And then he was Gone

A small problem

Astrid's POV

We are walking along behind "Ryder" which can't be his real name and his dragon which I don't trust at all when a man who I recognize as Dagur the Deranged followed by a large three tailed dragon calls out, "Hiccup, brother!" and knocks his helmet off. I freeze. Hiccup is alive?! He turns to face me and internally I gasp. Gone is the runt from all those years ago and in his place is a sharp-jawed warrior who, if not for the scar on his jaw, couldn't be Hiccup.He was... Hot. Tuff and Ruff are staring, mouths hanging open before erupting into cheers and yelling something about theatres and climaxes, Snotlout's mug is a mask of bewilderment and Fishlegs looks like he did when Tuff said he had burned all of Berks supply of books. My heart leaps but I quell my happiness, glare, punch him and speak.

"You have a lot to explain."

-Five minutes later-

-In the Clubhouse-

"You guys remember the raid when I said I shot down a Night Fury?" We nod. "Well I did and the next day I went there and found Toothless tied up and dying with his tail part of his tail fin ripped off - but I couldn't kill him because he looked as frightened as I was. I looked at him and I saw myself."

Snotlout cuts in.

"So you had the chance to be the only Viking to kill a Night Fury and you gave it up because you were scared! Ha I would have killed it instantly just like-"

Hiccup raged to his feet, and smashed Snotlout against the wall, fingers digging into his windpipe.

"Shut up," is all he says and drops him on the floor.

Turning towards us he raises an eyebrow at our astonished expressions and carries on with the story.

"I trained him, forging him a new tail and learning to fly," he falls quiet and Fishlegs speaks up.

"And then?"

"Well, when I was voted to kill the Monstrous Nightmare, I - I couldn't. So I ran away with my bud here," at this he scratches the Night Fury and it purrs like an overgrown cat, "We followed the dragons that raided Berk and found..." he stops and Dagur speaks up.

"Hiccup found the Dragon's Nest," he reveals. Gasps emanate from our group and Hiccup takes up the story.

"Me and Toothless killed the queen but I lost my leg," his voice shakes - clearly this is an upsetting memory but then he grins and addresses the dragon, "You couldn't save all of me, you just had to make it even!" he says, scratching the dragon.

"Then what happened?"

"I woke up in a cave being tended to by Heather, Dagur's sister and once I healed, she and her Razorwhip joined us. We built up a team, fought enemies, established a base."

Snotlout frowns, "A team?" he inquires. A new voice echoes around the arena.

"Yes, a team. What do you think he said?"

Five men and women troop into the arena - there's a light ginger-haired, tall women clad in black who is accompanied by a ginger haired warrior and a Fireworm Queen, a pale-skinned, green-eyed, raven haired girl who is next to a beautiful silver dragon - she's the one who had just spoken.

Riding a Skrill there is a brown haired, grey eyed man and standing to one side is a tall, buff black haired guy who is sharpening a dagger on a huge iridescent Rumblehorn. Strangely, all of them are dressed in some kind of armour made of dragon scales and have weird silvery weapons.

Hiccup's face lights up in a wide smile - the first we have ever seen and he jogs over to be patted on the back by the three boys and hugged by the black haired girl. My heart leaps and suddenly all I could think of is killing the girl. For a moment I zone out as I envision pain and suffering upon her until the sound of Hiccup's voice cut through my anger.

"Shortly after Heather had healed and joined me riding a Razorwhip she'd named Windshear we came across Fenris here, a former Berserker and a Skrill he called Stormslice."

He gestures to the man on the Skrill, who nods and raises a hand.

"He told us that Dagur the Deranged had found out that we could ride dragons and was coming for them." He stops and Heather takes up the story.

"Fenris had been Dagur's right hand but had defected with a Skrill Dagur was using as a weapon" I nodded, that sounded exactly like the Berserker Chief. "We fought him for years before fleeing to an island we called the Edge until Hiccup found out that - that he is my brother. He saved all of our lives from a hunter called Viggo Grimborn and was presumed dead but amazingly he survived and joined us with his Triple Stryke Sleuther." She stops and Hiccup starts to speak again as Fenris nodded and left.

"While on a mission, we landed on Defender of the Wing island - an island of people devoted to helping dragons. We were accused of being Hunters and sentenced to death, but Toothless saved my life and convinced them we weren't a threat. Queen Mala and her bodyguard Throk then joined our cause, Mala with her Fireworm Queen, Dawnbringer, and Throk on a Thunderdrum named Thornado." He gestures to the blond woman and her ginger companion.

"For years we were at peace until Drago sent Eret here to take our dragons, but, while undercover, he realised that dragons are beautiful, intelligent creatures and helped us rescue a massive shipment of dragons which included his Rumblehorn, Skullcrusher." As he finishes his story the Twins start crying.

"You rarely see happy endings anymore!" Ruffnut explains before joining her brother in sobbing. Hiccup looks up.

"It's nice to see nothing has changed." He smirks before turning to leave. I speak up.

"Wait - aren't you going to c.." Hiccup turns back his expression furious.

"I am never going back to that hell hole, Berk," he snarls. Alarmed at the venom in his voice I step back.

"Why?" I say.

"When I was at that place you call home. I was bullied, beaten and rejected while here I have a proper home and a new family," he laughs bitterly, "Why would I ever go back?"

Then a fireball crashes into the roof.