Hiccup had come to the conclusion he may have been handling the Hunters the wrong way. In fact he was sure of it after discovering Johann was a traitor and the way Viggo had gone out of his was to protect him. Their war, just like the one with the Berserker and Outcasts, had been orchestrated by Johann. Yes, they had different views on dragons – Hiccup was completely against killing them and would continue to fight for them – but there had to be a better way to deal with them than constantly going into battle. Of course the Hunters had retreated after Viggo's supposed death and it was mainly the Fliers and Krogan they were having issues with but that didn't mean the war with the Hunters was over just on hold.

Hiccup studied the Dragon Eye in his hands. He and Fishlegs had spent every hour copying every image and every bit of text into notebooks. They went through every lens Hiccup had managed to steal from Viggo. Every scrap of information they could find was written down until they ran out of lenses and available flame.

"Hiccup, why are you in such a rush?" Astrid asked, rubbing his tense shoulders. He had only been back to normal a few days but had consumed himself completely in work. "You have the Eye back, you can take your time studying it. You don't even have to make your own anymore."

He patted her hand and gave her a tired smile. "It's kind of hard to explain," he said, unable to really go into detail. There were a few things that had begun to bother him after being rescued. While he was young they lingered in the back of his mind but now they were front and center and could no longer be ignored. Guilt ate at him, a strange sort of guilt he only felt once before and had fought hard to forget. Now it just ate at him until he had no choice but to face it head on and hope he wasn't making a mistake.

He waited until late evening, a day after sensing out a Terror mail before slipping away from Berk with Toothless. He could have waited another week, when he was back on the Edge with the gang and no one would have noticed but he felt a bit of security leaving his father a note detailing where he was going, who he was meeting up with and his expected time back with a memo pleading not to panic unless he wasn't back by the allotted time. Of course, Stoick would panic and have the riders gathered to go after his son, but he'd wait to precisely the marked time before going completely insane with worry. He felt a little guilty keeping what he was about to do secret but he knew people would stop him if he told anyone.

"Come on, bud. Let's get some air," he called to Toothless quietly as he placed the Dragon Eye and Viggo's notebook in the satchel he had stolen from Viggo. "With luck we'll be there and back before anyone notices were gone."

Toothless was just happy to be able to fly with his human again. Flying with Stoick or Dagur or even Astrid was fine but nothing beat flying with his Hiccup. He happily bathed Hiccup in a tongue bath that had the youth in a fit of giggles, before letting the young man climb onto the saddle. The slipped out the big window over Hiccup's bed and out into the night sky. It was freedom for both of them as they hit speeds no other dragon and rider could manage. Normally Hiccup would be happy to play with the other dragons at night and skim over the waves but he had a mission to accomplish and he wanted it done with immediately. They flew for a few hours north east of Berk toward the mainland until they reached a small island where a red flag blew in the cool breeze. Hiccup saw no one when Toothless touched the ground and absently wondered if he was in the wrong place. It immediately felt foolish for going with only Toothless as backup. He should have at least brought Astrid or waited for Dagur to return from Meathead Island. He held the satchel close, suddenly feeling small and childlike, as if he hadn't fully grown back into his body.

This was stupid. He should go back home. What in Helheim had possessed him to do this on his own so soon after returning to his true age? He worried his lower lip as he turned away from the flag. For all he knew this could be a trick. What if he didn't show up? What if he had an army?

"Hello, Little One," a gruff voice greeted from behind him.

Hiccup's shoulders tensed and a fear ran through him for a breath moment before he managed to push it away. His back straightened and any fear he felt was pushed aside. "So that's what you're going to call me now?" he asked, his voice guarded but with a small edge of mirth. He hesitated only a moment before turning to face his companion. "No brat or Haddock?"

"Oh I could call you that but I was rather fond of the Little One who sat on my lap and actually behaved," the man retorted, his bald head reflecting the moonlight. "Would have preferred they kept you that way, less trouble." But there was a rare smile on the man's face and it made Hiccup relax, if only a little.

He gave a shrug. "How did you put it, Ryker? A life for a life?"

Ryker stepped a little closer. "Aye," he answered sounding slightly amused. He could kill the rider and dragon right now if he so wanted but he wouldn't. He had a debt to pay, one he never thought he would owe to anyone.

It was an unusual affair he had arranged with Hiccup. It was Dagur's fault really but Hiccup had been dragged in on it do the debt owing was directed toward the both of them. It had happened because of Viggo and the failed Operation Shell Shock. Viggo had been willing to sacrifice not only his men but also his own brother in order to stop the riders from interfering with their business. The cost of life that day would have been far worse if Dagur had not found the men floundering in the sea and had the foresight to suddenly have Sleuther drop logs in the water. He joked that he meant for the logs to hit the Hunters and finish them off for daring to attack the riders and injuring his beloved Shattermaster who ended up being grounded after losing a wing, but he had in fact saved their lives. Many of the Hunters had been found and saved by their tribesmen and carried off in what few remaining ships survived the battle. A few, like Ryker, had washed up on shore. They should have been thrown in the brig or sent to the Amber Isles but the riders were only young adults with no real prison and unable to support more than a handful of prisoners at best. Those that were unconscious and not seriously injured were flown to the nearest Hunter ship and dumped off. All but Ryker and two others.

One man had died of his injuries despite Hiccup's best efforts. He and the riders used every ounce of their first aid training to help the survivors if only enough to get them off the island. But internal bleeding was not something they were equipped for. The season remained in a coma for nearly a week before dying as well. By then not only Hiccup but Dagur was in a near panic to at least save one Hunter. They took turns working day and night to save Ryker. It was then Hiccup learned that Dagur and Ryker had been much more than allies when they worked together. They had been lovers. It was so strange watching Dagur and Ryker interact. Ryker had been enraged and had to be chained down to keep him from not only hurting the riders but also himself. Dagur had fussed over him, lectured him, complained and spent pretty much every free minute either looking after the Hunter or his dragons – he had gained two.

"You're a fool," Ryker had snarled when Hiccup had taken over his treatment, Dagur having worn himself out. "You're all fools. When Viggo…"

"Viggo's dead," Hiccup told him, more sorry for the man's loss than angry at being yelled at.

Ryker stared at him in utter shock. "You're lying," he said, searching Hiccup's face.

It was the first time since Viggo fell into the volcano that he really stopped to think about the Hunter chief's death. He knelt next to Ryker to clean the wound on his side. "You didn't betray him, did you? This attack was coordinated."

Ryker stared at the ceiling, a frown covering his face. He didn't answer, he didn't need to. Hiccup knew. He worked silently, planning to change the bandages and then get him more food. While his injuries were extensive they weren't as bad as the other two me, there were intense enough to require stitches and constant cleaning. Hiccup worked in silence as he often did.

"How?" Ryker finally asked. There was a shimmer of tears in the corner of his eyes. It was like something broke inside him.

Hiccup stared at him in surprise. He never expected to see anyone like this, let alone Ryker Grimborn. He didn't know how to comfort the man, what he could say to make things better so he told the truth, detailing what had happened, how Viggo had taken Astrid hostage in exchange for the Dragon Eye, and how he had thrown the Eye into the volcano so Viggo couldn't use it to harm anymore dragons, and then how Viggo had tried to catch it but had fallen into the volcano. "I'm sorry. I never meant for any of this. I just wanted to protect dragons."

Ryker only closed his eyes, never responding. Hiccup left him but he came back, always taking over when Dagur needed a break. Ryker barely talked to him, either sleeping or glaring at the ceiling. It took almost three weeks before he was healed enough to be released. Dagur had found a small boat and sail and brought it to the shore not far from the cave. Hiccup loaded it with supplies, and that night, while Ryker slept, he unlocked the chains and set him free. There were no words, no trying to understand one another. Hiccup set him free knowing that the man would most likely return to his way of life and that they would most likely go back to war. He did not expect to find a final message waiting for him. A simple "Life for a life." He thought it meant he would kill Hiccup to avenge Viggo. He didn't expect a life debt.

He hadn't seen Ryker again until Viggo asked him to watch over him as a child. He didn't expect the man to ever smile at him or truly talk to him let alone play with him and treat him as his own child. It was a strange feeling. That short time Ryker watched over him finally gave him an insight to why Ryker did what he did, how he provided for his own family, and that he was a father first, brother and Hunter second.

"How is he?" Hiccup asked, curiosity getting the best of him. He had no idea if Viggo had escaped Krogan and Johann had not been forth coming on the issue, especially considering Viggo had lost the Dragon Eye to Hiccup again.

Ryker only smiled. "Home. He actually came home and has been caring for his people like a good chief." He folded his thick arms across his chest. "You should have stayed as a child, you had quite an impact on him. Maybe more than you ever had before. Less sass, too."

Hiccup raised a brow. "I'm not sure if that's a compliment or not."

Ryker just kept smiling. "Why did you ask me here, Little One?"

The youth gave a snort. "I just…I wanted to make sure Viggo made it out safe. And to thank you. You were the one that released the captured dragons?"

"I'm sure I have no idea what you were talking about."

"I bet." Hiccup glanced around. They were still alone but it felt as if they were being watched. He smiled when Toothless rubbed up against him, remaining oddly calm around Ryker. He ran a hand over smooth black scales, feeling his anxiety slip away. For a moment he debated over what he had come to do, his fingers flexing over the leather satchel. He could very well be doing the wrong thing, endangering more dragons and possibly allowing the Hunters to find the King of Dragon that Johann had been searching for. But it could also bring peace between their tribes.

With a deep breath he held out the satchel to Ryker. "I took this from him. I thought I'd give it back."

Surprised, Ryker took the satchel and looked inside then glanced back at Hiccup. "Why would you return these?" he asked in surprise.

Hiccup didn't answer. He wasn't quite how to explain it. All he knew was that he was tired of fighting but he would continue if he must. "A peace offering," was all he could say as he climbed onto Toothless's back. He paused he a moment more, still unsure. "Tell him thank you. Actually, I should thank you both."

Ryker gave a curt nod as he slung the satchel over one shoulder. "My debts repaid. If we face off again…"

"I know, stay out of your way," Hiccup answered. "Come on, Toothless. Let's go home."

They flew off without another word, a surprisingly heavy weight off of Hiccup's shoulders.

Ryker watched in silence, his hand wrapped tightly around the strap, as they flew off toward Berk. "You were right," he said as Viggo stepped out of the shadows to join him. "He's much more than we first thought. A little odd that he would give back the Dragon Eye, though." He passed the satchel to Viggo. His gaze met his brother's. "You could have kept him, raised him as your own."

"He's far too clever for that." He lifted the Dragon Eye out of the satchel, surprised as well that Hiccup would return it. No doubt he got everything he needed from it but the artifact was technically the boy's birthright and a potentially dangerous weapon. It made no sense for Hiccup to give it up. His thumb moved over the intricate design. It was then he noted something amiss. It felt slightly differently. He studied it carefully before grinning to himself and looking off in the direction Hiccup had gone.

"What's wrong?" Ryker asked.

"Nothing," Viggo assured, slipping the device back in the bag.

In the distance Hiccup held several pieces of the Dragon Eye. He had dismantled the entire device and removed the pieces that made it work before putting the remaining pieces back together. It was a risky move but when it was back together the missing pieces were unnoticeable. It was the very pieces he needed to make his new Dragon Eye work. Now Viggo could no longer use the original and would have to rely on his notes, the very same ones Hiccup had copied and then made alterations to Viggo's book. There was no finding the King of All Dragons now. It was safe as were any other new species of dragon. With luck Viggo would never notice. It was all Hiccup could think to do to end the war without anyone else, dragon or man being killed. It may be far fetched but for the first time since encountering the Hunters, Hiccup felt at peace and that was a pretty good feeling.

Fin