A/N: Been a while eh?

000 (4 Days Later)

"How are the dragons doing?" Fishlegs turned towards Hiccup, with Toothless by his side.

"A few of them have gotten all but used to humans. Others though..."

"Haven't warmed to the idea of interacting with humans. I see."

"But don't you think that's a good idea? They are wild dragons after all, and the less confrontations they have with Vikings, the better it is for both sides?"

"I suppose so..."

"I sense a huge 'but' in this." Fishlegs rolled his eyes.

Hiccup gave him an unamused look before continuing, "But what do you think is going to happen if some Viking unwittingly came across a dragon that has an above average hostility towards Vikings?"

"I understand where you're coming from Hiccup, I really do, but we can't control everything. If we can't train those dragons, then we can't force them to accept Vikings. Not after what they experience at the hunters' hands."

"So you're suggesting that we just release them as they are now?"

"That would be the best thing, Hiccup. But I'm not too worried. After what they experienced, they'll go out of their way and settle far away from any Viking settlement. So I'm pretty sure we have nothing to worry about releasing them." He shot Hiccup an encouraging smile.

Hiccup breathed out a huge sigh. He never liked giving up on dragons, especially ones that could pose potential threats. But if there was anyone's opinion on dragons that he highly valued, Fishlegs' was one of them. "Alright, set them free. Make sure you keep a safe distance from them, Fishlegs."

"Oh don't you worry, I most definitely will." Fishlegs shot him a smile before heading to do just that, Meatlug following obediently behind him.

"Guess I can't change all dragons, can I bud?" Toothless crooned in agreement.

"Hiccup!" He followed the direction of his name to see Snotlout running towards him, Hookfang close behind.

"Snotlout, what is it?"

"Hunter ships...approaching from the east...fifteen of them." He breathed.

"That's more than they usually send. Something's off."

"Come on Hiccup! This is not the time to outsmart Viggo! We have fifteen Hunter ships, heavily armed on their way here. We gotta get all the riders in the air now if we want to take them near the sea stacks." Snotlout said as he hopped on Hookfang's neck.

"Got it Snotlout, head to the sea stacks and we'll meet you there shortly. And don't start the attack until we get there!" He reminded him.

"Well better get moving Hiccup!" His cousin said as he took off.

As Hiccup watched him fly, he couldn't help the nagging feeling in the back of his head that this was just a distraction of some sort. Viggo wasn't the kind of man to charge head first into a battle unless he had some ulterior motive.

"I'll figure it out as it goes on." He concluded before hopping on Toothless and heading to gather the rest of the riders.

000

Heather heard the familiar sound of the front door creaking open and being shut with a thud, and an audible sign following it. She didn't have to turn to see who it was "Rough day?"

"You know, you are the technical heir. You'll have a lot to catch up on when Asger reaches nine months." Ripper said as he hung his cloak over his chair by the fireplace and proceeded to lay down by the playing baby on the fur rug. Little Asger immediately turned his attention away from the toy dragon, a stuffed Razorwhip, and began to reach his stubby little arms for his father.

"Come here my little warrior." He sat crossed legged and placed Asger on his legs.

"Well, I'm pretty sure you can recap what you learned and tell me. There's no reason why I can't learn the politics of the tribe and take care of Asger."

"But that doesn't involve you sitting at meetings with ornery, old men, who are too busy trying to further their own agenda instead of focusing on improving life for the whole village." Heather turned, only to have warmth filling her chest as she watched her husband playing peek-a-boo with Asger. She knew very well what Ripper has to go through when attending those meetings and shadowing her father. It didn't help that he wasn't born in Sharkslane. Most of the council men had voiced their concern with her father about a foreign Viking taking over the Chiefdom once he stepped down. Luckily her father wasn't bothered by their attempts to instill doubt in her husband. He knew better than them.

"You know..." she started slowly, grabbing his attention as she slid down next to him, "...I don't know if I do this often, but I hope you do know how much I appreciate you doing this. I know it can't be easy for you facing those stubborn, old oafs alone but I love how you're going through this for the good of this tribe in the long run." She rubbed his upper arm lovingly.

"You know you don't have to thank me. I knew what I'd be getting myself into once we exchanged vows. Besides, knowing that you'll have to suffer the same way I do makes it all the more worthwhile." He laughed when she smacked his arm. "That reminds me, I promised Bladewing I'd train with him tonight. It's been a long time since we sparred." He placed Asger into his wife's arms as he got up retrieved his cloak and sword.

"You'll be back by sundown as usual right?" Heather asked as he opened the front door.

"At least. Might stay out a bit longer to make up for the time Bladewing and I lost. See you later babe." He gave Heather a kiss on the lips. "Take care of your mom while I'm gone, kid." He ruffled Asger's hair, as he bid the two goodbye and closed the door behind him.

000 (7 Hours Later)

"Oh she's going to kill us!" Ripper said as he jogged through the village, Bladewing close on his heels. He heard his dragon growl in disagreement. "Oh I don't want to hear it from you. If she kills me, it'll be on your head. If she doesn't decide to kill you too."

The two had lost track of time and before they knew it, it was well after sunset. Half of the village was already retiring in for the night while the rest traded their day's work with each other in their Hall. "But hey, if she knows me she'll have expected this right?" He asked Bladewing, who returned an empty stare, which was ironic because of his milky white eyes. "Yeah, I think I'm as good as dead." He said as he reached his house, but was cut short when Bladewing jumped in front of him, body tense, teeth bared and spines at the ready.

"Bladewing what's wrong?" Ripper couldn't understand why his dragon was so agitated. Unless... "Heather!" He called as he ran past Bladewing and to his front door, kicking it open, only to find the fire still going, but no sign of Heather or Asger. "Heather! Asger!" He called their names as he looked around the rooms. He ran upstairs, checking every corner and cabinet of each room, and yet no sign of his wife or son.

"Heather!" He was in full panic mode. She said she'd be at home. There was no way she'd have gone anywhere with Asger without telling him first. His dragon's roar brought him out of his panic trance. Bladewing must have found something in the stables. Ripper made his way down to the stables behind the house in record time, only to find Bladewing next to a sleeping Windshear. However, as he got closer, he discovered what appeared to be the remnants of cotton bag with traces of "..Dragon nip." He tossed the grass away as he turned his attention to Windshear.

It was easy to deduce that Heather and Asger were kidnapped. Whoever had taken them had made sure that Windshear wouldn't pose a threat. And from the amount of dragon nip that was used, she'd be out for a while. That's when he noticed a piece of paper stuck to her snout. Once in hand, it didn't detail much, except a rendezvous point away on a nearby island.

He tossed it to the ground where Bladewing was all too to happy light up, disintegrating the paper in the blink of an eye. In the next moment they were up and away, ready to bring Hel to the people that would dare harm his family.

Bladewing was not a fast dragon, but could sense the danger that his family was in. Within no time, the island came within view. He could see a campfire on the beach, with people huddled close by with...dragons!?

"What the..." He shook his head. He'd find out soon enough who he was dealing with. He brought Bladewing down by the fire. Hopping down, and finally able to get a close up on the people that would dare endanger his family, who he saw was beyond shocking.

"Hey there Ripper." Cutthroat spoke. "It's been a while hasn't it." He didn't want to believe it. There was no way it could be him. He looked around, seeing Dagur, and three other people along with him. Along with two dragons behind them, both trained on Bladewing. But his eyes quickly settled on his wife and baby. Heather was tied up, on her knees with Cutthroat holding a sword to her neck. Asger was held by the only other woman there. His tear stained eyes did little comfort for Ripper. To go through such a traumatic experience as an infant...

He was going to make them pay.

"Ripper Bonemould I presume." He watched the man with the goatee walk forward. "My name is Viggo Grimborn."

"I know who you are."

"Well then, that saves us some time doesn't it? Because that means you already know what I'm capable of." He smiled when he didn't get a response out of Ripper. "Shall we move onto business then?"

"Why do you have my wife and son, Viggo?" Ripper gritted through his teeth. If he wasn't badly outnumbered by enemies and dragons, he would have killed every single one of them where they stood. Starting with Cutthroat.

"Leverage you see. I knew you wouldn't work with me if I asked you directly, so I had to take a more, definitive approach. Work with me on what you may ask? Well that's simple. I want you to help me get rid of the dragon riders."

"Don't listen him to him Ripper-uh!" Heather's plea was cut short as Cutthroat brought the blade to her skin now, a move that had Ripper drawing his sword and Bladewing unsheathing his spikes.

"Don't you fucking touch her, prick!"

"Like you're in a position to be giving me a command." Cutthroat smirked back at him. The anger in his father's voice and the intensity of the situation was too much for Asger who broke out into more wails.

"And we just got him to shut up!" Dagur whined.

"One more word about my son and I'll have Bladewing eat limb by limb!"

"Cutthroat, Dagur!" Viggo's tone and glare was enough to wipe the smirk off Cutthroat's face and make Dagur pout in annoyance. "Dabria, could you please calm the child?" Said woman rolled her eyes and walked closer to Heather.

"We don't have to keep her tied up you know." She said as she gave Cutthroat a look to back off, which he begrudgingly did. Once she deemed he was a safe distance away, she placed Asger on the ground next to Heather while undoing her binds, releasing her. "I'm certain he'll calm faster in his mother's arms." She said as Heather picked Asger up as soon as her hands were free, but still stayed where she was, quietly shushing Asger. With that settled, Viggo turned his attention back to Ripper.

"Anyway, as you can see, you are in no position to bargain with me. I am a business man and the only thing keeping your wife and son alive is your yet-to-be-made decision of helping me defeat the riders once and for all. And retrieve a family heirloom."

"I can't betray my friends just like that."

"And risk your family? What kind of father or husband would you be then?" Viggo walked closer to him. "From what I've heard you're a very protective man, Ripper. By Cutthroat's accounts you were quite close to killing him after he chopped off your best friend's leg. Are you willing for him to do worse to your own family?" Ripper looked at Heather, on her knees and holding Asger tightly to her chest, begging him not to accept the deal. But how could he not? He could not risk her or Asger's life. It was either betraying Hiccup and his friends, or losing his family.

The choice was obvious.

With a sad sigh he sheathed his sword and lowered his head. Bladewing, following his rider's lead, also calmed down. "Ripper no!" He could hear the tears in her voice. He raised his head up slowly, and saw her beautiful face stained with them. She was shaking her head, one last plea.

"I have to. I can't risk losing you or Asger." His own voice cracked. With a deep breath, he turned his gaze back to Viggo. The bastard was wearing his own triumphant grin. "Give me your word that no harm will come to them. I don't want any of your men near her! I don't want that sack of dragon shit near her either!" He pointed to Cutthroat.

"You have my word, Ripper. Dabria will keep eyes on your wife and son at all time. Trust me when I say your family couldn't be in better, or safer care. But now, onto more pressing matters..."