Astrid and the gang were hunting within the the forest. Along with a few new trainees with them, Gobber had tasked them to hunt animals despite of dragons around the deep forest.

Stoick had permitted to train within the forest but not far from the village bounderies. It was a good idea for Astrid to go on with training the next set of teens. After all the gang had reached the age of either nineteen or twenty to finally join their parents at war. Gobber, on the other hand, could finally train them again although he still needs Astrid's guidance.

Gobber assigned Astrid to lead the hunting today, and boy how good she works with it as a leader.

"You know, a future chief like me could use a lot of assistance" Snotlout started to flirt with Astrid, but she threw a rock at his face.

"Quiet down Snotlout or we'll loose our game" she whispered.

Everyone held out their spears, bows and arrows except for Astrid, she still uses the old axe she had for years. She had forced Gobber violently to sharpen her axe, automatically Gobber obliged and got on with it. Astrid felt comfortable but nothings beats the way how Hiccup maintains her axe as good as new. Although the whole truth why she did not use an easier weapon to catch a game like a bow and arrow is because she doesn't know how to use one. She could care less as long as she has her trusted axe.

Concentrate Astrid, no time to think of problems

And her self-conscious was right because their game is mere a few feet away from them. She gathered the group and whispered their plan.

"Ok guys here we go. Let's see how good you are in 'hide and seek'"

"Awesome! Could I be the it?" Tuff asked

"That's not my point" Astrid replied.

"Oh....so why are we playing hide and seek for if we don't have an it?"

"We're all the 'it' ya ding-dong! We'll try and catch that deer over there" Ruff pointed out.

"Good one Ruff, so here's the plan. We need to corner the deer at the far end of this forest. I want you guys to hide from the trees and bushes while the rest of us chase the deer. Once we're close make a surprise attack"

Everyone agreed and Astrid grouped them together. "You two go with Fishlegs, and you two stay on top of the trees with Tuff. You three get to the end of the forest, ready the nets. Ruff, Snotlout we chase the deer."

They positioned themselves, Astrid slowly approached their game. Once the animal noticed a human being approaches, it started to back away. Ruff and Snotlout came out from their hiding, that's where the deer started to run and they chased after it. As if they were on an olympic games, hurdling and dodging bushes and branches.

Sure it was fast but nothing could stop Astrid. Their almost at the end and Astrid called for the signal. The boys on top of the trees had a good shot slowing down the deer. Fishlegs and his group had the chance to corner the deer but it escaped.

"Don't let it get away!" Astrid shouts as she readied her axe to aim.

Tuff continued throwing rocks at the deer to slow it down again, but it's horns on time protected its head and some parts of its body. Astrid had two chances to catch that game, it's either she throws the axe at it or lead the deer to the awaiting nets. She chose to aim the deer instead, so while she chases the deer she carried her axe high. This could be a tough one to hit.

She let out a heavy sigh and threw her axe with a HIIYYYAAAAAH!!

All of a sudden the deer turned its route, thus avoiding Astrid's axe that nearly axed a walking travel. "AH!" came out a scream and the traveler was pinned on the tree. Astrid was about to apologize and help the traveler but the a group of teens had caught their game.

"WE GOT THE DEER!!"

Astrid turned to her left and saw the deer was caught by a net. Wow their first hunt with a new batch of young vikings was a succes. "Woohooo good one guys!"

"Ahem excuse me"

Astrid went back to the tree with a traveler pinned on it.

"Ooohhh looks like Astrid caught more than a deer" Ruff blurted out "A good looking one too"

She glared at Ruff.

"Ok ok whose the wise guy picking on my babe?" Snotlout butted in but received a good punch from Astrid's fist before she got her axe to let go of the travel

"Phew I thought I was a goner back there" the traveler spoke as he tidy himself up. "Nice hunting though, you could have gotten the deer if it not had seen me" he pointed out at Astrid.

The deer was struggling from its net and it looks like its using its hooves to cut through the rope

"Training's over guys get that deer home while I take care of our traveler here.....oh and could someone please drag Snotlout home too"

Tuff volunteered as he grabbed Snotlout's feet "I'm on it"

"Good luck with him Astrid" Ruff winked as she pointed out at the traveler which she responded with a death glare.

"Wow some team you have there" the traveler said while he was a bit culture shocked of Tuff dragging Snotlout.

"Oh well that's life on Berk"

"Really? So I'm in Berk now?" the traveler asked surprisingly.

"Right you are. So what brings you here?"

The traveler was taken aback with the sudden question. Although he understood, he is after all an outsider and she has the right to ask. And the young warrior is just protecting her own village...like he did back then.

"I'm on a hunt too" He said as he raised his bronze sword.

"So......do you need any help hunting?" she offered.

"Oh thanks but I'm good, the thing is it's hard to catch. And he's not an animal nor a giant reptile"

To Astrid, that was an insult. Astrid had never missed a game ever in her life and this douche thinks so low of her? Like excuse me, she thought. Unbelievable.

"Well sorry I don't know how to hunt a human, but let me know if you caught this person. He might even tell me how good you are on it" Astrid coldy said to him.

"Hey hey I didn't mean to offend you" He chuckled.

"I almost forgot, my name's Wolf, Wolf Hedgehog. " He led out his hand to shake Astrid's hand. She responded as she shook Wolf's hand. She noticed a silver ring on his middle finger, it was silver and well crafted. Although his finger around the ring looked horrible. The color of flesh skin were gone and was replaced with a dark color. Fairly it was rough when she got a hold to it.

"I'm Astrid, Astrid Hofferson-" she shook Wolf's hand and felt the roughness, not just the finger but also his whole hand. She needed to apologize too! "-sorry I nearly cut your head off back there"

Wolf waved his hand "It's nothing really, I've been through worst so don't worry"

"Oh" was all Astrid could say. "So who is this guy you're chasing around?"

"Oh he's known to everyone alright, earned a couple of enemies including me. I couldn't catch him though, he travels fast as if he rides a dragon or something"

"You mean...he flies?"

"Well it looks like it"

Astrid was confused "Well if this guy is well known how come we don't know him?"

Wolf grinned as he knew the answer "It's because he never set foot on Berk and rumors has it he's coming"

Astrid thought back a bit. The man Wolf is looking for was familiar to her. She might not have seen this man but the story that was told by the trader that this mysterious flying man is that Johan had mentioned.

There was silence around them, the company has became awkward by the dozen. Astrid had no topic to talk about, although she is a tinsy wincy curious with his zombie like finger. Somehow there is this urge to ask his past, to get to know him better for just today. He does look a few years older than her, around twenty three or twenty five perhaps? He has this blue eyes like hers with a bit darker than she expected. His hair is close enough to auburn, again darker.

He's very tall actually, taller than Fishlegs if she could just compare the, he may be tall but his arms aren't as long you'd expect. So this guy is just good in swordsmanship than using a bow and arrow. He had black leather armor around him and blue long sleeves to match his eyes. His pants were pitch black too along with his leather traveling boots. He only had his pouch bag and a sword with him.

"Ugh Astrid, you out spaced me, hellooo" Wolf waved his hand in front of her face.

"Wha--What?"

"I was just asking if you could show me more of this forest but you're simply starring at me" He chuckled, and that's when Astrid saw him smile. True it was cute, she even turned away to blush a bit.

"I-I'm so sorry I'm just....you know...well" she was stuttering and Wolf chuckled more.

"Haha that's ok, it doesn't bother me that much and I'll keep this from your fiancé"

Astrid forgot all about the blushing and started to widen her eyes. FIANCÉ??? Who in the world is her fiance? Did he really thought that Snotlout and her were actually going out together? That's unbelievable, really unbelievable!!! She'd rather die first before marry a big jerk like him.

"You don't understand!! He's just an annoyance!"

"Ohoho really now"

"I'm serious here" she growled while Wolf laughed at it.

"Ok ok ok, I have most definitely understood now. Suitor I presume?"

"Tell me about" Astrid replied as they started walking. Since she had hit the age of eighteen, a lot of young viking men asked for her hand of marriage. Snotlout had never failed to ask Astrid everyday. Month by month they get many even outside of Berk comes to their village and have Astrid as their right hand in command.

Many had considered Astrid a chief's perfect choice to be a wife, for she is brave, strong and intelligent. She never fails to lead a group of warriors and d every suitor thinks she could bare a strong child.

But for Astrid she's just a material to highlight a certain chief's status. Yes she had thought of this time to time. Astrid would never let herself get into a life of someone's path to be just an 'addition to a mighty and wealthy family'.

They had started sharing stories like from where they grew, their status in the tribe, the life they are facing, Although Astrid omitted the part when the tribe exiled Hiccup. Wolf lives in the south eastern most of the viking archepelogo, he's a hunter of their tribe. Dragons were also their main problem but other than that they have to face to Roman legions too. Their tribe was strong indeed, Astrid had not yet known what was the tribes name. Something tells her Wolf is avoiding it.

"So........how are you working on with your suitors?" Wolf asked as they walk.

"Oh just beat Thor out of them to stop that's what" Astrid said as she punched the palm of her other hand.

"Haha impressive, I rarely know young women like you"

"How old are you anyway?"

"Me?......well don't laugh but I'm twenty seven alright"

Astrid's jaw dropped. "Are you kidding?! You look like twenty three!"

Wolf laughed "I knew you were gonna say that. So how'bout you? I assume you're at the age of twenty?"

"Touché to that" She replied as she fixed her hood. She noticed Wolf was about to ask something she already knew. "And I'm not planning to get married yet!" she said as she crossed her arms

"Feisty aren't we Hofferson? You know.....for a woman like you reminds me of someone back home"

"Oh really now? Who?" note the sarcasm

Wolf paused for a minute to sink in Astrid's tone of sarcasm, which he did not understood after all. Also, he wasn't sure if he ever wanted to relate Astrid to this person he really missed so much, this moment seems to make him remember of her very much.

"My wife" he finally said.

Her jaw dropped for the second time around. "You have a WHAT?!"

Ok this is really unexpected. One is that he looks young but a bit old to be in his late twenties. Second time around he's actually married!

"A wife I said.....well.....let's say I'm a widow already" Wolf sadly announced, he stopped walking and starred at the ground. Astrid stopped by his side. It saddened her heart to see a stranger, now a friend, going through such a hard time....alone.

She patted his back and condoled. "I'm sorry I didn't know"

Wolf gave out a sad grin to her before talking again. "Your remind me so much of her. Brave, strong, considerate.......yup I was a happy man back then, before he even came."

He said the last phrase with anger right after he touched his wedding ring. Wolf then continued before Astrid could ask anything.

"Like the rest of the vikings dragons are our main enemies, day and night we try to protect our own before they even destroy us all. My tribe was known to be one of the strongest vikings, along side with Berk, we never fail to bring a dragon down nor an enemy on our sight."

Astrid sat back to sink every single word Wolf needed to inform her.

"My father is a hunterr. He raised me to be like him, molded me to what I am destined to be, just like him. We had a chieftess, she was one brave leader and I'm very whelmed to be her hunter"

"Although our hunters and highly ranked leaders never understood one another. There were times my father would argue with our chief. Father would want to leave but they had forbid us, we could have escaped but they would surely hunt us down. Hunters weren't even allowed to mate with the chief's family, even though hunters like us are like second in command in the tribe we were forbid to do so because it wouldn't just work"

"Well that's unfair for people like you with a status in the tribe" Astrid blurted out.

"You're quiet right young Hofferson, glad you understand me so much" Wolf acknowledge her.

"Hey, don't stop now continue"

"Hmm you're a bit interested with my past aren't you?" he said as he tried to rub his beardless chin.

"Don't get you hopes up pretty boy, I'm not interested" she coldly replied.

"I wasn't thinking about that-"

"You were saying?" Astrid cut him off before Wolf could even say something else. For a widowed guy it won't always mean that they can't move with life. You might not now they would fall for another after a long time, Astrid sensed that feeling somehow.

"Oh... yeah right-" he cleared his throat for a second. "-so we weren't allowed to have a relationship to any member of any chief's related family and we can't leave the tribe because of misunderstandings, we have to live through it till the next generation comes. Besides, the tribe would be nothing without us.......Although, as next in line after my father, I have done unforgivable to the tribe."

"Let me guess......you fell in love with the chieftess' daughter" Astrid didn't need to think which made Wolf smile at her intelligence.

"Been listening with your teacher very well, don't you?"

"I have my way how to figure things out, please do continue"

Wolf chuckled at her sarcastic antics "So you've said it, I fell in love with the chieftess' daughter and she fell for me too. It wasn't that typical love at first sight. She was brave, strong and clever. Never had met a women like her. We grew up together though, although her mother would sometimes not allow her to stay near me. In times I was busy with my father she was busy entertaining a chief's son. Jealousy ran through my blood. When the time we reached the adolescent years, we fell in love. She would escape at the middle of the night to come see me deep in the woods. We kept this forbidden love from the others till we decided to get married without the others knowing."

Wolf sighed as he reminisce the happiest day of his life.

"We hired a pastor from a remote village not far from ours, we let him promise not to tell anyone about our marriage. He promised and got on to our wedding without paying him, he said this is one sacred event, money won't do anything to make us happy. It was a night to remember, I could still see the moon peeping on our wedding night, the only witness to our happiness.........but that happiness tend to end soon"

Astrid heard him growled a bit, she tensed a bit but stayed at her guard in case something goes wrong. She then asked with her most concerned voice "and then what happened?"

"A year after we got married, things were difficult to hide our rings and meet ups. She would ask her mother if she could go hunting for a week or two, little did the chieftess knew this was out time to be together alone. When out meet up became constant, our parents forced us to stay away from each other. Then things went worst. A mysterious masked man had come to our island offering help from dragon problems. I suggested that he won't do good alone so I declined the offer. But my wife stop me from letting this man help our tribe"

"Wait-" Astrid interrupted "-this man....is the....the man who Trader Johan described?"

"If you're thinking of that man who shifts from one island to another helping tribes, I say it is him. Some call him the Dragon Conquerer or the Dragon Whisperer"

"The....Dragon Conquerer?" She whispered to herself

"I thought that man would just help, but he seemed to have my wife's attention very much. She said he was telling her all the things they need to do after he had lured the dragons away. I was becoming jealous of this man so much for taking more time with my wife that we ended up ignoring one another.!"

Wolf was fuming.

"Then when the Dragon Conquerer left, ignorance still continue between us. I left the tribe to blow off some steam. I didn't know how long I've been out until I looked at where the tribe was I saw........black smoke, a thick one.........And then it hit me.

Camicazi and the others are under attack"

~~~~~~~<>~~~~~~<>~~~~<>~~~~~~<>

DUN DUN DUN

Another new character and Camicazi is on it too. 😱😱😱😱 will this Wolf guy be an enemy or ally? Obviously he hates the Dragon Conquerers guts and you'll know the rest why on the next chapter.

So I guess everyone knows this Dragon Conquerer/Whisperer. He did made himself an enemy's bucket list to kill hahaha.

The next chapters would be longer and I think the rest of my updates would take long too, just so you'd know ✌️