How to Train Your Dragon: Journey Beyond Berk

Chapter Twenty - Preperations for the Inevitable

Hiccup's POV:

 The first few days back on Berk were exhausting. While Astrid got much needed sleep, the rest of Berk along with the few dragons we now possessed made it imperative that we rebuild. We began by breaking off any ice shards that still covered the island and made our way to fixing the homes that were taken down in the attack that had still yet to be fixed. For the last few days, I took place as fill in Chief during the meetings we held with the warriors and search parties of the island. We stayed up late countless nights planning to eventually strike back at Drago, ridding him of the hold he had on the dragons he still had captured.

"What if we just leave him be and continue on with our life on Berk with the dragons we have now?" Snotlout asked from the opposite end of the table.

 Before I could respond, Eret cut in, "Drago doesn't take well to people who take from him." His voice course, showing signs of the restless nights every one of us faced lately. "Plus, for all we know that Nightfury is the last of its kind. Now that he knows it exists, he won't stop at anything to retrieve him back."

"Eret's right," my mother chimed in, "It's best we not sit around and wait for him to attack first if we can, we saw what happened before. The island nearly fell."

"Can't we just find another bewonder thing, or whatever it's called?" Fishlegs asked, going through his in depth notes he's taken regarding any dragon he's either come across or heard about throughout the years.

 My head shook in response as I stood at the head of the table, "If only it were that simple. The one we had was one of the last of its kind, we were surprised to see Drago with one himself." I took a deep breath before sitting down, "That's going to be the hardest part is releasing his hold on the alpha."

 Gobbers eyes met mine before he reached over to Fishlegs cards that he had spread out in front of him, "We know from old folk tales that Dragons hold a nest, if not an Alpha at least a Queen maybe?"

 My mother and I both shook our heads in response. "The alpha is above all Dragons, a king of all the nests that are out there. It wouldn't aid us in this fight." She added.

"Well, we aren't really gettin anywhere, are we?" Gobber said throwing the cards back out in front of him. I watched as Fishlegs quickly tried the gather them back up and reorganize the stack in his hands.

 I lowered my head as my hands traced the map in front of me, "only plausible outcome includes attacking at night. Because of Eret we know their schedule, where the guards will be, where the cages are on the ships and most importantly where Drago sleeps. If we can buy enough time maybe release his hold off the bewilderbeast we may not even need to defeat it but set it free, it too is in a prison at this point except with chains instead of being confined to a cage." 

 Eret tilted his head, somewhat agreeing to my statement. "It's possible for sure, but there's going to be losses either way on either side. Knowing Drago, his men will have trained harder and this time not preparing to take but to kill." He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms before scanning the room. "You all have to think what's really best for you, I still say we go with my plan and find a new place to stay."

"He'd find us eventually," I retaliated, "there's no point in running. Our ships would be too slow, and we don't have enough dragons for each Berkian. He's taking over all of the northern seas, and I don't see him stopping there."

 We all sat in silence. No one adding to what I said. Going back to our origin of 'kill or be killed' only this time to save dragons and no longer to hunt them. The room was at a lost, I couldn't help but think what I would tell Astrid when she awoke tomorrow. We still had no plan for Berk, unsure if we do carry out this mission, if we'd even succeed. The odds were against us in every scenario.