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Chapter 20

•••Heather POV•••

"We don't know where Hiccup is in the ice palace, we'll separate into two groups of two and a group of three. Me and Astrid, Dagur and Snotlout, and Fishlegs and the twins. There could be dragons so we have to be careful. We'll each go in through a different entrance." I explained. Everyone agreed but Dagur gave me a pleading look to change his partner before we go in. I just smiled and ignored him. We all hopped onto our dragons and took off towards the ice palace.

"There's a hole there, it's kind of hard to see but it's there." Astrid said, pointing down to a icicle that protruded from a small cave in the side.

"Looks like we found our way in." I replied. We glided down to the icicle and snuck into the cave. It seemed to be a kitchen sort of area, with a large basket of fish and a fire pit surrounded by logs. There were skewers and plates made of wood on a counter made from a smaller icicle. From there led a hallway of squared stones protruding out from the walls of the cave and little bits of ice that poked through the ground. After walking a bit of ways in we heard talking up ahead.

"What did you mean by that? How come you haven't answered any of my questions? Is this where you've been for the past...what...twenty years?" It was Hiccup. It seemed that he was talking to the rider. The rider just laughed at him and kept going. The voice sounded a lot like a woman.

"Let's follow them." Astrid suggested. I nodded in agreement and we trailed behind them a considerable distance. They both entered through another cave opening and disappeared. We caught up to them and looked through the opening.

"Wow." Astrid and I said in unison.

•••Hiccup POV•••

Toothless and I followed mom through the strange shaped tunnels, asking question after question but with no answer.

"What did you mean by that? How come you haven't answered any of my questions? Is this where you've been for the past...what...twenty years?" I asked. Mom just laughed and continued to run forward. Stubborn woman.

"Toothless, a little help here." I said clinging to the side of a sloped hill. Toothless rolled his eyes and boosted me up with his head. I picked myself up and continued to follow her. She led me and Toothless to a cave entrance before disappearing.

"Wait!" I yelled running into the cave entrance. I stopped dead in my tracks at the sight before me. It was the center of the giant ice palace, full of dragons of all species. Nadders, Typoomerangs, Whispering Death holes lay at the bottom of a small ravin, Hobblegrunts, and Triple Strykes, and species I've never even seen before. On the giant ice pillar that hung from the roof of the cave was my mother and her Stormcutter.

"Do you like it?" She asked.

"Like it? This is...incredible!" I replied. Mom smiled.

"I'm glad you like it. And your friends seem to enjoy it too." She said. I looked at her confused until she pointed behind me. I turned around and found Heather and Astrid staring from the cave entrance. The two looked at me looking at them and smiled sheepishly. Then they seemed to notice mom behind me and got into their fighting stances.

"Who are you and why did you take Hiccup?!" Astrid yelled. All the dragons in her vicinity looked towards her and growled.

"Astrid stand down. She's okay. She's...my mother." I explained. Astrid did as I said and stood down.

"Your mother? I thought she was, you know, dead." She said making the slash against her throat.

"Well, everyone thought I was dead. I guess it just runs in the family." I joked. Mom looked at me confused.

"What do you mean everyone thought you were dead?" She asked. I rubbed the back of my head trying to figure out how to say this.

"Uh yeah, apparently the week after you were taken by dragons I was taken by Alvin during an attack and he dropped me into the sea. I grew up with dragons and lived with them until just about a year ago." I explained. Mom looked scared, but also seemingly happy that I was still alive.

"I'm so sorry Hiccup. Maybe I should have come back, maybe I could have protected you." She replied.

"No, mom, it's not your fault! I loved growing up with dragons. I've been to so many places and learned so many things from them! I can speak so many different languages, I'm even learning dragonese." I explained trying to reassure her.

"Dragonese? You're learning the dragon's language?" Mom asked shocked.

"What is Dragonese?" Astrid asked.

"It's the language dragons speak. It's just grunts and growls. It's super hard to learn, trust me, I've tried to learn as well." Heather explained.

"You gave up immediately after the first lesson." I shot back at Heather. Astrid giggled.

"Anyways. Mom, what about you? You must have learned much more than me." I asked changing the subject. Mom smiled.

"How about I show you everything I've learned. You can even invite your friends." She replied. I looked back as realization dawned on Astrid's face.

"Oh Thor! Where did everyone else go!" Astrid screamed but not loud enough to startle the nest.

"You brought them with you?!" I asked raising my voice. Just then Snotlout's girly scream echoed through the cavern.

"We didn't know it was your mom that took you! We thought we needed back up!" Heather explained. We all hopped on our dragons and followed mom.

"Let's hope they haven't been eaten yet." I said.

"My dragons won't eat them. As long as they don't annoy them too bad." Mom said. She looked back at me.

"Should we hurry?" She asked.

"We should definitely hurry." I replied asking Toothless to go faster.