It had been weeks since the riders returned to Berk, and while the initial celebrations had subsided, a peculiar restlessness settled over the twins. Their usual mischief felt…uninspired. They craved a new outlet for their destructive energies.
Just as they were considering escalating their pranks to a new level, Hiccup called for a riders’ meeting in the arena.
“What’s this about?” Snotlout grumbled, already yawning. “Hookfang and I were enjoying our afternoon nap.”
Hiccup grinned. “That’s exactly why I called you all here. We’ve all been…restless.” He paused, letting the sentiment sink in. “I have a mission.”
“What kind of mission?” Astrid asked, her voice sharp with curiosity.
Hiccup took a deep breath. “Toothless and I were flying yesterday, and…well, we got a little carried away. We pushed further than we usually do.”
“Get to the point, Hiccup,” Ruffnut rolled her eyes. “My patience is wearing thin.”
Hiccup frowned, shortening his explanation. “We found a new island.” He’d waited, he explained, until they could all explore it together.
Fishlegs’ eyes lit up. “Oh, how interesting! I wonder what kind of dragons we’ll find.”
A satisfied grin spread across Hiccup’s face. “Alright, let’s head out as soon as we’re ready.”
Within an hour, the riders soared through the sky. Tuffnut was practically vibrating with excitement; exploring new territories was his favorite part of being a dragon rider. The only thing he dreaded on this trip was…
“Hey, Ruffnut,” Snotlout called, executing a looping maneuver with Hookfang. He traced a heart shape in the air with smoke.
Both twins cringed as Snotlout blew a kiss towards Ruffnut. She stuck her tongue out in disgust. “I think I’m going to be sick.”
“You’re sick?” Fishlegs swooped in unexpectedly. “I could list herbs that’ll help you feel better.”
Ruffnut rolled her eyes as Fishlegs launched into a detailed lecture about medicinal plants. Tuffnut rolled his eyes too, but for a different reason. It wasn’t just the relentless courtship displays. Hiccup and Astrid’s constant couple-y moments, Fishlegs and Snotlout now vying for his sister’s attention…it felt like he was trapped in a swirling vortex of gooey romance.
He wasn’t sure if it was annoyance or something else. No one had ever shown *him* that kind of attention, and the realization stung. It wasn't a comfortable feeling.
“Oh my Thor, is that the island?” Fishlegs gasped after a long stretch of flying.
Hiccup nodded, a proud smile playing on his lips. “I was thinking of calling it Crescent Island.”
⇧ The new island ⇧
The island truly did resemble a crescent moon. “Perfect,” Astrid approved.
“Woah,” Snotlout breathed, awestruck. “This place looks like paradise!”
The five dragons landed on one of the crescent’s points. Hiccup pulled out his spyglass and began scanning the terrain. The others dispersed to explore the surrounding area.
“The ground is some sort of crumbly rock formation,” Fishlegs observed, breaking off a piece and crushing it in his hand.
Tuff furrowed his eyebrows and crossed his arms. “No, I’m pretty sure it’s sand.”
“Not that,” Fishlegs sighed, pointing to the darker earth. “This.”
“Oh,” Tuffnut responded, defending himself. “You should’ve been more specific.”
“Guys, come over here,” Hiccup called, still peering through his spyglass.
Astrid was the first to join him. “What is it?”
Hiccup lowered the glass momentarily, squinted, then raised it again. “I see something flying over there,” he explained, “but I don’t think it’s a dragon.”
“Flying yak rats?” Tuffnut asked excitedly.
Hiccup ignored him and handed the spyglass to Astrid. She gasped softly. “Are those people?”
“Great,” Snotlout muttered sarcastically. “Another tribe of flying people who are going to try to eat us.”
“Snotlout, the wing maidens weren’t going to eat you,” Astrid explained, handing the glass to Fishlegs. “It was all a misunderstanding, remember?”
“…Shut up, Astrid,” Snotlout grumbled.
Fishlegs peered through the glass. “Yeah, those are people, for sure,” he confirmed. “But I don’t think they’re actually flying…they only seem to be gliding.”
Tuffnut, bored with the conversation, wandered towards a small forest. The trees were sparse and stunted, but as he ventured deeper, the woods grew thicker.
“Huh?” He hummed, noticing a large footprint in the soft earth. It was round, with four short talon marks. Before he could react, a dragon lunged from behind a bush, growling ferociously and closing the distance between them.