Lua had decided to separate from Hookfang for a moment to get some fresh air and stretch her wings. Even though both dragons liked company, there were also moments when they preferred to be alone.
Lua sniffed the air when she caught a familiar scent, and she growled softly as she turned around.
"What do you want?" Lua asked dryly to the black dragon in front of her.
Toothless growled lowly and his ears were flattened against his head, since he was embarrassed and regretful.
"I... I have to apologize to you," Toothless said, not looking at her. "I was wrong. I ended up treating you so badly over a mistake anyone could've made."
Lua observed his expression, seeing that he was speaking sincerely. She sighed and thought for a moment before her expression relaxed.
"I forgive you," Lua said calmly.
Toothless lifted his head, surprised that Lua had forgiven him so quickly and easily.
"If you bring me some fish," Lua said with a sly smile.
"Of course! I'll go get them right now!" Toothless jumped to the side toward the lake. "Stay right there! I'll be right back."
Lua lay down elegantly as she waited for Toothless. Not that she was particularly hungry at the moment, but she wanted to see if Toothless would really do it to earn her forgiveness.
In a few minutes, Toothless came running back with his mouth full of fish. He spat them out in front of her.
"There's salmon, catfish, tilapia..." Toothless wasn't sure of all the fish species he had caught.
Lua blinked at the massive pile of fish.
"What? Was it not enough?" Toothless tilted his head. "I'll go catch more!"
"Wait!" Lua moved forward to stop him. "That's already enough. There's even more than I expected," she commented, surprised.
"Does that mean you forgive me?!" Toothless asked excitedly.
"Yes," Lua sighed. "I had already forgiven you when you apologized, but I wanted to see how much you value our friendship..."
Toothless looked surprised but nodded.
"I promise!" Toothless lifted his paw. "I promise I'll never treat you like that again. Dragon's honor."
Lua smiled at that.
"Dragon's honor." Lua looked at her wings and lifted her left one. "Give me a high-five."
Toothless tilted his head, confused. Lua thought for a moment — she didn't have hands or paws like other dragons. Her wings served as her support.
"Hmmm. Raise your paw," Lua asked.
Toothless raised his right paw, still confused. Lua lifted her left wing and gently tapped his paw (careful because she had a large single claw/spike there), giving him a draconic high-five.
"There! I like to call it 'claw here,' since I don't have paws to touch," Moon explained.
"Claw here? I like it!" Toothless lifted his other paw.
Lua laughed as she lifted her right wing and tapped it like before. Suddenly, Toothless lifted his head and his ears twitched.
"What is it?" Lua tried to listen, since Toothless's twitching ears were a sign he was hearing something. "What are you hearing?"
"I think something arrived on the island's shore. Shall we go?" he asked, looking at Lua.
"I'll fly," Lua answered, taking off.
Toothless watched her fly with obvious envy.
o0o0o
Even in the air, Lua had the good sense to stay out of sight of whatever was on the coast.
"Those are... Hiccup!" Lua smiled excitedly when she saw him. "And the Outcasts..." She growled at them.
Toothless leapt on top of a pile of rocks, revealing himself to the Vikings. The Outcasts gaped at the most feared dragon of their legends and tales.
"By Odin's beard! It's a...!" Alvin, leader of the Outcasts, couldn't even speak.
"It's a Night Fury, devil spawn of lightning and death itself," Hiccup said, looking around after seeing Toothless, as if searching for something.
The Outcasts pointed their crossbows at the Night Fury, fear written all over their faces.
"No! Don't do that!" Hiccup raised his arms. "That will only make him angrier! Watch and learn." Hiccup slowly approached Toothless, pretending to be tense.
"Oh! Please, boy, go on!" Alvin said mockingly. "Not too faint-hearted, are you? We'll watch the dragon eat the boy!" he said to the others.
Hiccup got closer, glancing sideways at them. Toothless grinned and pounced on Hiccup. The action made the Outcasts gasp, ready to witness a massacre.
Toothless began licking Hiccup's face, happy to see him again. Hiccup whispered something to Toothless that Lua couldn't hear, but then she watched them pretend to fight while moving closer to the saddles.
"I need to make my entrance soon," Lua smiled at the idea she had.
Hiccup finally strapped Toothless's saddle tight. Alvin looked suspicious and irritated.
"What are you doing with the dragon?!" Alvin demanded, pointing his sword at him.
"By the way! It's not 'dragon tamer,' it's 'dragon trainer!'" Hiccup grabbed the saddle's support bar. "Let's go!"
And this was the moment Lua had been waiting for. Before Toothless or Alvin could move, she dove down toward them and fired a lightning strike between them, flying around. Lua let out a roar that sounded like thunder.
"It was about time, Lua!" Hiccup smiled upon seeing her.
"A Skrill?!" Alvin's eyes widened.
Lua looked at Hiccup with an innocent smile, then turned to Alvin and began to growl as her eyes shifted to cat-like slits — a sign she was going feral.
Hiccup took the opportunity and had Toothless take off. Alvin, distracted watching Lua, almost got hit in the face by Toothless's tail when he turned around.
"Now we're talking!" Lua roared as she flew beside Toothless.
"He's the dragon tamer! He got a Night Fury and a Skrill! Quick, fire at them!" Alvin ordered the Outcasts.
They loaded their ship's catapults with stones and launched them at the two dragons. Lua widened her eyes as she dodged and flew upward, narrowly escaping the flying rocks.
Toothless was nearly hit but dodged with agility and precision.
Lightning formed at the corner of Lua's mouth, and she dove toward the ship.
"No! Lua!" Hiccup tried to call her back.
Alvin saw Lua approaching with her mouth full of crackling electricity.
"What are you waiting for?! Fire!" he ordered.
Two Outcasts took their crossbows and shot at Lua. Lua fired her lightning, which destroyed the arrows shot at her, then she climbed back up, frustrated she hadn't hit the ship — or a Viking.
New waves of arrows were fired at Toothless this time, but a ball of fire destroyed them. Hiccup turned and saw Astrid on Stormfly.
The other riders finally arrived with their dragons.
"Hiccup!" Fishlegs warned in a worried tone.
With the warning, Hiccup dodged another stone. Soon, Berk's ship arrived, with Stoick leading the attack to destroy the catapults, since the dragons could handle the rest.
"Now! This is our chance!" Hiccup said once the path was clear.
The dragons dove toward the Outcasts' ship, attacking with fireballs, magma balls, gas and spark, fire, plasma, and lightning.
Suddenly, one of the remaining catapults shot at Astrid and Stormfly. Stormfly, being experienced with dodging rocks, avoided it easily, but Astrid slipped from the saddle and fell.
Astrid tried to grab onto one of the sail's ropes but missed. She would have fallen into the enemy ship if not for Lua.
Lua, who was paying attention, saw Astrid falling and dove, catching her by the legs with her claws — carefully, so she wouldn't hurt her.
Astrid, being held upside down, looked at Lua with a smile.
"Good girl!" Astrid praised.
Lua purred and flew to Berk's ship to drop Astrid safely. Hiccup saw this and sighed in relief — Astrid was nearly captured! Luckily, Lua was there to stop it.
After leaving Astrid safely, Lua turned back to the fight.
Stormfly flew close so Astrid could climb back onto her.
Finally, Lua managed to do what she'd been wanting for a while: fire a lightning bolt directly at the ship.
The bolt struck the wooden planks near Alvin, causing them to explode and sending splinters flying. Lua cursed quietly when she narrowly missed the Viking.
With the way completely open, Alvin had no choice but to abandon ship, as the dragons began setting it ablaze.
Berk's ship pulled away, and Stoick stared Alvin in the eyes.
"I promise you'll pay for this!" Alvin growled, then looked at Lua. "And I'll have that Skrill's head!"
"Me?!" Lua was shocked. "Great, now I've been marked for death!"
"Eh?! That Viking's no good!" Hookfang snarled irritably, almost igniting himself but stopping when he heard Snotlout squeal.
With the fight finally over and Berk victorious, they could safely withdraw. Hiccup landed on the ship and got off Toothless.
Lua perched on the mast, observing them.
"Hiccup, what were you thinking?!" Stoick asked, still in overprotective-father mode.
"I thought that going to Toothless and Lua we could solve this together," Hiccup replied, avoiding his father's eyes.
Stoick observed his son in silence before pulling him into a tight hug. Hiccup stiffened.
"Just... be careful, son," Stoick said wearily. "Alvin won't give up that easily. I really wanted to give him a few good punches myself." Stoick lamented.
"Oh sure, you'd probably have a few words for him too," Gobber said, adjusting his hook.
"Well, let's go home," Stoick said, then looked at his son. "All of us."
Hiccup smiled and turned to Toothless.
"Did you hear that, buddy?! We're going home!" Hiccup said happily.
His joy was so contagious that Toothless and Lua panted with excitement.
o0o0o
Lua flew happily back to Berk, where there would be a celebration that night! Plenty of food and joy after a well-earned victory — and the best part hadn't even been mentioned yet: Mildew wasn't invited!
Well, he technically was, since he lived in Berk, and the party was for everyone there, but he simply wouldn't show up and would stay in his house, thankfully isolated from everyone!
Lua landed beside Toothless, who was, as always, next to Hiccup. Hiccup approached her and patted her neck.
"Your saddle ended up staying on Dragon Island. I'll have to make you a new one. Until then, it shouldn't be a problem going without," Hiccup said, giving one last pat before stepping away.
"Without my saddle, I feel kind of... naked," Lua said, blinking and feeling strange.
"What's 'naked'?" Toothless tilted his head.
Lua blinked at him. Then reality hit her: she was always naked — dragons didn't wear clothes. Dragons didn't need clothes. Nothing was exposed anyway.
"AAAAAAAA!!!!!!!" Lua roared and flew off.
Toothless jumped back at her reaction, looking shocked and confused as she disappeared into the sky.
"What's wrong with her?!" Toothless exclaimed, terrified.
"I'M NAKED! I'VE ALWAYS BEEN! I feel so exposed!" Lua whimpered as she landed somewhere far from the party. "But... I guess it's fine?" she sniffed softly.