Another Day in Berk

The dragon trapper ship came into our view, never moving from the location we came across it previously. We knew that they had noticed us because nets began to fly in our direction, but we were prepared that time and dodged each one of them as we continued toward them.

Toothless and Nightstriker landed on the ship's deck, surrounding us with trappers. Hiccup gracefully hopped off Toothless while my foot got caught in Nightstriker's saddle and I face planted the wooden surface. The trappers burst into laughter at my mishap just as Hiccup came over to help me to my feet.

"I'm fine... thanks..." I mumbled, my face as red as my hair I tied up on our way to the trappers.

Hiccup nodded, concern on his face, but amusement in his eyes.

Once the dragon trappers quit laughing at me, Eret took hold of our attention. "And here I was worried we might turn up empty-handed!" he rejoiced with his crew.

"Nope! It's your lucky day. We give up!" Hiccup told Eret, holding his hands up in surrender.

I questioned my friend's plan, but put my hands up as well. I stayed one step behind Hiccup as he took a few steps closer to Eret.

"That's one Night Fury, Stormcutter and two of the finest dragon riders west of Luck Tuck." Hiccup threw a net over my head and pushed me closer to Eret. "That'll make the boss happy, right? Excuse us."

Hiccup took my hand through the net and we walked over to the dragon cage that went underneath the deck, opening the hatch to climb in. He helped me get the net off of me, holding my hand to keep me from falling into the cage, then climbed in behind me. Toothless and Nightstriker curiously neared us, but Hiccup told them to stay put.

"Dragons don't really care for cramped spaces, so they'll just hang out with you. They won't be any trouble," Hiccup explained to the dragon trappers.

He shut the hatch on the cage and instantly we heard the clangs of the vikings pulling out their weapons, our dragons growling in response.

Hiccup lifted the hatch and popped his head out, "Unless you do that. You know, wooden boat, big ocean... How is your swimming?"

A larger viking in a furry coat replied shamefully, "Not good..."

Eret rolled his eyes.

Hiccup abruptly stuck Inferno through the hatch opening, startling all the vikings on deck. "Oops, almost forgot. Can't have armed prisoners." He tossed the dormant blade to a trapper. "Just what every dragon trapper needs. One coats the blade with Monstrous Nightmare saliva, the other sprays Zippleback gas All it takes is a spark..."

While my friend had been explain how to use Inferno, the viking who got it followed his instructions and accidentally turned the blade on. Thus causing the explosion Hiccup trailed off before explaining.

"Oh yeah, there you go. Once they see you as one of their own, even the testiest dragon can be trained, right bud?"

"Gimmie that!" Eret had enough and yanked the blade from his crew mate's hand, tossing it over the side of the ship.

Nightstriker immediately went after it, brought it back and dropped it at his feet.

"What game are you playing at?" Eret asked Hiccup, catching on to us. He noticed the blade back on his ship and tossed it again over the other side.

Once again, Nightstriker brought it back to him. Eret stared at the dragon like it was a new species.

"No game. We just want to meet Drago," Hiccup answered truthfully.

"Why?"

"Because I'm going to change his mind about dragons."

I watched my friend climb out of the cage and accepted his hand when he reached out to help me up while Eret roared in laughter.

"He can be really persuasive," I added with a confident smirk.

Hiccup grinned, "Once you've earned their loyalty, there's nothing a dragon won't do for you."

"Pfft! You won't be changing any minds around here," Eret waved Hiccup's words away.

I watched Hiccup pull a lever on Toothless' saddle to open the makeshift tail Hiccup designed for his dragon friend.

"I can change yours. Right here, right now. May I?"

Curiously, Eret stared at the dragon and his master like he wanted to see what Hiccup had in store for him. Before he could answer, though, a dragon swooped down and grabbed Hiccup off the ship.

"Hiccup!" I called out.

Toothless roared and climbed the ships mast where he paused, head tilted to the side, and sat down on the mast. I also stopped panicking when I noticed it was our friends who had grabbed Hiccup.

The dragon trappers instantly sent their nets toward the dragon riders. I interrupted a few vikings before they could do any damage when I saw Hiccup break out of Hookfang's claws. He snapped open his gliding wings on his armor and successfully made it back to the ship's deck.

I wanted to praise him for his awesome gliding suit I had not been able to see in action, but there were other moments better to do that.

"What are you guys doing here?" Hiccup asked our friends as they landed and he stuffed his wings into his armor.

Gobber's dragon plopped onto the deck, "We're here to rescue you."

My heart sank knowing that Gobber wouldn't be without Stoick and I said, "We don't need to be rescued.

"Enough!"

I cringed, my observation correct, and turned to the source of the angry voice.

Stoick revealed himself and his dragon, Skullcrusher, from behind the ship's sail as he lept off his dragon. He strode toward Hiccup and I, pushing Eret away roughly when the trapper loudly introduced who he was.

Gobber hit the trapper leader on the head so he fell to the deck. Then he had his dragon rest his heavy head on the trapper who groaned in discomfort of the weight. He caught the undivided attention of Ruffnut, who skipped over to him and gave him googly-eyes.

Stoick towered over me and Hicucp, "Bot of you saddle up. We're going home."

"No," Hiccup refused.

Stoick was bewildered at his son's refusal and glared, "Of all the irresponsible-"

"Look, I'm trying to protect our dragons and stop war! How is that irresponsible?"

"Because war is what he wants, son!"

Hiccup glanced around at the crowd embarrassed. I involuntarily cowered behind Hiccup at Stoick's rage. He had been mad at us plenty of times, but he was livid.

Berk's chief got a faraway look in his eyes, "Years ago, there was a great gathering of chieftains to discuss the dragon scourge we all face.

"Into the midst came a stranger from a strange land, covered in scars and draped in a cloak of dragon skin... He carried no weapon and spoke softly, saying that he, Drago Bludvist, was a man of the people. Devoted to freeing mankind from the tyranny of dragons.

"He claimed that he alone could control the dragons and he alone could keep us safe if we chose to bow down and follow him."

Snotlout, Fishlegs, Ruffnut and Truffnut all burst into laughter, interrupting Stoick's story.

"Stupid," Ruffnut chuckled from her place by Eret.

"Good one," her brother complimented.

I looked at them incredulously, not really understanding what was so funny.

Stoick continued on, "We laughed, too, until he wrapped himself in his cloak and cried, 'Then see how well you do without me!' The rooftop suddenly burst into flames and from it, armored dragons descended, burning it to the ground. I... was the only one to escape.

"Men who kill without reason cannot be reasoned with."

"Maybe." Hiccup stood tall and made his way to Toothless, Stoick growling his name in warning. "I'm still going to try. This is what I'm good at and if I could change your mind, I can change his, too."

Hiccup climbed onto Toothless, giving me a glance to see what I'd do. I was a little surprised because I assumed he wouldn't want me to follow if it was dangerous. Soon after he looked at me, he took to the air.

Without hesitation, I jumped on Nightstiker to follow.

"No!" Stoick stopped me. "I've had enough mutiny for today."

I watched Hiccup and Toothless fly further from my sights and anxiety hit me. I suddenly felt like I was failing myself and even Stoick if I couldn't keep him safe. The role I held since I was old enough to understand it was in jeopardy. Honestly, I think I wasn't comfortable being away from Hiccup for who knows how long since I never went a day without seeing him for most of it.

"I'm sorry, Uncle Stoick," I spoke up. "I can't be okay not knowing where he is and if he's safe when I've always watched out for him. You can be mad at me for eternity, but I'm not letting him go alone."

Stoick looked at me like he was about to fight against my choice, but Nightstriker took off before he could get a word out.

"Sorry, Stoick. But you told me to keep an eye on him a long time ago. I'm not about to break my promise if he's heading straight into danger," I said as if he could hear me. "Let's speed it up, girl."

Nightstiker growled in agreement and we sped through the skies, hoping to catch up to Hiccup.