━━ chapter seventeen
not so treacherous?

✿✼:*ﾟ:༅。.。༅:*·ﾟﾟ·⭑

━━When Valkyrie had that discussion with Asrifth yesterday, she didn't think it would hold such meaning to her as it did now. She was supposed to be resting, supposed to be healing, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. Every time she sat down, she thought of Hiccup, and she was up moving again. The entire village was stressed, begging for their next move, turning to the acting chief for what was to be done. And Hiccup had no idea. He had no time to sit down and comprehend what had happened last night. He had no time to himself to just let himself feel the absolute horror and loss. Valkyrie remembered how he had been when his father was frozen by those Speed Stingers, how lost he had been, and now, she could imagine the surface.

She found him before he would have to address the entire village in the Great Hall. They would be angry, distressed, furious━shouting like Vikings. Hiccup needed to be mentally prepared for that. Valkyrie didn't know what to say, or how to help, but she couldn't just leave him in a time like this.

She stepped through the door of his house to see him staring at his father's chair, pale and anxious. He looked as though he couldn't even bear the thought of sitting in it.

Valkyrie took a deep breath and approached him. She closed the door gently behind her, and she knew he could tell she was here, just by the set of his jaw.

She didn't say a word until she was beside him. Carefully, she reached out and took his hand with a ginger touch, her fingers lacing with his. His shoulders seemed to sink a little.

Finally, she decided to say softly, "We're going to get him back."

Hiccup hung his head. "I know ..."

He let go of her hand and turned away, facing the fire. Valkyrie watched him go with an ache in her chest. He always doubted himself━ever since that day he thought he was going to lose Toothless. How was she supposed to change that? What was she supposed to say to make him see himself as she did? She was the first to believe in him, and she continued to believe in him even if he didn't believe in himself. And it hurt her so much to see him so defeated and devesated, because she knew that this wasn't who he was.

"Look," she sighed, stepping up to him again. "This is a mess. A real big mess. And I can't begin to know how terrible you must feel. Your father is out there right now under Dagur's hold, and the whole village is awaiting the verdict you don't even know."

Hiccup shot her a glare. "Thank you," he grumbled, "for summing that up." She pursed her lips. Then, he sighed and slumped further, hanging his head. "I don't know what to do, Val ... I━I'm not a chief, I'm not my father. I can't go out there and come up with this huge plan to save Dad, stop Dagur and the oncoming Screaming Death. I━I don't know ... I ..."

She fiddled with a little bit of her hair. She took a brave step to stand beside him. The fire stared back at them, flickering with warmth that was shivering cold. "You're right," she decided to say in the end. "You're not chief, and you're not your father. You don't have experience, you can't possibly expect yourself to be the best leader in the world. But one day, you are going to be chief, and you're going to make mistakes, make history━I'm sure━and lead this village in a way you're father couldn't. Not because one isn't capable, but because you are different, just like your grandfather was when he was chief, and his father, and his father before him. You can't compare yourself. You can't try to be one because then you can't be yourself. And what the village needs right now? Is you. A dragon rider━a very stubborn Viking━" he scoffed at that, "━but also a brave, smart and determined son who wants to save his father. Who wants to protect his home. And wants to stop Dagur."

He finally met her gaze and she gave him a small smile. "You don't have to know what to say," she continued. "You don't have to have a plan yet. But what you do have, is me," she took his hand again, tight and determined. "And you have Toothless, and you have the riders, and Gobber. When you go into that hall, they're gonna be angry, and annoyed, and stressed, but we're going to be right there with you. We're going to all figure this out, together."

Toothless nudged against us as if to say he agreed. Hiccup smiled, grateful. Valkyrie saw a flicker of his usual self in his jade eyes. Hiccup kissed her on the forehead gently. He didn't let go of her hand the entire walk up the stairs to the Great Hall, nor did he when the doors opened and they saw the village waiting, shouting at Gobber by the front, demanding answers.

Hiccup went pale again, but Valkyrie squeezed his hand. He took a deep breath, nodded and forged through, pulling her along.

They stepped up along the back of the Vikings shouting and Hiccup let out a sigh to see the Twins egging it all on. They shook their fists, laughing and jumping.

"We want answers!" they shouted alongside the rest of the village. "Tell us the truth! Come on, enough of this!"

Valkyrie rolled her eyes and gave Ruff a kick in the back of the shin. She cried out in pain and she and her brother glanced back. "Hey!" she snapped. "That's very rude of you, Valkyrie."

"What is going on?" Hiccup demanded, annoyed.

"I have no idea!" grinned Tuffnut, yelling over the shouts. "But everyone is shouting, and I am totally into that!" They shuffled up to the back, cackling.

"We're so angry!"

"Everybody shake your fists! Now look to the sky!"

They copied them, and the ruckus only got worse. Valkyrie face-palmed. Hiccup scowled, "Really not helping," he told the Twins.

Seeing the doors open, Gobber had shoved his way through the crowd to reach Hiccup. "Everyone settle down!" he bellowed, taking Hiccup's arm and pulling him along. He glanced back, but didn't need to ask for Valkyrie to follow. They pushed their way towards the front, swaddled by furious Vikings. "Hiccup will answer all your questions!"

Snotlout grumbled, "Why him?!" he demanded.

"Because he's the acting chief!" Gobber grumbled, shoving him to the side. "That's why!"

Gobber led Hiccup to the front, stepping him up for all the village to see. Valkyrie settled herself a little to the side, giving him another nod as he glanced down, searching for reassurance.

"They're all yours," said Gobber before stepping down to stand next to Val. Astrid and Hott also joined her, watching silently.

Hiccup took a deep breath, twiddling his thumbs. "Right," he mumbled, staring out to the crowd like a sea.

"What are we gonna do?" they started to ask.

"Where's Stoick?!"

"When can we start yelling again?!" shouted Tuffnut from the back.

Hiccup sweated. He wiped his hands against his fleece. Toothless purred, sitting behind Valkyrie. She gave him a scratch. "Uh━good questions," began Hiccup. He shot Tuffnut a scowl through the crowd. "Mostly. Uh ..." he glanced around, trying to control his breaths. Valkyrie kept her gaze on him, hoping he knew she believed in him━she needed him to know she believed in him.

"Um," went on the acting chief, wringing his hands, "as you all know. Berk is no stranger to hard times. But the best thing is to━"

"Take arms!"

"Man the catapults!"

Hiccup shrunk at the sudden yelling. Valkyrie wanted to stand up there and tell them all to, "SHUT UP!" but Snotlout got there before she could, shoving Hiccup right out of the way.

"Why don't you step aside and watch a real chief in action?" he taunted. "Hookfang?"

The Monstrous Nightmare stepped in behind him and lit up his entire body with flames, silencing the shouts immediately. "That's better," he smirked, smug. Valkyrie winced; she saw the fire beginning to start on his pants, but she let him stay up there without knowing for a little while ... it was her form of payback. "Now, here is how it's gonna go."

Tuffnut laughed from the back, "You're on fire, Snotlout!"

Snotlout thought he meant figuratively and puffed out his chest. "Thank you, citizen." Then, he began to smell the smoke. He frowned, sniffing before his eyes widened. "AHHHHHHHHH!"

He ran right off. Gobber sighed and hooked him back as he past, shoving him into a water bucket beside him. Snotlout sighed, relieved.

The crowd got back to grumbling. Hiccup stood back up, eyes wide as he tried to calm them down. Valkyrie had had enough.

"HEY!" she shouted at them as she stood up beside Hiccup. Their gaze shot to her, startled. "ALL OF YOU━HEAR HIM OUT AND SHOW YOUR ACTING CHIEF SOME RESPECT!"

That shut them up. Their grumbles turned to murmurs and Hiccup sent Valkyrie a thankful smile. She nodded.

"Okay," started Hiccup again, feeling better now that he wasn't surrounded by yelling. "Good. So ... where were we?" he glanced at her again.

"Uh ..." Valkyrie thought quickly. "Tell them we have dragon riders scouting for Berserker ships at a safe, covered distance. Maybe mention we are awaiting Dagur's terms of hostage, I expect he's going to send a letter of ransom. And that they have nothing to worry about, and you have everything under control."

Hiccup nodded. That sounded easy enough. "All right, people," he turned to the village. "You have nothing to worry about, and everything is under control. We have scouts searching for Berserker ships at a safe distance, and are expecting a ransom note from Dagur, in which we'll figure out more to a plan on getting my father back safe and sound from then."

There was a few blinking moments of silence. Valkyrie nodded, trying to add reassurance. Maybe they did it.

Until the villagers all started to shout again, angrier than before. Hiccup sighed, glancing up at the ceiling. Valkyrie winced, "That ... sounded way better in my head."

"YELL AS LOUD AS YOU CAN!" Tuffnut jumped up and down, grinning. "HAHA! YEAH!"

Hiccup pinched the bridge of his nose. "Oh, gods..."

✿✼:*ﾟ:༅。.。༅:*·ﾟﾟ·⭑

━━Valkyrie watched Hiccup pace back and forth in his house. She sat down, silent with Zephyr, eyes going side-to-side, over and over. Toothless followed him, tail swinging casually. So, the talk with the village didn't go as expected, but Valkyrie knew they couldn't give up. It was all going to work out in the end; it always did. It felt strange, however, to sit here and watch Hiccup without Stoick around, sharpening his axe or making wood-work birds in his chair. And she knew this feeling she had, Hiccup was experiencing ten-fold.

She tired to think what her mother did to help her father when he was stressed. She made him food, or got him a drink; sometimes, she forced him to sit down and rest his feet while she massaged his shoulders. All of these she had a feeling Hiccup wouldn't appreciate right now. Not even her braids. She just had to let him pace ... and pace ... and pace.

Hiccup stopped, gazing at his father's axe still on the table. A chieftan's axe. He reached out to pick it up and stumbled with it in his arms from the weight. Valkyrie didn't think that helped his confidence.

Thankfully, Gobber arrived, stepping in through the door. Hiccup glanced over, and the blacksmith sighed. "You know, Hiccup," he said, making his way over, "there's nothing easy about chiefing. You should've seen Stoick when he first took over. He was like a newborn yak trying to find his feet." He nodded to Valkyrie and she smiled softly. She stood up and helped a way she knew she could. She focused on the broth cooking over the fire, finding a salmon to pass to Toothless and Zephyr, giving them something to eat. She grabbed the spoon and tended to the food while listening.

Hiccup scoffed and set the axe down. "I find that hard to believe ..."

"Well, it's true," said Gobber. "In fact, there were some in this town that didn't think he had it in him. Alvin, for one. He wouldn't shut up about it." Hearing this, Valkyrie faltered slightly, looking back up, surprised. Zephyr took this chance to steal another fish. She smacked him on the neck as he held it out of her reach, swallowing it whole.

Meanwhile, Hiccup sat down by the table. He wouldn't take his father's chair, he refused to. He felt as though that would be giving up.

"Hiccup," Gobber followed him, "being chief doesn't mean everyone's going to agree with you. Sometimes, you have to deal with the Alvins and the Snotlouts of the world."

He stared at the axe. Valkyrie's shoulders fell. "I feel like that's all I do..."

"They were best friends, you know."

He glanced up, surprised. "Who?"

"Alvin and Stoick. They were inseperable since birth."

Valkyrie and Hiccup shared a glance, startled. "So ... what happened?" asked Hiccup. "What changed?"

Gobber sighed, "Everything."

This only brought more questions, but there was no time to have them answered. For outside, there was a strangled cry of, "Hiccup! Hiccup!"

In through the door, burst Fishlegs. He skidded to a stop, heaving. He looked as though he had seen a ghost. "Hiccup!" he took a deep breath, wheezing as he tried to compose himself. Hiccup stood up immediately, eyes wide. "Screaming!" another deep breath. "Coming!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," he rushed forward to his friend, holding him up. Valkyrie made her way over with Gobber as well, heart pounding. "Take a breath there, Fishlegs."

He took a few before he could finally compose a sentence. "I was on patrol with Meatlug," he began, still heaving. "The Screaming Death! We ... we saw it. It's eating it's way ... to Berk."

There was a pause where they all shared a shocked exchange, before they broke out into a run. Zephyr and Toothless followed, leaving the fish behind. The group of them stopped at the edge of the slope, staring out to the ocean. Valkyrie tried to see the Screaming Death in the horizon, but he was yet to appear. That had be some sort of good news.

"How much time do we have?" demanded Hiccup.

"Not much," said Fishlegs. "It was just off Dragon Island when we saw it."

From the sky, Stormfly landed. Astrid leapt off; she didn't came bearing good news. She held out a scroll to Hiccup, "This came for you," she said. He took it, fingers shaking a little. "It's from Dagur."

Hiccup opened it up, mumbling a small sarcastic, "And the hits just keep on coming."

He read it.

"What does it say?" asked Val.

"We have until tonight to deliver Toothless," said Hiccup, "or my father will━" suddenly, he scrunched up the scroll, eyes flaring with fury. He threw the scroll away.

Valkyrie knew what it said, just by his reaction.

"It's a trap," she said. "You know that. If we fly anywhere near Outcast Island..."

"Okay, listen," Hiccup held a hand out, and she nodded, "you guys get Snotlout, Hott and the Twins. Tell them to be ready for the Screaming Death."

"What about your father?"

He took a deep breath. Valkyrie saw his hands clench into fists as he figured something out. "I'll handle that," he told her. Then, before they could say anything else, he mounted Toothless and they shot down towards the Academy. Valkyrie watched him go, heart racing. She knew his plan was going to be stupid, and most definitely crazy. But that was Hiccup━that was who he was. And it was that part of him that will get everyone out on the other end. As long as the rest did as they were told.

Valkyrie needed to trust he could get out on the other end himself with this one, too.

"Okay, you heard him," she said. "Astrid, go gather Hott, Fishlegs you find Snotlout, I'll track down the Twins. We need to set up a perimeter around Berk with what we can; catapults, arrows━anything to keep the Screaming Death from reaching Berk. We're gonna be the first line of defence. Our best chance is to meet him before he arrives, out in the open where he has less of a chance to hurt the village."

"And how are we going to stop him?" Fishlegs whimpered. "He's practically unstoppable."

Valkyrie didn't know. "That's the next thing," she said. "Now come on, let's go!"

✿✼:*ﾟ:༅。.。༅:*·ﾟﾟ·⭑

━━Hiccup's plan consisted on going to Outcast Island with Alvin the Treacherous (definitely crazy). Valkyrie kept to her position, though. She and the others stayed behind, setting Berk up for defence against the Screaming Death. Through out the afternoon, they rushed to and fro, setting up catapults, placing people at watch towers, ordering for evacuation of the weak, elderly, non-fighting villagers and the young to the caves on the far side of the island. Even with her broken arm, Valkyrie stood up and took the lead. She had Fishlegs scourer Bork's Papers for anything else about the Screaming Death; his shot-limit, a blind-spot, anything that could come in useful in taking him down. Astrid and Hott worked to set up perimeters North-West, the direct pathway towards Dragon Island. The Twins worked to create as many destructive, explosive and dangerous things to throw on the catapults at the dragon if need be, and they were beyond excited for this. Snotlout was in control of watch-towers, keeping an eye out for the Screaming Death and anything that might come from Hiccup at Outcast Island. (Or Dagur).

"Valkyrie!" Fishlegs returned through the slope into the Academy where she waited with the others, having all come back from their roles.

She spun back and her heart lept with hope. "Anything?"

He sighed and shook his head. She didn't let this get her down, instead, she just thought of something else. "Okay, that means we're gonna have to learn on the job. We need to see what shot-limit this dragon has. We know it's high, but we've never reached it's limit. We do know Zephyr can burn through his scales, so that's something up our sleeve. I say we disorientate him with our evasive training until he runs out of fire and ..."

"OW!"

Her words were cut off by Snotlout who ran into the Academy, screaming and holding out an arm with Sharpshot latched on. "Ow, ow, ow━painful message! Painful message!"

Valkyrie met him and pulled the parchment from Sharpshot's foot. Her heart continued to race as she unrolled it and read Hiccup's writing. As she did, the Twins wretched Sharpshot free from Snotlout's arm. As soon as he let go, Snotlout fell back, clutching his arm and whimpering.

"Whoa!" Tuffnut peered at the Terrible Terror's gums. "Is that your skin in his mouth?"

Ruff snickered, "That must hurt━"

Then, Sharpshot latched himself onto Tuffnut's nose instead. He fell back, rolling away and screaming, "Oh, I am hurt━I AM VERY MUCH HURT!"

Valkyrie paid them no attention, just reading through Hiccup's plan.

"What does it say?" her brother asked. He, Astrid and Fishlegs were waiting anxiously.

"Hiccup has an idea to stop the Screaming Death," she said.

Astrid arched a brow, "And why don't you look relieved?"

"Because we're gonna have to find a way to lure it to Outcast Island."

Tuffnut got back to his feet, still struggling with the Terrible Terror. "Okay," he said. "What could we use to lure it?" With a yell, he finally managed to pull free the dragon from his nose. As he did, his sister thought with her finger quizically at her chin.

"It likes eating islands," she offered.

"Oh! That's it!" her brother announced, rubbing his red, swollen nose. "We need to find a really tinally island and a really big rope." He rushed up to Valkyrie. "Who do we talk to about that?"

Valkyrie glowered at him. She smacked him in his nose and he went back to howling. "What we need," she corrected. "Is the Dragon Root. We can lure the Screaming Death to Outcast Island with that. It's locked up so we could get rid of it, and it's still there for taking."

"Just one problem," Snotlout sat up, annoyed. "All our dragons go nuts if they go anywhere near it."

"Um, if you recall," said Fishlegs stiffly, "not all the dragons are affected by Dragon Root. For example, considering her rock diet, Meatlug is━" as he said this, all of their gazes fixed on him, grinning. He whimpered, shuffling back. "And I've said too much..."

✿✼:*ﾟ:༅。.。༅:*·ﾟﾟ·⭑

━━The battle was in full commencement when the teens arrived at Outcast Island with the Screaming Death in tow. While Fishlegs kept him coming at full speed, the others raced to get there first in hopes to aid Hiccup and his father before more chaos ensued. And they arrived just in time.

The entire arena of Outcast Island had collapsed in on itself, the rings closed in and showing a deadly brawl pit of dragons, Berserkers and Hiccup and Toothless. Up above, Stoick clung onto the edge of the pit with Alvin grasping tight to his hand. Mildew was sprawled out amongst other Berserker's able to escape the cave in.

"Astrid!" Valkyrie ordered. "Get Stoick and Alvin out of there."

"On it!" she dived down.

"Ruff, Tuff━" Val smirked at the Twins. "We need an explosion into that pit."

"YES!" screamed Tuff in victory and they shot towards the bars. Soon, their view of inside was clouded with noxious green smoke that in seconds, turned into a firestorm explosion that blast the bars free, allowing the riders full access down below.

"Whoa!" let out Ruff as they descended down. Hott sent a volley of spikes to scare the Berserkers surrounding Hiccup off. "This is chaos on a level I've never seen before!" The riders darted in and out of rogue Whispering Deaths, careful to avoid their rings of fire and spines.

"I know!" cried Tuff. "I want to live here."

"Forever!"

Valkyrie tilted Zephyr down for a dive-bomb. He folded his wings, and even with her broken arm, she clung on with all her might and swooped right towards the second wave of Berserker's trying to trap Hiccup and Toothless. They didn't see her coming.

"WAHHH!" one screamed as Zephyr snatched him up and tossed him far to the side. Hott took her place and snatched up a second. Valkyrie spun over upside down and shot down into a second dive.

"Zephyr!" she cried. "Tail-whack!"

He flung out his tail and the set of Berserker's either ducked or were struck with the spikes adorning the tip. Those who were lucky, ran off for a better chance at survival. She hovered near Hiccup, grinning.

"Well, hello there, Milady!" he called, like it was a casual greeting across the street. "How've you been?"

"Oh, you know," she shrugged, her adrennaline making it easier to move her injured arm. "Foritfying the island, coming up with crazy plans, letting the Twins explode things ... the usual. But don't thank us yet," her amusement fell away as she returned to the serious matter at hand. "Things are about to get a lot crazier."

He nodded and they took off together. Spinning up out of the pit, Valkyrie and Hiccup aimed their dragon's fire to the set of Outcasts and Berserker's attacking Stoick and Alvin above. They were holding their own pretty well, taking on multiple at a time with no weapons. But they offered help when they could, making things much easier.

Setting down, Valkyrie could finally hear the shriek of a familiar Screaming Death, and the pudgy Viking bellowing with fear in front of it. Stoick ran up to them, eyes wide as he took in the oncoming dragon. "Why in the name of Odin did you bring that thing here?!"

"This may be the only chance we have to get rid of it," said Hiccup and Valkyrie nodded. She glanced back at Fishlegs propelling at a sudden speed, out of control. "I saw the Screaming Death's mother! It's been destroying those islands searching for her."

Stoick stared at him, incredulous. He looked up at the Screaming Death, "That thing has a mother?!"

"Yeah."

One of the rogue Whispering Death's skidded to a sudden halt in her flight. She looked up and let out a desperate roar. The Screaming Death heard it and glanced down. Amongst Fishlegs's horrified screams, he let loose a loud, frantic cry.

"They've seen each other," said Hiccup, noticing the exchange. "All we have to do now is get them together and get clear of this place."

"Then what?" Valkyrie ducked a bola flung at them.

"I'm hoping it does exactly what I think it should."

"And that would be?"

"Uh ... something good?"

Around them, the battle continued. Hott and Astrid sent enemy Vikings scattering with spikes of fire; like flaming, razor-sharp poisonous arrows. The Twins did what they did best, cause destruction and make everyone mad! Every now and then the entire arena shook with explosions of noxious fire. Snotlout swooped Hookfang in and out, partioning off Berserker's with columns of fire. As they did, Fishlegs and the Screaming Death grew close enough that Valkyrie's bones shook at the roars.

"NOW, FISHLEGS!" Hiccup shouted up to the Viking and his Gronckle.

"Oh, thank Odin, thank Odin, thank Odin!" Fishlegs started to untie the rope around Meatlug's waist. "ROOT AWAY!" it was let loose, and the green, nargled plant dropped into the ocean. He banked right quickly, letting the Screaming Death arrive and examine the surroundings.

The Screaming Death wipped his tail as he turned, hearing the cries of his mother with a keen ear. Seeing her, something in him stopped entirely, and he hovered there, shocked that she was actually in front of him. Valkyrie's heart was in her throat ... they were so close.

That was until Dagur came along━

He always has to make everything difficult, doesn't he?

He and group of Berserkers snagged some rope and flung it out to the Whispering Death mother. She was so focused on her child that she didn't realise what was happening until the ropes had secured around her, forcing her to the ground.

"DAGUR, NO!" yelled Hiccup. He and Toothless dived down to land before him. Valkyrie gasped and looked between the mother and son━this was bad, this was very bad. If that Screaming Death realised his mother was in danger, then they would all be destroyed. "You don't know what you're doing! You let that Whispering Death go before you destroy us all!"

"Why would I do that?!" yelled Dagur in reply, tugging the Whispering Death further to the ground. He had a horrible grin on his face. "Hello?! I'm Deranged!"

"We can't argue with logic like that," Tuffnut spoke up from where he and his sister landed near Valkyrie. She shot him an annoyed look. "Right?"

The mother shrieked, trying to pull free. Dagur laughed as he and his Berserker's kept her grounded. "Back off, Hiccup!" he cackled. "You know if I destroy her, that thing will take us all out!"

Hiccup glanced at the Screaming Death who roared in fury and burrowed the loose rocks around the arena, knocking Berserkers and Outcasts to the ocean.

"He's right!" he decided. "Everyone━back off!"

Valkyrie was reluctant, but she did as he said, her heart thundering as Dagur carelessly held his weapon up near the Whispering Death's underbelly. "Wise choice," he smirked. "Now, I might be interested in a trade."

Hiccup scowled.

"Oh, come on, really?" Dagur laughed. "You couldn't see this coming?"

"NEVER RETREAT! NEVER SURRENDER!"

    Oh, no.

Valkyrie and the others all looked up, stomach's twisting to see Snotlout had disobeyed orders again. He had shot Hookfang up into the air in a storm of fire all along his scales. The Monstrous Nightmare roared, flaring out his wings.

"SNOTLOUT!" Hiccup shouted, holding out a hand for him to stop.

But he didn't listen. He started to spin Hookfang around in a circle, creating a tornado of fire that erupted out with a flick of his tail. It flung straight towards Dagur and his men, and they had no choice but to dive. The ropes were free, and the Whispering Death mother roared triumphantly, whipping her tail away from the flames.

Hiccup was shocked for a second. He glanced up at Snotlout, then, a grin formed on his face.

Valkyrie let loose a long breath, and couldn't help but breath a laugh.

Hiccup leapt off his saddle and cautiously approached the Whispering Death. She looked down at him, gentle. He smiled and gave her a nod. She was free.

She called to the rest of her children and they took to the sky after their long lost brother. Valkyrie couldn't help the grin on her face to see them reunited. The others followed out, landing on the rocks outside the pit. The Screaming Death watched his family return to him, and the anger in his red eyes fell away as he gazed at his mother for the very first time.

She purred, nuzzling her snout against his and he closed his eyes.

It was a happy ending.

    Finally, a happy ending.

The Screaming Death set his eyes on Hiccup. He shrunk back as he flew straight at him, stopping only centimetres from his face. There was silence as they stared at each other, then, the Screaming Death opened his mouth and let loose a ferocious roar.

Hiccup and Toothless winced, rearing back and just letting him get it out of his system.

Then, he turned around and left. He and his family took to the horizon, reuinited, and happily back together. Valkyrie chuckled, her shoulders falling in relief.

"You're welcome," grumbled Hiccup, but even he had a great big grin on his face. He gave Toothless a tender, well-done scratch.

As peace settled on the battlefield, Snotlout landed and cautiously approached Hiccup. "O━okay, I know I wasn't following orders, Hiccup, but I ... well ... um━"

"Snotlout," Hiccup smiled at him. "You did the right thing."

"Yeah, I did, but━" he realised what he said and faltered. "Wait ... what? A━are you messing with me? I was reckless!"

"Sometimes," said Hiccup, "reckless can be courageous. Your suspension is ... well," he held out his hand for Snotlout to shake, "suspended."

Snotlout smiled and shook his hand. He then looked over to Valkyrie and faltered.

"Uh ... Val ..." he walked up to her and she watched him, brow arched. "I'm ..." he couldn't meet her gaze. "I should say━I didn't mean━I should have━" he took a deep breath and shook out his nerves. He locked gazes with her and said, "I'm sorry. I really am sorry."

Valkyrie's heart warmed. Snotlout was many things, but he was never one to admit a mistake. But, maybe like the rest of them, he was growing up.

"I know you never meant to hurt me, Snotlout," she said kindly. "And I accept your apology."

He grinned.

Valkyrie hopped off her saddle and walked up to him. She then socked him right in the stomach.

"OW!" he cried out, doubling over. He looked like he wanted to insult her, but just hobbled back to Hookfang with a, "Yep. I deserve that."

✿✼:*ﾟ:༅。.。༅:*·ﾟﾟ·⭑

━━It really was a happy ending. The Outcasts and the Hooligans finally came to an alliance. Alvin got back his island and his men, throwing Dagur and his Berserker's into prison, hopefully forever. Stoick was back to where he belonged, Chieftan of the Tribe while Hiccup went back to his role as leader of the riders; his son. One day, he was going to be chief, but right now? He knew he wasn't ready. But hopefully, he'd have years to learn, to gain experience, to just live free.

Valkyrie watched him converse with his father on the cliff-face outside the Academy, a small, proud smile on her face. Zephyr nudged against her cheek and she chuckled, giving him a smile and a one-armed hug. Inside the Academy, business was normal ... well, as normal as it could be. She had stepped out before she witnessed a competition between Snotlout and the Twins (and those never ended well).

"You know, son," Stoick was saying. She tried to make it seem like she wasn't listening ... but of course, she was, "you're gonna make a great chief someday. One of the best, I'd wager."

Hiccup let loose a small chuckle, scratching Toothless's chin. "Yeah," he said. "If the last few days are any indication of what it's like to be chief, I'd just as soon leave that to you."

Valkyrie gasped when Snotlout suddenly came barrowling out of the Academy on Hookfang, lit up in flames. Zephyr dragged her out of the way. "RETREAT! RETREAT!" he screamed. "HOOOOOOKFAAAAANGGGGG!"

Hott raced after him, laughing at his pain. "YOU HAD THAT ONE COMING, SNOTLOUT!" he shouted after him. The Twins cackled to themselves. Fishlegs winced. Astrid made her way out as Hiccup glanced back, sighing.

"Hiccup?" she said. "We need you."

"STOICK!"

From the other end, Gobber came running. He was frantic, waving his arms. "Silent Sven just broke is silence! And you are not going to like what he has to say!"

There was a smile on Stoick's face. He turned to his son. "Go on, looks like we both have our own chiefing to do."

Hiccup chuckled. He got up onto his saddle, "Come on, bud."

They took to the skies to get Snotlout somewhere safe. Just the average day at Berk. To find it, one would perhaps search twelve days north of Hopeless, or maybe a few degrees south of Freezing to Death. But, one could be sure, it was located solidly on the Meridian of Misery. Here, on Berk, it was quite mountainous, and cliffy, and sometimes dry, sometimes stormy, sometimes below freezing. They had ice, they had snow ... and they've got more ice.

Valkyrie chuckled at Snotlout as they finally got him into a water trough, sighing in relief as the burn on his backside cooled.

She glanced at Hiccup, smirking. He nodded back to Toothless suggesitively.

"Oh, you're on," she decided and went to race to Zephyr, but Hiccup took her hand and tugged her back.

His lips pressed against hers and she froze. Soon, the ice melted in the cold climate of Berk, replaced with something exciting in her chest that burst alight like a Monstrous Nightmare flame.

Valkyrie could tell you of Berk's beauty, though, of it's treachery, of the flowers that bloomed in the trees, bushes and on the sides of the pathways. She could tell you about her friends━not the most conventional kind, but her dearest friends nonetheless. Berk had tasteless food, and sometimes even less tasteless people, with thick skulls and even thicker beards.

But there were upsides━plenty of them.

Hiccup pulled away and she blushed brightly. Flustered and surprised, she couldn't meet his gaze that watched her, gentle and tender as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Valkyrie kept glancing back at him, bright red as she made her way to Zephyr and he chuckled, amused. She hopped onto her saddle, and so did he his.

"You ready?" he teased her.

"You're going to pay for that," she shot back. "Zephyr━sky!"

Together, they took to the clouds. Behind them, the rest of the dragon riders got on their steeds. Astrid leapt up onto Stormfly. Hott hugged Spikemoth with a grin as he got onto her back. Ruff and Tuff fought their way onto their respective Zippleback heads, Barf and Belch. Snotlout wrestled to reach Hookfang's neck who was still laughing at catching alight with him on, and Fishlegs happily climbed onto Meatlug's back.

However, the best upside they had (apart from the flowers) were their comrades, their best friends. Their dragons.

"Snooze you lose!" Hott shouted as he swooped in underneath Valkyrie, trying to take the lead. She laughed, diving down to spin into the clouds after Hiccup who raced in front, glancing back with a smirk on his face.

They trained these dragons; they learned from them and they protect them. And they protect them in return, sometimes, from themselves.

"Woohoo!"

Astrid zoomed past, having managed to gather speed. She grinned back and Val rolled her eyes.

"Come on, Zeph," she whispered to him, "let's show them who's really the best━"

With a mightly flap of his wings, they disappeared up into the clouds. Snotlout wined from the back, pushing past Fishlegs to try and get closer while the Twins still fought one another to no mercy. Astrid and Hott were neck in neck, the two Nadders squawking. Valkyrie laughed as she tilted Zephyr down and dived upside down.

Hiccup glanced back and gasped, ducking quickly to avoid being hit. Valkyrie's laughter echoed far out into the sky. She met his gaze and he shook his head at her, amused. Toothless gave her his best, gumy grin.     

One thing was for sure, none of them would trade this for anything.

THE END

✿✼:*ﾟ:༅。.。༅:*·ﾟﾟ·⭑

a/n: that IS IT! THE FIRST BOOK OF VALKYRIE'S STORY IS FINISHED!!!!!! *sobs*. this was my first httyd book, and so valkyrie and zephyr hold a very special place in my heart. thank you all for reading this book, and i can't wait to see you in the next. it will be called Valhalla, and should be up on my profile very soon. I'll let you all know in this book when it does if you do not follow me.

valhalla will follow how to train your dragon 2 and 3 as well as homecoming, but we'll go back and do race to the edge afterwards!

i love you all! and i hope you've enjoyed the first part of val's story. See you in the next book! *kisses and hugs through the screen*