Astrid felt the wind blowing through her hair and smiled.

It was the first time she'd been on Stormfly by herself, every other time being accompanied by Hiccup while he taught her the finer points of flying, and she loved the absolute freedom that flying gave her. Signy had mentioned never wanting to come down from the sky when she flew and Astrid could see what she meant. Gods, it was exhilarating! She glanced behind her to see that the others were indeed keeping up, however slowly.

"So… where are we going?" Fishlegs asked.

"Stormfly's tracking them and leading the way," Astrid explained. "I'm basically just following her."

"How long have you been flying her?"

"This is actually the first time I've been out on her by myself like this. Usually, Hiccup's on her with me to teach me how to handle her right."

"Ooh, you aiming to be Chieftess to the talking fishbone?" mocked Snotlout.

"He's the one who taught me because he had more patience than Signy. Simple as that."

"It's so weird to think that they're the long-lost heirs to the island," Tuffnut mused. "I mean, they've always been kinda weird around us."

"Yeah, like whenever she talked about the Gronckle eggs exploding?" added Ruffnut. "She was so into it and it was weird because even I'm not that into explosions."

"I think with her it was more seeing baby dragons hatch," Astrid explained. "Plus all the scars she gets from living with dragons."

"And that gnarly one on her throat!"

"Uh, that's not from a dragon. That was from a Dragon Hunter."

"Whoa. He cut her throat?"

"She didn't give him information."

A thought occurred to Astrid. If Dragon Hunters had gone after the Haddock twins for information, who was to say they wouldn't do the same to her and the rest of Berk?

Let them try it. I'll separate their heads from their shoulders if they do.

"Astrid?!"

She looked to see Signy flying towards them, pulling Bramble to a stop in midair. To the shock of all the teens, Bramble hovered closer, allowing Signy to stand up in her saddle and walk across the dragon's wings to stand on Astrid's dragon.

"How did you…?" gasped Ruffnut in awe.

"Practice. Now, what are you doing out here?!"

"We're… we're here to bring you back to Berk," Astrid replied.

"I was already on my way back."

"And Hiccup?"

"Staying with Mom and Eret on an island. So, let me guess: Stoick wants our help."

"Exactly."

"Okay." Signy walked back across to Bramble and sat down.

"You've got to teach me how to do that," Snotlout insisted. "I mean, we're family, aren't we?"

"True. But I don't think you'll ever be quite advanced enough. I have eighteen years on all of you."

"You've been teaching Astrid."

"No, Hiccup has been teaching Astrid. I've only taught one person how to fly and she's doing some work for my mother at the moment."

"So… the Chieftess is alive?" whispered Fishlegs. "She's really alive?"

"Alive and well and going to be pissed at me for leaving again. But she'll likely be following me and my family can have one big happy reunion." She clapped her hands. "Yay."

"You don't seem too happy," Ruffnut commented.

"Well, when your uncle tried to kill you and your father put you in prison…"

They were flying back towards Berk, where the teens hid Signy and Bramble in the cove. Bramble instantly looked into the pond in the middle, sticking her head in and throwing a fish at Signy, which the redhead caught.

"Thanks for dinner." She glanced at the others. "So, what's the plan?"

"Um…" Fishlegs looked to Astrid.

"We were hoping you and your brother had one," admitted the blonde.

"I don't. Sorry to disappoint. Hiccup's all about the plans. I smash things."

"Sweet!" the twins cheered.

"Could you at least tell us what you know about this 'Dragon Queen'?" Fishlegs inquired.

"She's big, I know that. When I was doing my recon, I saw her swallow a Zippleback whole and it fit in her mouth with room to spare. If I had to guess, I'd say it's a Red Death. Nasty species but not the biggest I've seen. That would be the Bewilderbeast—the alpha species."

"Whoa…" Fishlegs fumbled in his pockets before pulling out some paper and a charcoal pencil. "Tell me everything you know."

"The reason the raids happen is because this Red Death is so fat and lazy she doesn't want to hunt her own food, so she forces the others to get it for her. Big dragons are the alphas and they have no choice but to listen. They don't actually eat any of the food they take from Berk; it all goes to her. I saw it myself."

"But dragon raids don't just happen on Berk."

"I know. But she's probably the most vile dragon I've ever met. She needs to die and soon."

She sighed and picked up a stick, drawing with it in the dirt.

"This is the Nest, the one nearest here. It's a dormant volcano and she sleeps in the caldera. There's two ways in and out—one near the base and the other right at the top. I have no idea how we'd fight her inside."

"We wouldn't," a voice said. Hiccup landed behind her, accompanied by Eret… and their mother. Eret shrugged apologetically at Signy, who narrowed her eyes.

"Signy Milla Haddock, what in Odin's name were you thinking?!" Valka asked, sliding off Cloudjumper and standing over her daughter.

"We convinced her to come back!" Astrid jumped in before Signy could reply. "She and Hiccup have been teaching me to ride a dragon and I just started showing the others. We want to help with whatever you're planning."

"Please, Mom," Hiccup insisted. "With a group like this, we have a chance."

"Hmph." Valka crossed her arms. "I doubt that stubborn father of yours could be convinced. He's always hated dragons more than anyone else I've ever known, with the exception of one person. And that person tried to kill your sister."

"Stoick isn't Drago."

"We can try. But I refuse to promise anything."

Valka followed Astrid through the village by night. According to the blonde, Stoick would be at a meeting of the village elders until sunrise to discuss the dragon threat. From what little information she'd gleaned from Hiccup and Signy, Valka knew they were both close to Astrid, and that they cared deeply for her in different ways. And it had been Valka's decision to go to the home she'd once shared with her husband, to greet him and try and change his mind.

She hadn't told their children to follow but they'd refused to listen.

Stubborn as their parents.

The house hadn't changed at all since she'd left. It appeared Stoick hadn't even bothered to repair the hole in the side where Cloudjumper had stolen her away. What had once been a warm place, full of light and laughter, was now broken down and dusty. The sight of it broke her heart. How much pain had Stoick gone through without her, without their children? How could she have stayed away for so long?

"You two go upstairs. I will wait for your father," she instructed. Hiccup and Signy disappeared up the stairs, Astrid slipping back out of the house while Valka sat by the fireside and sparked the tinder.

Oh, Stoick… I'm so sorry…

She dozed slightly, her mind floating in and out of consciousness until she heard her husband's heavy footsteps on the stone outside. The door creaked open and closed as she got a good look at him.

"Hello, Stoick."

He instantly stiffened and slowly turned to face her. The look on his face broke her heart as she stood and prepared herself for him to scream at her.

"I know what you must be thinking—how could I be alive all this time? Why didn't I come home to you? With our children? I couldn't. Stoick, my place was with the dragons. They kept me safe, kept our son and daughter safe, and I couldn't bring them back with the war."

Stoick stepped towards her cautiously. Signy and Hiccup appeared at the stairs.

"Please, just say something! Shout, scream, just say something!"

He was right in front of her now, and he reached out to caress her face.

"You're as beautiful as the day I lost you."

Valka felt the dam inside her break as she began to cry, leaning forward into him as he embraced her. His left arm left her for a moment, but it soon returned along with two other bodies. Their children.

For the first time in almost twenty years, the Haddock family was whole again.

Sorry this took so long but shit's been happening.

Next time, we'll hear the plan and meet a new dragon rider.

So long and thanks for all the fish!