Maybe it was to try and finish off the devil…"

Stoick fell silent, staring at the man with daggers in his eyes. Underneath that intimidating expression, however, the leader of the tribe felt himself fall prey to Mildew's tactics.

"You want all this to end? What if…an alliance with the Berserkers was to be made, Stoick?"

Heh, remember when I told you, readers, to pay close attention to Mildew in Chapter 26…this is why. Looks like things aren't looking good right now.

Just letting you all know: this version of Defenders of Berk will most likely be VERY different from the one you grew up with…at least a little bit ;)

Let me know what you guys think about this recent chapter! I hope you all enjoyed the recent addition and I hope to see you all next time, peace!