Toothless, who had broken free from the ridge and flown down despite the Jarnvid sickness, landed shakily beside Hiccup. He nuzzled Hiccup's face, then limped toward the chasm's edge and let out a long, mournful cry.

Kael watched from below, his expression unreadable. What happened next was not a battle — it was a reckoning.

"Protect humans who don't deserve it?" Hiccup landed nearby, dismounting. "Yeah. They do that. They're not slaves, Kael. They're just... better than us."

Kael looked at Ashwing — her broken wings, her scarred snout, her gentle eyes. She leaned into his hand, purring despite the muzzle.