Smidvarg's lines are curtesy of my boyfriend (he loves Night Terrors).


When Darkness Falls:

" "AHHHHHH!" "

Hiccup and Snotlout ran, a herd of boars relentlessly chasing them across the island.

"Let's explore the island on foot", Snotlout mocked. "Rest the dragons for a long trip home. I'm a mutton-head!"

The two had no choice but to stop when they reached a cliff, sharp rocks and ocean at the bottom.

"Okay, genius, what's our next move?" Snotlout asked.

"Uh…" Hiccup thought, the boars approaching and not a lot of time. But that's when her ears perked. "Jump!"

"What―?! AHH!"

Taking Snotlout with her, Hiccup jumped off the cliff.

"I HATE YOOOoouuuuu―! Ugh!" Snotlout was suddenly caught. "Hookfang?" he exclaimed, his dragon underneath him. Scooting up into the saddle, Hiccup, who had been hovering above, flew down.

"Still hate me now?" she asked.

"Yes!"

000

The riders left that island without hesitation. They were searching for a new island to serve as their base for when they explored and searched for Dagur. So far their search had proved unsuccessful, but that didn't deter the others' excitement as Fishlegs practically squealed and the twins talked some nonsense about…something, not that Hiccup was really paying attention at the moment.

"Alright, let's keep looking. Remember, we need to find an island that's safe, secure, and habitable for both us and the dragons", she said.

"Oh, blah blah blah!" Snotlout shouted. "How many times are we gonna have to hear that?!"

"Um, until we find what we're looking for? Let's check that island over there."

Flying over the island, everything seemed fine. It had some nice cliffs and fields, and was a decent size to build a sizable outpost. They landed in a field with flowers.

"Not bad", Aric commented as Hiccup was dealing with Snotlout behind them, her cousin trying to take her leg as revenge from before.

"Hey!" she fell back, her prosthetic now in Snotlout's hand, a smug grin on his face.

"Yeah, lots of fresh water, seems like plentiful food supply", Astrid went on, Hiccup and Snotlout's 'disagreement' left to the background.

"And lots of cool blue flowers", Ruffnut said, a bushel of flowers in her hands, and everyone turned to her.

"Wait", Hiccup said as she rose from the ground, her leg back where it belonged and Snotlout just slightly singed, "Aren't those…?"

Fishlegs gasped. "Blue Oleander. Deadly poisonous to dragons."

"So we're not staying", Tuffnut said, and Barf and Belch answered with an explosive sneeze.

The next island didn't fare much better, as Whispering Death holes coated the surface. They hadn't even landed on that one. But, then they came upon an island that seemed completely perfect. Good sight lines, as Aric pointed out, and easily defendable. The location was also great, as pointed out by Fishlegs.

"It's perfect", Ruffnut even said.

Only one member of their group wasn't as convinced.

"It's too perfect", Tuffnut said skeptically. "I'm just saying, in the immortal words of the mighty Thor, 'when something looks too perfect, it probably sucks'."

"Yeah, you know I'm pretty sure Thor never said anything remotely like that", Hiccup called back.

"Oh really? How do you know? Do you know Thor? Have you talked to him recently?"

"No, but―"

"Well, because I have. Mhm, and I don't recall him mentioning you? Look, I just have a feeling about this place. And I think we all know what happens when I get a feeling."

"We ignore it?" Aric smirked.

"Mark my words! There will be something wrong with this island. Something mysterious, something horrible! Something… SOMETHING…!"

"Ya finished?" Ruffnut asked dryly.

Moving in for a landing, passing by the mountains, no one noticed the strange nests in the caves.

000

When they landed, the sun was already starting to set, so they had to work fast if they wanted to set camp before nightfall. As Hiccup opened up one of Toothless' saddlebags, she didn't notice her friends circled up behind her.

"Okay, the first thing we need to do is set up camp for the night", she said, oblivious. "We need dry wood for fire, we need fresh water, and we need someone on traps."

"Snotlout, what is that?" Astrid questioned, and Hiccup finally turned around. Wondering what in Thor's name they were doing, she strolled up for a closer look with Toothless.

"It's an S", Snotlout said, looking to be holding a stick from the limited view she had. "For Snotlout? Aesthetically, it would look nice flying over."

"That's ridiculous", Astrid said.

"Yeah, it doesn't matter what the outpost looks like; it needs to be functional and operational", Aric followed.

"Uh, guys? What we really need is―" Hiccup tried, but Fishlegs interrupted.

"Is a place for rest, relaxation, and replenishing after a hard day's work. You're absolutely right, Hiccup", he said, and brought out a diagram built from rocks. "Look. Meatlug and I had some thoughts…" he drawled.

"Is that a hot tub?" Astrid asked incredulously.

"No, that's the mud bath", Fishlegs said as if insulted. "The hot tub is over there", he pointed.

"This is ridiculous", Toothless said.

"Tell me about it", Hiccup agreed.

"Wait a minute", Tuffnut suddenly jumped in. "Everyone stop. I don't see it."

"Me neither", Ruffnut said.

"See what?" Hiccup rounded to where they were so she could get a look.

"Um, the boar pit?" Tuff said as if it were obvious. "Where is it? Where's the boar pit?"

"You see, the center piece of any good outpost is a boar pit", Ruffnut clarified.

"Why?" Aric dared to ask.

"Everyone needs a little entertainment now and then, don't they?" Tuffnut said lowly, and Aric had no response.

"Well, we do know where to get boars", Fishlegs said.

That's when Toothless blasted the 'S' in the dirt. "Oops, sorry 'bout that", Hiccup said, not sorry at all. After all, Toothless asked, and she approved. "Okay, so now that we have your attention, we really need to set up camp for the night."

"Wait, what about the―"

"Tuh-tuh-tuh-tuh-tuh" Hiccup interrupted Fishlegs, "We'll talk about the dragon outpost design in the morning. For now, someone needs to get the water."

Snotlout groaned. "I don't know about you", he turned to Aric, "but I like whiny Berk Hiccup way better than Princess Outpost Hiccup."

"I know, right?" Aric said, though gave Hiccup a thumbs up.

Hiccup sighed.

000

With camp set, the riders laid by the fire about to rest for the night, when Toothless suddenly heard something.

"What is it, bud?" Hiccup asked.

"I'll tell you what it is", Tuffnut answered instead. "Rats. Rats the size of yaks."

Ruffnut side-eyed her brother, everyone else rolling their eyes to the start of another one of Tuffnut's rants.

"No, it could also be― Is it yaks the size of rats? Yak-rats! Haha, wait, those would be adorable. Nonono, I know what it is."

"I don't even care anymore", Toothless grumbled, laying his head back on his paws. Hiccup looked to him with a sympathetic, but humorous, smile.

"Yaks the size of dragons", Tuff just went on. "Right, Toothless? You feeling me, T?"

"Pretend I'm not here. Maybe he'll buy it", Toothless pulled his wings up, paws over his eyes.

"Oh, bud", Hiccup crooned lightly as Fishlegs laughed at Tuffnut.

"There's no such thing as yaks the size of dragons", he said.

"Yak-Dragons to you, my friend!" Tuffnut suddenly appeared behind him, startling Fishlegs and Astrid. "And when you've heard their cries, you'll believe. Trust me." Everyone covered their ears as he then suddenly shouted out some odd cry. "Uh-huh. That's right. Let that roll around in your head for a minute."

"Alright, Tuffnut, knock it off", Hiccup finally said.

"Yeah. You're not scaring anyone", Snotlout said, but that only prompted Tuffnut to go even further with his ghost stories. At last, when he settled down, did everyone go to sleep.

000

Tuffnut woke with a start, a strange noise coming from somewhere in the distance. Everyone else was fast asleep, seeming undisturbed by the odd cawing sound. Heading into the forest, Tuffnut decided to investigate himself. He knew there would be something off about this island, and if there were any yak-dragons out there, he'd run back, warn the others, and then rub it in their faces that he was right.

First, though, he had to figure out where the noise was actually coming from, not to mention survive. As he traversed through the forest, he couldn't help but be a little freaked out. It was creepy, and he couldn't shake the feeling he was being watched. Something moved in his peripheral, and Tuffnut turned to it, but he saw nothing. Then there it was again, but he only saw a shadow.

"It's in the trees", he muttered to himself. "Ah", he startled from the shadow again, following it with his eyes. "Yak-rats! I knew it. Ah!" he screamed again and closed his eyes when it seemed to charge at him, but when nothing happened, Tuffnut opened his eyes and uncoiled his startled position to the small sight before him. He sighed in relief. "Oh, it's just a chicken; a tiny chicken", he said. "Well, hello, breakfast!"

That was when another sound caught his attention, and turning around, Tuffnut saw something truly monstrous. Something black as night, as it shadowed the moon, with glowing white eyes.

He ran.

000

"HELP!" Tuffnut's voice startled them all awake, their friend running towards them from the woods.

"Chicken! Roaring! Roaring huge chicken! Chicken roar!" he was blathering, but none of it made any sense.

"Is he saying he saw a big roaring chicken?" Fishlegs asked.

"Not a chicken. Dragon. Huge. Massive. What's another word? …Colossal."

"But what about the chicken?"

"Forget the chicken! We gotta get out of here!"

"Is anyone falling for this?" Aric yawned.

"I don't know", Ruffnut scratched her head. "I haven't seen him this freaked out since he found a leech on his―"

"Okay!" Astrid interrupted. "Eugh."

Hiccup gave an exasperated sigh. "Okay, fine. Let's just check this out, so we can all go back to sleep."

With Tuffnut leading the way, the riders followed him to the spot he saw this supposed colossal dragon. Their dragons stayed behind at the camp.

"Okay, when this giant beast rips us limb from limb I will expect a full apology from each and every one of you", Tuffnut said when they came to the spot, hiding behind some bushes. "And a handshake. No, you wouldn't be able to shake hands 'cause your limbs will be gone."

They heard a rustle, and that's when Tuffnut jumped out with a 'roar', hands out for a fight, only to find he'd jumped out at a little chicken, no dragon in sight. "Nono, it was right here", he insisted, though. "And it was huge. I'm not making this up! Tell them", he then looked to the chicken. "You were standing right there. Tell them, chicken."

Staring up at him, the chicken just cooed.

"Uh, you're scaring me, bro", Ruffnut approached him. "And we shared a womb."

Rather confused about the whole thing, they all just left. No one ever really knew what went on in the twin's head, but this one was especially perplexing. But it was Tuffnut, so what else was new?

Hiccup had to pause a moment when she swore she heard him still talking to the chicken, as in acting as if he were having a conversation. Hiccup shook her head. It had to be her imagination.

000

The next morning, as everyone stretched, ready for a busy day, Hiccup stepped up. "Alright, let's talk outpost", she said.

"Since you brought it up", Astrid came up with a large parchment rolled up in her hands. "Aric and I have been working on our design" she rolled it out. Hiccup's ears shot up, eyes blinking rapidly. It was like the early schematics of a small military base. Aric began to explain.

"We'll set up lookout posts with interlocking fields of fire and―"

"And never get any rest―" Fishlegs interrupted. "But here, in my meditation garden…"

"Neither of those is 'S' shaped", Snotlout interrupted, looking at Fishlegs' rock diagram. "Did you not see my design?"

"Boar pit! Boar pit! Boar pit!" Ruffnut chanted.

"Guys guys guys!" Hiccup stopped it all. "L-listen to me, okay? We need one idea. We can't design five different outposts! Or…can we", she began to think. "You know what? Boar pit, great idea!"

"Whoa, what just happened?" Ruffnut questioned.

"Oh, 'S' shape? Love it!"

"Don't freak me out, Hiccup!" Snotlout exclaimed. "It gives me the willies."

"I'm just saying let's all come up with a design that we'd think is the best, and then we'll vote on it. Sound fair?" Hiccup asked.

"What are you up to?" Aric asked skeptically.

"N-nothing! Just…trying to keep the troops happy", Hiccup fidgeted. "You know what they say? Uh, happy troops are uh…happy…groups?"

With a shake of his head, Aric just walked off with Astrid.

"Hey, uh, speaking of troops", Hiccup caught Ruffnut. "Ruff, where's your other half?" she asked.

"Don't ask me", Ruffnut answered, sounding quite annoyed. "All I know is this boar pit is not gonna dig itself."

000

With his little chicken companion, Tuffnut went in search for the dragon he saw last night. Everyone might have thought he was crazy, or pulling a Loki, but he knew he wasn't crazy, and he'd definitively know if he was pulling a full on Loki. So, he was going to prove it.

"Okay, giant dragon, you are officially on notice", Tuffnut said as he walked through the forest. "Oh, you can run, but you can't hide. I guess you can fly. You can also run. You can run or fly. But either way, you can't hide. Because nothing escapes the watchful eye of―AH!"

He suddenly stepped off a cliff, tumbling down several ledges.

"Oh, I am hurt. I am very much hurt", he called up.

When he finally climbed back up, his chicken pal pecking at the ground, there were twigs, pine-cones, dirt, and grass stuck all over him.

"You couldn't have warned me?" Tuffnut griped to the chicken, before continuing on. "Okay, so it's gonna be the hard way", he spoke to the air. "Fine. That's the way I like it. Just ask the chicken. Ah-ha!" he stopped before another ledge. "See? Tuffnut Thorston is locked in now. He ain't falling off another cli―AH! AGH! Multiple ledges! OWOWOW!"

BANG

"This island is very cliffy!"

000

As the day began to come to a close, her friends working on their designs quietly at last, Hiccup sat back and relaxed against Toothless, the two taking full advantage of the moment.

"Do you hear that, Toothless?", she asked quietly, not wanting to disrupt the blissful silence.

"I don't hear anything", Toothless listened.

"Exactly. It's the sound of peace and quiet", she crossed her arms in front of her, a small smirk on her face. "You know, making them work together might just be the best idea I've ever had."

It couldn't last forever, though. When Fishlegs took a rock for his diagram, one that was in between him and Snotlout, things took a turn for the worse.

Snotlout scowled. "Um, excuse me? My rock."

"Huh, how do you figure?" Fishlegs asked.

"I need it! That rock makes the bottom of my 'S', and I need my 'S'."

"Really. Your 'S'. Your genius architectural marvel", Fishlegs' tone dripped with sarcasm.

"Give me. The rock."

"Ah, since you put it like that", Fishlegs said, before tossing it over Snotlout's head and to Meatlug's mouth. Then Meatlug spit the rock out, nothing more than a puddle of lava now. "There. There's your rock."

It was then that Snotlout had enough, and Hiccup stood with what was to come, dread already present on her features. Snotlout stood, turned, then body-slammed Fishleg's work.

"And there goes your architectural marvel", he said with a smile, Fishlegs aghast.

"And I've spoken too soon", Hiccup said dryly, before sighing into her hand as the two began to literally fight…over a rock.

"Hey, Hiccup", Ruffnut then came up. "I'm ready for a dry run. You wanna be the boar? Hahaha!"

Cringing, Hiccup was about to say a firm 'no' to that, when Tuffnut suddenly returned to camp, looking more than a little worse for wear.

"Whoa", Ruffnut awed. "What happened to you?"

"Searching for the dragon, obviously", Tuffnut answered as he sat back against a log. Hiccup brought him a drink, the twin probably parched after being out there all day.

"So, you've really been out there looking for that dragon all day?" she asked.

"Instead of digging our boar-pit. Talk about priorities, right?" Ruffnut said.

"Or, maybe he really did see something?" Hiccup pondered.

"Oh, I saw something", Tuffnut said. "You did too, you little backstabber", he told the chicken beside him. "Tell them. Oh, save it. You had your chance."

"Or", Ruffnut jumped in again. "This whole thing is a bunch of stinky yak dung."

"You know what?" Tuffnut stood. "First of all, yak dung, when made into a nice tea, can be quite aromatic."

"Agreed. But, I still think that you're just trying to scare everybody. There's no dragon out there."

"Uh yeah there is, Ruffnut. You willing to put your mutton where your mouth is?"

"Oh-ho, you're not suggesting…"

"Oh, I am. I'm suggesting like a hot Gronckle in a lava pit. And you know exactly what that means."

"W-what is going on with you two?" Hiccup wondered, feeling more like a third wheel at the moment.

"SILENCE!" Ruffnut declared.

"I officially declare Thorston challenge", Tuffnut then said.

"Thorston what?!" Hiccup exclaimed, but it went ignored.

"Accepted. Usual stakes?" Ruffnut asked.

"Of course", Tuffnut answered.

"What stakes?" Hiccup asked.

"It's better you don't know."

The twins then walked off to their dragon, and Hiccup was once more reminded of the other situation she had with the others literally wrestling over a rock.

"Hiccup", Toothless whined, his ears pressed down against his head.

"I know, bud. I'm losing it too. Hey, wait!" Hiccup then called to the twins. "How about a couple of impartial judges for the Thorston challenge?! For the love of Thor, take us with you!" she and Toothless flew after them.

After a few hours, the night wearing on, they hadn't found anything and Tuffnut was falling asleep on Belch, his chicken hugged against him like a feathery pillow as he mumbled chicken dishes in his sleep. Then he was listing off the side of the saddle.

"And that's where we should call it a night", Hiccup said as Toothless tilted him back.

"Sure!" Ruffnut exclaimed. "Since we never found that quote unquote yak-dragon, declare me the Thorston winner and we can all go home!"

"Uh, o-okay, sure. Um, by the power, uh, vested in me, I hereby declare that Ruffnut is the―Whoa!"

A screech cut through the air, before a giant black dragon flew out from the trees.

"I don't believe it", Hiccup muttered in awe.

"Me neither", Ruffnut whined. "Tuffnut wins the Thorston challenge."

"Yes! Told you! Now pay up", Tuffnut said.

Ruffnut punched him instead, to which Tuffnut responded with a kick to her face, Ruffnut then catching his foot and pulling.

"Guys, focus!" Hiccup interrupted them. "Look where it's headed. Straight for our camp-site. If it catches those guys asleep on the ground…"

The twins raced after it.

"Guys!" she yelled after them, but couldn't stop them from just charging at it, and…right through it? When Barf and Belch rushed at it, the dragon had suddenly scattered into hundreds of little ones. "It's not one dragon", Hiccup muttered in awe.

"Whoa! Check that one out", Tuffnut said, pointing to the lone white one of the bunch. It was then that the white one called to the others, and all the other dragons gathered around him to form their shape again.

"That's how they do it. He must be the leader", Hiccup said. "This is incredible. Guys, what are you doing?!" Hiccup exclaimed, the twins rushing at the dragons with a net. They captured the white dragon, the black ones scattering, and Hiccup felt a deep pit in her stomach.

"Bam! Problem solved", Tuffnut said, the dragon netted between him and and his sister. "Alright, let's head home."

"Let me go, you filthy humans! Agh!" the dragon screeched and roared as the twins flew off. "You'll never take me alive!"

Meanwhile, Hiccup and Toothless lagged behind, looking to the other dragons who no longer knew what to do without their leader.

"I've got a bad feeling about this", Toothless said.

"Me too, bud", Hiccup watched them. "Me too."

When they returned to camp, the riders gathered around, the white dragon squirming on his back and screeching within the net, trying with all his might to get out.

"Just wait 'till my brothers get a hold of ya! I swear!" he squirmed to his feet.

"Amazing", Fishlegs awed.

"It looks sort of like a Terrible Terror", Astrid stepped closer.

"Try it! I dare you!" the dragon screeched furiously.

"But bigger and meaner", she reared back.

"And it seems like they're nocturnal", Hiccup added.

"I say we call them… Night Terrors", Fishlegs said, when Tuffnut's chicken flew into his hands.

"Hey, I saw it first!" Tuffnut exclaimed. "So, I get to name him."

The chicken clucked.

"No. You always say that", he seemed to answer. "Now let's think about this logically. They come out at night, and they're terrifying. Terror of the Night. I've got it! Smidvarg and the Gang!"

"...And, Night Terrors it is", Hiccup nearly laughed, before a call startled her.

"My brothers! No! NO!" the white Night Terror started freaking out.

"What's going on out there?" Aric wondered.

"I don't know", Tuffnut said. "But whatever it is, Smidvarg doesn't like it. And the Gang ain't paying attention."

"Let's check it out", Hiccup said, then rushed to Toothless.

The riders took off, and went in search to find the source of where those calls were coming from. What they found was a terrifying sight.

"Changewings!" Hiccup exclaimed, the dragons surrounding the other Night Terrors and picking them off one by one.

"Hardly a fair fight", Toothless growled.

"Yeah. Let's even up the odds!" Hiccup said, then signaled Toothless to dive in. Toothless gave a warning shot to the frenzy, gaining their attention and moving them to camouflage themselves. Over the years they must have figured out how to camouflage to the sky itself. Hiccup and Toothless looked around them, on high alert, when a plasma blast suddenly exploded right beside her, hitting a Changewing that looked to have been far too close for comfort.

"No bullies on our turf!" Aric and Shadowstar zoomed passed her, quite thankful for the save.

"Yeah! You can't treat our dragons like that!" Snotlout shouted as Hookfang fired at another one.

"Only we can treat our dragons like that!" Ruffnut followed as Belch lit Barf's gas at another, the three Changewings then retreating.

"That should take care of them", Hiccup said confidently, when Fishlegs spoke up.

"But what about those guys?" he said, and looking to where he was pointing there definitely seemed to be more dragons coming their way. Hiccup took out her spyglass for a better look, but she found more than just a couple Changewings. There was a whole pack of Changewings.

"Incoming!" she warned.

"How many?!" Astrid asked.

"Too many!"

"Why are they all coming here now?!" Aric asked, and Hiccup thought for a moment, before a Night Terror flew in her face.

"Help us!" he squealed before rushing away.

"I-it must be the Night Terrors", Hiccup answered. "When we captured the white one they all split up."

"Oh, of course", Fishlegs said. "They flock into a shape of a giant version of themselves as a defense mechanism to scare off predators."

"And now that they can't", Hiccup started.

"They're lunch", Aric finished.

"Oh, I knew this was gonna be bad! Okay we have to help them. I'll head back for the white Night Terror; he's their leader. You guys hold them off as long as you can."

Turning around, Hiccup and Toothless raced back for the Terror. She could see the poor dragon screeching and squirming, trying to get out from the net with all of his might to help his pack, as they got closer. Hiccup didn't even wait for Toothless to land. They separated mid-flight, close to the ground, and Hiccup ran for the Terror and pulled the net off.

As soon as he was free, though, the Night Terror flew in her face, screeched in wordless anger in her ear, and flew away. Hiccup cringed, her ears ringing a bit.

"Yep, probably deserve that", she said, but it was then that the white Night Terror was in trouble, two Changewings de-camouflaging and on his tail. They must have overheard her and decided to follow when she left for him.

Toothless shot one plasma blast, and the Changewings dispersed, but it would only last a moment.

"Hiccup!" Toothless called, and Hiccup jumped on and got them into the air. As they raced to save the white Terror, though, one Changewing was right behind him, one chomp away from it being too late. They weren't going to make it!

That was when a green gas enveloped them, and a spark ignited.

The twins!

"You leave our Smidvarg alone", Tuffnut said firmly, the Night Terror able to escape in the explosion, and the Changewing turned tail.

"Great job", Hiccup and Toothless caught up. "Okay, you cover Smidvarg from behind; Toothless and I will lead the way."

The twins had rather large smirks on.

"What? Okay, so it's growing on me", she shrugged.

000

Protecting the Night Terrors was getting more challenging by the minute; more and more Changewings just kept on coming. Astrid really hoped Hiccup got back with that white Night Terror soon, because she wasn't sure how much longer they would be able to hold them off.

Snotlout and Fishlegs fired at the Changewings with Hookfang and Meatlug, doing their best in chasing them away, as she and Aric held defensive positions around the Night Terrors against any Snotlout or Fishlegs missed or couldn't fly off. But it was becoming too many, and they were quickly losing ground. Or, in this case, sky.

As Stormfly did her best at firing at three Changewings flying at them, Astrid yelled over. "Aric, we need a plan!"

Aric didn't answer at first, he and Shadowstar clearly dealing with their own flurry of Changewings, but then he finally exclaimed. "Hiccup!"

Astrid groaned. "I meant a plan now! In the meantime?!"

"No, look!" her brother yelled back, and turning around, Astrid saw them. Hiccup and Toothless, with the twins and Barf and Belch, were leading the white Night Terror back. Pushing the remaining Changewings back for now, they made it as safe as they could for the Night Terror, and it wasn't long before he reunited with the others.

Astrid and Aric gave them room, and in the next second, the riders watched as the Night Terrors formed their large shape again and went after the Changewings, unafraid as long as they had their allusion. It worked.

The Changewings that had regrouped with each other, about to come in for a full on assault in an attempt to overwhelm them to get to the Terrors, immediately stopped in their tracks at the sight of what appeared to be a much larger dragon. Then, with a loud and intimidating combined roar from the Terrors, the Changewings turned tail and flew as fast as they could.

The riders cheered in victory, and all was right again. Now they just had that issue with the base design. The next morning, though, it looked as if Hiccup had already thought of that, because of course she did. She's Hiccup.

000

While everyone else had gone to sleep for the night, Hiccup stayed up on the new idea she'd gotten for the base. She was sure it would fix everything, and she couldn't wait to see what everyone else thought about it. She worked almost all night on the design, but when it was done, she knew it was perfect.

The next morning, after breakfast, Hiccup gathered up her friends and put her design on full display.

"Everyone, I'd like to introduce to you the design for our new outpost", Hiccup announced. "I got the idea from Smidvarg", she side-eyed Aric. "See, I combined all your ideas into one giant base. And, I was thinking we could call it, the Dragons' Edge. What do you guys think?"

They all nodded unanimously.

"Okay, I-I just need to point out that this is the first time that that has ever happened", Hiccup said. "Let's take a look."

According to Hiccup's plan, each rider's section of Dragons' Edge was their own to build. Aric could make his place the most heavily armed hut in the known Viking world, and Astrid would be right beside him with her clinic. Fishlegs' place would be overlooking the ocean, quiet and secluded for his relaxing meditation garden. Snotlout's place was up high, and while not 'S' shaped, he had total freedom to go 'S' crazy and paint them all over. And for the twins, right underneath their hut, was space for their boar pit.

It was all going to be connected with interconnecting bridges and zip-lines, and there would be dragon stables with a landing strip and of course a dragon training area, but in the center of it all, overlooking the base, would be the clubhouse.

"The 'eye' of Dragons' Edge", as Hiccup called it.

And so they got to work, and as night drew near once more, Dragons' Edge was already starting to take shape.

"And now for one more addition to our new outpost", Hiccup announced. "Tuff", she directed, though Tuff was a little busy at the moment.

"Yeah, yeah, that's it. That's right", he was praising his chicken, petting and hugging her, until he noticed the others. "Uh…what? Oh. Smidvarg! OW!" the chicken started pecking him furiously. "Oh-oh, what? I can't have friends now?"

Smidvarg flew in then, and swooped over to a perch like it was exactly where he belonged.

"I thought", Hiccup went on, "If we're gonna share the island with them, we should share the outpost too."

"Plus it doesn't hurt that they seem to have an instinct to protect", Fishlegs added.

"They'll be like sentries. Right Smidvarg?"

"Like one of my own", Smidvarg trilled.

"Alright. So, the Thorston Challenge", Hiccup went back to the twins. "When is Ruffnut gonna pay up?"

"She already has. Can't ya tell?" Tuffnut said, directing to Ruffnut sitting glumly on a rock. "I mean, look at her", he seemed to be reigning in some laughter. "She lost. So, she had to swap clothes with me!"

"Riiiight… And, if you had lost?"

"Ugh. I'd have to swap clothes with her."

"Yeah, but you guys are exactly...mmh", Astrid shut her mouth via her hand covering it.

"Don't go there", she sighed.

It was then that Smidvarg suddenly let out some strange call, and the other Night Terrors appeared and circled around Toothless.

"What are they doing now?" Hiccup wondered.

"I have no idea", Fishlegs answered.

Smidvarg called again, and as he flew off the perch and into the sky, the Night Terrors followed and formed…

Toothless.

Eyes wide, the riders couldn't believe it, and Toothless was more than happy with the attention. He got up on two feet and stood all tall and regal, roaring with pride.

Hiccup just laughed at his antics.

Behind her, Tuffnut's chicken squawked, and Tuffnut, holding said chicken, looked down to her. "Oh, Chicken, I couldn't have squawked it better myself.


Yeah, I know, not a super exciting chapter. There wasn't a whole lot to this episode to play with. Still, I hope I was still able to make it enjoyable.