Reparations and Confrontations

Hiccup and Ethan stalked the woods of Berk, the two teens treading through the forest eyes peeled looking for something. They were on the first trek to making a gift for Merida, something that can only be found in the woods of Berk according to Ethan. Gobber left the two teens to the task, he had to stay by the smithy and tend to work there.

Hiccup found himself quite excited with the entire venture; partly as he hoped that Merida would like her gift and partly due to the company of Ethan. He seemed nice. He didn't seem to derive Hiccup for lacking the typical Viking traits, unlike Snotlout and his cronies. The Highlander lord-to-be seemed more intrigued by Hiccup if anything. He was good natured and Hiccup found himself thanking the gods that it was him that stayed.

And not the mad looking blonde one.

Hiccup cast a look over Ethan, the Higlander's hawk-like eyes scanned the forest looking for some detail. Hiccup coughed to draw his attention. "So, umm, what exactly do we want?"

"Yew."

"Which is?"

Ethan rolled his eyes. "It's a type of wood, lad. Good for bows as it is flexible as it comes. After, all we need the best for Merida."

Hiccup nodded and Ethan grumbled to himself. "What is it?"

"Ah, nothing," the Highlander said, waving an arm. "Just annoyed over the lack of archers to be found here. Make this a lot easier if there were some. Always found myself loving a good bow and arrow, not appreciated here."

"Yeah, people don't really care much for arrows here." Hiccup explained. "Well apart from -" He caught himself and didn't finish the sentence.

That drew a curious look from Ethan, who arched an eyebrow at the Viking. "Apart from…?"

Hiccup winced, "you won't like the answer."

"The Baerguts, right?" Sighed Ethan. "Aye, it's always the bloody Baerguts and their mad man of a leader."

Hiccup could only let out a small nod. "Yeah. Always him."

Ethan shook his head before nodding to the forest. "Less of that talk, and more looking. It think I can smell our prize."

Before Hiccup could question how one could smell wood, Ethan sprinted off into the forest leaving Hiccup dumbfounded at the speed in which the teen ran. He seemed uncaring to the nicks and cuts that the surrounding branches were giving him and Hiccup ran after him in hot pursuit - or at least tried to.

Huffing and puffing Hiccup soon found Ethan staring on at a great tree. The bark is reddish-brown with purple tones, and peeling. While the leaves were straight and small with a needle-like appearance with a pointed tip, and coloured dark green above and green-grey below. Hiccup looked up at the great tree and back to Ethan who nodded in confirmation.

"That's a big tree," observed Hiccup, awe creeping into his voice.

"Aye."

"So how will you get up it?"

Ethan looked at Hiccup shocked. "No."

"What?"

"Your gift, your climb." Ethan answered, crossing his arms over his chest.

"What!?"

Ethan pointed and Hiccup followed his arm, to where he could spy a small branch. It seemed to be just attached to the tree, which was clearly what was needed for the bow. The only problem, of course, was getting to it. Hiccup turned back to Ethan aghast, and Ethan responded with a sly grin.

"Up ya' get." Ethan ordered.

"I'll need a lift," Hiccup stated as he marched under the branch. He gave a few test jumps to see if he could make on his own. He couldn't. "Can I have that lift?"

Ethan looked to Hiccup and back to the branch. His eyes narrowed and he muttered under his breath. Hiccup tilted his head in a mixture of confusion and frustration. Ethan looked back to Hiccup and shrugged his shoulders.

"No can do, lad." Said Ethan. "Now don't take offense - but ya' might be to heavy for me."

Hiccup scrunched his face up. "Rubbish."

Ethan held up his hands in entreaty. "No lie. Despite my muscular build I've always sucked when it comes to the cable toss."

"I might be able to help." A new voice spoke up.

Both boys turned to look upon the imposing sight of Fishlegs. Immediately Ethan was on edge, his muscles tensing up ready to spring. His eyes searched the treeline clearly looking for the other teens of Berk to show up. Hiccup glared daggers over at Fishlegs causing the larger boy to try his best to make himself seem small. Noticing the two teen's attention Fishlegs raised his hands in entreaty. Ethan sent a look over to Hiccup, who simply tightened his jaw and nodded at Ethan.

"What do you want?" Asked Hiccup, a thin venom in his voice. Something which Ethan found out of character for the shy lad. "Here to come to play some cruel trick or something?"

"No -"

"Or perhaps your here to throw a jab at Ethan here. I would recommend against it." Hiccup said, seething. Suddenly the anger seem to dissipate from him and he looked on tired at Fishlegs. "What do you want?"

"To help."

Hiccup barked out a laugh while Ethan gave him a confused look. "You want to help? And why should I believe any of that?"

"I hope I'm not interrupting," spoke up the confused Ethan, drawing the attention of the two Viking teens. "But help is help, I say we take him up on his offer Hiccup."

This could Hiccup to let out another bark of laughter, something which made poor Fishlegs jump. "Oh, sorry to keep you out of the loop here Ethan. You're probably have no idea what I'm so annoyed about, right?"

"I'm a bit confused, aye." Drawled off Ethan, his eyes looking back and forth between the two teens. "But I feel like this has dragged up something from the past."

Fishlegs sighed as Hiccup gestured to him. "I… I used to be friends with Hiccup."

"Oh," said Ethan matter-of-factly. Then the realisation kicked in. "Oh!"

"Yep!" Agreed Hiccup, his arms crossed. "Of course he decided to jump ship to the other more Viking like teens, y'know keep out of the pariah's vicinity."

"Which is why I'm here," explained Fishlegs, his voice pleading. For a second it looked as if Hiccup was going to explode but then noticing the sincere look in Fishlegs' eyes something in him seem to relent. "I noticed how happy you and Merida were over the passing days. It didn't take much to put two and two together. I guess Snotlout and gang didn't leave a good impression?"

"Nah," said Ethan. "Ya' didn't."

Fishlegs let out a tired sigh. "Yeah I thought as much. I tried to talk them over about it, but Snotlout seems intent on ruining this for you. And Astrid just says she acting on what the whole tribes thinking. So I thought I'd cut my losses and see if I could at least be of some help."

Fishlegs walked up to Hiccup, who watched him intently at each step. "Look Hiccup I know I've done something that you shouldn't forgive. But I thought if this entire things about letting bygones be bygones I thought I'd give it a try. I can understand if you don't," He let out a short laugh. "I wouldn't if I was -"

"Could you give me a lift?" Hiccup asked calmly, and the corners of Ethan's mouth jerked up into a smile. "I need to get that Yew branch to make a bow for Merida. With your knowledge, Ethan's help and my skills I think we could make a really cool bow! So could you give me a lift to get it?"

Fishlegs seemed taken back by what Hiccup said and turned to look over at Ethan. Ethan merely shrugged and Fishlegs could only nod dumbly. He wrapped his great arms around Hiccup's waist and not-so-gently tossed him into the arm. Hiccup let out a yelp of surprise and Ethan winced.

Hiccup clung to the branch and could only wince to himself as he felt the thing begin to give way under his weight. Suddenly, the world spun and Hiccup found himself aching in pain. He looked down to look that he noticed that he fallen upon Fishlegs. The poor teen had softened Hiccup's fall, and his gaze looked over to Ethan who had almost doubled over with laughter. He looked in his hands and found that he couldn't find the branch.

It then landed on his head.

"...Ow."

Fishlegs shook his head like a confused yak as Hiccup fell forward onto him. He knocked himself out, Fishlegs sighed as he took Hiccup into his arms while Ethan sobered up from his laughter. He picked up the Yew branch and looked over Hiccup's head. He moved him from side to side as he inspect his head.

"Is… is he gonna be okay?" Asked Fishlegs.

Ethan nodded. "Just a bump but let's take him back to Gobber just in case. I'll start some work on it while you and Gobber look him over."

The two teens made their way back into Berk with Fishlegs carrying Hiccup in his arms, the two of them wondering how they could explain the entire situation to Gobber. Then again, given Hiccup's luck this entire situation didn't seem to unbelievable. But just as the two of them came to the outskirts of Berk they heard the sniggering of as the burly figure of Snotlout came into view. Joined by the lanky Thorston twins. Snotlout took one look at the three and it was clear to Ethan and Fishlegs that he was looking to stroke his ego.

He pointed a meaty finger at the unconconscious Hiccup. "What happen to him? Walked into a tree? And when did you hang out with Useless, I thought you learned that lesson when you left him on his lonesome."

"Let's just say I got sick of my present company." Stated Fishlegs, his eyes narrowed in anger.

"Ooh that was good." Stated Ethan calmly.

Snotlout glowered but then calmed, clearly ready to let loose another barrage of insults. "So the baby whale made friends with good ole' Useless. How long do you guys think they next thing they touch just bursts into flames? Hopefully taking Big Nose and that stupid Princess along with them!"

That was then punctuated by cackles of laughter by the three, Fishlegs scrunched up his face in anger but Ethan merely shrugged coolly letting the laughter slide off him like rain. Snotlout fixed his gaze on the cool Highlander - clearly angered by the lack of a response.

"You and I never got to finish our talk," he grunted towards Ethan. Ethan looked over his shoulder before pointing at himself. Snotlout gritted his teeth. "Yes. You."

"Just being sure," waved off Ethan.

Snotlout made to march towards Ethan clearly to pick a fight when the sound of low horns drew everyone's attention. The group turned to the look to the ocean and could make out the sight of approaching ships. Fishlegs whimpered. And Ethan sighed - this entire trip seemed to be plagued with bad luck. They haven't even gotten back to the smithy. Snotlout and his lackeys had already ran back to the village, all thoughts of plaguing the trio forgotten. Ethan looked down at his waist only to remember he wasn't armed - though he still had the Yew branch - and with that he cursed viciously.

"Bloody hells!" He raged, he fixed his eyes on Fishlegs. "Fishlegs please tell me those ships are friendly."

"Outcasts." Gasped out Fishlegs.

"Bad Vikings?"

Fishlegs nodded. "The worst."

"Bloody great. Fantastic even."

Fishlegs looked over his shoulder at the unconscious weight of Hiccup. "We need to get Hiccup outta here!"

"We need to get outta here!"

With that the two teens sprinted to the village which now was preparing itself to defend against their own.

Alvin made out the sight of the encroaching Berk and he heard the yells of panic even from his ships. Once this would have filled him with glee, to see them all run from him. Not now. Not when he realized just how outgunned he was. The Baerguts had monsters on their side. And what did he have? A rabble of degenerates that he had to batter into a army. Or near enough.

And now he was being strong armed into attacking Berk for nothing more then a few pieces of paper. Anger rolled off of Alvin, he was the menace of the Wilderwest and yet here he was doing chores for a bunch of brats. And he was stuck between the hammer and the anvil.

He attack Berk and that would give Stoick all the reason to hunt him down. Stoick wasn't usually the vengeful sort - he wasn't a man to hunt others to the ends of the earth for bloodlust. But Alvin had shattered his trust and now with the aid of Fergus, who also had a grudge against Alvin, he would no doubt not stop until he taken Alvin's head.

Death by monster dragon or death by vengeful old faces.

Damn them all! He should've known better than to trust the Baerguts. Anyone sired by Mor'du was literally born to be vicious monster. He should've known better than to mess with their sorts. But the offer was so tempting - to be a king in his own right as long as he bowed to the Sons of Mor'du. A million thoughts raced through Alvin's mind as he thought on the future. How he could scurry he was out of this one.

Even if he got what they wanted they'd no doubt leave Alvin in the wind. Ready to get torn apart by the vengeful Vikings and Highlanders. Alvin would do the same in their position. But Alvin really disliked the idea of being bait for the Baerguts. They had their chance to rule, it was time for new blood to step up and claim the title.

As he thought a mustached marauder came up next to Alvin, the marauder's right shoulder was crowned in metal with three spikes upon, while his left appeared to be the shell of some creature. He wore a dirt-brown vest with tears and patches - which was common among the Outcast's clothing. His trousers were the color of blood and his hands seemed to be wrapped in bandages, while metal and dragon scales covered his armor.

He let out a loud guffaw, a rough cruel sound at the impeding bloodshed. "Look at 'em run Alvin."

"Savage, are the men ready?" Asked Alvin, uncaring to his second's observation. "I don't want any screw ups. We get the maps and haul as fast as we can to Black Crag."

"Of course, Alvin," said Savage in response, the man shrinking in an attempt to please Alvin.

The ships landed on the beaches and Alvin and the Outcasts threw themselves onto the beach. Steel-capped boots kicked up sand as the marauders drew blades and axes. Get the map and then get out of here. That was the plan. Alvin pointed at Savage and two other burly Outcasts. They needed to get into the Great Hall and grabbed the maps. If Alvin recalled that's where they were kept back in bad old days.

As he marched up the cliff-steps an warrior came to meet him, Alvin battered aside he blade and skewered him through the chest with a bloodthirsty roar. It was nice to lose oneself to combat, all the planning and thinking seemed to mean little when the red mist descended. A welcome relief really. Alvin grinned his bullion teeth as Outcasts went to burn houses and pillage, it would make a great distraction for the steal.

As he made it up the steps a group of warriors were ready, they were half-garbed in steel and mail. No-one saw the Outcasts coming. Stoick was getting lax, perhaps having new allies did that to a man? If so, they why did Alvin's allies make him so bloody tense? A blonde Hooligan wielding a hammer let out a garble cry to attack Alvin, and Alvin's blade ripped through his chest for his troubles. His friends gave out a cry of despair.

"You bastard!" Cried a woman with a axe and shield.

She charged forward and slid under Alvin's swing. She swung upwards with her shield but Alvin slid around the blow, and she swung out with her hammer which he parried with his rusted blade. He caught her shield with his free hand and wrenched it free off her arm. She gripped her hammer with both of her hands and swung at Alvin. One blow caught his side which dented armor and for that Alvin punched her across the face. She rose again but this time Alvin swung he didn't miss, and he took her head of her shoulders.

He looked over to notice the blood-hungry Outcasts, they hadn't attack just yet. They knew that Alvin always wanted to be the first into conflict. The first to get his blade wet. It was what caused problems between him and Stoick in the first place. Alvin nodded and with that the Outcasts spread among the village like a pack of hungry wolves - ready to kill, ready to rip.

"Burn it all lads" He roared after them, raising his bloody sword to the sky. "By the gods I say burn it all!"

It would be nice to lose himself to some bloodletting. But he had a job to do first. And if he was careful enough, he might be able to get out of this with all of his limbs attached. Something caught his gaze out of the corner of his eye, it was two teens. It shouldn't of caught his gaze as they were plenty of children among the village but for some reason it did. He narrowed his eyes and noticed the big one carrying a small runt. A small runt. What wonderful insurance, after all Stoick couldn't hunt him if he had a hostage.

And what better hostage then his own son, and a possiblity to sweeten the deal with the Baerguts. The descendant of Hiccup Haddock, the one that stole their kingdom.

Oh, this day was turning a lot for the better.

Alvin pointed at the two burly Outcasts and then to the trio. "That boy, bring him to me." The two followed his gaze before looking at one and other and sent each other bloody grins. "Kill the others!"

"What about us?" Asked Savage, taken off by the sudden change in plan. "We're getting the maps?"

"Oh yes," said Alvin, a grin across his face. "And a lot more if we play our cards right."

Alvin began to wade into the melee carving a path to the Great Hall.

A/N: Hello again, everyone! So sorry for the long wait as I got a bit sidetracked by my other stories. So here's a chapter to make up for that. Man, Hiccup unconscious and Outcasts after him - just his luck, eh? As for Merida, she'll feature more in my next chapter. I hope you all enjoyed, drop a review and have a good day!