Disclaimer: Not mine, don't own, don't sue.

Summary: See Previous Chapters

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

Natalya's father cornered her before the riders could leave, handing her a quiver of arrows. Natalya eyed him in confusion before pulling one out and examining the subtly-different arrowhead. "I already have arrows, Father."

Trader Johan shook his head. "Not like these, my dear. The heads are made to pierce even the toughest armour, and tipped with a poison that the Egyptians use to subdue or kill the great crocodiles who inhabit their waters. Whether it will have the same effect on this dragon, I do not know, but it may at least slow them down."

Natalya looked at her father with new eyes, a dozen tiny facts suddenly forming a very different picture. "You were never just a merchant, were you?"

Her father shook his head, "It serves as a good cover, having a reason to go places and find information. I am one of the Immortals."

Natalya didn't bother to hide her confusion, and her father smiled, "Don't worry, if you knew what that meant, I'd be very bad at my job."

Natalya giggled, shooing away a terror who was getting a little too interested in the arrows. "Can you tell me?"

Her father ran a gentle hand over her hair, "You are old enough, and you've proven your ability to keep secrets. We began as the bodyguards of Persian Kings, named for our invincibility in battle. When the Empire fell, we became assassins. I'd planned to present you at the gathering this summer."

Her eyes widened in shock, "As a potential assassin? I'm not sure…"

He shook his head, the amused sparkle in his eyes so much like her own. "No, you don't have the temperament for that. If you had ever expressed unhappiness with your life here, I would have taken you away with me as an assistant, now that you're old enough. Presenting you as my daughter offers a degree of protection, and the opportunity to learn new skills."

Natalya studied him closely. "Why the sudden desire for me to learn?"

He caught her eyes, more serious than she had ever seen him. "If your plan works, and you introduce dragons to the world as allies, rather than something to be feared, you'll need both that protection, and the ability to protect your dragons beyond being able to fight with them. Humans as a whole have never been kind to each other, and are always on the look out for an advantage."

Natalya frowned, but didn't contradict them. Minds could be changed, but not suddenly or all at once. Even now, with clear proof that dragons were not mindless beasts and could be the truest friends possible, some Vikings were talking excitedly about how much easier it would be to raid with them. Natalya had memorised who, and intended to make sure that their attitude changed before they were allowed near a dragon.

Such fears had been the main reason that they hadn't revealed the dragons sooner, and while she wasn't happy to be proven correct, it wasn't entirely a shock. Well, one problem at a time. She fastened the quiver to her belt. "Thank you, father."

He leaned forward, kissing her on the forehead. "Come home safely. I'm not yet prepared to bury you, as well."

A fleet of Viking longships waited outside of Helheim's Gate, Johann's ship alongside them, and terrors stationed within the mist, ready to alert them to flee or guide them through, depending on the outcome of the battle. Natalya had argued, loudly and extensively, about Stoick's insistence that he and the Council be there as witnesses, but to no avail. Apparently, her word, the word of three Heirs, and the next generation of warriors that the Green Death existed and was defeated was not enough.

Her father had finally stepped in, offering his boat, as it was smaller and faster (for all the good that would do against a dragon the size of a mountain). With the newfound knowledge that her father would have several tricks up his sleeve, Natalya threw her hands in the air and gave in with extremely limited grace.

Now, a wing of dragons floated on silent wings through the mist. Natalya and Snotlout flew lower, carrying bait. Feeding time was past, but a dragon that size would never turn down an offering of food, until it was too late.

Natalya had combed the islands, eventually finding a whale that had died after being beached, half-rotted and stinking. If anything would make the Green Death angry enough to come out of the mountain, this should do it. The mountain appeared above the fog, a few dragons drifting around the edge. The rest of the riders hung back as Natalya led Skyfire and the Nightmare up to the top, Skyfire singing a quiet warning moments before she dropped the spoiled whale carcass into the chasm, Snotlout following suit.

Quickly, they spiralled back upward, hidden among the thousands of dragons doing the same thing. The few dragons who had remained in their nests joined the others in flight as a thunderous roar echoed through the mountain, the very stones shaking. Natalya shook her head. "Well, we got it's attention."

Snotlout's rather obscene reply was lost in the wind as they rejoined the other riders. Natalya unslung her bow from where it hung at her side, nocking one of her new arrows. "Get ready, we made it mad."

The dragons rose into the clouds, gaining height. They didn't know if the Green Death was capable of flight, so their plan currently hinged on staying out of range and not dying. It wasn't much of a plan, but it was what they had.

Hiccup took a deep breath. "Thug, keep your distance. Whenever you have a clear shot, get your dragon to roar and confuse the Green Death. Cami, you and the twins are on distraction. Use your Changewing's acid, insult it, make it mad. Fishlegs, I want you to hang back, analyse it for weaknesses and let us know. Astrid, Snotlout, you're with me and Natalya on offense. We're going to keep it busy until we find out a way to defeat it."

They all nodded, and Natalya reached out to squeeze his hand. Left unsaid was that when they found it's weakness, the others would be ordered to fall back, leaving the most experienced and agile riders to face the Green Death and deliver the killing strikes.

The mountain shuddered, rocks exploding outward as the Green Death forced it's way out of the den it could not have left in years. Astrid whistled under her breath. "Good thing we didn't bring the other warriors. They would have been crushed."

Natalya nodded, watching the little trading ship edge back into the fog, far below them. "Don't worry, Father won't let them get closer than they already are."

The Green Death roared it's fury, and without a word, Hiccup led the attack.

Skyfire tucked her wings, diving toward the Green Death. The wind and speed made it harder to draw her bow, but the manoeuvre worked, and their momentum increased the force of the arrow, the shaft burying itself fully in one of the eyes. Pulling up, she swore as two more eyes opened, fixing them with an evil glare. Well, that just meant more runs, and a little more effort.

Hiccup yelled something, and the riders scattered as Thuggory's Thunder-drum roared. The soundwaves hit just as the Green Death opened it's mouth to shoot fire, redirecting the flames onto the rocky beach, rather than incinerating the riders. Natalya took the opportunity to shoot for the dragon's other eye, and then soared out of reach just meters away from massive jaws closing where she had been.

Fishlegs waved his hands, gaining their attention "Avoid the tail! It has wings, but I don't know if they're just for display."

Camicazi swooped in on one wing, while the twins targeted the other, escaping just in time to dodge another burst of fire. The Green Death extended it's wings, revealing minimal damage. Fishlegs swore creatively, shouting again. "The outside is too tough! Probably either a soft underbelly, or more vulnerable on the inside!"

Hiccup blinked, and a memory tugged at Natalya's mind. She shook her head, nocking another arrow. "I'll see about the underbelly. You lot stand ready for the next attack."

Skyfire dove again, swerving around the huge head and sharp teeth to skim under the body. Darting away before the Green Death's tail could swing around and crush them, she rejoined the others. "Underbelly is as armoured as the rest of it. We'll need to think of something else."

Hiccup nodded. "Hopefully, it isn't as fireproof on the inside. All of you, fall back. This is beyond your level of flying skill. Natalya, let's get it up in the air."

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A/N: So, this was meant to be up with the new year, but there were a lot of things that delayed it.

First, was the amount of feels that came with the third movie, and I had to be able to even look at this document without sobbing. Next, I reached Season 6 of the Dragon Riders TV Series, and had to incorporate a lot of new things into my characters, which took some time.

Anyway, it's ready now, and hopefully the next chapter won't take too long.

Thanks

Nat