"(M/N)!" Hiccup shouts desperately as the group lands, Gobber sighing heavily.

"Thor almighty. Guess we won't be needing this then, huh?" He mumbles, gesturing to the flimsy cage.

(M/N) rushes over as Valka lands, Hiccup helping (Y/N) down and supporting her arm on his shoulder.

"I'm fine, really!" (Y/N) tries to dismiss before hissing in pain, wrapping an arm around her waist.

"What happened?!" (M/N) frantically questions as she rushes over, looking over (Y/N) and smacking her hands away.

"I led us right into his trap," Hiccup growls to himself, shaking his head as he gently removes (Y/N)'s arm. "(Y/N) fell from high up and her back is in pain."

(M/N) unstraps some of her armor, raising the side of it before wincing sympathetically.

"Nice work, Chief." Tuffnut rolling his eyes.

"Nasty bruising all along your hip and back, and trails up your spine," (M/N) murmurs, brushing her fingers across the skin as (Y/N) yelps in pain.

"Right, Ruff?"

"I'm so sorry, (Y/N)," Hiccup sighs, shaking his head and running an aggravated hand through his hair.

(Y/N) goes to reply before pausing, noticing Tuffnut was answered with silence.

"Wait... Where is Ruffnut?" (Y/N) questions, lowering her shirt and armor as she looks around.

"We... We left her behind?!" Fishlegs gasps with wide eyes, Tuffnut slowly turning and looking at the empty saddle.

"How?!" (Y/N) demands, Astrid nodding with narrowed eyes. "I-I mean... Just how?"

"Yeah! You ride a two-headed dragon together!" Astrid agrees.

"Oh, yeah. I feel like how Ruffnut is every day," Tuffnut kicks at a rock, slouching. "Dumb."

"Odin be spanked!" Gobber yells, waving his arms in exasperation. "First the lass gets hurt, and now this? Just gets better and better."

The crowd around them murmur in agreement, Hiccup looking around before shaking his head at himself.

"I try to avoid looking at her. It gives me acid reflux," Tuffnut tries to explain.

"Okay, guys! Just... Keep your helmets on. Toothless, (D/N) and I will find her."

"What?" (Y/N) questions, raising a brow and folding her arms. "Uh, I'm coming with you."

"Not while you're hurt, you're not." Hiccup firmly replies.

"I'm fine, Hiccup!"

"You are not!"

The two stare at one another, not backing down.

"Bah! It doesn't even matter!" A Viking shouts, drawing their attention. "Toothless has the Light Fury, and (D/N) has the Sonic Angel now! They're probably not even coming back."

"What?" Hiccup questions, narrowing his eyes at the man.

"Of course they will!" (Y/N) shouts back, shaking her head in denial.

"You... Gave them their freedom, guys." Astrid softly calls from behind them. "What were you expecting?"

"I never thought they would stay away for good!" Hiccup replies, gesturing to the distance as he looks over at her. "I-I..."

(Y/N) was unable to respond to Astrid, sighing as she lightly touches Hiccup's arm.

He quickly moves away, shaking his head and avoiding looking at her as he starts to walk away.

"I'll figure it out. I just need more time." Hiccup's voice comes out barely a whisper as he drops his helmet, walking away from the group.

(Y/N) watches him walk away dejected, Astrid joining her and patting her shoulder sympathetically. Valka sighs softly, approaching (Y/N) and standing at her side with (M/N).

"Hiccup will come around," Astrid tries to cheer her up. She smiles for a moment before frowning. "He just needs to cool off."

It was quiet for a moment, some Vikings murmuring in the back before carrying on.

"He thinks he failed you," Valka speaks quietly, a gentleness to her voice. "That... Because you got hurt he is unworthy of you and your help. He thinks he has to lead alone. Because his father had to."

"Together you two are a force that cannot be destroyed," (M/N) nods, taking (Y/N)'s hand and lightly patting it.

"He knows this. But..." Valka sighs, shaking her head. "He doubts himself too much." Valka pauses for a moment. "Do you still believe in him?"

"Always," (Y/N) responds without hesitation, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword. "I just wish he believed in himself, too."

"He thinks he's nothing without Toothless," Astrid sighs, gesturing to the direction he walked off in. "So, it's up to you to help him see the truth," she finishes, grinning at (Y/N).

"I agree," Valka smiles, lightly setting her hand on (Y/N)'s shoulder for a moment before turning and walking away.

"Take Malin," (M/N) urges softly, making (Y/N) look back at her. "Find Toothless and (D/N) if you can. Help Hiccup see he isn't alone."

Astrid smiles, jerking her head towards Hiccup before walking away to tend to Stormfly, (M/N) joining Valka.

...

Hiccup sighs heavily, both hands behind his head as he paces around. He jumps as Malin lands in front of him, (Y/N) on her back and smiling at him.

"Come on."

"What?" Hiccup questions, raising a brow and tilting his head.

"We're going to find them." (Y/N) responds, holding his mask out to him.

Hiccup slowly smiles, taking his mask. She then offers her hand, wincing lightly as she helps him on, making him cringe before settling on Malin.

Malin lets out a roar, catching the attention of the others as she hovers in the air.

"Everybody stay put," Hiccup orders, looking down at them.

"We'll find (D/N) and Toothless and get Ruffnut back, I promise," (Y/N) nods before yelling, Malin chirping and taking off.

"So, don't worry!" Hiccup manages to finish, holding on as they fly off.

"Worry?" Tuffnut snickers, shaking his head as he sets his hands on his hips. "If they're stuck with Ruffnut, I'm more worried about them." He laughs with a smirk.

...

Grimmel looks over his plans with an irritated expression, Ruffnut's head resting between the bars of her cage and her hands dangling besides it.

"Why the long face?" She questions before cackling. "I mean, mine's long. But yours is really long. All face and no brain. Like you got stretched at birth. Do you have a twin, too?" She rambles, the Deathgrippers hissing in annoyance.

"Tuffnut took up all the room in Mom's belly. Otherwise I'd have a rounder head and more brains."

Ruffnut continues, without pausing to take a breath. A baby Nadder whimpers as the Deathgrippers stare hungrily at it, backing away.

"That's science."

Grimmel growls under his breath, slamming his pencil down. Ragnar and Chaghatai Khan share a look, not used to seeing Grimmel lose his cool.

"My braids are like little Zipplebacks, see?" Ruffnut imitates roaring as she plays with her braids, sitting crossed-legged on the floor. "Even the mold spots look like eyes, it's so cute. They have little horns and everything, just like Barf and Belch. Except me and Barf can't stand Belch, so they're really just Barfs. It's warm in here."

Ruffnut takes in a breath, rising and wiping sweat from her brow as she walks to the front of the cage. She lounges against it, smirking at Grimmel.

"I know what you're thinking." Grimmel boredly looks up from his plans, his eye twitching. "You've never had a prisoner this hot."

Ruffnut snickers, plopping herself down and leaning against the cage.

"All the boys love me. Except Hiccup, 'cause he's all (Y/N)'s." Ruffnut waves her hand dismissively. "Eret doesn't either. He totally lost his his chance. That shipped has sailed, boy. Sorry!"

She waves her arms around, "and Hiccup is already practically married to that perfect-head (Y/N), so double no-no."

Grimmel exhales heavily, attempting to calm himself as he writes. He fails, the pencil snapping from his grip as Ruffnut continues speaking.

"But Snotlout and Fishlegs, they're basically my harem. I just can't choose, you know?"

Ruffnut rhetorically says as she swings upside down in the cage.

"Snotlout's a beefcake, but almost too pretty, you know? Sometimes I think he's more in love with himself than me."

A Deathgripper growls as she walks closer, backing away as she leans on the cage.

"There's only room for one beauty in this relationship." Ruffnut smirks, flicking her braid behind her shoulder dramatically. "Fishlegs would keep me alive longer if I had to eat one of them stranded on some glacier somewhere."

The baby Nadder backs away in fear, anxiously looking around as Ruffnut speaks to it.

"But he never shuts up about dragons. Don't you hate when people never stop talking?"

"Yes. I. Do." Grimmel lowly says as he turns to her as she continues rambling.

"They just keep going and going." Ruffnut rolls her eyes, swinging on the top of the cage once more. "Blah, blah, blah. It's so boring."

"Can't we just feed her to your dragons?" The woman demands, her irritation high.

"I'm hungry." Ruffnut whines. "Hey, what do you have to eat around here? I'm allergic to fish. You should know that. That's all they have on that stupid new island."

Grimmel perks up, his gaze shifting upwards as he side-eyes the girl.

"Do you have any clams? They're like, little mouths with slimy food inside that's already chewed," Ruffnut laughs, gesturing with her hand. "Like the way Mom used to do it."

"Enough!" Grimmel snaps, slamming his hands down and shoving everything from his desk in a rage.

The Deathgrippers back away in submission, one avoiding his pencil as it lands in the beam besides it.

"--until I turned twelve and she was like, 'chew your own food'. And I was like, 'no, I kinda like it'."

Grimmel slowly drags a hand down his face, walking over to the cage and opening it. "Most annoying creature ever to cross my path!"

"Aw!" Ruffnut grins, swaying lightly as she strokes her braids.

It was quiet for a moment before Ruffnut waves the end of her braids towards Grimmel's face.

"Oops. You let the dragons out!" She lightly smacks him with her braids. "I'm gonna get you, I'm gonna get you!"

Grimmel holds his hand up, growling in anger as Ruffnut cackles and backs away. He walks over and opens the baby Nadder's cage, making it squeak in fear.

"Take him and go! Please. I beg you," Grimmel sighs, jerking his hands around as the Nadder slowly walks out towards Ruffnut. "The Deathgrippers will have to forgo dinner."

"Ew. You feed your dragons dragons?" Ruffnut questions, gently petting the Nadder as he chirps and nuzzles into her.

"Go!" Grimmel shouts.

"Where's your bathroom? I gotta..." Ruffnut clicks her tongue, pointing to the floor.

Grimmel spins and glares at her, making her jump.

"Okay! Gods. No wonder you have gray hair," she mumbles, putting on her helmet and climbing on the Nadder. "Stress is not good for you." Ruffnut cackles as the Nadder starts flying off, "so long, losers!"

Grimmel slowly turns, smirking as he watches her.

...