Evening – June 18, 1011 CE
After dinner, the Haddock household buzzed with laughter. Hiccup and Astrid, both 35, knelt on the rug with their 5-year-old son, Nuffink, playfully swooping his beloved Toothless plush through the air.

"Toothless, tailspin attack!" Hiccup cried.
"He's gonna get you, Mama!" Nuffink laughed.
"Not if Stormfly can block him!" Astrid joined in, mimicking a dragon screech.

8-year-old Zephyr, standing nearby with her own Stormfly plush, watched them. She took a step forward, her eyes brightening—then stopped. No one turned toward her. No one invited her in.

She clutched her plush tighter and quietly backed away, sadness settling on her face.

The Next Morning
Hiccup left for the Grand Hall, tending to his daily chief duties. Back home, Astrid was busy looking after the kids.

In her room, Zephyr sat on her bed reading when the door burst open.

"RAWR! It's a Night Fury attack!" Nuffink shouted, storming in with Toothless.

Before Zephyr could say anything, he snatched her Stormfly plush and began flying both dragons around the room.

"Nuffink! Give her back!"
"I just wanna borrow it!" he pouted.

Zephyr lunged forward and pulled Stormfly from his hands.

"You stole her!" she yelled.

Just then, Astrid appeared at the door.

"What's going on?"

"Zephyr won't let me borrow Stormfly!" Nuffink whined.
"He didn't ask!" Zephyr snapped. "He just came in and took it!"

Astrid sighed and picked Nuffink up.

"Zephyr, let him borrow it. He's just little."
"Of course! Take his side! Like always!"
"That's enough!" Astrid raised her voice. "Don't speak to me like that."

Zephyr's face turned red. "Fine! I'll never talk to you again!" she shouted and ran to the window, climbing out and disappearing into the village.

"Zeph, wait…" Astrid called out weakly, regret already setting in.

Valka's Home
Zephyr wiped her tears as she approached her grandmother Valka's cottage on the edge of town. The tears had dried, but the sadness clung to her.

Valka opened the door just as Zephyr arrived.

"Hi Grandma. Can I stay for lunch? And draw?"

"Of course, sweetheart. Come in."

Back at Home – Lunchtime
Nuffink sat at the table, happily munching away. Astrid sat beside him, her food untouched.

"Does Zephyr hate me now?" Nuffink asked between bites.

Astrid looked at her son, then down at her plate.

"No… she doesn't hate you." Her voice was soft. "She's just… feeling left out."

Valka's Hut – Afternoon
Zephyr sat cross-legged, drawing on a piece of parchment with her left hand. A baby dragon rested in the arms of the sketched girl. Valka peeked over her shoulder.

"Left-handed. Just like your father."

Zephyr offered a faint, sad smile. In her mind she says,

"He's always playing with Nuffink…"

Grand Hall – Later
Inside the Grand Hall, Hiccup led a village council meeting when the doors swung open and Astrid rushed in.

"Astrid?" he asked, surprised.

"It's Zephyr. She's gone. She ran off. It's my fault."

Hiccup's heart stopped.

"What happened?"

"We fought. I yelled. I shouldn't have. I didn't mean to… I just…"
"Hey, honey," he interrupted gently. "You're not alone in this. I would've done the same."

He turned to the table of leaders. "The meeting's postponed. Family first."

They left to find their daughter.

Valka's Hut – Evening
Zephyr barely touched her stew, idly stirring it.

"You've been frowning since lunch," Valka noted. "Want to talk?"

"I'm fine," Zephyr muttered, then… "Nuffink."

Valka waited.

"Mom and Dad love him more," Zephyr finally said.

"Why do you think that?" Valka asked gently.

"They always play with him. They scold him less. He even sleeps in their room sometimes. When they go places, it's always just him… and I get left behind. With Uncle Fishlegs and Aunt Ruffnut. Or… you."

Valka nodded slowly.

"Ah. Sibling jealousy."
"It's not just that!" Zephyr protested. "I still need attention too! And today—he barged into my room, and I got in trouble!"

Valka leaned forward, her voice firm and kind.

"You're absolutely right. That wasn't fair. And you do deserve attention—just as much. Your parents aren't perfect. But they do love you deeply. The reason they let you stay with others when Nuffink goes with them… is because we all want more time with you. You're the first. We've known you longer than Nuffink. We treasure that."

Zephyr began to cry again. But this time, it came with a smile as she hugged her grandmother tight.

Knock Knock
Valka opened the door. Hiccup and Astrid stood outside—Astrid holding Nuffink, both looking concerned.

"She's here," Valka said calmly. "But don't wait for her to come to you. Go to her. Talk to her."

"Why?" Hiccup asked.

Astrid didn't. She just nodded solemnly, understanding.

"She's hurting," Valka said. "She feels forgotten."

Hiccup and Astrid exchanged a glance and stepped inside.

Inside the Cottage
Zephyr looked up as her parents approached. She didn't say anything at first.

"Hey, Zeph," Hiccup said gently.

"Hi," she replied sheepishly.

Astrid knelt beside her.

"We're so sorry, sweetheart," she said. "We didn't mean to make you feel less important. We've been paying more attention to Nuffink, and that's not fair to you."

Hiccup added, "It's not because we love him more. You're older. We've started seeing you as more independent. But that doesn't mean you don't still need us just as much."

Zephyr sniffled. "I'm sorry I yelled."

Astrid wrapped her arms around her. "I'm sorry I didn't listen."

Hiccup placed something in Zephyr's hand: a small, folded scrap of cloth.

"We may spend more time with Nuff but do you know what my favorite moment ever was?"

"What?" Zephyr asked.

Flashback – Evening, November 11, 1002 CE – Gothi's Inn
An almost 27 year old Hiccup cradled a newborn Zephyr in his arms, tears in his eyes as he looks at his daughter's green eyes. The autumn night was cold, but the room glowed with warmth.

Back in the present—

"My birthday?" Zephyr whispered.

"Exactly," Hiccup smiled. " Your birthday. Or... birth night, I guess. On that cold autumn night, you made the world feel warm. When I showed you to your grandma and my friends, they felt warmer. I cherish that moment the most. I even cherish it more than the moment your little brother's birth on that midsummer afternoon. Or when I met Toothless or became the Chief of Berk. Because that's when I became a father. Your Aunt Ruffnut even joked that it was 'Day One for Daddy Hiccup' when I showed you to everyone. I have discovered a lot of happy memories and perhaps I'll find more but nothing will ever replace the memory of your birth."

Touched by her father's words, Zephyr threw her arms around her parents. Nuffink joined in too.

"I missed you Zephy!" he said, snuggling his sister.

Zephyr smiled and gently told him, "Next time, don't barge into my room. And ask before playing with Stormfly."

He nodded.

As the family turned to leave, Valka stood at the door.

"Promise me something," she said to Hiccup and Astrid. "Give Zephyr just as much attention as Nuffink."

They nodded.

"We will."

Later That Night – The Haddock Household
The four of them played together—Toothless and Stormfly plushies flying through the air. Zephyr giggled, Astrid laughed, Nuffink roared, and Hiccup watched it all with a full heart.

This time, no one was left out.