Me, Astrid and the twins sat on the opposite side of the table to Mala and Dagur. We were on the Defenders of the Wing Island and were explaining about Trader Johann being a massive di- sorry, sorry, a massive traitor. Anyway, Dagur and Mala were not too fond of each other, to say the least. I guess my theory about them being in a storybook romance was wrong.

"Once Hiccup arrives with Atali, we've got to figure out a strategy to deal with the Flyers and now, Johann." Astrid explained. "Until then, we have to find a safe place to keep the Dragon Eye Lenses."

"Might I suggest we place them inside our volcano? It's far from the easiest location to access." Mala suggested.

Dagur just laughed. "Inside an active volcano? That's what you're proposing?"

"Actually that's a good idea." I spoke up. "We already know that the Dragon Eye can withstand an incredulous amount of heat. Plus, we have the Eruptodon and Spike, so it's easy to get in and out."

"Well, what happens when, you know, it erupts?" Dagur asked as if we hadn't thought about this.

"If it erupts, we have the Eruptodon to manage its lava flow." Mala told him, not caring for his attitude.

"'If,' 'when,' same thing really. And you're sure your 'Great Protector' can handle a full-scale eruption?" Dagur pressed, earning himself a death glare. "Of course, you're not. Berserker Island is the obvious choice. Our Berserker guards-"

"Allowed a coup to take place right under their noses. I do have that correct, right?"

Oof, Mala shut that down real quick.

"This one thinks she's got it all figured out." Dagur laughed crazily and stood up. "But she really has nothing figured out!"

The twins and I watched the entertainment while eating popcorn.

"Okay, let's just all calm down for a second." Astrid spoke up.

"I'm calm!" Dagur yelled and the twins flipped the popcorn brown and hugged each other in fear. Fishlegs froze and I hid behind Astrid.

"Do I not look calm?" He asked and sat back down when realizing that we were scared. "I mean, I'm not crazy. It's her, right? I mean, look at me."

Astrid, Fishlegs and shared a look.

"We got this." Fishlegs told us and got up. "Meatlug, drop spin." Meatlug spun, dragging her tail and creating a circle in the dirt. "This is what I like to call 'common ground.' Won't you join me?"

"Isn't that how you protect yourself from sea bears?" I thought aloud and tilted my head.

"That's a myth." Astrid said monotonously.

"That's what they said about the Lycanwing."

"Which was a myth to scare people away from finding the Dragon Eye lens."

"Or the Lycanwing was real and just died a long time ago." I argued and she just sighed.

"Whatever, just go take the lenses to your Green Death until these two sort out their issues." Astrid told me and watched said people pushing each other out of the circle.

"How do you know about Jade?" I asked suspiciously.

"You fall asleep while drawing." She said and gave me the satchel of lenses.

"I still think it would make more sense to give them to Bruno or Sheldon." I began seriously, shrugging off the fact that she knew more about me than I did.

"Talk to your boyfriend." She shrugged.

"You're only saying that because I'm bothered that he's currently on an island full of gorgeous and talented women." I narrowed my eyes at the thought.

"Yet he's engaged to you." Astrid reminded me.

"Right. Worst case scenario, I have to blind him to ensure our future." I nodded and whistled for Spike.

* * *

"Okay, suitable back dragons. Gronckle - too heavy, Nadder - not enough feet, Monstrous Nightmare - still not enough feet. A Flightmare?"

"Rrrrg,"

"Right, might get accidentally paralyzed. A Zippleback would be good, plus you'd have two other heads to see attacks. The secreting explosive gas is problematic though. Triple Strike would be cool but might claw your arms off. Urgh! Why is this so hard?!"

"Rraagg rrrr."

"I am not trying to turn myself into a Wingmaiden to seem more attractive so I don't lose Hiccup! ...do you think it would work?"

Spike slapped me with one of his earfins.

"Well, excuse me mister 'coolest dragon to ever exist' but some of us don't live up to certain beauty expectations." I sighed and lay back in the saddle. "All I need is a blind baby dragon with big wings and-...ok, we're making a quick stop at the edge."

* * *

"I'm telling you, this is a great idea." I said and strapped Hrungnir to my back.

Spike rolled his eyes at me.

"Hrungnir agrees with me, don't you buddy?" There was a muffled sound as the baby Sentinel was under my hair. "Explains why they all have their hair up." I shrugged and quickly gave myself a side braid. "Okay, better?"

"Rrrraghhh!"

"Great! Let's drop these lenses off!" I chirped and got on Spike. "We can do some flying lessons when we're not carrying the fate of the war in my saddlebag."

* * *

Spike changed to a Screaming Death as we entered the volcano, home to the Green Death and brute dragons. We landed on the path Spike had made long ago and for once I realized I had no idea how the heck I was gonna call Jade.

"Oh, right. Screaming Death, duh." I said to myself and turned to Spike.

Spike screamed at about 30% volume, any more would have made the mountain start to crumble. The brute dragons slunk out of their caves and slowly a big green head emerged from the lava. Eventually, I was face to face with six eyes and I waved awkwardly. It's awkward when your boyfriend kills your friend's boyfriend.

"Hey, I need to hide something in here if that's okay with you guys?" I asked and Thunder waddled over and bumped my leg. "Hey buddy, you know a good spot for this?" I questioned and held out the satchel. Thunder took it from me and walked off somewhere, hopefully not tossing the lenses in the lava. Although that would make life a lot easier.

"Spike, maybe you could go get Jade some fish?" I suggested and my dragon rolled his eyes and flew off. It's true that Jade was free to roam the island, now that the war was over, but I assumed that chilling in lava was a force of habit.

Hrungnir squawked and I noticed the rest of the brutes sniffing him. Being brilliant (or so I told myself), I pulled the little Sentinel off of me and gave him to Buffy the Buffalord to be licked. Hrungnir was not amused and kept whining while I laughed.

"At least you didn't have to drink that stuff." I told him and waved away Snip-Snap-Snit-Snat the Snaptrapper, who was snapping at me.

Suddenly the heavens opened up and it started raining fish. I ducked into a small cave to avoid getting fished. Jade was pleased as she just stood there with her mouth open. The other brutes ran around, trying to get free food; while Hrungnir was continuously being taken out by fish. The storm passed and I had a brief flashback to when Barf & Belch filled Hiccup's hut with fish in gratitude and started laughing.

Spike landed next to me and spat a fish at me.

"Hey! Not cool!"

* * *

I walked up to Astrid who was watching Mala and Dagur yell at each other in the dark.

"I take it's not going well?" I asked and she briefly glanced at me. Choosing to not ask about Hrungnir on my back.

"They are refusing to talk to each other and are using Fishlegs as Terror Mail." She explained.

"I've been leading-"

"This girl-"

"the-"

"thinks-"

"Defenders of the-"

"that she has-"

"Wing-"

"been in-"

"for-"

"more battles-"

"years-"

"than me?"

"now."

"I mean look at me, I'm battle-hardened."

"Alright, okay!" Fishlegs attempted to calm them which was futile. "I understand what you're saying. Dagur, Mala wants you to know that she's been through more conflicts than you have hairs on your head."

"Oh, this is not gonna go well." I said and sucked air through my teeth.

"Oh, my hairline!" Dagur's eye twitched. "Really? Oh, well, um, sorry, it was on my father's side. You can tell Miss Conquest over there that although she hopes her plan works, hope is, in fact, not a strategy!"

"He's actually got a point there." I muttered. Somehow Mala heard me and I made the sign of the cross over me.

"Ugh!"

"I think she heard you." Fishlegs said to Dagur.

"They are standing less than a Gronckle away from each other." Astrid commented.

"Hope is instrumental-

"Hope is not a strategy."

"to keeping-"

"Hope-"

"morale-"

"is not a strategy."

"high, if you knew-"

"Hope-"

"anything!"

"is not a strategy. Infinity!"

"Oof, he pulled the infinity card." I shook my head.

The Twins proceeded to pull Fishlegs away as Dagur and Mala continued to argue.

"Fishlegs, Fishlegs, Fishlegs. Obviously, mediation isn't your forte." Tuff told him.

"Obvi." Ruff agreed. "What you need are professionals."

"And it just so happens that Ruff and I have mediated every Thorston family squabble, since before we could talk." Tuff explained and we gave him a look. "Yeah, we did a couple in the old womb. Don't you worry. We'll have this situation under control before you can say -"

"Tightrope." Ruff said.

"Tight, what?" Fishlegs repeated.

* * *

"Tightrope!" Ruff yelled.

The twins had strung up a rope up high from two trees and placed Mala and Dagur on it with spears.

"The first one to knock the other off the rope wins!" Tuff told them.

"Tightrope, tightrope, tightrope, tightrope." Ruff chanted as the two swung at each other.

"Uh, do you two even know what 'mediation' means?" Astrid asked them.

"I'm leaving before this gets weird... er." I said and left with Spike and Hrungnir. I hadn't made it that far when I heard Astrid groan.

* * *

"This is a bad idea." Astrid told me as Hrungnir began flapping his wings.

"It's either make sure I don't die or explain to Hiccup as to how Mala and Dagur tragically died in a lava obstacle course." I responded and she shook her head. "I'll take that as a 'helping me'." Hrungnir flapped his wings harder and I slowly hovered above the ground. "See, easy."

Astrid threw a pebble which bounced off Hrungnir's back and he panicked and started spinning until we fell out of the air.

"Why would you do that?" I groaned.

"To see what would happen." She grinned and helped me up.

"Wow, thank you." I said sarcastically and rolled my eyes.

"Okay, forward. Carefully, carefully. No, no, no. Don't go left." We heard Mala say and watched anxiously as a blindfolded Dagur stumbled away from the lava.

"Oh, oh! Oh."

"This can't be working." I said to no one in particular as Dagur wasn't purposefully pushed in.

"Okay, next test!" Ruff announced and led us to a cliff where Mala was blindfolded this time. Mala then fell backwards off the cliff where she was caught by Dagur and Sleuther.

"Caught you, Mala." Dagur grinned. "Not as bony as I thought you were."

"Uh, oh..." Astrid and I said in unison.

"What did you say?" She asked.

"Kidding! Kidding." He laughed nervously and they dismounted.

Dagur and Mala looked at each other bashfully and I knew where this was heading.

"I can't believe this is actually working." Astrid shook her head.

"Can you believe that this is actually working?" Tuff said to his sister, just a few feet away from us.

"I think it's working a little too well." I commented.

"I mean, that is the dumbest thing we've ever come up with." Ruff went on.

"They're eating it up." Tuff nodded.

"I'm going back for seconds." She agreed.

In the distance, I heard wings flapping and spotted a Terrible Terror heading at us. With the heads up, I was able to duck so that the tiny dragon hit Fishlegs in the face instead of me.

"Ugh, the face. It's always the face." He grumbled, removing the dragon and taking the note. "Oh, no. The Dragon Flyers have attacked Wingmaiden Island."

My adrenaline sparked and I was already on Spike while Astrid called the lovebirds.

"Mala! Dagur! Hiccup's in trouble."

* * *

We got there in time to see Snotlout do something stupid but awesome. "You want this? Come and get it." Snotlout then sprouted wings and flew off with Krogan not far behind.

"Oh, great." Hiccup said monotonously from inside a cage.

"About that..." I said awkwardly, appearing with Spike and a tiny dragon on my back.

"Honestly, I'm surprised it took you this long." He grinned and I laughed, then opened the door.

A girl I believe called 'Minden' then came in riding Hookfang and taking out dragon flyers.

"Was not expecting that." I shrugged.

"Agreed, but we better go help Snotlout." Hiccup told me and I nodded.

We quickly caught up with Snotlout and luckily just in time to see his awesome idea. "Now!" He yelled and the Wingmaidens whistled, causing their baby Razorwhips to fly to the Flyers, grab them and carry them off.

Snotlout laughs at his success which was short-lived as Krogan appeared.

"Oh, no. This is gonna hurt. Oh, no!"

Hiccup and Toothless removed Krogan from his dragon, while Spike and I grabbed Snotlout and got him out of immediate danger.

"Huh?"

"Love the tiny dragon, I got one too." I grinned and pulled him up behind me. Hrungnir turned his head and squawked at Snotlout and the Razorwhip.

We all watched in awe as the falling Krogan was rescued by his Singetail.

"What the Thor was that?!" Snotlout yelled.

"It looks like Krogan and his Singetail have some sort of bond." Hiccup frowned, appearing beside us.

Krogan and his Singetail came back into the fight, only to get blasted by Sleuther.

"Get ready to fire from the side!" Mala ordered.

"On your command, Mala." Dagur replied.

Krogan's Singetail fired at Sleuther.

"Roll, dragon, roll! Now!" Mala said and Sleuther did so, then returned fire at Krogan.

"Hey, Krogan!" I yelled with an evil grin. "Wanna see a Screaming Death?"

Krogan growled at me and looked around to see his Flyers being taken out. Smartly choosing to retreat.

"We make a pretty good team!" Dagur and Mala said at the same time.

"Jinx!" Dagur yelled.

"Jinx?" Mala repeated, confused.

"I can't believe we ever argued." Dagur laughed.

"Nor can I, Dagur the Deranged." She smiled and touched his arm.

"'Deranged.'" He laughed. "It sounds so royal when she says it."

"Obviously."

* * *

"These will be safe here." Minden told us after I retrieved the lenses from Thunder and she had put them in a sacred hiding place.

"You still quitting?" Snotlout asked her.

"My judgment isn't the best. I've proven that these past hours." Minden sighed and looked down sadly.

"Nonsense!" Atali exclaimed and grabbed her arms. "Are you overeager? Yes. Reckless? Yes. But so was I. You're a Wingmaiden. And your resolve will make you a great leader someday."

"I ship it." I told Astrid who rolled her eyes.

* * *

We were on our way back to the edge, Snotlout looking worriedly at Hiccup like he was gonna be in trouble. I had no idea what had happened but Snotlout had been ridiculously brave back there so he probably wanted to make up for something.

"I know what you're gonna say. Somehow this is all my fault." Snotlout told Hiccup.

"Actually, Snotlout, you stepped up and helped Minden. You're a valuable member of our tribe." Hiccup responded honestly.

"So next time you have an important job, you'll-"

"You have to fight Astrid for it." Hiccup said.

Astrid smiled and cracked her knuckles.

"Yeah. You know what? I'm good. I'm great. You got it, Astrid." Snotlout laughed awkwardly. "All good here. All good, baby."

* * *

"This seems like a bad idea."  Hiccup told me as Hrungnir hovered me off the ground.

"Why does everyone keep saying that." I frowned. "At least I know that you won't hurt me. And if you want bad ideas, talk to the twins about sending Dagur blindfolded around a pit of lava. Or sending Mala blindfolded over a cliff."

He just looked at me, slightly confused but not surprised. "And, uh, why exactly were they doing this?"

"Building trust between the two." I explained. "Okay, Hrungnir, lean left for left and right for right. Got it?"

"Rrragghhh!"

"Did it work?" Hiccup pressed.

"Yeah, actually it worked a little too well. They keep making that gooey look that you make." I said and leaned to my left and ended up going right. "Other left! Other left!"

"Rrraghh!"

"I'm not mad, I just don't want to go over the cliff!"

"Remind me why we're doing this next to a cliff?" Hiccup asked.

"If you can chuck yourself off a cliff with a piece of fabric on your back, I can chuck myself off a cliff with a tiny dragon on my back."

"Are you going to use that against me for the rest of our lives?"

"Yes, yes I am."