He knew- even if Ava was yet to figure it out -that she would not catch the woman. She was a seasoned Viking warrior and though she had foolishly abandoned her dragon to go on foot (such was a common mistake after being so surprised) her strides were long and strong. Blizzard did not worry himself. Even if Ava did catch up with the woman she would not be in any danger, other than the risk of being physically dragged into the village. Still he took to the sky- vanishing in the sunlight.

Down beneath the thinned canopies he could make out the woman again, walking briskly over the uneven ground and behind her was the chief. Nearly tripping over several roots with his thoughts upon other things beyond his footing. Blizzard knew this to be Ava’s true father. He’d sent searches for his daughter almost as often as the chief before him had sought out the dragon nest. Now he was hurrying to find her- almost disbelieving but of so hopeful. “Are you positive Astrid?”

“Yes. Hiccup.” The woman was growing exasperated because she could see the cliff ahead and the girl was gone. She turned on her heel, scanning the landscape with a sharp eye and held up a hand to silence Hiccup when it looked like he might speak. “She shares a lot of features with you. I couldn’t possibly have been mistaken and she was with Blizzard.”

Said dragon landed towards the top of the tree, bending the upper portion- still invisible in the sun’s rays. He was waiting to see what Ava would do before revealing her.