The forest had grown quiet again.
High above the clearing, hidden deep within the branches of a pine, the bat-winged dragon remained perfectly still. Her body pressed close to the trunk, wings folded tight so the turquoise membranes wouldn't catch the light filtering through the trees.
Below her, tangled in the ropes of the bolas net, the captured Night Fury struggled against the bindings.
The dragon twisted violently.
The ropes snapped tight and forced its wings back to the ground.
A low snarl rolled from its throat as it bared its teeth and pulled again.
The net held.
Eventually the dragon stopped fighting.
It remained tense, eyes scanning the forest around it.
Waiting.
Listening.
The bat-dragon's ears rotated slowly.
Then—
A twig snapped somewhere beyond the trees.
Her head lifted immediately.
Footsteps.
Light.
Clumsy.
Human.
A faint echolocation pulse slipped from her throat. The echoes returned with the outline of a single figure approaching through the brush.
Below, the trapped dragon heard it too.
Its head snapped toward the sound.
Remaining this close suddenly felt dangerous.
Without a sound, she slipped farther back through the branches, settling deeper into the canopy where shadows hid her completely.
From here she could still see everything in the clearing.
But no one would see her.
A moment later the trees parted.
A thin boy stepped into the clearing.
Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III froze when he saw the dragon.
The Night Fury lunged forward with a furious snarl.
The ropes snapped tight and slammed it back into the ground.
Hiccup jumped back.
"Okay… okay!"
He stared at the creature.
"So… this is a Night Fury."
The dragon growled again.
Hiccup swallowed and stepped closer.
"I did it," he murmured to himself.
"I actually shot down a Night Fury."
The dragon snapped its jaws toward him.
Hiccup raised the knife in his hand.
Above them, the bat-dragon's ears angled forward.
The boy stared at the dragon.
"They say you're the worst one."
He hesitated.
"The most dangerous dragon of them all."
The Night Fury glared back at him.
Hiccup's voice dropped slightly.
"But if I kill you…"
His grip tightened on the knife.
"I'd finally prove them wrong about me."
The blade hovered above the dragon.
The dragon snarled.
Hiccup's arm trembled.
Silence stretched across the clearing.
Then slowly—
The knife lowered.
His hand opened.
The blade dropped into the grass.
"I can't do it."
High in the trees, the bat-dragon's ears flicked.
Hiccup knelt beside the ropes instead.
"Just… stay still."
The Night Fury watched him carefully as he began cutting through the net.
One rope snapped.
Another.
The dragon tensed with each movement.
Finally the last binding fell away.
Hiccup immediately backed up.
"Okay… you're free."
For a heartbeat nothing happened.
Then the Night Fury surged forward with a roar.
It slammed Hiccup onto his back and pinned him to the ground.
Claws dug into the dirt beside his shoulders.
Jaws opened wide.
Teeth inches from his face.
Hiccup froze.
The dragon stared directly into his eyes.
High above, the bat-winged dragon watched without moving.
Something passed between the two below.
The Night Fury slowly leaned back.
Instead of biting—
It released him.
The dragon turned and spread its wings.
It tried to launch into the air.
The attempt failed immediately.
Its tail dragged uselessly behind it.
The dragon tried again.
And again.
Each time the same result.
Without the missing half of its tail fin, the air refused to carry it.
Frustration exploded from its throat in a furious roar.
Then the dragon turned and fled into the forest.
Branches snapped as it disappeared between the trees.
Hiccup remained on the ground, breathing hard.
Above him, hidden among the branches, the bat-winged dragon slowly relaxed.
History had unfolded exactly as it had before.
Only now—
She had watched it happen.