Chapter 19: New Resolve

The afternoon sun was bright, gently breaking through the canopy of trees in broken rays, warming the scales of a Night Fury crouched on the forest floor. Lunging forward, Ash bit down hard, the faint crack of bone resonating through her teeth as the elk went limp in her jaws. Clamping down gently to not tear up her catch, she craned her neck to see Toothless several yards away, his own teeth quickly dispatching another woodland creature. As he looked up in her direction, Ash nodded in the direction of the forest ceiling; their mouths both full of elk, the two Night Furies took to the air in unison. They broke through the treeline in a matter of seconds, the air around them dotted with additional Night Furies in the midst of the hunt.

As they turned in the direction of the beach, Ash couldn't help but ponder the purpose of their actions. Night Furies were gliding back and forth from the island edge to the forest, all in the process of gathering an incredibly large stockpile of food. Normally the hunting of animals didn't trouble Ash in the slightest—dragons always had to eat, after all—but even with the size of the combined colonies, this much food seemed… excessive? No, downright wasteful. Nightshade had commanded for three 'gigantic' stockpiles of animal carcasses to be gathered on the beaches, and despite his complete lack of explanation no dragon was yet brave enough to question the new king's command. Ash was sure he had something up his sleeve, but what was the question.

They circled overhead, both Night Furies releasing their kill along with other gathering dragons. As repetitive thuds sounded beneath them, a voice from the ground reached Ash's ears;

"Toothless! Ash!" Looking down, she beheld Zephyr on the ground, having taken charge of supervising this particular pile. "A messenger just came from the grotto! The king wants to see both of you there !"

Huh, ironic, I guess now I can ask him, Ash thought. "Thank you!" She twisted her body gracefully, reversing direction to head back into the forest.

"I wonder what 'his majesty' requires of us now." Toothless remarked sarcastically as he caught up, the gentle beat of his wings rustling the leaves below them.

"You know Nightshade hates being called that," Ash giggled, lightly brushing against his outstretched wing with her own. "You'd be mad too if I started calling you 'Alpha' all the time."

Toothless snorted. "Ok, you got me. I just find it interesting how… un-royal he seems to be."

"What do you mean?"

The male Night Fury flipped over her in the air, matching her speed as he glided. Toothless's head craned downwards; "I mean, even after hundreds of years, Nightshade's the only Night Fury of old royalty left. I'd expect someone who grew up royal to be more composed, regal even… but I guess he's had many decades of solitude to break that personality."

Ash looked up warmly. "I'm sure if push comes to shove, he'll act a little more composed… but I think deep down he's always just a chaotic character." A three-century old one, she thought, as they continued to sail over the forest.

While Ash had been in a good mood all day, the same could not be said for Toothless; he hid his conflicting thoughts well as the pair had travelled around Aylan, offering their help wherever they could to prepare for the upcoming battle. The Alpha had hoped that the work would be enough to distract him from himself, but that appeared impossible. Even as he gently maneuvered through the air, matching Ash's every move with familiarity, Toothless's mind was in extreme unease.

He thought he would remain happy that Nightshade had asked Ash to lead Aylan; it was a privilege she richly deserved, and it gave her an avenue for purpose not unlike her motivations for uniting her people in the first place. And yet Toothless found himself thinking back to their conversation in that cave days past, their discussions about their future, and their confessions. With her looking forward to her new responsibilities, he realized that a life together was not going to be as easy to build as he thought. And truth be told, the Night Fury was torn between contentment and homesickness; he missed Hiccup deeply, and the thought of his newfound kin replacing his life on Berk had the young Night Fury in great distress. Was he selfish for wanting Ash to come back with him now? Surely she would understand, but part of Toothless didn't want to bring it up. Even despite the coming danger, she had never looked happier. And he couldn't break that right now.

In any case, Toothless was resolved to confess his doubts to her eventually. The subject of Nightshade, however, had long been growing within the Alpha's mind, and he was unsure what to do about it. Every time he thought he was comfortable concerning the ancient Night Fury, a small voice in the back of his head told Toothless that something about him was… wrong. He was absolutely sure that the Nightshade they had first met in the Wastes had one too many screws loose, and although the king had shown himself to be capable of great kindness, his behavior still had the tendency to occasionally unsettle the Alpha. A strange comment here, a twitch of the head or eyes there… it was as though there were multiple Nightshades vying for control of his body, and a gnawing fear was eating at Toothless. The Night Furies had all clamored for him to rule because of his strength, and yet the Alpha was not yet convinced that Nightshade was completely in control. And Antaris, ever the enigma, had not been seen since the dragonstone's island-wide display of magic several days ago.

Perhaps his mind was racing to distract him from the upcoming battle; the first assault by the humans had been so sudden and ill-timed that Toothless had not afforded himself time to worry. And yet now, unfortunately, worry he did. With the Seregon Night Furies at their side—and Nightshade at the head of an army—surely they had nothing to fear? But if any harm were to come to Ash, Toothless would never forgive himself. And gods forbid something happened to him. How would Hiccup know—

"Here!"

Ash's cheerful muttering to herself snapped Toothless out of his thoughts. He hastily descended with her as the entrance the grotto approached, Aylan's crescent peak looming over their heads. As they entered, they beheld the sight of the great silver tree glittering with the afternoon rays, the pond beneath shining green amidst the surrounding fauna. The crevice in the tree that normally housed the emerald dragonstone was empty, a detail that did not go unnoticed by Toothless. Nightshade and Holly were lazily stretched along the giant tree roots, evidently in the midst of a serious—but not hostile—conversation, which they broke off as they heard the young Night Furies approach.

"Ah, there you are! I trust the work is going smoothly." Nightshade greeted, stretching catlike before climbing down from the tree. "Ash, if you wouldn't mind, I think Holly wanted to talk to you about something. You go along with her, I want to talk with Toothless in private."

Toothless's ears flattened, though his facial expression remained blank. Ash gave him a sheepish smile as Holly descended from the tree, and the two females took off without a word. As his head turned to watch them go, the sudden hiss of what sounded like steam brought Toothless's attention back to the grotto. The giant shape that had previously been Nightshade was now a great cloud of smoke; as the Night Fury watched curiosly, the smoke faded, revealing a familiar human in the midst of coughing and waved the clouds away. The human Nightshade stepped out of the smoke, taking in gasps of fresh air.

"I really do have to fix that *cough*... My transformations are a little out of practice." Nightshade weezed, stepping back to sit down on the pond's stone edge. To Toothless's surprise, he reached into the water, pulling out the ornate greatsword that he had possessed at their first meeting. How long had that been in there? Taking the long edge of his black coat, Nightshade began to clean the weapon thoughtfully, which showed neither rust nor damage.

"How exactly do you transform?" The question left Toothless's mouth before he knew it; admittedly, he had been wondering about the magic for some time.

Nightshade looked up mid-polish. "It's difficult to explain… I wasn't always able to use magic myself. When I first found the dragonstones it was trial and error to discover their powers, and plenty of things happened by accident. The first time I realized Antaris was able to manipulate the world around him, it was because I made a derogatory remark towards him without knowing that he was actually a sentient creature."

Toothless snorted. "I can't imagine that ended well."

"No, indeed." Nightshade chuckled, continuing to polish his greatsword. "When I came too I had pink skin and fur, but not enough fur to stop the shivering of being completely naked. My first days as a human were miserable. Over time I learned how to do the simple things—dress, use tools, write—but I wasn't actually able to transform between forms until my little accident."

"Meaning the Cataclysm?"

Nightshade did not answer right away, silently wiping the greatsword clean before examining it. "I was only a few dozen feet away from Haronar when he exploded. Whatever magic leached into my body gave me the power to change from human to dragon at will, among other things… But it requires focus, imagination, harnessing the ability to will your inner essence into an alternative form. Antaris tried to give me lessons, but eventually I stopped transforming altogether. I didn't want to see my true self again… at least until you young people came around."

"I see. I think I understand." Toothless said, lowering himself to the ground and curling up. "Can I ask you something?"

"I'm all ears."

"What made you decide to come back? Really."

Nightshade absentmindedly pulled a smooth grey stone from his pocket, bringing its edge along the blade of his weapon as he thought. When he spoke, his tone was low and contemplative.

"I wasn't really sure why I bothered to follow you both back, to be honest." he admitted, lazily letting small rays of sun dance off the blade of his weapon. "I didn't see any point. What could I do now that would make up for my actions, my inactions… but I was intrigued by Ash's spirit, and how strong you both were to attempt such a journey. And you are a very interesting dragon, I will admit. I suppose in the end, I figured it wouldn't change much."

Toothless eyed him closely, searching for any hint of dishonesty or distraction, but Nightshade's expression revealed nothing. "And here you are… king of the Night Furies."

"Yes, well, there's that." Nightshade snorted, waving the greatsword in a mock salute. "All hail… honestly I expected more of the Night Furies to hate me, for their parents and grandparents to have thrown dirt on my name. But I suppose they think I can offer them a better future, even if my past directly led to their present."

Gently leaning his greatsword against the rocks, Nightshade pointed at Toothless intensely. "And speaking of the future, I had questions of my own. Starting some 'academic' curiosities of mine…" Reaching into the lining of his coat, Nightshade pulled out a small, leather bound journal.

As he carefully undid the binding, a familiar scent touched Toothless's nose, and his blood ran cold. Immediately leaping from his restful posture, he couldn't stop himself snarling.

"WHERE DID YOU GET THAT?!" How in the hell did he get Hiccup's drawing book?! Was Hiccup alright?!

"Relax, my friend." Nightshade said calmly, paying no mind to the enraged Night Fury before him as he read. "I swear on the memory of my mother that I obtained this through completely peaceful means." Flipping to his desired page, Nightshade turned the notebook towards Toothless.

"This is you, right?"

Despite his rage, the Alpha couldn't help but lean in. The charcoal drawing in question was older and weathered; a sketch of a sleeping Night Fury, with a young woman gently resting in the grass against the slumbering dragon. Toothless's expression softened — he hadn't seen this drawing before, but knew exactly where it was from. One of Hiccup and Astrid's first real dates, drawn while taking a break in a meadow. Her clothes were from years back, the lines slightly uneven, but still a skilled drawing from his human.

"I told you that I think you're interesting, and I wasn't lying." Nightshade said, gently closing the book. "You realize how unlikely it is—no, impossible—for humans and dragons to actually befriend one another, let alone coexist as a society? Yet you and this 'Hiccup' fellow managed it, I knew it from the moment I saw that intricate tailfin of yours. I'm almost three centuries old and have never seen such a thing, so you'll forgive me for taking a little investigative trip."

"In fact, I was impressed even more with your friendship when I got there. He really let you miss his wedding, huh?"

Toothless's ears fell flat. "Don't remind me."

"I'm not criticizing!" Nightshade explained, hands raised in defence. "I really mean it… it's fascinating, extraordinary even. That a human and a dragon care for each other as you and Hiccup do, and that your bond has had such a meaningful impact on others. It's quite special."

His misgivings aside, Toothless relaxed, resuming his place on the ground. Nightshade really did seem sincere. "I appreciate the compliment. But king or no, I'm taking that book back to Hiccup, because I know you didn't ask for it."

Nightshade grinned. "True, and you certainly may. I only picked it up to marvel at Hiccup's inventions… which might come in handy against future aggressors, if you catch my meaning."

Ah, there it is. So Nightshade was plotting something after all. Toothless wondered what exactly the ancient dragon could've derived from Hiccup's notes, but his thoughts were interrupted by Nightshade.

"The dragon hunters will be dealt with, for good this time. But your future as a Night Fury, well, concerns me just as much."

The Alpha tilted his head in interest. "What do you mean?"

"Do you love her?"

The question took Toothless aback, but his answer was firm. "With all my heart."

"More than your home? Than your human?"

Toothless clenched his jaw, unsettled by Nightshade's inquiry. "It's not that simple."

"You're right, it isn't." Nightshade eyed him thoughtfully, his golden eyes glittering in the sun. "And it's not something that should be weighing on you right now. Whether you meant it or not there are Night Furies out there who think very highly of you now, who look to you for leadership. And it's not because you're an Alpha. It's because they know you care."

"I know that!' Toothless snapped hastily, before regaining his composure. "I just want her to be happy. She's already lost enough, but she has so much ahead of her. I can't ask her to give that up for me."

Nightshade grinned. "And you won't have to."

Toothless was in the midst of a retort, but the king's reply gave him pause. "What's that mean?"

"I think you two are great together, and I hope you make each other very happy. But I also know how important you are back home." Nightshade stood up, slowly beginning to pace. "I have sworn to protect Mystholm, and restore our race to our former glory. But I also know that there are many humans and dragons that not only will see that as a threat, but see each other as threats as well."

"Humanity has grown in my time away, and that brings them ever more into conflict with dragonkind. Berk's way of life has shown me a path towards a bright future, and it's in both of our interests to make sure that continues to flourish. So I'll make you a deal."

"I'm listening."

Nightshade turned to face Toothless, hands clasped behind his back. "Help us win this fight, put your personal conflicts to the side just for a moment. And when the battle is over I will figure out a way to bridge the gap between Berk and Mystholm, just for you and Ash. You can be part of both worlds if you wish, and Berk will be able to benefit from whatever aid I can offer. Within reason, as I'm sure you'd agree."

Toothless eyed the nonhuman carefully, searching his own thoughts for a reply. He knew full well that Nightshade was capable of something like this, but would he come to regret it? Was exposing Berk to Night Furies—to say nothing of the dragonstones—worth any harm it may cause? Part of him still didn't entirely trust Nightshade, but the Alpha's misgivings about him fell far behind his desire to be with Ash.

"Swear to me that Ash will survive the battle. And that no harm will come to Berk from being introduced to this place."

"I won't lie to you, Toothless." Nightshade spoke forcefully, stepping forward slowly. "The dragonstones will not interfere, which means despite our gathered numbers this will be bloody. There will be great losses, and I will not insult Ash by forcing her to stay behind. But I will watch over her, as I know you will too."

As Toothless watched, Nightshade reached into his coat towards his back hip. With his hand emerged an ornate dagger of the same design and quality of his sword, with an ivory handle and assorted gems. Making direct eye contact with Toothless, Nightshade slowly ran the blade along his outstretched palm. A stream of red gushed towards the earth, but the old king neither flinched nor averted his gaze as he clenched his fist.

"I, Nightshade, son of Skyclimber, swear on my blood to uphold my vows to you. May my death be slow, my suffering deep should I break my word."

Toothless had never seen an oath taken in this fashion, personally wishing he wouldn't be expected to do something similar. Settling for a low bow before Nightshade, the Alpha replied. "And I swear to fight for our people, to protect this place with all my strength. To protect Ash."

Looking up, Toothless watched in astonishment as Nightshade flexed his hand, the gaping wound already starting to close. As the dripping of blood stopped, Nightshade knelt down to wipe his dagger on the grass.

"Well, now that that's settled, we have some work to be done!" Nightshade exclaimed. Dusting his knees off as he stood up, he returned his dagger to its hidden place inside his coat. "Come, I could use your help deciphering some of these notes. I have a few surprises in store for the fleet when it arrives. Oh, and Toothless?"

"Yes?"

Nightshade's golden eyes twinkled. "You never have to bow to me again."

Elsewhere…

"He's not in trouble, is he?"

"No, dear. Nightshade just had some questions about humans, that's all."

Ash and Holly were in the midst of climbing upwards, quickly ascending to the top of Aylan's mountain. The young dragoness hoped that whatever Nightshade wanted from Toothless was of no consequence, but Toothless hadn't seemed too thrilled to talk to him. He had been much more silent than usual since the assembly of Night Furies, throwing himself into preparations, and Ash could tell something was bothering him that she would ask about later. But for now, she had more immediate curiosities.

"Where exactly are we going?" she asked.

"Over the mountain to the shoreline." Holly replied. "There's a pack of Watchers that are supposed to meet me."

"Oh," Ash said, puzzled. "So… why am I coming with you?"

"You'll see, it's a surprise."

Surprise? Ash thought, as they passed over the peak of the mountain. The Eyrie was fully visible in the clear horizon, belching clouds of grey smoke as the two Night Furies glided down the rocky cliffs. Ash could see what looked like five or six dragons resting on the cliff at the island's edge, growing steadily larger as they sailed through the air. They landed softly, perched on the jagged rocks just a few feet from the pack; each Watcher was around her size, their signature red markings crossing their faces.

"I believe you two know each other." Holly remarked warmly, gesturing with a wing. As Ash turned her head, one of the older looking Watchers moved out of the way, revealing a young female around her age. Golden brown eyes looked back at her, and Ash stared in disbelief.

"A—Amber?!"

The young Watcher—previously eyeing her matriarch—turned her attention to Ash, her eyes widening.

"Ash! You're alive!"

In an instant the two Night Furies leapt forward, gently bumping their foreheads together. Pulling back, Ash looked her childhood friend up and down. She appeared completely fine, exactly like the last time they had met—minus the Watcher claw markings across her left eye.

"Where have you been?!" Ash questioned. "Did you fight in the battle?"

"No, I was back at the Eyrie!" Amber replied, almost hopping with childlike excitement. "I heard what you did, I have so many questions… I mean, with your permission, my lady." she paused, lowering her head towards Holly.

Smiling warmly, Holly nodded. "You two run along, I'm sure you have a lot of catching up to do."

With the other Watchers backing up to give them room, the two females spread their wings and took off in the direction of the open water. Ash felt a burst of joy at seeing Amber alive and well, grateful beyond belief that her transgressions had not been punished. Speaking of which…

"What on earth happened to you?" Ash called out as they raced away from Aylan, turning so their path would take them around the island. "Last time I saw you, you told your mother about the human city you guys destroyed, and then you vanished!"

Amber slowed down to match Ash's speed, giving her a sheepish look. "Yeah, I'm sorry… I know that must have looked really scary. But I did agree to secrecy, and I chose to break it. Lady Holly didn't feel the need to punish me though, so I just got sent to do different tasks."

"Let me guess, you're not supposed to talk about those 'tasks' either," Ash remarked.

"No, I'm not. That might all change though!" Amber chirped, playfully corkscrewing through the air. "Now that Nightshade's in charge, the Watcher's might serve a different purpose. Speaking of Nightshade, I heard you had quite the adventure after I left. Let's hear it!"

Sighing, Ash began to recount her journey from the beginning as they flew around Aylan. The two dragonesses talked even as the sun began to lower, with Amber having many questions concerning Ash's travels. She marvelled at her descriptions of Berk and recoiled at the mention of the Waste's, Ash trying her best to leave nothing to the imagination.

"So…" Amber asked teasingly. "Once all this is over… you going to make this Toothless your mate, or what?"

Ash felt the inside of her chest grow warm at the mention of his name. "That's none of your business."

"C'mon, I saw how your eyes lit up every time you mentioned him." Amber quipped, her eyes sparkling in the setting sun. "You like him, I can tell."

You don't know the half of it, Ash thought, but bit her tongue. When she finally replied, her tone was much less cheerful. "We talked for a bit about our future… If we both survive this battle, he'll still have to go home and I'll have new responsibilities here. I don't know what it's going to look like."

"Hey, don't worry about that right now." Amber chimed supportingly. "If you two really care for each other, you'll find a way to make it work. Just get past the impending human invasion first, and you'll be fine!"

Unable to stifle a sarcastic laugh, Ash smiled. "You're right. Amber?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm really glad you're okay."

Amber shot Ash a draconic grin. "You too, friend."

Ash looked out towards the setting sun, settling her doubts. By the stars, I hope we all survive this.

While the two female Night Furies were making up for lost time, Holly had promptly turned to the remaining Watchers, who bowed low before their matriarch.

"How are preparations going?" she asked gently.

An older male dragon stepped forward, matching her gaze. "Scouting parties are in place on all the northern islands. We'll know as soon as the humans approach. Talon will be leading a group of Seregon Night Furies to fight with Aylan's dragons, while his father commands the large majority of them on their own."

"Good, Nightshade will be pleased." Holly lowered her voice. "And what about your other progress?"

The male's expression was devoid of emotion. "There were several minor injuries, but it's done," he said. "The artifact has been uncovered. Herentir is guarding the entrance, as usual."

Holly's amber eyes narrowed. "Excellent. She'll be sufficient. Order the remaining Watcher's to clear the Eyrie and join us here." The ancient queen looked out to see, towards the looming volcano.

"It's time to reclaim our place in the world."

Author's Note: I'm alive! It's been incredibly chaotic in my life lately. My research thesis is in its final drafts and I'll be presenting it soon, and I'm slowly making my way towards my graduation. I also got into grad school, so I'll have plenty to look forward to.

I wish I could say I felt happy about that, but I have been thinking of little else other than what happened last week. I came back to my dorm to find my closest friend, who I rely on more than almost anyone, being carried off into an ambulance. He has been in a coma due to a serious head injury since then, and the waiting has me in agony. He's been showing signs of improvement by the day, but I would still ask anyone reading to throw up a prayer or positive vibes; he deserves the best, and I need him to wake up soon.

Recent stressors notwithstanding, I'm slowly making my way towards the end of this story. Seeing the number of readers even during my long breaks is very encouraging, and eventually I'll have a poll up on for you all to decide what you'd like to see next. Until then, I'm grateful for your views.