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Hiccup paced back and forth in the cave, his head buried in his hands. He didn't know where he was, or, more importantly, where Toothless was. All he knew was that he had failed to keep Astrid safe, despite all his efforts and promises that he would. It had been three days since her lost her, and this was beginning to break Hiccup. He finally leaned against the back wall of the cave and slid down, staring into the darkness miserably. He looked at the ground and was silent, as he had been for his entire time of captivity.

I told her I'd protect her, Hiccup thought, I did. I tried as hard as I could. Oh, I should've listened to her when she said we needed to leave! I.....I don't know anymore, I'm stubborn, I'm curious, I'm reckless. WHY didn't I listen to Astrid?! Ugh, it's all my fault! A chief is supposed to protect his people. Did that happen? NO. Astrid, I'm sorry.

Hiccup sighed, and then a thought struck him. When he was a baby, Cloudjumper had broken into their house.

Mom was carried off by a Stormcutter when she and dad were newly married......, Hiccup thought. Is there something--or, someONE--that wants us alone, a colony of Stormcutters, maybe? Hiccup knew this was farfetched, but, it was always a possibility. People thought dragons couldn't speak Norse, and yet Hiccup had met at least two in his life, neither of them the best characters. Both were evil, one was dead and the other was stalking him.

Or maybe...., Hiccup continued. Thor's just starting a tradition of carrying off our partners somewhere near our marriage using Stormcutters. Yay.

Hiccup folded his arms across his knees, and then he began to get scared for Astrid.

What if.......what if Cinderpaw had something to do with this..............?

Hiccup stood up quickly, as this was the most likely option, and began looking for an exit. He had to find Toothless, and then he had to find Astrid. She was in danger, he knew it, and he had to get rid of Cinderpaw.

Hiccup whipped out his firesword and set it alight, illuminating the space around him. The rock sparkled with a familiar purple film that swirled around like smoke.

"Io?," Hiccup whispered. I thought...I thought that the sinking of Nighthaven had killed everyone....

"Not everyone," a familiar voice echoed in his mind.

Nightshade?, Hiccup thought, hope rising. Is that you?

"Yes," Nightshade said in Hiccup's brain. "And I have Io and Featherwar with me...Featherwar was Featherpaw when you met her."

What about the others?, Hiccup thought eagerly.

"They escaped Nighthaven. A strange dragoness who looked like a shapeshifter carried Diamondspirit away, for his wing was nearly burned off by lava. He's now flightless, can't use his wing, because it has no membrane between the fingers anymore. Maybe you could make something for him, something that would allow him to fly again?"

Maybe, Hiccup replied. Wait....is Toothless with you?

"Yes, he is," Nightshade answered telepathically.

The purple haze that coated the rocks like slime disappeared, and the stones moved. Toothless bounded in, knocking Hiccup to the floor.

"Haha!," Hiccup laughed. "Good to see you, bud!" Toothless grinned and helped his master off the floor. Nightshade walked in, followed by Io and Featherwar. Featherwar was limping; her front paws were burned and pinkish, and the scars wrapped around her paws like bracelets, jagged and swirling.

What happened?!, Hiccup thought, looking at Nightshade.

"She burned her paws pulling Diamondspirit out of the lava," Nightshade answered. "That's basically what his wing looks like now. The scales will never grow back, they were burned too badly. She will always have those scars, Hiccup."

Hiccup looked at Featherwar's paws, and shot her a sympathetic glance. Then he stood up and looked at Nightshade eagerly.

Have you been able to see Astrid?

Nightshade looked at the ground and bit her lip. Toothless moaned sadly, Featherwar excused herself from the cave (she looked as if she was about to cry), and Io simply averted Hiccup's eyes. Hiccup began to feel sick, seeing the way everyone was acting. Nightshade looked back at Hiccup, tears pouring down her freckled cheeks.

"Hiccup," she said, her voice breaking. "You need to go save her, now. Cinderpaw is torturing her, beating her, killing her, just to find out where you are. Astrid still thinks you're on that other island, and she's not saying anything. Hiccup, she's in terrible condition, and will die if you don't go NOW." Hiccup staggered, feeling a lump form in his throat. He was silent for a minute, then turned to Toothless.

"C-come on, bud," he said shakily. "Let's go find her."

Toothless shot out of the cave, Hiccup pulling out his firesword as the dragon sped into the sky. Nightshade broke down and sobbed into Io's shoulder.

"Astrid will be okay," Io said. "Hiccup will make sure of it......"