The ropes cut into your skin as one of Drago's trappers tied your wrists behind your back. Your sword had been confiscated, and your Woolly Howl named Snowrider was nowhere to be found. You spotted Eret glancing back at you periodically as he approached Drago.

"I swear, my men are hunting them down as we speak," Eret said confidently. In truth, no one was heading for Berk. He wouldn't have known about the other riders if Astrid hadn't said anything.

Drago turned, his dragon skin cloak swirling in the snow. He fixed his dark eyes on Eret and snarled. "Even so, you led them here."

Eret swallowed heavily and rubbed his chest. A sharp exhale escaped you when you realized where he was rubbing. The insignia. You'd gotten a glance at the symbol Drago had seared into his flesh upon your first meeting.

"Drago please-" Eret's voice took on an uncharacteristic pleading tone.

"Get rid of him," Drago snapped. You squirmed against your restraints as the other men drew their weapons and closed in on Eret. The trapper was technically your enemy, he'd let you and the others get captured. But you had this feeling. This gut instinct that he could become an ally if shown a different side.

A whistling roar pierced the air, making you pause. Snowrider landed on top of Eret and wrapped her furry wings around him. A blast of ice shot from her jaws as she tried defending Eret from the other trappers.

"Snowrider!" you screamed as a tranquilizer was shot into her neck. She collapsed into the white powder and Eret was seized. The men roughed him up before tying his arms and shoving him beside you.