A/N: Hello! This is my disclaimer for this story! I own Nothing! Any guesses on who's POV I am using for the last two paragraphs will be fun to read! Also, I try not to use a lot of A/Ns. As in this is the only one you will most likely get unless I feel as if I need to clarify something up for you guys. Thank you and R&R!

Before I forget... the scene with Valka is semi-important later in this story. Thank you!

Ella

Prologue:

~Hiccup's POV~

"...Leaving. Pack up bud...we're going on a little vacation...forever." I called out as I stepped into the quiet cove. I dropped my basket down into the grass, kneeling down to ruffle through its contents to double check that I still had everything that I would need to survive at least long enough for me to reach another island.

"You're giving up!?" Snotlout's voice cut through the air behind me suddenly.

Startled, I spun around to find the other teens, including the very beautiful Astrid, standing behind me. "Um...err... it's not what it looks like! I've been..." I glanced around frantically for some excuse to give them, my eyes landing on my spare shirt that lay undisturbed in my basket. "Sewing clothes! You've caught me..."

"Dude we know you've been training with an actual night fury...why else would we be trying out everything you've done with Toothless with the dragons back in the arena every night?" Snotlout appeared to be the spokesperson for the group...which didn't make any sense to me.

Before I could come up with another lie, what it was that they've been doing clicked in my head. "You've been doing what now!?" Here I was thinking that no one had been watching us.

Fishlegs groaned loudly as he turned to the others. "I knew it...I knew it! We should have asked permission before following him and learning all we can about dragons! Even if he knows more than Gobber."

"I do not know more than Gobber!"

"You're the only one that ever questioned him about any of the stuff we're learning...especially about the Night fury." Astrid spoke up, even as she moved to leave the cove.

"Where...where are you going?" Why was I even asking her that? I really shouldn't care whether she stays to see me off or not!

"Where do you think? I've got to pack some things if I'm going with you." Astrid raised her eyebrow up at me, as if that was a given.

Tuffnut clapped his hands together excitedly, his eyes dancing. "Great! I'm coming with you too by the way... someone needs to help you fake your death or else Stoic is going to hunt you down for the rest of your life."

"I'll help you with that bro." Ruffnut grinned, looking a bit too thrilled with the idea on faking my death.

Fishlegs nervously raised a single finger in the air, worry dancing in his eyes. "Um... before we leave we need to deal with the fact we never had Hiccup build us saddles...and it still hurts to ride our own dragons for very long. What if we need a break and we're nowhere near land?"

I blinked rapidly, still confused on how we missed them during our practices. As if to let me know that he was there, Toothless whined suddenly, nudging me in the arm. I glanced up at the sky, noting how much daylight we had left. "I can make basic saddles for everyone tonight while you all are packing. Get your dragons out of the arena and bring them down here. We leave at dawn." I really hope I know what it is that I'm doing.

"On it chief!" They saluted me, before running off to who knows where. I really hope that I know what it is that I'm doing... especially now that I'm in charge of five others and their dragons.

Speaking of which... "Someone grab the Terrible Terror! I don't want to leave it to the mercy of the others!"

~Next Day, Evening, Valka's POV~

I left Cloudjumper in a small cove that was hidden aways away from the village, before slipping into the trees that grew at the edge of the woods. Surprisingly, no one appeared to be in a celebratory mood, even though today would be the day that the new recruit that was chosen to slay the Monstrous Nightmare would slay it. And my son was old enough to be amongst them. I wanted to know how much he has grown...what his friends are like...

"Valka?" Stoic materialized out of thin air, his eyes wide with shock...as well as one other emotion that I cannot recall ever seeing on him before.

"Stoic...what's wrong? WHERE'S HICCUP?!" I knew I really shouldn't have yelled as the entire village stopped rushing about in a frenzy to turn to stare at me.

Stoic's face fell, before he spoke, his voice cracking with emotion. "Hiccup and the other teens are gone...all of them! Can't find them anywhere...so far. We've been searching since early morning. Something has to come up eventually."

No sooner had those words escaped him than a rather grim-faced Spitelout followed by Gobber approached them. "Stoic... all of the dragons have escaped. There's fairly recent blood in there too...too recent to be from any known use of the arena. We think that maybe the dragons sort of...may have..."

"Out with it Spitelout!" I snapped, a bloody dagger from last night's skirmish in my hand and aimed at him.

Spitelout paled, before speaking quickly. "The dragons appeared to have killed off the teens...PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!"

Shock slipped in as I stared at my idiotic, barely older than me brother for a few seconds, before whirling around and flinging myself at my husband. "Not my Baby!"

Stoic stiffened briefly, before hurriedly wrapping his arms around my small waist. "I've got you Val...I've got you..." His hand darted up, gently stroking my hair. "Shouldn't be long till the next raid anyways... we'll allow some of the dragons to escape and follow them back to the nest. How does that sound?"

"Don't kill all of the dragons...not all of them are bad." I whispered as I briefly recalled Cloudjumper waiting for me patiently in the cove. "I'm still alive after all."

~About nine at night, ?'s POV~

I glared at the towering figure above us, even as he slid the trap door shut...sealing us inside. Squirming, I glanced over at my cousin and our companions, worry wiggling inside of me. "Come on...think!" I muttered to myself as I tried to see if I couldn't somehow remove the tight ropes that bound my wrists together. Nothing happened. I glanced back at the piece of ceiling that was the only way out of here, my heart dropping to my feet. The more dangerous members of our group was up above, being held prisoner.

Squirming slightly, I was basically the only one that was still awake after the battle and ambush, I scooted closer to my cousin, pressing a hand against his forehead, feeling his clammy skin. I might not be a medicinal man, but even I knew that the injury he sustained during the battle was infected and needed taken care of...now.