We've Found It

The Breaking Point

Kania's POV

We arrived back on New Berk by early morning. The fog was especially thick this morning, much like the fog in our minds full of doubts and worries.

"Thor almighty! Guess we won't be needing this then?" Gobber remarks as we land in the center of the village.

"I led us right into his trap..." Hiccup responds, a sombre feeling radiating off him. Anyone could see he was deeply troubled.

"Yeah nice work chief, right Ruff?" Tuffnut comments, I swear I've never seen anyone go pale that fast in my life. Tuff looks to his right with wide eyes, looking for his should-be-here twin.

"Wait. Where is Ruffnut?" Hiccup questions, looking around.

"We left her behind?!" Fishlegs scampers about frantically.

"How could you not notice she was missing? You ride a two-headed dragon!" Astrid points out.

"Ooh yeah, I feel like how Ruffnut is every day. Dumb." Tuffnut slouches and zones out.

"Odin be spanked! This just keeps getting better and better!" Gibber proclaims.

"Ruffnut is a strong viking, I'm sure she'll be fine until we go to rescue her. I mean, could any of you be around her alone for an entire day? Not to say she's bad or anything." I reassure the group. They all seem to either sigh in relief or nod in agreement.

We discuss for a few minutes what happened and how to go forward, and end up rousing the rest of the sleeping village who come to hear what went down.

"Okay okay, guys! Just keep your helmets on! Toothless and I will-" Hiccup begins but is interrupted by one of the villagers.

"Toothless has the Light Fury now! He and Twilight are probably not even coming back!" The viking states. At that comment, I just couldn't hold it in anymore. All the anger, fear... all of it.

"HEY YOU SHUT YOUR MOUTH!" I snap at the viking. My nails are digging into my palms and my teeth are clenched so hard they might break. But I don't feel any of it. It was only a few words but it felt like a volcano had erupted and emptied all its contents in just one blast. The entire village goes quiet and turns to look at me in disbelief. I turn my eyes to my feet and shrink away from their eyes. "Sorry..." is all I can muster.

It feels like hours go by when I finally realize the tears that are spilling from my eyes. A warm hand finds a place on my shoulder, curious, I look up to see who it is. It's Astrid, gazing down at me with a look I've never seen her wear before. It's a look you could never describe to someone. I'm not sure what it was, but I felt a little better. It felt like I was finally seen and heard first. I rubbed away my tears and took some deep breaths before tapping Astrid's hand and walking away, hugging my arms. Just as I'm making some distance, I heard footsteps behind me. I turn around and see that Hiccup has come to walk beside me. Without saying a word, there's a moment of silent agreement between us.

Astrid's POV

"Hiccup thinks he has to lead alone, well, because his father had to. And Kania thinks she has to follow silently without ever sharing her problems or feelings because no one had ever listened to her before." Valka says softly to me as she watches the two Fury riders walk away in silence together. "They don't realize the strength you have together."

"Do you believe in them?" She asks after a moment of silence.

"Of course! I just wish they did, but they think they're nothing without their dragons..." I respond firmly, sighing.

"Then help them realize the truth," Valka says before walking over to Cloudjumper. I turn to Stormfly and spot one of the Fury children nearby. I hop onto Stormfly and summon the Fury to my side. I flap over to Hiccup and Kania and land in front of them. They look up at me, startled.

"Hiccup, you're with me, get on. Kania hop on the Fury. We're going to find your dragons." I say to them, outstretching an arm for Hiccup.

"Really?" Hiccup asks as he takes my hand. Kania looks at me with stars in her red, puffy eyes as she gets onto the young Fury. We ascend to the sky no later.

"Everybody stay put! We will get Ruffnut back, don't worry." Hiccup tells the gang as we slowly pass by.

"Pah! Worried? As Kania said, if they're stuck with Ruffnut I'm more worried about them! Ha!" I hear Tuffnut comment as we shoot off into the sky and away from the island.

"... I never said that exactly..." I hear Kania mutter under her breath. I chuckle to myself and set course for the supposed