The return to New Berk would only take roughly a week, so I wasn't terribly concerned about timing. It would give me more time as Riptide's rider and bond with him more.

One day, I noticed that Riptide's course had changed. We were no longer flying west; instead, we were flying roughly northeast.

"Riptide? Where are you going? We're supposed to be going the other way." He growled at me, maintaining his course. Eyarr directed Cliffire to follow.

"Where's he going?"

"I don't know! He refuses to change his course. I think he wants to show us something?"

"I can't fathom what he wants to show us. Most of the islands northeast are barren or uninhabited." I shrugged.

"Let's find out."

It was mid-afternoon when I saw an island rise from the horizon. Tall, sharp mountains were the main eye-catcher, with sea spires and stacks surrounding the main island.

I did notice two crumbled statues in the sea, the old rock having become smooth over decades of crashing waves. I could faintly make out the old carvings on the barnacle-covered rock. But I still couldn't fathom why Riptide led us here.

My interest was piqued by the sight of the old village we approached. We landed the dragons in the village square, and I took it all in.

Towering houses, many of them nothing but rotten and burnt husks of former homes. I could see decades-old paint peeled or chipped off, and the carvings were in worse shape. Everywhere you looked, it was a disaster. Every home was burnt to a crisp, and anything leftover or survived had rotted away or become overgrown with moss, mushrooms, and lichen. The stone paths were cracked and splitting, and the dirt paths were in the same condition; old and overgrown.

Eyarr and I both had the same thought: "What happened?" There was little evidence of the people that used to live here, but based on some surviving structures, I could conclude that dragons once lived here as well.

It was depressing just at the thought that people once lived here with their families and simply left.

I looked around for Eyarr and saw him making his way up a massive stone staircase with Cliffire behind him. Riptide and I ran to catch up with them, approaching the massive double doors. As we made our way up, I gazed at one of the statues on my left. The face looked familiar… but time had worn away at the stone, making it difficult to pick out discernible features. The other statue looked to be of another figure that I didn't recognize, but I decided that, for now, it didn't matter much.

I joined Eyarr's side as he stood before the massive wooden doors. It was intricately carved, but many of the carvings had become worn down with time and slightly overgrown with the village. I ran my hand over it, feeling figures of dragons and Vikings.

"This village lived with dragons at one point." I pointed out.

"I noticed that, too. Makes me wonder what happened." He rested his gloved hand on the door next to mine, and we took it in. The feeling of being here was sad, knowing the generations that grew up here.

Eyarr attempted to push in the door, but it wouldn't budge. Even Cliffire's draconic strength couldn't push it down. So Eyarr took out his sword, chipping away at the aged wood, and Cliffire assisted with the massive claw on his wing. After a few moments of hacking and chopping at wood, they finally made a hole big enough to peek inside but not enough for one of us to get through. Cliffire gently pushed Eyarr to the side as he tore down more wood so we could get in.

After the sound of wood breaking down reached our ears, I grabbed a decent-sized chunk and let Cliffire light it for a torch, Eyarr following my lead.

We crawled in, and I immediately reacted to the intense musk in the air.

"Whew… this place has been sealed for gods knows how long," I remarked, sniffling and coughing with all the dust in the air. I waved my torch around to get an idea of what was in here and noticed something glinting in the dim light. Holding the torch as a guide, I approached the glint ahead and nearly jumped out of my skin upon seeing a dragon's head suddenly appear from the darkness.

"Oh shit!" I cried out, stumbling back into Eyarr, who caught me. He looked up and was initially startled but relaxed once he realized it wasn't real.

"Easy, babe, it's not real. It's metal." I breathed out a sigh of relief and gathered myself. I brushed myself off and held out my torch again, this time trying to get a better look at this statue that I now realized hung from the towering ceiling.

I took a moment to figure out the species, noting its long, slithery body and the way its body was twisted around to show movement. My attention was diverted to the long metal pole that plunged its way through the metal body, only for me to realize it was supposed to be a sword stabbing through a dragon's heart. I still racked my brain trying to remember the species, and when I glanced back at the round head, I recognized it.

Grapple Grounder.

From my recollection of the Book of Dragons, it was a Boulder Class dragon with an attacking style very similar to snakes. They weren't a commonly seen dragon, I hadn't even seen any in the Hidden World with Eyarr.

Regardless of its elusiveness, it was quite the sight to see a statue done in its likeness hanging from the ceiling.

Eyarr found old torchposts around the hall, and he lit them up, finally allowing us to see everything bathed in the firelight. I grazed my hand along the surface of some aged tables and benches, sweeping up a thick layer of dust on my fingertips. I took note of the circular wooden table surrounding the fire pit in the center of the hall, right under the Grapple Grounder statue—a meeting place, I would guess.

"Babe! Come look at this!" Eyarr's voice echoed from one side of the hall. I grabbed my torch and followed his voice to where he stood, holding his own torch up to a wall covered with what appeared to be tapestries. It was a miracle most of them still hung on the wall.

Many of them were of Viking battles with dragons; blood and guts were depicted everywhere. I scrunched my nose up in disgust at the sight. I made the assumption that this was a long, long time ago before Vikings and dragons formed bonds with each other.

For what it was worth, the craftsmanship was impeccable. From the towering pillars, the stonemasonry, and the woodwork, the attention to detail astounded me. And it gave me a new appreciation for Norse craftsmanship. When they put the effort in, they could make something incredible. It made me wish I had more handiwork from home to show off.

As we admired the tapestries, one caught my eye.

A tapestry that looked more recently made, like the past 30 years. I took multiple steps back to see the whole thing, and my heart stopped when I recognized the two figures.

It was Hiccup… and his father, Stoick.

I distinctly recalled a tapestry of Stoick hanging in Gobber's shop, and the massive red beard gave it away—the same red hair as Zephyr.

I couldn't find the words as I realized this island was Old Berk. Hiccup's home island, where he, Astrid, Ana, Fishlegs, Snotlout, the twins, and so many others their age grew up.

As I took it in, I swore under my breath, not even paying attention to Eyarr joining my side. I heard him swear, too, when he recognized Hiccup's face.

"Beard of Thor…"

"I know…"

All of Hiccup's stories began to make sense to me. All the chaos that happened here, from the war with the dragons to peace… and then to war once again. It made me think about how these people could never seem to agree about dragons.

People like Hiccup and the Berkians believed in peace with dragons, working with them to protect one another for the greater good, who saw each other as equals.

And then others like Drago Bludvist or Grimmel the Grisly saw dragons as slaves and meant for nothing more than to serve humans or be eradicated if the former wasn't an option. Until Hiccup let me in on that part of Berk's past, I remained innocent of that bloody history.

My people believed that humanity was an extension of nature. To work with what was provided and give back. Sustainability and community were important to us, and to be fair, Vikings were also about community, but not quite through the same lens as my people.

As Eyarr and I settled down for the night next to the massive fire pit, I vented my thoughts. I always sought to see connections and similarities between people and then realize how hateful others could be.

"Based on what Dustin and Tannr told me, that's how Hiccup has always felt," Eyarr remarked as Cliffire lit a section of the fire pit. We got the dragons inside to be near us, not out in the open. We couldn't risk them being exposed even if no one had lived here for decades.

"Oh gods, I sound just like him!" I cried out. It was funny to me to realize Hiccup, and I had similar views.

"It's sweet, though, you're very empathetic, and that's a good trait," Eyarr assured. Shrugging, I took his word for it.

As we settled in, he wrapped a blanket around us, stoking the fire. He pulled me in closer, and I decided to sit between his legs, as it was incredibly comfortable to sit there. I felt him wrap his arm under mine and then around my torso, pulling me close.

The dragons settled in a spot a bit away to give us some privacy, but still close enough that they weren't out of sight for safety's sake.

With us having broken in, the still must in the air was mostly gone, so it didn't feel like I was breathing in straight dust. The ambiance was a little chilling, with the hall still quiet. As being the first humans and dragons inside in almost 30 years…

I was broken out of my train of thought when I felt his hands shift around my torso. I heard him sigh, resting his face on the back of my head, almost at my neck. He parted my hair so my neck was exposed, and I shivered at the feeling of his lips trailing down. His facial hair did add to the sensation, tickling me.

I tilted my head back, enjoying the feeling of his lips there. When I glanced up at him, he was smirking.

"You like that, huh?" He remarked. I blushed a bit.

"I do. It feels good."

"There's something else that feels good, too." He murmured in my ear. I pursed my lips, suddenly still thinking about what he was referring to.

"You're right…"

"May I?" He softly asked. I hummed in response, then nodded, suddenly feeling a wild urge with him. Without much warning, I turned around, grabbed the collar of his tunic, and pulled him in for a kiss. He made a noise in reply, not expecting me to do that, but he welcomed it, pulled me close to his chest, and wrapped his arms around me.

I pinned him down, fervently kissing him, not just on his lips but all over his face. I rested my hands on his cheeks, gently squeezing them, making the kiss deeper. He grabbed my hips and shifted them so I was on top of him. Out of sheer instinct and a primal drive of desire, I began to grind against him. And just as I expected, he groaned through a bewildered chuckle, tilting his head back.

Deciding not to let it go too far, I held back my teasing, leaving him hanging.

"That was mean."

"Get used to it." I snickered.

We finally settled in for bed. The plan was to head out in the morning and hopefully arrive at New Berk as soon as possible. If the winds were generous, we could possibly arrive ahead of schedule.

"Let's hope that Maui gives us generous winds," I remarked, cuddling up next to Eyarr, "The sooner we arrive, the better."

We stayed up talking a bit more, making sure the dragons were also comfortable and finally falling asleep.

We packed our stuff bright and early that morning, making sure that even with the hole in the front doors, we still left little evidence of our stay here.

With that done, we took off with the boys, following my map. And somehow, I felt more like a dragon rider than before. I didn't know what made this different, but I guessed it was the anticipation of returning.

The remainder of the trip was uneventful and went by in no time, my prayer for good winds had been heard, and I was ecstatic. And seeing that towering island peeking over the horizon had my heart racing.

"Follow me!" I beckoned, leading Riptide to a cliff where we could land and get to the village. I knew from my recollection that an opening in the forest from this cliff led directly to the village.

As the dragons landed, I could hear shouting almost immediately. I spun around to see who was calling out, and my heart dropped to see the faces of Zephyr and Nuffink running toward us. A beaming smile crossed my face as Zephyr pulled me in for a massive hug, nearly picking me up, Nuffink was excited like his sister, with a huge grin plastered on his face, but I caught a ghost of something cross his face.

"Laeli? Eyarr?" He exclaimed in disbelief. I grinned as he, too, pulled me in for a tight side hug.

"What? Don't look too happy seeing us, eh?" I joked.

Eyarr gave Nuffink a brotherly smack on the back, nearly toppling the blond to the ground, garnering laughter from Zephyr and me.

"How've you been, stringbean? Your sister keeping you in check?" Nuffink rolled his eyes. Nuffink may be slightly taller than Eyarr, but he was still thinner.

"Eh, yeah, yeah, she has." He scoffed.

"What's got you all down?" I asked him, he was usually energetic and goofy, yet his usual energy was not the same.

"Oh, don't mind him; his mind has been… occupied, to say the least," Zephyr answered teasingly. I wanted to ask more, but Nuffink must've seen the looks on my and Eyarr's faces, and he immediately started asking us questions.

He pulled me in, walking me by my shoulders as he led us to the village with Zephyr and Eyarr in tow. I heard more calling as Dustin and Tannr came to greet us.

"Holy shit, you're back! Hey man!" Tannr exclaimed, affectionately slapping Eyarr on the shoulder.

"Soooo, how was your guys' trip? See anything cool? Mom and Dad are gonna be thrilled to see you guys back!" Nuffink rambled, not realizing Eyarr wasn't paying attention. But then Zephyr stepped in front of us.

"Oh, hold on there, lover boy. Shouldn't you tell them the news?" Tannr and Dustin's expressions changed almost immediately; Eyarr and I turned to Nuffink, both confused. Barely an hour back and there was chaos abound, as per usual. I did miss it, though.

"Loverboy?" Eyarr commented, crossing his arms. Nuffink blushed, being very obvious with his fair skin, and covered his face in embarrassment.

"Zeph…" he groaned.

"Uh, what news?" I asked. I was still taking everything in, and now suddenly, something was going on with Nuffink. He tapped his foot awkwardly, and I could tell he struggled to get the words out.

"Well, since cats got his tongue, might as well share it for him! It may come as a shock… but! Nuffink… has a girlfriend!" She exclaimed, absolutely beaming. Eyarr raised an eyebrow.

"Oh! Great?". Zephyr wagged her finger.

"Ohoho, my boy. This one is the real deal. I heard Nuffink say it himself." She boasted, giving Nuffink a slightly aggressive punch on the arm.

"Zeph! Come on!" He cried out. Zephyr didn't mind it, though. But something told me that this was true. The way he reacted to Zephyr exposing him, I could read his face. He was in love.

"You're really in love, huh?" I commented, grinning at him. What're the chances my little sister has fallen in love and now Nuffink? He didn't reply verbally, but I saw it in his face.

"You are!" I exclaimed, hugging him.

"Never thought I'd see the day." Eyarr chided with a smirk and a slight eyeroll.

"Neither did we." We turned to see Hiccup, Astrid, and Ana approach us with beaming smiles. Emotions came over me as I rushed into my surrogate parent's arms. Eyarr remained behind me but kept a cautious distance.

"Hey, you two, welcome home." Hiccup said, giving me a tight hug back. I pulled back to look at him, Astrid, and Ana; only two years away hadn't done too much, they still looked the same.

"The seas and skies treat you well?" He asked, his tone shifting upon glancing at Eyarr, who shrugged.

"As well as it can. How've things been around here?"

"You won't believe…" Hiccup began before Astrid interrupted him.

"How back we continue this conversation at the house? I'll make dinner!" As soon as she turned her back, there were expressions of cringe on everyone's faces. Nevertheless, we followed the Haddocks and Ana back into the village, greeting familiar faces.

"So… I gotta know more about this girl you're into," I commented as I caught up to Nuffink.

"Aaaaand we're changing subjects!" He declared, speed walking ahead. I rolled my eyes, waiting for the others to catch up. Zephyr shrugged upon seeing my expression.

"Oh, I'll get to the bottom of this!" I briefly overheard Zephyr talking to Eyarr as I walked off to catch up.

"Glad to hear she hasn't changed whatsoever." She chuckled.

"You have no idea."