Momentary Hesitation

Hiccup's face as he rides on Toothless, still lost in thought. He glances at Astrid as they descend toward New Berkto land. She eyes him sympathetically. They touch down on an open pasture by the sheer cliffs, some distance from the halted construction. Hiccup dismounts and considers the village, turning toward Toothless, who stirs, eyes downcast. Hiccup throws a glance toward Astrid, who nods in encouragement. He takes a DEEP BREATH and rounds Toothless to face him. "It's okay, Bud. You belong there. With her. We don't." he says, and Toothless cocks his head, seeming to understand. He COOS conflicted. "And that's alright. We'll find a way to mana--" hiccup says but Suddenly, Toothless' ear plates twitch. He looks back toward the open pasture. The wind rustles through the long grass. He raises his head, curious.

At first, he sees nothing... then a gust parts the grass blades, revealing you crouched like a stalking lioness. "Hey! She followed us back!" hiccup calls, smiling. Toothless hops to his feet, elated. He bounds toward you, tongue flapping in a fit of joy. He leaps into the air and tackles you into the grass. You tumble down the bluff, head over tail, GURGLING with glee. Hiccup watches, beaming. He turns to Astrid, relieved. "We might not have to say goodbye after all!" hiccup exclaims. Toothless stands and gently leads the Light Fury towardHiccup and Astrid. "My Home," he COOS. She cautiously follows, uncertain. "That's it..." hiccup says, and ruffnut smiles, calling, "Woo-hoo! Yeah!" Suddenly, Ruffnut appears, landing on the dragon Grimmelgifted her. "Ruffnut?" Astrid says, and the said person hops off, beaming and twirling triumphantly.

"Miss me?" she smirks, and Astrid stares at her, and so do the others. "How'd you escape?!" Astrid exclaims. "I annoyed them 'til they let me go! Heh, heh. So dumb." ruffnut says and tosses her braids. Hiccup and Astrid exchange a look of concern. "Wait. Grimmel let you go?" he says, and ruffnut e throws them a knowing wink. "They couldn't handle me," she says. "See, everyone thinks that Tuffnut'smore annoying, but --" she starts, and Hiccup's eyes flare, alarmed. " Wait, hold on," Astrid says, and hiccup continues her sentence. "Ruffnut. Focus. Were you followed?" the latter gawks at him blankly, then smirks. "I never look back, Hiccup." Panic floods Hiccup's face. He spins around toward Toothless and the Light Fury. "Toothless." Hiccup takes off toward him...... as Toothless leads the Light Fury closer. "TOOTHLESS!" Suddenly, a rustle in the grass spins the Light Fury around. She SNIFFS the air. Alarmed, she SHRIEKS and takes flight! But it's too late: aDART whizzes through the air and HITS her in the neck! She tumbles to the ground, nearly sliding off the cliff.

Toothless bellows furiously, rushing toward her... "Toothless, come back!" hiccup call running towards his dragon. ... Only to discover Grimmel rising from the tall grass ahead of him. Before Toothless can blast, Grimmel FIRES a dart into his neck. Toothless ROARS but immediately succumbs to the tranquilizer. Hiccup still runs through the tall grass, panicked. "No!" he calls. Grimmel clips a ring to an extended length of chain. In the background, his AIRSHIP rises into view. He grabs hold of the chain as it grows taut, lifting him into the air from the chassis of the airship, standing atop his dangling, freshly captured dragons like a prize hunter with his kill. Hiccup slows, horrified as the airship rises above him—several Berkians race to his side. Behind them, their dragonfly to the scene, ROARING aggressively. Grimmel climbs onto an outstretched arm of the airship and leers back. "And now our little game must end," he says as the Berkian dragons close in and open their mouths to blast.

In response, Grimmel aims a mounted canon at the Light Fury. Toothless groggily looks up to see the barbed harpoon fixed squarely on his unconscious mate. "Call them off, Alpha. No reason for her to die, too," he says. Toothless looks at the arriving flock, throats aglow, awaiting his command. He ROARS an order: "Stand Down!" The dragons immediately swallow their fire, peeling back. "What are they doing? They can take him!" Snoutlout yells, and hiccup answers him, "Not with her life is on the line!" The Deathgripper scouts circle the airship, nipping toothless and the Light Fury. Toothless BARKS at them, trying to force them into line. "Save your breath! The only alpha they respond to is me." grimmel says. Toothless turns to Hiccup, pleading and helpless. Hiccup can only stare back, guilt-ridden. "Oh, don't feel too badly. You tried your best. But you are nothing without your dragon." Grimmel sneers. Hiccup glowers in the sting of Grimmel's words.

The airship recedes—toothless commands the dragon flock to follow as the Deathgrippers circle like sheepdogs. Hiccup chases after them, halted by the edge of the cliff. "TOOTHLESS!" he calls but no use. Soon enough, he starts to pace at the cliff's edge, eyeing the disappearing flock. The Gang watches from a distance, equally at a loss. "Oh, that is just great! Now what?" Truffaut says, and Snotlout steps forward, puffing out his chest. "I think it's time for number two...to become number one." Valka holds back the others with a gesture. She turns to Astrid. "He'll listen to you." Astrid nods and heads off toward Hiccup. She stops short, facing the open sky, as Hiccup continues to pace, worked up. "Don't say it." hiccup says, and astrird raises her hands in defense. " wasn't going to." she says, and hiccup conoiutes to ramble, "I shouldn't have dragged you out there. He wouldn't have flown me back. She wouldn't have followed." Astrid nods, staring ahead.

"Yep." hiccup then sighs and groans, saying, "Ugh! I feel like the same screw-upI was before I met Toothless." Astrid agrees with him, not wholeheartedly, though. "I can see that." He turns to face her, exasperated. "Are you just going to stand there and agree with everything?" She shrugs. "Well, you're right. You're back to where you started. But I was the first to believe in you. And I've watched you doubt whether you're worthy ever since." she pauses. "But you know what? I'm the person I am today because of you. I never told you that, but it's true. You're the bravest, most stubborn, most determined knucklehead I know." she turns to face him, smiling. "Toothless didn't give you that, Hiccup. He just made it..." hiccup looks at her and fishes her sentence. ... easier. her stoic resolve bolsters him. "And now it's going to be a lot harder."

Hiccup considers her words. "So. What are you going to do about it?" she asks, and hiccup smiles. "Probably something stupid." he smiles. "That's the Hiccup I know." hiccup gives her a peck of thanks on the cheek. They trudge back up the hill toward the group. "Suit up, Gang. We're going to get them back!" the gang calls outvoicing their disbelieves. Tuffnut grabs Hiccup by the shoulders. "Now that's marriage material!" He beams proudly. "At last, faithful pupil. You are ready." Hiccup writhes. "Um... How are we going to get our dragons back... without dragons?" fishlegs voices and hiccup turn towards him, uttering two words. "Trust me."

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