Disclaimer: I do not own How to Train your Dragon in any way, shape or form.

Trigger warning: There will be instances of abuse throughout the fic.

"Permanence, perseverance and persistence in spite of all obstacles, discouragements, and impossibilities: It is this, that in all things distinguishes the strong soul from the weak." -Thomas Carlyle

Permanence. Being unchanging through the times. Perseverance. Working at something, despite of difficulty. Persistence. Keeping at something, no matter the opposition. These alliterate traits, though slightly changing, gives us the definition of the strong. When you don't change who you are when faced with obstacles, the discouragements, and the impossibilities, but work diligently, and fight to keep going, no matter how hard it is. This is what defines the Strong Souls.

Strong Souls are never born, but rather made. As the time and the difficulties weather them, we see who they are made to be. Some crack, others break completely, but the strong ones are those who overcome. No matter what the world throws at them, they'll regain themselves.

The Strong Souls are defiant, and in a way, spiteful. The world wants to break them, but the Strong Souls don't want to be broken. The world chips away at them, but they only become a more refined piece because of this. The Strong Souls take the bad, and allow it to be good. Why look for the silver lining in the clouds, when there is gold to be found on the ground?

So here are the Strong Souls. The Heroes that have earned it. The Rebels with a cause. Here are those who are Defiant in Spite Of.

AN: So, this is the rewrite of my previous fic, Cousins. The story line changes from what I had written previously, and I hope it's for the better. Let me know what you think!

And don't worry, Hiccup, Snotlout, and Astrid will be showing up in the next chapter.