════ ⋆★⋆ ════

━━ chapter thirteen
toothless found

════ ⋆★⋆ ════

     "I'M GOING to die!"

     In passing, Valkyrie snapped, "Quit whining, Snotlout!"

     Scuttleclaws were close to Deadly Nadders in stature and looks━as well as their constant need to preen their wings. Even baby Scuttleclaws were as bright and energetic as young Nadders━so energetic, that Valkyrie clung on with all her might on the flaps down his back, doing her best to weave in and out of the ice. Behind her, most of the Dragon Riders were screaming and yelling, barely missing flying head-on into shards of ice as they desperately tried their best to follow Hiccup in the lead.

     Valkyrie gasped as the Scuttleclaw baby she rode suddenly dived and spun under a jet of ice, squawking in defiance as if he had just committed a well-organised act. 

     "I don't want to die!" cried Fishlegs from somewhere in the rear.

    "We can't fly these things!" added Tuffnut, pulling his Scuttleclaw back up with effort.

     "Yeah━" Hott barged into a sheet of ice from the side. He emerged with his hair full of snow and ice, "━no kidding!"

     But Eret was perhaps the worse off out of all of them. He couldn't even stay on his dragon's back. He clung on like a tree animal from underneath, screaming his lungs out. 

     "But won't the Bewilderbeast just take control of these guys, too?" Astrid asked Hiccup as she veered in by his other side. 

     "They're babies!" he managed a soft chuckle, and Valkyrie was happy he found some amusement despite everything that has happened. "They don't listen to anyone!"

    "Huh," Val slipped in right next to him as the two babies squawked at each other. "Sounds familiar━reminds me of someone, can't pinpoint who, though."

     Hiccup rolled his eyes good-naturedly.

     "Yeah!" snickered Tuff. "Just like us!"

     "She meant me, Tuff."

     "Oh, sure, make it about you."

     "This is━" Gobber scathed the snow, "━whoa!━very dangerous!━Ahh!" he pulled up the dragon as it fell down with a scream. He managed to pull in next to Valkyrie, scowling across her to Hiccup. "Some might suggest this is poorly conceived!"

    "Well, maybe it is a good idea that I never listen," Hiccup arched a brow towards Valkyrie, and she scoffed, smiling. 

    But it soon fell when a column of ice came into view, right in front of her, "Whoa━" she barely dived away from it, spiralling to her left. When she heard Hiccup laugh━actually laugh, even if it was light and dreary━she felt no anger, whatsoever. She just thanked every single god in her world that he still wanted to. That he felt he could. 

     "So!" Gobber's voice disappeared━in and out of the breaks of ice as he flew on the other side. "What is your━" gone again, "━plan?" he reappeared.

     "Get Toothless back," said Hiccup, "and kick Drago's━" his last words were cut off by the snow. 

     "Heads up!" Gobber pulled his Scuttleclaw away from a mould of ice.

     Hiccup winced at the bank of snow right in front of them, "... And that thing━"

    "AHHH━!"

     Gobber ran into it head-on. 

════ ⋆★⋆ ════

     SHE FEARED they were too late. 

     They passed through the icy fog. Val's cheeks stung with shards of ice, which only made the churn in her stomach worse. Her parents, Asrifth, Mak and Erik were still at Berk━gods, her heart was in her throat. They had left at night, and it was now just coming morning. But the usual bright skyline of a Berkian sunrise was shrouded in an icy, chilling, haunting blue. Valkyrie didn't know how long that meant Drago had been at Berk. But as the group of Dragon Riders surged through, she started to see the outline of her home━

     One of the mighty Hooligan warriors standing guard over their home had been split into rubble, and past it ... Val thought she was going to be sick. The whole flock of dragons swarmed around Berk; her home that was spiked with great explosions of ice. She held onto the baby Scuttleclaw tighter, feeling her brother appear at her side. Hott was pale, sick-looking. He stared at their island with a grey━and yet livid━look upon his face. 

     The catapults were frozen; the docks were completely covered━their ships crushed underfoot of the mighty Alpha as he climbed the cliffs like stepping stones. Valkyrie's breath hitched in the back of her throat━strangled and outraged. 

     This was her home. Her village. And here it was being treated as if it was nothing. Her friends, her family, her people played, toyed with, maybe even killed by a single man with an arrogant soul and an army of hunters and enslaved dragons. Innocent people. Only the worst kind of men went after the innocent. After children.

     "No," murmured Hiccup.

     "We're too late," whispered Astrid.

     "He took all the dragons," said Fishlegs.

     "It's not too late," said Valkyrie. "It can't be."

     Hiccup gritted his teeth, glaring at the Alpha and the dragons flocking it━he wouldn't let them lose; not again. He was far too stubborn for that. "Distract the Alpha," he told them. "Try to keep his focus off of Toothless."

     "Uh, how?" asked Tuff, raising a hand.

     "Have you forgotten who you're riding with?" Eret appeared at his side, finally having managed to find a way to sit on his Scuttleclaw properly. "There isn't a dragon alive that I can't wrangle━AAH!" they dropped down. "Except for this one━"

     Snotlout snickered after him, "Ha! Amature."

     Then, just like that, Hott's eyes lit up. He set his gaze on the racing arena, the Alpha, and then to Valkyrie with a sudden grin upon his face. "Who wants to place a game of Dragon Racing? Hit the Alpha's nose with the Black Sheep, that's ten points."

     Astrid stared at him for a moment, but she wasn't shocked, as she used to always be. Instead, she smiled━delighted, or proud, even. Valkyrie has never seen Astrid look at Hott like that before. It was always with a scowl, or an utterance of words, or a scream of bloody murder. There were rare moments when she did smile at him, mutter a small thank you after he saved her life back on the Edge, but this time, she did not even try to hide it. "Yeah!" she said. "You're the Viking━!" and leaving him breathless for a moment, dived down with her Scuttleclaw, "━but you're gonna eat our dust, Frode!"

      Valkyrie set her shoulders, determined. After sending Hiccup a nod, a silent, you can do this, we believe in you, she dipped her dragon down behind Astrid and Hott, shouting: "Not if you eat ours first!" 

     Despite the situation, Hiccup sighed and called after the flying figures of his team: "Not a competition!"

     (It was always a competition. And in this competition, Drago was going to lose. They were going to make sure of it).

      Cheers from hiding villagers erupted at the sight of the Dragon Riders finally returning. Hope was restored━they believed they were going to solve this, and that gave Valkyrie more confidence, too. She searched the groups of huddling Vikings for her family, and when she saw them, safe and alive, part of her relaxed. She can do this━they will do this. She set her jaw, she followed the others in charging Drago and his Bewilderbeast. Sitting on Toothless's saddle, Drago Bludvist stared, wide-eyed at them all coming in on their baby dragons, "What?" he let out━if not a little incredulous.

     "Sheep━incoming!" Hott dived down and snatched up a white sheep as Snotlout, Gobber and the Twins landed by the racing catapult, setting it up. Fishlegs soared to the gigantic horn, hiding in behind. 

     "I got one right here━yeah, get it girl━!" Astrid whooped in delight when she and her Scuttleclaw swooped in by a flock and she managed to grab one in her arms, and on in the dragon's claws. "That's two, Hott!"

      "Unfair!"

      Valkyrie used the baby's excitement to her advantage and pointed out some more sheep hiding behind the forge. "Look! Sheep!"

     The baby Scuttleclaw squawked with joy and dashed towards it. Taking two from the herd, Val's eyes fixed over her shoulder, watching Hiccup glide right up into the Alpha's line of sight. Her heart pounded with nerves, but she knew he could handle this. Their chief, her chief, her husband━a boy who had turned, and will continue to turn into a great man. 

     His baby dragon chittered nervously, eyes flickering back and forth. He gave her a friendly rub on the neck to calm her down. He scowled into the Bewilderbeast's eyes━even he couldn't blame this dragon. He was under a curse just like the rest of them. He was under control from Drago. The Alpha may have controlled Toothless, made him fire the blast, but it was Drago that had killed Hiccup's father━and he wasn't going to get away with it; especially the insult he held to him now, riding Toothless like he was just a boar. 

      The Bewilderbeast growled, trying to take control over the Scuttleclaw, only for it to turn gutteral in realisation. Hiccup managed a smirk.

     "BAAAAAAA━!"

     Up into the air launched a blur of horrified white; a sheep from below where the Riders banked together. The Alpha's eyes fixed on it, surprised. Snotlout cheered, "Yeah! That's a point for me!"

     "Oh, shove over━" Hott pushed him to the side and aimed the catapult with the second sheep already in its grasp. He narrowed his eyes, fixing perfectly where he wanted to go━another terrified bleat echoed into the chilling air. The first one fell back down into Eret's arms and he passed it over to Ruff, ready to catch the second.

     She took it gleefully and chucked it along to Astrid, who handed it to Gobber, and along it went down the chain to the launcher. "Come on! Keep 'em coming!"

     Valkyrie suddenly swooped in with a shivering fluff of black wool under her arm, the last to join the group, "Look who's got the Black Sheep━!"

     "Oh, come on!" Tuff whined. "Why do you always get it?"

     "She's royalty," said Astrid and Valkyrie grinned at her as she set herself by the launcher, determined. 

     The Alpha narrowed his eyes down at them; he bellowed with fury but Fishlegs blew the horn in the distance, and his attention diverted. He looked over, startled to see no one. Fishlegs had ducked in behind the horn, and was now muffling his amused chuckles. Valkyrie took this chance to tug the catapult backwards; the Black Sheep shuffled nervously. She bit her bottom lip in concentration ... she aimed it right━

     "BAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

     The Black Sheep landed on the Bewilderbeast's forehead, jetting and jolting down back and forth between its spikes and sitting, smack-bam perfectly on the middle of the sea dragon's snout.

    "Yes!" Valkyrie pumped her fists and high-fived Ruffnut while Snotlout, Hott and Tuffnut all groaned, annoyed. "That's ten points for me!"

     The Alpha blew the sheep from his snout with a huff of cool air. It cried out as it fell, making a rather deranged sound out of the back of its throat. Eret was there to catch it safely. Snotlout and the Twins laughed━even Valkyrie joined in until the Bewilderbeast reared back. Their laughter faded away.

     "Uh━oh," said Snotlout.

      Fishlegs came to their rescue. With a deep breath, he blew everything he had into the horn. The Alpha stopped mid-draw, looking over yet again. The dragon growled and continued his deadly draw━with a roar, a long river of ice jetted towards Fishlegs instead. Gobber cried the Viking's name, and they all waited, anxious for a reply amongst the spikes of jagged crystal━

      "I'm okay!" he answered and they all heaved with relief. 

      Valkyrie nodded at this and glanced upwards again. Hiccup veered in close to Toothless, ignoring Drago's laughing taunts. She knew he must be shaking; she knew his heart must be pounding so loud, he barely could think. And yet he was still there; the bravest of their team. Their leader. Hiccup Horrendous Haddock The Third. They called him many things. They called him Useless. They called him a runt, not worthy to be his father's son━weak, brittle, a laughing stock. 

     But then they all got to know him. And they all respected him; admired him, held him close in their hearts━even Snotlout. And now, they were all proud of him. They were at his side, ready to fight, just like they had been the first time he brought them all together to face the Red Death. 

     Except now, he didn't need to ask. They were ready to fight, no questions, no objections━he had already started to become their chief long before Stoick passed. And now, it settled in naturally━it felt right. 

     But one of the proudest, was Valkyrie. She was proud of everything he had done; and everything he was going to do. She watched him take a courageous step to get so close to Toothless after what happened; forgive him for his father's death━

     There was no one else like Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, and there never will be again. He might just be the last of the true heroes; a hero of kind, brave and strong heart. True-willed, intelligent, and an amazing sword fighter. And now chief; a king. 

      And she was positive to let him do it himself. She knew what their role was now, and she proceeded without hesitation. 

     "Okay, guys," she turned to the team. Her friends━her family. "We got to evacuate the rest of Berk."

      "They'll be safer up near the Great Hall," suggested Snotlout and Valkyrie nodded.

     "Good, okay━" they all mounted their Scuttleclaws. "Ruff, Tuff," the new chieftess gestured to the Twins, "you check the docks, find anyone who might be still trapped. Snotlout, take Eret to the the farms. Astrid, Hott, you have the tailors. Gobber, find Valka and head to those hiding in the plaza and take them to the Great Hall. Have my mother look at the injured. I'll grab Fishlegs and we'll get Gothi, sweep the fishermen huts, as well as find the 'A' Team to help Gothi and Mum with the wounded."

     There were nods, replys of, "On it━" And off they went; a well-oiled team (most of the time ... but that was okay; because despite their differences, their arguments, their snaps of, shut up, Snotlout! They were a team, and they were a family; they were there for each other when they needed it the most).

     They scattered about the village, finding hiding families, stuck Vikings and the wounded, gathering them together and bringing them up the hill towards the Great Hall. Valkyrie kept a returning gaze to her husband as she reached the Hall finally with Fishlegs, the 'A' Team and Gothi. She ran to help the wounded, at her mother's side, but she was fixing her eyes upon Hiccup constantly, heart in her chest━but instead of worry, there was anticipation. 

     And when Toothless's wing's beated; his tail curling up in happiness, her heart leapt. He knocked Drago off his saddle and Hiccup leapt from the back of the Scuttleclaw; through the Bewilderbeast's tusks they spiralled; all three, tiny in comparison under the light of the icy-blue morning, amongst the towers of jagged ice━Hiccup reached for Toothless's saddle, and his fingers grasped the leather━

     He swung his leg over; he hooked in his metal prosthetic; he snapped Toothless's tail into place━

     The shriek that filled the air made them all turn around. Valkyrie ran to the edge of the slope, eyes wide and a breathless grin on her face. A flash of red shot into the sky with a Night Fury's bellow━fast and elegant, with Hiccup back where he belonged: on Toothless's back. 

     "DO SOMETHING!" cried Drago from the Bewilderbeast's tusks.

     Hiccup spun Toothless back towards the village; they tilted to the side and he snagged the red fabric off of an old racing flag. Valkyrie clung Astrid's arm from her side, feeling a burst of familiarity as she watched her husband and his dragon spiral out of the sea dragon's icy breath and disappear behind the cliffs. She felt like she was down by the polished rocks on Dragon Island again, watching the clouds light up with fire as he fought the Red Death. But this was different━this was more than just saving the dragons. This was saving everyone. This was a new chief doing his job the best way he could; on the back of a fearless dragon. 

      The other Dragon Riders came to join Valkyrie, waiting anxiously for their best friend to return. And when he did, soaring around Gothi's cliff with the fabric across Toothless's eyes and ears, they all exploded into cheers; every single one. Every woman, every child, every husband, every single Viking. Even Gothi shook her staff. A roar of their own making. And Valkyrie was the loudest of them all. She threw her fist into the air: "TAKE THEM DOWN, BABE! SHOW 'EM WHAT YOU AND TOOTHLESS ARE MADE OF!"

       Valkyrie knew with every fibre of her being, that Drago was going to pay for what he did. And pay well. 

════ ⋆★⋆ ════

      a/n: the shot in which they're falling down through the bewilderbeast's tusks? cinematic gold *chef's kiss*

      (ps, valkyrie's words just then are an almost exact to what she said in the first book when hiccup went up in the clouds to go against the red death because parallels).

       toothless found is such an epic song, though. this whole scene in the movie was just epic. 

     and lol, not me referencing how to cheat a dragon's curse when practically the literal context of the whole book is stealing a potato. 

     it's poetic okay? ahahah

     see you all soon! (we're getting closer to the end of httyd ii shit━)

      (httyd iii predictions? or all we all too traumatised by the dragon's leaving to think of that movie because like same━)

      sorry for mistakes lol. do i really need to keep saying it at this point? it should be expected ahahahah.