Forty Four.

When they reached the dragon pens, Alvin greeted Mildew warmly and Stoick scowled at the traitor. Hiccup inspected the miserable old man and inclined his head.

"I see you got nursing duty with the dragons," he commented.

"An interesting turn of events, to say the least," Mildew admitted, flinching as the nearest dragon roared. He thought the only good dragon was a dead one. But he reluctantly tossed a fish through the bars to a hissing Whispering Death. Hiccup, though, quietly walked up to the thin little Nadder he had tended and gently offered her his hand. She gave a little hopeful chirp and raced forward to his gentle caress, his calm voice a reminder of brief days when she had been treated with care not cruelty. She nuzzled him desperately as he opened the pen door and he let her out.

"'ey! That's me dragon!" Alvin growled. Hiccup rubbed her once more.

"It's okay-off you go," he said gently. The dragon gave a worried croon, then ran a few steps and took off, frantically flapping into the dull sky. Methodically, the boy opened the pens and allowed those dragons that could fly to escape. Alvin grumbled but Hiccup had been very insistent. Mildew watched him with a sneering expression: he hated dragons but he knew the chance to care for the beasts had probably saved Hiccup's life. And the Whispering Deaths had proved useful.

Hiccup didn't release all the dragons: the Changewing had hissed at him and spat acid so he had left it alone and he had reluctantly not released the crippled dragons because they could not hope to survive in the wild. He vowed to offer to take them to Berk to live in peace and freedom once Alvin was back in power. Then he finally walked to the pen of the oldest Whispering Death, the female whose cage contained clutches of mottled eggs. Alvin lurched forward and saw the dragon cowering away at the back of the pen. His brows dipped in anger.

"'Ere-what's happened to 'er?" he asked, his eyes noting the scars and paler patches of wounds on her hide. Hiccup slid into the cage and slowly approached her, talking gently.

"Savage," he said grimly. "She's lost her trust of humans because of her treatment. Not that I blame her..." And he stopped before her, his hand outstretched. She pressed her fierce muzzle against his cool hand, giving an unmistakeable croon of pleasure. Alvin's eyes widened in shock.

"Then how...?" he murmured. Astrid stared at him in shock-but it was Mildew who piped up.

"'E realised she was 'urt and 'e showed 'er that 'e understood 'ow she felt!" he revealed. "Lad showed 'er 'is welts and after that, she realised she were just the same as 'im!" Hiccup blushed slightly as he continued to stroke her.

"This is the Screaming Death's mother," he said calmly. "It will tear the island apart to get to her. When it comes, let her go." He sighed. "I know what it's like to miss your mother. I can understand why it wants her back." He glanced over to his father and Stoick saw the yearning in the wide green eyes, the missing piece of the boy's life that he always regretted was absent. Alvin stared at him and nodded once. He could understand the rationale but it meant giving up the dragon and though Alvin wasn't a sentimental man, he had regularly visited and petted the Whispering Death. She had become...special to him and he was saddened to see her abused and skittish. Sometimes, the skill was recognising when to cut your losses.

"So what now?" Astrid asked, moving towards Hiccup. The boy gave a pained smile.

"We wait until all Hel breaks loose..."

oOo

The explosions reverberated through the ground and Hiccup's head snapped round as Toothless vibrated with a growl. Astrid gripped her axe tighter and the boy could hear his father's armour creak as the Chief shifted his body. Hiccup turned to face Alvin and lifted his chin, his bandaged throat visible. "It's time," he said quietly. "I'm trusting you." The big Outcast gave a single nod.

"Yer can rely on me, boy," he growled. "I wants me Tribe back!" He looked at Mildew and the two men retreated to the cages as Hiccup grabbed his sword and shield and headed towards the main part of the village. He knew where Dagur would be waiting and where he would find him. His pace accelerated to a trot and the others ran after him, staying close. He could hear Toothless galloping by him and he felt a shiver of reassurance at the presence of his best friend. No matter that he trusted his father and Astrid, it was Toothless who was his protector, his brother, his soul-mate. And Toothless he had missed and mourned above all. He was scared to death at the prospect of facing Dagur once more but he had to do it: he could only do it because he had his family with him.

Explosions sounded and the twins whooped and screamed overhead as another catapult fell apart and a series of defences caught fire. The men on the rise over the harbour tried firing at them but missed hopelessly. Snotlout blasted through a whole line of defensive positions, all erupting into flames as Hookfang roared through. And the Vikings of Berk stormed up the hill from the docks, slamming into half-hearted resistance from men not enthused by the leadership of Dagur or Savage. Hiccup had heard the mutterings about Savage among the Outcasts-when they weren't beating or abusing him-and that the Berserkers had effectively taken over their island. And the belligerent Outcasts wanted to be in charge of their own destiny.

In the main square, Dagur and his commanders were clustered together, directing the Outcasts and the Berserker troops to meet the invading troops. The Berserkers engaged with their usual enthusiasm but Dagur was puzzled why they were fighting at all. He was still singed and bruised from the encounter with Toothless and the rest of Hiccup's rescuers and he couldn't understand the reason for the attack this time.

"Why are they attacking now?" Dagur whined, chopping fiercely at a Hooligan who was foolish enough to confront him. He could see his Berserkers were still fighting but the Outcasts weren't really putting their hearts into it. "They got my Hiccup back from my arms when I was cutting his slender little throat and..." And then his face creased into a scowl. "Unless he died...and they are attacking for revenge! HA! There was nothing there worth avenging!"

Hiccup caught sight of him and Toothless roared. The Berserker Chief gave a delighted cry.

"Hiccup! You've returned to me! I knew my slave couldn't wait to return to my bed!" The boy gripped his sword tighter and bit back against a small whimper of fear.

"No," Hiccup said, forcing the fear from his voice as Berserkers began to move towards them. "I'm not dead and I'm not here to pander to you. You tried to destroy me, Dagur. You framed me for attempted murder and treason. You enslaved me, brutalised and ruined me. And though you accepted coin for me, you still pursued me all across the Archipelago and falsely claimed I was your slave! You broke your word when you promised to release my father and you tried to kill Stoick the Vast and Toothless. And then you tried to kill me. I'm here to end this, Dagur! You've wronged me for the last time!"

The Berserker turned puce in rage at the firm and indignant tirade and motioned to Vorg, who had his men running at Astrid and Stoick. The clash of weapons and at the roars of the dragons sounded as Hiccup closed on the Berserker Chief, dodging men who swiped at him. His sword was clutched tight in his left hand and his shield was deployed and raised, ready to defend himself. Dagur gave a patronising sneer.

"Oh, Hiccup...you really want to fight me? Don't you remember how that went last time? The lashes cutting into your skin? The blood on your face and body as you were beaten to a pulp? My cock up your ass?"

"Last time we fought-man to man without your armada or men protecting you-I almost tore your throat out and had you defeated!" Hiccup shot back, his knuckles whitening around the sword.

"Yes," Dagur said menacingly, raising his axe. "Well this time, I will defeat your tribe, take your father and...oooh! Your girlfriend? And then they can watch what you've been doing with me all these weeks!" Hiccup took a shuddering breath. "See if she wants you then!"

"Look around!" he called. "Your forces are being routed, your armada is matchwood and our dragons are winning!" Dagur screamed and ran at him and the boy braced himself as the impact of the axe shuddered through the shield and his right arm.

"You will never beat me!" he screamed. "I will have you back, boy-and I will kill your dragon and wear its skull for a helmet and its skin for a cloak..." Hiccup peered up at him and shoved him away.

"You really need some serious fashion tips," he mumbled as he was slammed aside and had to parry a slice at his head with the sword. It skittered away out of his hands with a clang. More Berserkers were pouring up from the docks and he could hear Astrid panting as she fought, the heavy blows of her axe measured. Dagur threw himself at Hiccup but the boy rolled away-clumsily, since he had never been especially agile in battle-and scrambled back, his shield raised. Dagur grinned and twirled his axe, then slammed it at him.

It clanged off another axe, wielded by an expert who pressed herself against the boy. Hiccup felt a sudden surge of relief at Astrid's presence. "You okay, babe?" she asked him breathlessly, never taking her bright blue eyes from the menacing presence of the Berserker. He nodded.

"Um, you?" he asked, flicking his gaze to check she was fine. There was blood spotted in her hair and across her face but it wasn't hers and he felt a tiny flicker of relief at the sight.

"The dragons are guarding our backs," she assured him, "and the Chief is having a little fun..." A Berserker flew by them, slamming to the floor by Dagur. The Berserker Chief narrowed his eyes.

"Come on! Really?" he whined. "Why can't you just fight me already, Hiccup! Or aren't you man enough? Oops! What'm I saying? You aren't a man at all...you're my whore and I..." And then he blinked, seeing the dull gleam of metal on two pairs of hands. He gave a sudden shriek. "HICCUP! Gods! You really are bringing the funny this time! You MARRIED the girl?"

Forest green eyes flicked up defensively and Hiccup cursed himself. Now Dagur would target Astrid to hurt him.

"No-I married him!" Astrid shouted, her face angry.

"Hope you like disappointment-because he's mine!" Dagur screamed. "He's never loved a woman-but he takes cock better than any boy I know! He's my bitch, bitch...but I could see to you as well, if you're getting a little needy..."

"Thor in a thunderstorm, I'll chop his off..." Astrid growled but Hiccup reached out and laid a gentle hand on her arm.

"Focus," he said in a low voice. "Remember...he's Deranged, not you. He wants you to lose your cool!" Then he smiled: he could feel the floor beginning to shudder. "Back-NOW!" he shouted and grabbed her as the floor exploded and a Whispering Death erupted through the plaza. Then another...and another... And hanging to the tail was the huge shape of Alvin the Treacherous who landed and immediately attacked Savage.

"TRAITOR!" he shouted. "Thought yer could replace me, did yer?" Savage backed up: he was vicious and brutal but one-on-one, he was a coward. Alvin slammed him aside and laughed at his former second. The other Outcasts stood back and watched: Alvin had been a great leader-brutal, cruel and short-tempered but always looking to gain advantage for the Outcasts and improve their lot. The Whispering Deaths circled and Toothless gave a shattering roar, sensing the impending disaster and suddenly lunging at Hiccup.

But it was too late as the ground collapsed beneath them and they went tumbling into the depths of Outcast Island.