☽𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐕𝐄☾
𝐖𝐄 𝐍𝐄𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐌

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Stormfly touches down in the center plaza, carrying Astrid and Hiccup, as Gobber approaches, grimacing. "Thor almighty! Guess we won't be needing this then, huh?" he says and gestures toward a handmade cage behind him. The returning rescue team follows sheepishly, looking battered, dingy, and cluttered on the heels of the botched mission. "I led us right into his trap." hiccup says and shakes his head, frustrated. Tuffnut snickers. "Yeah, nice work, Chief. Right, Ruff?" he says and is met with silence. He looks over to see Barf's empty saddle. Finally, hiccup speaks up, worried. "Wait. Where is Ruffnut?" Tuffnut stares at the empty saddle, straining in thought. "We left her behind?" Fishlegs calls panicked. "How could you not notice she was, was missing? You ride a two-headed dragon." Hiccup says to Ruff's brother, who sighs and says, "Oh yeah." the boy pauses, then continues talking bad about his sister.

"I feel like how Ruffnut is every day. Dumb." Gobber rolls his eyes and snaps, "Odin, be spanked! This gets better and better." Hiccup tries to calm the upset, vocal crowd. "I try to avoid looking at her. It gives me acid reflux." Tuff mutters. "Okay, guys, keep your helmets on. Toothless and I will fly--" Hiccup stars but gets cut off by a Viking. "Toothless has the sapphire dragon now. He's probably not even coming back." hiccup turns to him, looking confused. "What?" Astrid walks up to him, saying softly, "You gave him his freedom, Hiccup. What were you expecting" "I never thought he'd stay away for good."Hiccup answers. he then sighs crestfallen. "I..I..." he pauses to get his voice together. "Look, I - 'll figure it out. I need more time," he says and shuffles off, defeated. Astrid watches Hiccup and sighs. Valka then approaches her. "He thinks he has to lead alone because his father had to. He doesn't realize the strength you have together," she says, and Astrid turns to her. "Do you still believe in him?" she asks.

"Of course. I wish he did. But he thinks he's nothing without Toothless," Astrid answers. "Then help him realize the truth." Hiccup's mother says.

Hiccup is walking away from the crowd, rubbing his brow. He sees Stormfly bounding up to him cheerily, with Astrid in the saddle. Stormfly squeaks enthusiastically. "Get on. We're going to find him." Astrid says. Hiccup lights up, relieved. "Really?" he says, and e climbs onto the saddle, calling back to the weary crowd. "Everybody stay put. We will getRuffnut back. Don't worry." he says and joins Astrid in the saddle as Stormfly takes to the air. "Puh. Worry? If they're stuck with Ruffnut, I'm more worried about them." Tuffnut says softly.

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Grimmel is looking down at his map, trying to concentrate. "Why the long face?" Ruffnut asks back him, then snickers softly. "I mean, mine's long, but yours is long. All face and no brain.Like you got stretched at birth. Doyou have a twin too? Tuffnut tookup all the room in Mom's belly.Otherwise, I'd have a rounder headand more brains. That's science." she says. Grimmel sneers, trying to ignore her. The silent Warlordsexchange glares of exhaustion—ruffnut toys with her braids, weaving them around likesnakes. "My braids are like littleZipplebacks, see? Rawr rawr! Eventhe mold spots look like eyes. Socute. They even have little hornsand everything, just like Barf andBelch, except Barf and me can'tstand Belch, so they're justBarfs. It's warm in here." she rambles on, and in the end, Grimmel shakes his head, unable to concentrate.

"I know what you're thinking. You'venever had a prisoner this hot. Allthe boys love me except Eret, who lost his chance. That shiphas sailed, boy. Sorry! And Hiccupis practically married to thatround head, Astrid. But Snotloutand Fishlegs are myharems, " the zibbleback rider conoiutes. Grimmel breaks his pencil and groans. and the rambling from the young girl continues. "I can't choose. Snotlout's abeefcake, but almost too pretty,you know? Sometimes I think he'smore in love with himself than me.There's only room for one beauty inthis relationship. Fishlegs wouldkeep me alive longer if I had toeat one of them, stranded on someglacier somewhere, but he nevershuts up about dragons. Don't youhate when people never stoptalking?" Grimmel growls and mutters, "Yes. I do." Grimmel's captured dragon backs away from Ruffnut slowly,uncomfortable and slightly afraid.

"They keep going and goingBLAH, BLAH, BLAH. It's so boring." ruff says, and the female warlord snarls, "Can't we just feed her to yourdragons?" Ruffnut continues uninatacndly mentoring the new base to her friends and her. "Hey, what do you have to eat aroundhere? I'm allergic to fish. Youshould know that. That's all theyhave at that stupid new island." Grimmel raises his head from his hands, an idea suddenlydawning. "Do you have any clams? They're likelittle mouths with slimy foodinside that's already chewed like Mom used to do it --" Ruff starts to say but gets cut off as Grimmel roars, "-- ENOUGH!" and he Grimmel swipes the maps off of the table! The Warlords jumpback. 

The compass sinks its spike into a mast, narrowly missing oneof the Deathgrippers. Grimmel stomps over to the cage. "Until I turned twelve, she waslike, "chew your food!" And Iwas like, "No, I kinda like it!" Ruff continues not caring about the older man's earlier outburst. "Most annoying creature ever tocross my path," Grimmel grumbles angrily. But instead of being offended, the girl is flattered and coos, "Aww." the white-haired man throws open the latch and swings the cage door wide.Ruffnut snaps at him with her dragon-headed braids. "Oops, you let the dragons out. I'm going to get you; I'm going to get you. No, this one will get you!" she annoys, and Grimmel opens the adjacent cage. A timid dragon peeks his headout. The Deathgrippers scuttle over hungrily. "Take him and go. Please. I beg you." Grimmeel hisses and adds, "The Deathgrippers will have toforgo dinner." Ruffnut saunters out, sizing up the dragon.

"Eww. You feed your dragons...dragons?" she says, but grimmel doesn't answer her, snapping "GO!" Ruff leans on the dragon and states, "Where's your bathroom? I gotta..." Grimmel glares daggers at her as a response. She finally gets it and says, "OKAY! Gods. No wonder you have grayhair." She climbs onto its back as the dragon looks around,confused. "Stress is not good for you,"  she mutters, and Ruffnut laughs victoriously as they flap off. "So long, losers!" Grimmel watches them go. His sneer becomes a grin.

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