A new week. The final two days of the previous one could not go fast enough for the boys. It pained their fathers to see, but little did more than the knowledge they were the ones responsible. Stoick and Hiccup sailed to Berserker Island, an intentional move with the hopes of the included stool for a better view lessening the younger Viking's disdain. It did not seem to do anything. At most, it gave Hiccup something else to look at besides his father. Matters were hardly more amicable on Berserker Island. Dagur did not even wait by the docks since he knew that was where his father would be. He also knew the Berserkers would blow a horn to alert the others of an arrival. So, he had no reason to be around Oswald any more than what was necessary. Finally, he heard the horn and went to the docks. The redhead was about to board the ship when Oswald caught his shoulder.

"While we're all here, maybe we should just get some things out in the open," he suggested.

Helplessly, Oswald looked at Stoick for support. The Berkian did not really know what could be said to ease their problems, but he tried to join him in this stance.

"Yes," he said. "This is the last time we're switching."

Immediately, the boys looked discouraged. In turn, their fathers felt the same.

"It's not that bad," Oswald insisted. "We knew this wouldn't be permanent."

"We've enjoyed having you on our islands, but we still want our sons back," Stoick added. "That was the purpose for this in the first place."

"But a lot's changed since this started," Hiccup told him.

"I believe that, but the fact that we still are your fathers hasn't," Oswald said.

Dagur had not faced away from the ship once during this exchange until then. He turned to look at the Berserker chief.

"It hasn't, but maybe you've finally accepted how different we are. Let's be honest, this has been working a lot better than what we'd been doing." He gestured to Hiccup. "You two have been able to go all over and enjoy coming up with peaceful ways to solve problems."

The Berkian nodded, looking at his father. "And you both have been able to kill dragons to protect Berk along with taking care of those tasks chiefs do to keep the island running." He turned to Dagur. "Deep down, they know it's better this way."

The redhead's eyes flashed with anger. "Exactly. We'd both be way happier if we just got to stay."

Agreement was plainly visible on Hiccup's face. Both fathers felt like they had just been clubbed in the heart.

"Too bad everything has to return to normal since we don't have a say in anything," Dagur added. "We were forced into this experiment and now, we'll be forced out whether we like it or not."

"At least we still have two weeks. I guess we'd better make the most of them."

"Might as well."

The boys stood, frowning at their fathers. It seemed like they were forming a team against the chiefs. What were the fathers to say? That they did not also acknowledge how simple the switch had been for them? They could not do that. Yet, avoiding it only seemed to upset their sons more.

"They can't even say we're wrong," Dagur grumbled.

"Because they know we aren't," Hiccup added.

They moved away from one another as Dagur boarded the ship and Hiccup went further onto the island. Their fathers stood, feeling headaches coming on.

"It's been like this since you sent your letter?" Oswald asked, exasperated.

Stoick nodded. "What makes it so much worse is how far we'd gotten in the beginning of the week." He frowned. "Even saying that doesn't do it justice. Five days. That's how long we really seemed like a father and son who understood each other and could get along. Hadn't been like that since Hiccup was a small child. I don't know why I suggested we go exploring. Everything went wrong after that."

"The dragon matter was bound to become an issue eventually. Maybe it was better to face it sooner than later," the other chief said, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Of course, I say this as a Viking who decided it was a good idea to lead my son to a tribe of lunatics to see if he was like them or not. So, maybe I shouldn't say anything."

They turned slightly, looking in the directions their sons had gone.

"Two weeks," Oswald said, sighing. "Is that really enough time to settle the problems?"

"Only Odin knows. Hopefully." The Berkian extended his hand. "I'll do what I can with Dagur."

Oswald shook his hand. "And you can count on me doing the same for Hiccup."

The men took a deep breath. "Good luck," they said in unison, walking off.

Stoick continued until he reached the vessel. He saw Dagur angrily sharpening a blade.

"Your father cares about you," the chief said, hoisting the sail.

The boy scoffed. "He cares about his reputation and his legacy. A Viking like me will just ruin both of those. If he had another option for an heir, he would've gotten rid of me a long time ago."

"He wouldn't have done that. He wants your relationship to work."

"It can't work."

"Why can't it?"

"Because he wants me to be normal and I'm not." Dagur crossed his arms. "It won't change, so neither will our relationship."

"Do you think people on Berk are normal? You've met the twins."

The younger Viking huffed. "Okay, they aren't."

"And Gobber. Every time he mentions how he lost his arm or leg, the story changes as if we wouldn't notice."

In spite of himself, Dagur laughed. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure his arm wasn't bitten off by a Hideous Zippleback and clawed off by a Monstrous Nightmare."

A warm smile spread across Stoick's lips. "None of us are 'normal,' lad. We're Vikings. Being odd comes with that."

The Berserker's face clouded over. "I know, but you get what I mean. Dad wants a sane son. The whole reason he suggested this dumb experiment was because he wanted to get rid of me."

"He wanted to understand you," Stoick clarified. "He still does. That and he wants to make sure that you'll be able to lead. There have been Vikings considered sane who still were terrible leaders. It's Oswald's responsibility as chief to make sure that the person he gives the title to will be able to handle the position properly. If you had an heir, wouldn't you do the same?"

Dagur slowly uncrossed his arms. "I guess I would." He paused. "I didn't think about it like that before. We do have a lot of Vikings. If I didn't know what I was doing, that could cause some problems." He began to frown again. "But that doesn't change the fact that he thinks I'm deranged. He even said it."

The Berkian went over and put a hand on his shoulder. "Dagur, trust me when I say that fathers speak faster than they think sometimes. I doubt he actually feels that way. He just let it out before he had time to realize what he was saying. After he sees that you'll be a fair leader, he won't worry."

"How do I prove that? Berserker Island doesn't have any classes for being chief. The only way to learn is through the previous leaders and experience."

Stoick stroked his beard, then his eyes lit up. "Then we're going to give you some more experience."

He went to the helm, altering their course. Dagur lifted an eyebrow at him in surprise.

"Where are we going? Berk's more to the right."

"I know it is, but there's a tribe I have to sign a treaty with."

Dagur groaned. "Not another treaty. That's what caused the problem last time with Dad."

"Which is precisely why I want you to go to another one."

"If I mess up your peace, he'll never forgive me."

"You won't mess it up," Stoick assured him. "It's like wrestling a boar. If you almost get gutted the first time, just try again immediately or you'll be too hesitant to try later."

"I've never heard of that before."

"It might just be something we do on Berk. Still, I think it works well." Stoick's expression turned thoughtful. "Do you feel like you do better when you know about a situation or enter it without any preparation?"

Dagur tapped his chin. "Umm, I don't mind either, but I have noticed that the Vikings around me get more upset if I'm surprised. So, the first one."

The man smiled at him. "That's what you should start trying to do. Being around Vikings isn't too different from hunting. Be aware of your surroundings and see how people change depending on the circumstances. If you do, you'll know what you need to do." He gestured to the seas. "Since you know this about yourself, I'll tell you about where we're going. Have you heard of the Meathead Tribe?"

"Not really. I know they're close to Berk, though."

"They are and we're at peace with them, but they are a very competitive group. Berk is too, so there's a rivalry. It doesn't help that they aren't always the kindest. They've earned the nickname Merciless Meatheads."

"And you want me to deal with them?" Dagur laughed. "I guess you want a creative way to start a war."

Stoick shook his head. "I won't let that happen, but I'm also sure that you won't either. Like I said, pay attention to those around you. If they're starting to tense up, consider what you've been saying and why. It's similar to coming up with solutions for Vikings. You have to think about what they want. It's also like dealing with Gustav. Don't give into violence and anger. Carefully think through your actions and their consequences."

Dagur tried to not feel too concerned while he awaited their arrival at the new island. As they got closer to the harbor, he noticed Vikings at watchtowers, peering down at them. The boy could not tell if these were looks of mere curiosity or those meant to be intimidating. No matter which they were, Stoick brought them to the docks. He lowered the ramp and glanced back at Dagur.

"Remember," he said, "just pay attention to what they're doing."

The Berserker nodded his head, traveling down the ramp with Stoick. It was at least less hostile than with the Hysterics, but they were quickly greeted. A Viking who was slightly shorter than Stoick approached. He had a bald head and an unkempt beard. There was a harsh look in his eyes before he gave a half smile and shook the Berkian's hand.

"You traveled all this way earlier than usual," the man said. He began to smile deviously. "Worried that we'd decide to attack if there was any delay?"

"Far from, Mogadon," Stoick informed him calmly. "I just wanted to finish business now since I had time."

The Meathead glanced behind the other chief. "From the descriptions I've heard, that's not Hiccup. You brought your protege or something?"

"He's another ally of mine."

"But why's he here?"

"I wanted him to be. Is that an issue?"

Mogadon stared at Dagur, then Stoick, eyes narrowing. After a few moments, he shook his head.

"Why would it be? An ally of yours is an ally of ours. Of course," he said suddenly, "I shouldn't squander this opportunity to finally show off my skilled lad. You never bring anyone who can compete with him."

Usually, Stoick would have just gotten out of this, but he decided it would be for the best if he stayed.

"Where is Thuggory?" he asked. "I don't see him around here."

"Naturally. He's busy skinning twenty boars by himself. He's a hard worker. The hardest on our island."

Stoick had to resist the urge to sigh. "He always finds a way to brag about that brat."

Mogadon stepped past Stoick to go over to Dagur. "What's your tribe?"

"I'm a Berserker."

Something behind the man's eyes changed when he heard this. After a blink, it was gone and he turned away from the duo.

"Follow me. I'll introduce you to my son. The pride of the Archipelago."

The redheads exchanged a doubtful look as they followed after the father. Mogadon stopped when they were just outside a forest. As the chief had said, there was a Viking skinning the boars.

"Thuggory!" his father called. "Stop for now, lad. We've got company."

A teenaged Viking with brown hair came over to the group. "Why are you here so early?"

"He wanted to get it done," Mogadon said nonchalantly before his tone changed. "The one with him is a Berserker."

Thuggory's eyes widened slightly. This was beginning to irritate Dagur, but he kept Stoick's words in mind and attempted to keep his voice from sounding hostile.

"Is there something weird about that?"

"No, not at all," the Meathead chief assured him. "Just…topical. That's all." The man gestured to his son. "While we sign the scrolls, you two should fight."

Stoick frowned slightly. "Mogadon, why have the lads fight? This is about peace. It's a bad omen if someone gets hurt during a peace treaty signing."

This caused the other father to look irritated.

"What if we raced?" Thuggory suggested. "It won't take me long to win."

Dagur kept the frown from appearing on his face, instead choosing to calmly shrug. "I'm fine with us racing."

The Meathead looked a bit annoyed to not have gotten under his skin. Naturally, this made the Berserker happy to see. Thuggory turned to his father who began to smile.

"Good idea. It'll be a good learning experience. Meet us in the dining hall. First one to reach it is the winner."

"Where's the dining hall?" Dagur asked.

"Begin!" Mogadon shouted, clapping his hands together.

Like lightning, the older boy grabbed a couple of the boars and began running to the forest, disappearing into the thicket. Dagur clearly saw that he was going to be given no directions, so he followed after the Meathead.

"I guess we'll just pretend I know where that is," he thought, annoyed.

The Berserker kept himself from seeming too frustrated with the Meathead chief. Instead, he got his boars and followed after Thuggory. The heir was easy to track due to the trail he left behind with the dragged boars. Quickly, Dagur spotted him, earning a frown from the surprised Meathead.

"Oh, you're fast," he complained. "You won't be faster than me, though."

Quickly, the boy darted out of the forest. This time, Dagur did not need to follow the blood to know where Thuggory was going. He was fast, but it was not difficult to stay with him. The only difficult part was remaining close enough to see where he was going. Instincts with running nearly got Dagur to go ahead, but he had to keep a steady pace. Going through the forest made seeing Thuggory challenging as he vanished behind every other tree. Dagur felt like they were getting deeper into the forest instead of leaving. It no longer even seemed like Vikings had been walking over the grass in the area, judging by how overgrown it had become. He wondered if he was being led out to the middle of nowhere. Suddenly, Thuggory jumped and grabbed onto a vine that was attached to a tree. It saved him from falling into a ravine. Dagur stopped himself in time to not fall in, eyes widening slightly at the sight of sharp rocks pointed upwards. It almost seemed unlikely that they would have naturally been formed that way. He lifted his eyes to Thuggory. The other boy had kept the vine with him, tying it to another tree on that side. Turning, Thuggory grinned smugly at the Berserker.

"I figured this way to the dining hall would be better. Not many Vikings can make it. I guess you won't be able to continue the race now."

"Cheater," Dagur accused.

"Winner," Thuggory corrected.

Dagur's eyes moved up to the tree whose vine the Meathead had just used. He began to smirk and speedily climbed up. Thuggory was confused by his actions and frowned. His eyebrows began to lift in surprise when he finally saw what Dagur had. The tree had thick branches which stretched far. The vine was a simple pleasantry the tree offered, but it was not necessary to cross. Thuggory began running as Dagur reached the branch and leapt over to the other side. Like before, he was quickly caught up with. Also like before, Dagur could not go ahead of him. He needed to see where this dining hall was located. It did not help that so many of the buildings looked the same, none having any particular qualities that distinguished them. They were going further through the tribe and past Vikings. As they did, Dagur noticed groups together who were sharpening weapons and talking quietly. Other groups were louder and he caught the back end of a conversation.

"...weak," one said. "Won't be hard to kill them."

Before they could say anything else, someone approached the Vikings and whispered. This caused a quick look of panic to cross their faces, then they also began whispering. One of them turned Dagur's way, locking eyes with the redhead. It sent an uncomfortable feeling through him. This made the Berserker reconsider the race.

"Maybe I shouldn't win," he thought. "It seems like he's running over to that building on the right. Even if I'm wrong, I could fix my path fast enough to still beat him, but I don't think I should. There's some other reason the Meatheads wanted me to compete with Thuggory."

Making his decision, Dagur remained at Thuggory's side. He was proven right about the building he thought was the dining hall. To other Vikings, it looked like a close call. Still, no one could have convinced Thuggory of that.

"I'm the winner. How shocking," he said sarcastically. "I always knew Berserkers were slow."

Dagur surprised himself by not scowling at the other boy. Mogadon went over to Thuggory and patted his shoulder.

"I had the utmost faith in you. It's not in our culture to slack on training."

He said this with a certain type of bite behind his words. Dagur knew it was directed his way, but he still tried to remain calm. Using Stoick's suggestion, it was simple to see what the others were doing–what they were planning. It was infuriating, although he knew it would be better to play nice and wait. Dagur went over to Stoick who had been watching with a curious expression.

"Is the treaty signed?" the youth asked.

Stoick noticed an odd note in his voice and nodded. "Mogadon, we're going to be heading out. I'll see you at the normal time next year."

The Meathead had his head low, saying something quietly to his son. Hearing his name called, he turned to his ally.

"Hmm? Oh, alright. Safe travels back, Stoick."

The visitors began returning to the docks and boarded the ship. Once they were a nice distance away, Dagur spoke.

"I think they're plotting to attack Berserker Island."

Stoick's eyes widened. "They haven't attacked any tribes near us in decades."

"I believe you, but they were acting weird. That's probably why me being a Berserker was topical. They'd been scheming about us. When Thuggory and I were racing, it seemed like we went by some groups of conspirators."

The chief regarded him thoughtfully. "And you didn't accuse anyone?"

Dagur shook his head. "If I'm wrong, it'll just cause problems."

"And you didn't win the race because…"

"If I'm right, I want them to underestimate us."

Stoick began to smile. "Well done. When we get back, we'll send a scroll to Oswald just in case."

Dagur nodded and looked out the side of the ship again. Worry hit him as he imagined the Meatheads becoming enemies. The Berserkers had not gone to war in decades. He just hoped they would be ready if it happened. When he and Stoick had left the island that day, Oswald had gone to the blacksmith shop to find Hiccup. The boy was already there, checking the weapons he had left to work on more.

"Stoick told me what happened."

"How he killed a Terrible Terror for helping us?" the boy asked, looking over an ax. "I guess the lesson is, don't help Berkians. We were about to get attacked by a wolf pack and it just wanted to keep us alive."

"I don't think it was his intention to kill it without reason."

"What reason was there? He just kills dragons. It doesn't matter what they do. If they're dragons, they die. That's just the way things are on Berk. The chief has to uphold customs," the heir said bitterly.

"Stoick's not just a chief. He's a father too and he worries about you."

"He worries that I'll get in someone's way when they're fighting dragons."

"No, he's worried what danger you'll be in if he isn't around. That's only natural." Oswald took the weapon from Hiccup so that he would have his undivided attention. "From his perspective, encouraging you to bond with dragons is throwing you into their jaws."

"But it isn't," the boy insisted.

"I didn't say it was. I said that's how he's perceiving it. Baby steps, Hiccup. Your father's spent his entire life fighting dragons. He even lost your mother to them. Can you honestly say that you're shocked he's scared of what could happen to you?"

"Stoick the Vast doesn't get scared," the boy mumbled.

"It's like I told you before, fear doesn't leave once you're older. He might hide it, but I assure you that you being in danger is something he's scared of. It's a rational fear for any respectable parent."

Hiccup frowned, but some of the anger in him faded. "Well, maybe he shouldn't be so protective then. I might be small, but I can still do some things. You've even taught me self-defense. If he gives me a chance, I'll be able to keep myself safe and prove dragons aren't dangerous. The problem is that he won't, though, because everything stays the same on Berk."

Oswald lifted an eyebrow. "I think Stoick deserves a bit more credit than you're giving him. Already, you've gotten him into Gobber's shop and out exploring with you. Months ago, would you have ever expected that?"

The boy became quiet for a moment. "No," he admitted.

"Exactly. I've known Stoick since before you were born. He's not a Viking who likes change. Gobber tried to show him how to make weapons long ago, but he always said that his skill was using them. I tried to get him to go on voyages, but he'd say that there's no need to find joys off of Berk since that was his home. Now that you're here, he's changed. He can, but it's not fair to ask him to change in every way immediately. Especially not when he feels like those ways will put you in peril. If he loses you, what do you think will happen?"

"He'll lose his heir," the Berkian conceded, sighing.

"Worse. He'll lose his son, lad. There's a big difference. Heirs can be replaced."

Hiccup turned towards Oswald and considered his words. "How do I prove that I'll be able to handle myself if he's going to be too scared to let me do anything dangerous?"

"That's the problem with having kids. You can't always protect them. No matter how much Stoick tries, there's going to come a time when you'll have to take care of yourself. When that happens, he'll see. Until then, try to find little ways around the island to help the other Berkians. Be patient with him."

This made the boy look a bit discouraged again. "The others on Berk will need a lot of help as long as we aren't changing what we're doing with the dragons."

Oswald put an assuring hand on his shoulder. "He can change his stance on dragons too, but you need to give him a reason other than saying they're not all bad. If you want Stoick to like them, first figure out a way to stop them from attacking. It's difficult to accept something or someone being both an enemy and an ally."

"But I don't know how to make them stop attacking. I'm not even really sure why they are."

"Think of the dragons on Berk and those we've seen. What's the difference between them?"

Hiccup frowned in thought. "The species definitely, but it's not fair to say Gronckles are just evil and Terrible Terrors are nice."

"We also found the Silkspanner. Was that similar to the others?"

After a moment, the boy shook his head. "Actually, no. It attacked because it we'd entered its territory. It didn't even seem like it would be interested in traveling out to someone to steal food." Hiccup's eyes widened. "To steal food! That's the difference. Every dragon who goes to Berk comes away with food or tries to. For a while, we were refilling storehouses every week because of that."

Oswald's brows furrowed. "I believe you, but that's odd. Dragons should be able to catch fish in large enough quantities for themselves or their families if they're parents. If they took enough to make you refill the storehouses that often, then they had too much food for them to eat. It's not like dragons to just share in groups either."

"I don't get why they'd do all that for food they can't eat."

"Neither do I, but let's check our records."

The chief began leaving the shop, heading to one of the libraries. Hiccup quickly followed after him. When they reached the building, Oswald ran his finger across the spines of the books until he found the one he was looking for. His eyes brightened and he brought it out.

"This has most of our information about dragons."

He went over to a table and sat down with the Berkian. Flipping through the pages, the chief finally stopped when he saw something interesting.

"Look at this," he said, sliding the book over to Hiccup.

The boy's jaw dropped as he looked at the largest dragon he had ever seen.

"Bewilderbeast," he said slowly. "I've never heard of one of those before."

"I've never seen one," Oswald told him, frowning at the dragon. "Legends have it that it can control the minds of dragons. With those powers and its size, it could be the reason the dragons are acting that way. All it would have to do is tell them to bring it food and they wouldn't be able to resist its command."

"If it is doing that, I don't know how to stop it."

Oswald's hopeful expression fell. "I don't either. I doubt we'd be able to just ask it to stop being so hungry. I'd feel bad for killing it. It's probably not an option anyway."

The Berserker began to frown at the creature. Abruptly, his eyes lit up and he stood from the table.

"Even if we aren't sure what we'll do yet, we might as well start by finding the king."

"How would we do that? I think I'd remember if I ever saw 'king of dragons' island' on a map."

Oswald chuckled. "I'd hope that would stand out, but we don't need a map. We need nature. Dragons will know how to find their ruler. If they spend all their time bringing it food, they have to know the location. So, we're going to find a dragon and have it lead us there."

Hiccup's eyes twinkled at the thought. He eagerly followed Oswald to the docks. They got on board their ship, heading back to a familiar island.

"We'll use one of the Terrible Terrors we saw before," the man explained.

"I hope this works. All the killing needs to stop. We've lost too many Vikings and dragons have lost too many on their side too. Maybe this can end without there being any more bloodshed."

Oswald started to smile. "Spoken like a very wise leader."

Hiccup felt a tiny grin spread over his face. "Well, right now, I'm a very anxious heir." His eyes moved to the island they were approaching. "Even more anxious since we're here."

"If this fails, I don't think it'll be any worse than it's been. We can only help Berk."

The Berserker's words comforted Hiccup a little. Oswald put down the ramp and began to disembark. Hiccup went with him and not much time passed before they found a small flock of Terrible Terrors. Holding out his arm, the boy called to them.

"Hey there. Can one of you join us on a trip? We're trying to find the king of dragons."

The Terrors watched him curiously, but they did not approach. It filled Hiccup with guilt as he saw how much smaller their group looked without the deceased member. The Berkian's expression turned sad.

"Your friend isn't coming back. I'm really sorry, but we're going to try to make it so that the rest of you can stay together. We don't want any more dragons to get killed. If you come with us, we have a better chance of keeping everybody safe. Just give us a chance."

Oswald had been considering ways to capture one of the dragons, not being entirely sure if speaking with them would work. To his surprise, one of the reptiles flew over to Hiccup. It perched on the Viking's right shoulder. The boy smiled and patted the dragon.

"Thanks. This is going to help a lot."

Hiccup picked up the dragon, holding it in his arms. Oswald could not help but laugh.

"You never cease to amaze me. You definitely have a way with them."

"Maybe I'll be able to put that to good use after this is over," Hiccup said hopefully.

"I wouldn't doubt it. For what it's worth, I still think you're putting it to good use."

The heir smiled and boarded the ship with him again. When they began to set sail, they let the reptile be their compass. For most of the trip, it was not responding in any special way. It almost made the Vikings doubt their plan would work…then it began to let out a low growl.

"Something's happening," Hiccup said, instinctively feeling nervous and thrilled. He looked off to the right where the dragon's gaze was. "Let's go this way."

Oswald obliged, moving the helm accordingly. They went further in that direction until the dragon stopped.

"Maybe to the left," Hiccup suggested.

The Berserker altered their course again. When he did, the growling started up again. They continued like this until fog covered the sky. The only way they could direct themselves at this point was with the aid of the dragon. Suddenly, the Terror's growls turned to whimpers. It nuzzled closer to Hiccup for protection and comfort. The boy held him and quickly had his eyes widen when he saw something through the fog. There was a tall island with red emanating from inside. On the outside, a few dragons were flying. They entered through a large opening. The red light revealed dragons on the cave walls. They coated it like snow on the grass after a bad storm. Oswald almost facepalmed.

"I just took him to a dragon's nest," he thought. "What is wrong with me? Stoick's going to kill me for this. Now, I really need our plan to work."

As the Berserker worried about what the future would bring, Hiccup was trying to get a closer look.

"A nest," he thought, shocked. "I didn't know they all nested together like that." The boy started frowning. "Weird. Why are they dropping food into the fog? I thought they wanted to eat it."

Both Vikings tensed up when they heard a low rumble that shook their insides. Suddenly, a giant snout appeared through the fog and smoke mixture.

"That doesn't look like the Bewilderbeast," the Berkian whispered, eyes wide.

"It's not," Oswald confirmed, ashen. "I don't know what that is." A bad feeling entered the man and he adjusted the sails. "We need to go. We'll regroup and come back."

The strong winds filled the sails. They did so just in time because the scent of Vikings had traveled into the cave. The enormous dragon growled louder, turning it into a roar as it eyed the escaping ship. Its roar made the duo feel like their ears would explode. Traveling far enough away from it to be out of the hearing range was a blessing. The Terrible Terror seemed just as relieved to be away from the creature. Quickly, it flew off to return to its home. Hiccup watched it go, then turned back to the chief.

"Do you know if multiple kinds of dragons can control minds?"

"Thor, I hope not. I don't know for sure." The man's expression turned thoughtful. "Let's figure out our plan. When we get back, I'm sending a letter to Stoick. Whether that dragon can control minds or not, it's controlling the other dragons that go after Berk."

Oswald continued to sail them back to the island. As soon as they were there, he went to get a scroll.

To Chief Stoick,

Hiccup and I found a dragon's nest. We believe it is the one which has all the dragons that attack Berk. Inside, we also found a reason for why they might do that. There is a dragon much larger than anything I've ever seen. It was monstrous, Stoick. It could easily devour all of them if they don't bring back enough food. We only saw its mouth. I'm concerned about what seeing the rest of it will be like. Hiccup and I have come to the realization that a permanent solution needs to be used to protect Berk. If we stop that dragon, it's very possible you will no longer have raids. This is not to say that no dragon will ever be aggressive again, but if I had a leader to bring food to who was that size, I'd probably attack various islands as well.

Your friend,

Oswald

By that time, Stoick had already written his own letter and was about to give it to Johann to bring on his travels.

To Chief Oswald,

Dagur and I believe that your island might be in danger soon. We can't confirm if this is true, but there is a tribe called Meatheads and they were acting very strangely when we just went. It seemed like we had interrupted talks of a plan of theirs. They're known for their ruthlessness and competitiveness. I know your tribe has been peaceful, but that might have put it on the Meathead's conquest list. If they deem your Berserkers as easy targets, they will attack and won't bother themselves with taking any prisoners. Hopefully, we're wrong, but we wanted to let you know. It might be helpful to station more Vikings at watchtowers to be on the lookout.

Your friend,

Stoick

When the chiefs received their letters, they quickly wrote back with the same sentiment: We'll meet up at the halfway point between our islands. We need to resolve this now.