Chapter 46 – First Steps:

Within moments, Hiccup and Toothless landed back right in the middle of the village in the Bog Burglars Town Square. Which was surrounded by several markets and Viking huts. The area reminded Hiccup slightly of the Myrkian Central Market Plaza.

Many of the Vikings and few dragons nearby began backing away as they landed.

As soon as Hiccup disembarked, he heard a familiar dragon roar, and he turned around to see Seaflare flying towards him.

The Thunderdrum landed next to Toothless, and Kormak hopped off.

"Hiccup! Toothless! Good to have you back! How are you doing?" Kormak asked, walking up to Hiccup and embracing him.

Before the auburn-haired young man could reply, another dragon suddenly appeared and landed next to them. Taking up even more room in the middle of the town square.

Kormak released him, and turned around to see the newcomer.

Vali came marching towards them.

At this point a crowd had gathered around. Many of the Berkian's and Bog Burglars were watching the group. With some of the Berkians recognising him.

"I'm feeling better-" He began to say to Kormak.

However Hiccup couldn't finish his sentence as he suddenly felt a hand slap him across his face.

"Ow!" Hiccup touched his cheek, before finishing his sentence, "I was feeling better a moment ago!" He accused Vali.

"Don't frighten us like that!" Vali said sternly, looking at him with both relief and frustration. "You had us worried!" Her eyes staring daggers at him.

"He just needed some space Vali, let him be." Toothless spoke to her in a serious tone.

"Pfft." Vali scoffed, "He could have at least told us something more."

"Is-is that Hiccup?"

That voice Hiccup heard was a little higher than a whisper, as he turned around to see its source, his eyes met several that he had not seen in a very long time.

Astrid Hofferson, Snotlout Jorgenson along with Ruffnut and Tuffnut Thorston were grouped together among the crowd. With each one having a different expression on their face. Hiccup also noticed that none of them were wearing their spiked helmets, which he found quite odd.

Tuffnut's body posture and facial expression had a look of jealousy and admiration as he looked between Hiccup, Toothless and the others. He looked different than Hiccup had remembered him. Firstly, his hair wasn't as long and flowing anymore, it was very short. Shorter than Hiccup's. It was then that he noticed Tuffnut had also put on much more weight, he looked less lean and much wider than he used to.

His twin sister Ruffnut however, didn't look too different than how Hiccup remembered her. She still had her long hair, and still looked about the same weight. Her face however looked more mature and her expression looked more serious and interested in what was happening.

Snotlout looked a bit confused. As if he was unsure of what to make of what he was seeing. He was repeatedly glancing between mostly Astrid and Hiccup, as well as the rest of the group. He looked taller and more muscular than when Hiccup last saw him back on Berk. His hair was quite long now, he looked like he hadn't cut it much, if at all.

Lastly Astrid looked very surprised. Her eyes were almost as wide as dinner plates with her mouth hanging open slightly as she gazed at Hiccup. Her eyes had barely left him. As if she couldn't believe what she was seeing. Her appearance had drastically changed since Hiccup left Berk. Her most distinct change was her hair. It was very long but not worn in a braid anymore. It was just long and flowing freely behind her. However, it did not look as clean and as shiny as it used to. It was almost dirty.

She was skinny now, not lean and fit like she used to be.

Hiccup gave a nod to the group.

"Good to see ya again lad."

Hiccup turned to his left and saw Gobber standing there at the front of the crowd, with a gentle smile on his face. Even though Hiccup had already caught up with Gobber over the time they spent sailing to the Bog Burglars, he still smiled when he saw him. Gobber's appearance had not changed at all.

"Anyhow, glad you're back." Vali grinned, now glancing towards the Berkians where Hiccup was looking.

Hiccup turned away from them and suggested to Vali and Kormak, "I'm hungry, lets look for some food?"

"They should have some in the Town Hall I believe." Kormak suggested, gesturing towards the large building in the distance.

They all turned to look at the Town Hall, which rested on a slightly higher side of the island.

As they hopped onto their dragons, Hiccup looked around and realised something.

"Where's Cloudjumper?" He asked.

Spark looked up to the skies, before replying, "He left not too long ago. He said he needed some time to grieve. The loss of Valka was hitting him badly."

Hiccup and Toothless both felt sadness creep into them as they thought of Cloudjumper.

Hiccup nodded understandingly, before he took off into the sky. Quickly followed by Vali and Kormak. The Berkian Vikings all gasped at the sight of them taking off on their dragons.

While the Bog Burglars watched with mild interest, before leaving to continue about their daily routines.

Shortly after they arrived at the hall, Hiccup discovered that the Hall had a specific area for which dragons could eat for themselves. There were already several dragons there, each with a large bowl of fish at the end.

"Hey bud, if you want to eat go ahead." Hiccup suggested, gesturing to the fish bowls.

"Thanks."

With that, Toothless and the other dragons went off to feast. While Hiccup and his friends walked through the large Viking doors.

Inside the hall, were three very long tables extending from near the entrance all the way to what looked like two small doors leading into what Hiccup guessed were the kitchens.

The moment they had entered the hall, they found themselves very close to all the tables and people. The tables had huge amounts of food on them, and surprisingly, the tables were surrounded by lots of Vikings. There were barely any spots available to sit as it was so packed. Hiccup noticed a few Vikings eating while standing up or leaning against a pylon.

"Wow. I've never seen so many people in such a huge hall." Kormak spoke, looking around with amazement. "Dyflin was tiny compared to this."

"Eh." Grunted Vali in mild interest, "This is rather similar to Myrka. My father King Harun often had feasts like this for the soldiers."

Within seconds, many heads turned towards Vali and the group, and suddenly Hiccup realised why.

Most of these people were refugees who had fled Myrka or other islands to flee here. And Vali had just said she was King Harun's daughter.

A number of people suddenly leant down or took off their baskets and pulled several things out.

The closest Viking, who appeared to be a mother with two children by her side, with a look of panic and concern on her face, she delved into her basket and pulled out four brown sheets of parchment. She then put them on the table, before grabbing her children and holding them tightly by her sides. Shielding them.

Vali and Hiccup recognised the posters instantly.

They were wanted posters that King Harun had put up in Myrka and had sent to Viking tribes.

The first one was a drawing that Vali knew all too well, seeing that it was a picture of her. The second drawing was of Kormak, but it wasn't very accurate. Whoever did it, did a poor job.

The third drawing was a picture of Hiccup, and the fourth was a drawing of none other than Viggo, although with his name listed as Savas of course. That familiar face boiling Hiccup's emotions of anger and fear inside at remembering what that shapeshifter had done.

Hiccup's drawing had writing underneath it, which listed him as the most wanted person of the group, that he was extremely dangerous and known to be travelling with the company of Kormak and Vali and possibly an unknown number of others.

"You!" The woman accused, glancing between the three of them and the wanted posters. "You three are wanted by Myrka!"

"Hah." A man a few tables across from them grunt out. "Welcome to the club."

Kormak stepped forward and looked at the worried woman closely. Before speaking up, "Please don't worry. We're pretty much refugees ourselves. We're not going to harm anyone."

The woman looked relieved and stopped shielding her children from the three of them.

Hiccup looked at the posters again, then said to the woman, "Actually, may I have that poster of Savas? I've got an idea." He asked.

She had a puzzled look on her face but picked up the poster and handed it to him. "Sure."

"What are you thinking?" Vali asked. As she led the way through all the tables and chairs towards some empty ones for them to sit.

As they sat down, Hiccup began, "Well, I think we ought to keep this poster and show it to Bertha. Because the more people who know what Viggo looks like, the better. If he suddenly turned up here somehow without being seen and tried to blend in, we'll know if the whole village knows what he looks like."

"Good one." Complimented Kormak. Sitting down to Vali's right, as Hiccup took the seat to Kormak's right.

They dug into the food, eating whatever was on the table in front of them. They didn't much care what they ate, as long as they got some food in their stomach.

When they were finished, they helped clean up and eventually left the hall.

"What should we do now?" Kormak asked as they walked out and into the remaining daylight.

There weren't many hours of light left, it seemed the sun was well on its way to settling down over the horizon. The sky was cloudless, and the wind was gusty. They could see trees in the distant forests waving at them.

Hiccup looked down at the huts and people in front of him, he spotted Astrid, Snotlout and the twins walking slowly over to them heading up the stairs to the Town Hall.

Vali looked from Hiccup and the small group of people approaching. She decided to let Hiccup have some time alone with his fellow Berkian Vikings.

"Come on Kormak, let's leave Hiccup with his fellow tribesman." She suggested to him.

"Okay." Kormak agreed.

The three of them then heard heavy thuds behind them, and their dragons joined them.

"Hey Spark, ready to go?" Vali asked, turning to her electrical dragon.

"Sure." Spark responded.

"Wait Hiccup, want me to take the poster of Viggo to show to Bertha?" Kormak asked, turning back around to face Hiccup.

"Thanks." Hiccup gave it to him.

Kormak and Vali got on their dragons and took off, while Toothless walked up to Hiccup and sat down next to where Hiccup was standing.

Hiccup noticed Snotlout, Astrid and the twins were eying the Night Fury with fear as they were approaching until they came to a complete stop.

Hiccup decided to walk down the steps to greet them properly, while Toothless remained where he was, watching.

"Hey." Hiccup called out of them, "It's okay, the dragon won't hurt you. Come on, let me show you."

"Uh, no thanks. I don't want to lose my arm." Tuffnut said, turning away from the dragon.

"He's not going to bite off your arm. See?" Hiccup held out his right arm right in front of Toothless's mouth, and the dragon barely even looked at his arm.

"Hiccup, what happened to you? Where have you been?"

Astrid had spoken, staring at Hiccup with a look on her face that Hiccup had not seen before. She looked genuinely concerned.

Hiccup sighed. Before saying, "Look, why don't we all sit by a fire and I'll explain everything to you?"

"Okay, but please not with the dragon." Snotlout spoke for the first time. Looking uneasily at the dragon.

Toothless turned to look at Hiccup in front of him, "I'll be in the village, just call out if you need me, I'll come running." He said to Hiccup.

"All right. Thanks bud." Hiccup replied to the Night Fury. And with that, the dragon walked off towards the village around the group, so he didn't scare them.

"That's amazing, you can like, fully understand dragon language? That's sick." Said Ruffnut, with a fascinated look on her face.

"Duh, Hiccup's the dragon whisperer." Tuffnut joked.

Hiccup couldn't help but chuckle a little at that. Before speaking, "Let's go. That spot over there looks good."

There was a pile of chopped wood & kindling where they are going, perfect for a bonfire just sitting there as if it was made for them.

It was no time at all from when they walked there, set up the wood, and Astrid set it ablaze with two large rocks nearby, sparking the fire.

Once it was lit, they all sat around it, watching the flames dancing among the wood. Burning it all to a crisp.

"So." Hiccup began, "I guess first, I'll start with the night I shot Toothless down."

"Toothless?" All four of them said at once.

"The Night Fury. That's his name I gave him." Hiccup replied.

The others nodded in understanding. And let Hiccup continue.

It was not for a number of hours after that, which ended up becoming well into the night, that Hiccup finished his story once again. Explaining everything. Where he had been, who he had met and the story of Viggo.

Once he was finished, there was silence among the group for awhile.

"That's a lot to take in." Astrid summed up. Looking at fire while feeling her axe's sharp blade with her fingers.

"I'm sorry Hiccup."

All heads turned to face Snotlout when he said that.

"I know its late, but I mean it. I may not be very bright, but I know I was so wrong to have bullied you. When you've done so much for us."

Hiccup smiled weakly, and looked at Snotlout.

"Thank you Snotlout. I appreciate that. And its okay. It helped me to leave Berk after all and become who I am trying to be." The auburn-haired young man replied.

"And who are you trying to be?" Ruffnut asked genuinely. "What is it you're ultimately trying to do?"

Hiccup breathed in, looked at her and said with determination, "I want peace. No more bloodshed. I want to stop the war between Vikings and dragons, by stopping the Red Death Queen in Helheim's Gate. I want to end the slavery, by stopping King Harun and his minions in Myrka. I want to end the conflict between Skrills and Night Furies. And above all, I need to defeat Viggo. He is the cause of all the suffering."

"I really want to kill this Viggo character." Snotlout angrily fumed. "He's ruined everything."

"I don't really believe that more violence and killing will solve it." Hiccup stated, "However, if we have to, we will. We will need strong forces to battle against Viggo's."

"That's understandable." Astrid agreed. "And Hiccup?"

"Yes?" Hiccup now turned to look at her.

"I'm sorry too. For everything."

Ruffnut and Tuffnut gasped. Having never heard those words leave her mouth.

"It's okay, and thank you too." Hiccup acknowledged. Giving another smile to her.

"So, what's your next move?" Asked Tuffnut, curious. Picking up a stick and poking the fire with it.

Hiccup sighed and looked into the fire. Thinking hard. "I'm not sure. I've been through so much recently, it's hard to plan."

"I bet." Snotlout agreed.

"Maybe you and your group should stay here for awhile." Astrid suggested. "Maybe we can help?"

Snotlout perked up, looking excited. Turning towards Hiccup and smiling. "Yeah! We can help. We owe it to you Hiccup. What can we do?"

Touched by the support, Hiccup smiled gratefully. It was so nice finally seeing the people who he grew up with finally respecting him and even offering help.

Thinking for a while, Hiccup finally came up with something. "I know this'll be difficult, but I think this is the best thing you can do for me if you'd like to help."

"What is it?" Ruffnut asked, interested.

Hiccup took a deep breath, before saying, "You should learn how to train dragons. Get used to having them around and introduce dragons to our fellow Berkians. And help my dad get used to them as well."

Snotlout's keen smile dropped instantly and was replaced by a look of fear.

"That's not going to be easy." Astrid pointed out. "But we'll try Hiccup. We'll try."