"Don't worry Astrid Hofferson." Throk spoke suddenly from behind me.

I turned to look at the Queen's right hand.
"Queen Mala knows these caves better than anyone."
"Yeah, but they should've been back by now."

He glanced down into the cave as the lava rise quickened.
"Yes, they should have." He spoke gravely
"That settles it, we're going in." I confirmed.

A burst of lava shot up.
"Agreed, but how will we get down?" Throk asked as a we took a defensive stance.

"Actually, we might have a plan-aye." Tuffnut spoke.

Ruffnut snorted in Snoutlout's ear as he groaned.

The twins took off. Throk continued to stare into the volcano. Snoutlout muttered about the twins and antics.

I sat down next to Toothless as he whined.
"I know bud, their fine. We'll have them out of there in no time." I promised the Nightfury.

Hopefully...

He crooned and placed his head on my lap, falling asleep. I stroked and scratched his black scales.

I couldn't even begin to process how a magnificent creature such as this, the only Nightfury known to man, could be so docile. He was a killing machine, made to destroy everything, he killed the red death, a dragon easily one thousand times bigger than him. (Oh, with Hiccup.)

He has easily saved all of our lives countless times, and Hiccup gets all the credit...

I smiled and kissed his head.
"Thank you, Toothless. You never ceases to amaze me." I whispered

He crooned happily in his sleep and snuggled into me.

(Time skip)

The twins landed with the diving bell right as Toothless woke up.
"The diving bell?!? That's your big plan-aye?"
"Whatever Snoutlout. I didn't know that Toothless slept." Ruffnut said.
"Yes, you did Ruff. You saw him fall asleep on Tuff last week...twice."

Toothless laughed behind me.
"How dumb-ay are they-hey?" Snoutlout asked. He laughed, snorting.
"It's uncanny, there's absolutely no trace of accent! He should at least be a quarter boar." Ruff said.
"I say two fifths. He is hairy in odd places." Tuffnut countered
"Hey!" Snoutlout complained.

I groaned rolling my eyes.
"Actually, this might just work.  If I could cover this with Eruptadon sailava, it could possibly with stand the heat of the lava." Throk said, turning to smile at me.

I felt my eyes go wide as my posture straightened. I've always saw Throk as a fellow warrior, but now I saw that he was like Hiccup to, smart, clever and quick thinking.
"I'll get to work."

(Time Skip)
Throk boosted me up into the Diving bell, I jumped in and he shortly followed.
"That should do it." He muttered just enough for me to hear him.
"Ok Barf and Bealch, take us in." I ordered.

"They made it!" I heard Ruff cheer after a while.
"Time for the big swing." Tuffnut said.

Throk and I crouched down into position.
"I feel like I'm forgetting something..." He muttered.
"One," Tuffnut counted.
"Two." Ruff said excitedly.

I bent me knees, ready to jump.
"Stop!" Throk said.
"Wait, what?" I asked.
"I Forgot the-"

The chain broke and we fell.
"CHAIN!" Throk screamed as we fell.

We hit the lava and we both fell over.
We pushed ourselves up.

"Oh no." Throk and I said.
(Toothless's POV)

Astrid and the orange man hit the lava.
"Astrid!" Stormfly called worriedly.

I looked around frantically and grabbed Snoutfat, sorry, Snoutlout and threw him on my back.
"Wha- TOOTHLESS! NO STOP YOU CRAZY DRAGON!" He screamed.

Stormfly and I both took off for the diving bell.
"Astrid we're coming!" We called.

A lava spout shot up.
"Stormfly!" I called

She backed up and retreated to the top.
"Stay up there!" I commanded her.
"But Astrid-"
"I'll get her, stay safe!"

She sighed and worriedly looked out to Astrid and called out for her.

I looked around. Hiccup was going to kill me for letting his...his mate? I don't know, die.

"Ok, your the idea Dragon, what's the move?" Snoutlout asked.
"What move? I'm out of next moves!"

"Toothless go back! Back!" Astrid called.
"But-"
"Snoutlout take him back! His tail! If that catches fire your both done!" She demanded.

I reluctantly agreed and flew up to the top where Stormfly nuzzled me quickly then looked back at Astrid.

I stood there for a second, confused, and happy that she nuzzled me, seeing I've like her for so long, but I quickly snapped out of it and looked at the two humans.
Hurry up Hiccup...don't let her-them die...

(Time Skip Throk's POV)

I was trying to think of away out when I heard Astrid call for me.
"T-t-throk...so tired..." She slurred as I turned to see the young warrior.

She collapsed and I caught her.
"Don't close your eyes Astrid! You must stay awake for Hiccup Haddock and Queen Mala."

Just saying her name gave me the strength I needed to hold on for Astrid.
"H-h-h-hiccup...." Astrid said.

I glanced at her. She groaned and her head went back, eyes shut.
"Astrid? Astrid? Astrid? ASTRID!?!"

(Time skip Hiccup's POV)

We cheered as we left the nesting grounds and started flying up.
"Hey! Down there! Look behind you!" Snoutlout called.

Stormfly looked distress as did Toothless.

I turned my head as Meatlug turned and my heart stopped. The diving bell was in the volcano, with Throk and...Astrid.

We flew down. Her head was up agianst his shoulder.

He passed her to me. I took her hand in mine, but her head fell back.
"A-ash?!?" I asked.

The diving bell shook. I tore my eyes away and held my hand out.
"Come on Throk!"
"No, that Gronkle can't hold us all."
"You saved Astrid, come on, let me repay you by saving you."
"Getting my queen, yourself, your team and Astrid to safety will do just fine. My mission was to get my queen to safety." He spoke.

I felt Mala slack behind me. The diving bell slowly lifted from the volcano and we looked up.
"By the ancients." Throk and Mala breathed happily.

We began to fly up. When we landed, Toothless laid down and let me place Astrid against him, she began to fall over to the side.

Stormfly squaked.
"Astird? Astrid!" I called.

I checked her pulse as everyone ran up.
"No, no! Astrid!" I started CPR.

After awhile, with her not waking up, when I went to breath into her mouth, I knew she was gone. I kissed her and laid my head on her.

I started to sob, shaking. She was gone, my life long friend, crush, second in command, the greatest woman in the world was gone.

Suddenly, she took a deep breath.
I picked my head up as she started coughing.
"A-astrid?!?" I asked.

She groaned.
"H-hiccup?"
"Astrid!" Everyone cheered.

I just scooped her up and hugged her as she weakly wrapped her arms around my neck.
"A-astrid" I breathed, trying to calm down.
"A-are you ok?" She asked tiredly.
"What? Of course I'm ok! Why were you in the volcano."
"Going to...help you.. hey bud." She smiled as Toothless nuzzled her.
"Thanks for trying to save me..." She sighed at him.

He crooned. I smiled.
"Ash, why?"
"Your my friend...and I thought you did something stupid."
"It is nice to know you care though."

She blushed and smiled.
"If you don't know that by now then..."

We stared at each other and slowly leaned in, eyes fluttering shut.
"I don't know sis, mabey if we had put in four yaks- what do you think Hiccup?" Tuffnut said.

We quickly pulled apart, my eyes narrowed as I stared straight ahead.
"Think about what?" I asked, feeling my hand on Astrid's upper arm.
"Were you guys about to kiss?" Ruffnut asked.
"N-no." Astrid stumbled.

I helped her up.
"Are you sure? Cuz it looked like-"
"Yes."
"Ok. Shess, agressive much?" Tuff asked as they walked away.
"So...um...w-where were we?" I asked.

She punched my shoulder.
"That's for  goin in there."
"Geez! Ow!"

She kissed me quickly and stumbled over to Stormfly.
"That's for...for everything else."

I stood there as she took off and smiled.

Somethings never change.