HTTYD: I'm Home (Sequel to HTTYD: Alternate Ending)

Chapter 4

"What do you think, bud? Stealth or frontal assault?"

Toothless growled in reply, glaring down at the arena in which the timberjack was being held. The large dragon's mass could be seen through the bars of a cage built into the side of the arena.  

The Sun was sitting on the horizon, casting long shadows across the village and giving the evening an eerie, surreal atmosphere. Hiccup frowned, conflicting emotions threatening to rise up in him. This was the first time he had been back at Berk since he ran away. Part of him was angry that it still looked exactly the same, that life in Berk had gone on without him. Another part of him felt content that he was free from the confines of this small island. And yet, a small piece of him filled with nostalgia; regret even. Hiccup quickly shoved that feeling down. This was Berk, the place where he was rejected and cast aside. This was the prison he escaped from all those years ago. He refused to feel anything but contempt towards it. 

Drawing out his spyglass, Hiccup scanned the arena and its surroundings. No guards. This set him on edge. Wouldn't the vikings be on guard in case of an attack on the island?

Toothless shook his head in impatience, smacking his rider with an ear.

"Ow!" Hiccup exclaimed. "Okay, okay, let's go. Stealth it is."

Hiccup mounted the night fury, and Toothless shot into the sky. Quick as a shadow, Toothless drifted above the arena and dove between the chains. They landed and Hiccup ran to the large cage built into the wall of the arena. Through the bars he could see the timberjack, two deadly nadders, a gronkle, a hideous zippleback and a monstrous nightmare. Hiccup reached up at the side of the cage and pulled a large lever, lifting the portcullis. Immediately, the zippleback and monstrous nightmare took off, fitting themselves between the chains at the top of the arena and soaring into the night. The timberjack crawled out and remained on the ground. He was too big to escape through the roof, so Hiccup would have to open the gate. The gronkle waddled up to Hiccup and licked his arm before bumbling out and over the ocean. 

Hiccup glanced back into the cage, noticing that neither of the nadders had moved. 

"Go on. You're free now," he told them. The blue nadder shuffled its wings, but stayed put. The gold nadder squawked at him. "Why aren't you going? Go on, get out of here!" Hiccup insisted. Why wouldn't these dumb dragons listen? They were free to escape from this deathtrap of a village. Hiccup huffed a sigh, and was about to attempt to coax the dragons out with a fish from one of the barrels in the arena, when the hairs on the back of his neck rose. 

"Wh-who are you?" someone asked behind him.

Hiccup's eyes widened and his shoulders tensed. The voice was soft and feminine with a rough undertone. It was unique and distinctive. It was a voice that Hiccup had not heard for 5 years. He turned around slowly. His heart leapt to his throat. Astrid.

She was beautiful. Golden locks framed her face, then cascaded over her shoulder in an intricate braid, wisps of gold coming to life in the fading glow of the Sun. Her face was more defined and structured than when he last saw her all those years ago. Her eyes stared at him, an eclipse of blue colour swirling around inside. She was beautiful. 

But she was not the same.

The more Hiccup studied her, the more he noticed the changes. Her skin was pale, her eyes sunken with bags. Her jawline was a little too defined to be healthy. She was skinny and frail, her clothing hanging off her limbs like curtains. She had her arms wrapped around herself protectively as she stared at him in suspicion.