Chapter 4

Hazel, Astrid and Heather made their way to the Dragon Trappers. Meanwhile on the ship, Eret was fuming with anger that the Dragon Riders and their dragons had escaped. He was a dead man if he returned to Drago empty-handed. He returned to the top deck while his men were setting up their weapons. Eret then thought back on the two women: Hazel and Astrid. He had to admit, that Hazel girl was a beautiful young woman. If she were a dragon hunter and not a dragon rider, then maybe, just maybe, he would woo her. However, since she was an enemy, Eret decided to just leave it. He respected her guts! Oh well, another world, another time.

Luck would have it when the Dragon Riders coming across their domain again.

"Keep your eyes peeled, lads! With this wind, we'll reach Drago by daybreak, so best we fill this ship up with dragons and quick! It's no time to be picky. Not if we want to keep our…"

"Uh... Eret?" Ug called to his Captain. Eret stopped and looked in the direction one of his men was looking at. He saw the two girls and their dragons again, however, he saw that there was another dragon Rider with Astrid and Hazel. It looked as if it were a Razorwhip.

" HEADS! OFF THE PORT QUARTER!" Eret shouted. "Net `em, lads! Take `em down!" He narrowed at Hazel.

"You're not getting away this time, love," said Eret. As the nets were lifted into the air, Hazel has Toothless plasma blast them as Stormfly and Windshear outmaneuvered the other two. Hey landed on the deck as Hazel saw the smug look in Eret's eyes.

"And here I was worried we might turn up empty-handed," responded the Dragon Trapper. "Welcome back ladies, along with your friends," said Eret.

Astrid took her ax out, ready for a fight. However, Hazel forces Astrid and Heather to lower their axes.

"Nope. It's your lucky day. We give up," Hazel said, she put her hands up to show they were not armed. Eret's crew, Heather and Astrid gave her looks as if the girl had grown a second head. "That's one Night Fury, one Deadly Nadder, one Razorwhip, and..." She dismounted Toothless and tossed a net over Heather and Astrid. "Three of the finest dragon riders west of Luk Tuk. That oughtta make the boss happy, right?"

Hazel took Astrid and Heather's axes and handed then to Eret. She grabbed her best friends' arms, ignoring their protests. "Excuse us."

"What are you doing?" Astrid snapped as she, Heather and Hazel climbed down the ladder and into the cellar. Toothless attempted to enter. Toothless attempted to follow but Hazel stopped him.

"Toothless, stay," said Hazel, and she was ignoring Windshear and Stormfly. "The dragons don't really care for cramped spaces, so they'll just hang out with you. They won't be any trouble."

Toothless growled as the hunters pointed their weapons.

"Unless you do that. Wooden boat, big ocean. How's your swimming?" Hazel asked.

"Not good," admitted No One. The girl took her flame sword and let the flames erupt from the well. Hazel came up the grate.

"Oops. Almost forgot. Can't have armed prisoners!" Hazel cried.

"How is this a plan?" Heather asked Astrid but she just shook her head. She was wondering what the heck her sister was up to. She threw it up between the bars. The trapper nearby took the sword and looked it over. Suddenly, he hit a button that expelled green gas.

"Just what every dragon trapper needs," said Hazel. "One end coats the blade in Monstrous Nightmare saliva. The other sprays Hideous Zippleback gas. All it takes is a spark and…" The man holding Inferno clicked on the lighter and soon, they ignited the gas. luckily Hazel ducked down before she could inhale the Zippleback gas. She came up when it was clear.

" Oh, yeah, there you go," she exclaimed as Toothless played at the embers. "Once they see you as one of their own, even the testiest dragons can be trained, right, bud?" Toothless gurgled in response.

"Give me that!" Eret yelled, snatching the dragon blade from his man and threw it across the ship and into the sea, but Stormfly bolted for it. Eret glared at Hazel. "What game are you playing, love?"

"No game. We just want to meet Drago," Hazel answered.

Stormfly returned in a flash, dropping it at Eret's feet like a fetching dog, tongue wagging. Eret annoyed, threw it into the air and Stormfly and Windshear retrieved it.

"Why?" asked Eret.

Hazel opened the grate and sat on the ledge as her skirt split so she was not sitting in her spikes. Astrid and Heather popped up.

"Because I'm going to change his mind about dragons."

Eret and his crew laughed at the heir to Berk's throne.

"You know, you're very beautiful, love," Eret admitted while Hazel's eyebrow was raised, "but a lovely lass like you thinking you can change Drago's mind? Impossible!"

"My sister can be really persuasive," said Astrid.

"Ask Viggo Grimborn," Heather added, popping her head up as well

"Viggo Grimborn? The Dragon hunter?" asked Eret.

"Seriously, if I can change his, then I can do Drago's as well," said Hazel, but none of the men took her seriously. "Once you've earned his loyalty, there is nothing a dragon won't do for you."

"Puh! You won't be changing any minds around here, love," Eret said.

"I can change yours. Right here. Right now." She straightened her spiked skirt out while setting up Toothless' tail. "May I?"

Before Hazel could get on Toothless, something grabbed her by the talons and lifted her up in the air.

"Dragon riders!" Eret screamed. Hazel, meanwhile, was screaming in anger. She noticed that it was her stupid cousin who ordered Hookfang to snatch her. Toothless ran up, growling at the dragon attacking his mistress. However, he relaxed when he saw their familiar faces.

"Put me down! Snotlout!" Hazel shouted.

"Sorry, no can do, little cousin," Snotlout said with a smirk.

Hazel hissed. "What are you doing?"

She noticed that her cousin was only doing this to impress Ruffnut.

"See how well I protect and provide?" Snotlout asked as Ruffnut grumbled in annoyance. Honestly, Hazel couldn't help but agree that Snotlout was being both stubborn and annoying. However, she couldn't stay distracted by Snotlout's stupid flirtatious efforts for long. Hazel flipped upside down in Hookfang's talons and quickly took out the wings of her flight suits. Meanwhile, Eret watched with utter amazement. Miss Hazel Haddock was a different kind of woman. One he had never seen before. See, he didn't want to fire on them because he was distracted by her beauty and actions. What a woman.

Hazel slid down on the sail of the ship and right next to Toothless.

"WHAT ARE YOU GUYS DOING HERE?!" Hazel shouted. Gobber, Grump, Viggo, Alvin and the other dragon riders landed on deck.

"We're here to RESCUE you!" Gobber exclaimed.

"We didn't need to be rescued!" Hazel shouted.

"ENOUGH!" Stoick shouted. He landed with Skullcrusher. Hazel saw that her father was more furious than she had ever seen him.

"You're just too stubborn to give up, aren't you?" Viggo asked her, rather calmly. However, Hazel could see that he was extremely upset with how she handled the situation.

"You know me by now, Viggo," Hazel hissed, and looked up at her father. "I never give up."

"Well, didn't you just pick the wrong ship, eh? I am Eret, son of -" Eret began. Stoick shoved him away and sent him down to Grump who immediately jumped on the dragon hunter at his master's command.

"Get... this... thing... off... me!" Eret shouted but he was ignored. Gobber turned to the other crewmen.

"Anyone else?" Alvin said, gesturing to his Whispering Death. However, the Vikings put their swords down on the ground, effectively scaring them. "That's what I figured."

"You!" he shouted to his two daughters. "Saddle up. We're going home."

"No." Hazel snapped.

"Of all the irresponsible ..."

"I'm trying to protect our dragons and stop a war! How is that irresponsible?

" BECAUSE WAR IS WHAT HE WANTS, DAUGHTER!"

"What are you taking about?" Hazel asked, looking for the answer.

Stoick realized he couldn't keep the secret any more. He looked around to Gobber, Viggo and Alvin, the only ones to hear this story. And the kids had a right to know. The chief of Berk let out a sigh and began his grim tale

"Years ago, there was a great gathering of chieftains to discuss the dragon scourge we all faced. Into our midst came a stranger from a strange land, covered in scars and draped in a cloak of dragon skin. He carried no weapon and spoke softly, saying that he, Drago Bludvist, was a man of the people, devoted to freeing mankind from the tyranny of dragons. He claimed that he alone could control the dragons and that he alone could keep us safe, if we chose to bow down and follow him."

Suddenly, Snotlout, Fishlegs, and the Twins snickered. Everyone looked at them, just laughing at the story like a bunch of immature children.

"Stupid," Ruffnut muttered.

"Good one," Tuffnut commented. However, he didn't expect Viggo to slap him on the side of his head. The Thorston boy rubbed his head. "Ouch. What was that for?"

"We laughed, too, Tuffnut," Stoick said grimly. "Until he wrapped himself in his cloak and cried out, 'Then see how well you do without me!" The rooftop suddenly burst into flames, and from it, armored dragons descended, burning the hall to the ground. I... was to only one to escape."

Hazel saw her father's dark expression and then she saw the twins, Snotlout, and Fishlegs exchange spooked glances, no longer finding it hilarious.

"Men who kill without reason cannot be reasoned with.

"Maybe," said Hazel. She turned to Toothless.

"Hazel..."

"I'm still going to try!" She mounted on Toothless. "This is what I'm good at. And if I could change your mind... I can change his, too," Hazel turned from her father and got onto Toothless. She whispered to him to take off as Stoick shouted for Hazel to come back.

"What a woman!" Eret said. That girl, Hazel has fighting spirit. Viggo overheard him and responded with a kick to the side. Meanwhile, Astrid too took off on her dragon and followed Hazel.

"ASTRID!" Stoick yelled at his adopted daughter, but she was already out of earshot. Heather went up to follow.

"Let's go!"

"NO! I've had enough mutiny for one day." Stock shouted.

Dagur grabbed his sister's arm and dragged her down. "You're going back to Berk with Snotlout. I've got one sister gone; I don't need another." Heather glared and pouted.

"Dagur, Mala, lead the others back to Berk." He gestured to the King and Queen of the defenders of the Wing while he, Alvin and Gobber flew to retrieve the lost daughters of Berk.