Wanted: Hiccup Haddock III

Chapter 17

3rd Person POV:

Fergus mentally swore. They'd found him. But he decided he wouldn't give in without a fight. "There's no Hiccup Haddock here, Sir. You'll have to look somewhere else." One of the men took out a dagger and brandished it at Fergus. "Don't lie. Saw with me own eyes he came here. Let us in." Fergus didn't flinch at the sight of the dagger. Instead, he grabbed an axe hanging from the wall and clutched it to his side. "I don't think so." The thug holding the dagger grinned. "So that's how it's gonna be?" He chuckled darkly and made the first strike.

Fergus dogged it, and thrust the axe into his opponent's chest. The man fell back, dead before he hit the ground. The dead man's companion cried out in fury and threw a punch at Fergus. Unfortunately, this shot hit it's target. Fergus stumbled, almost losing his balance. The man aimed another punch but Throk came forward to catch it, in which he succeeded in doing. He forced the man back. Hiccup jumped to his feet, ready to step in. He glanced at the window and saw several other Hunters outside. They were outnumbered.

"Hiccup Haddock! You must leave now!" Throk yelled, taking a punch to the gut. He groaned. "I'm not leave-"

"Just go!" Hiccup gave up arguing and ran to the back of the house, where a back door was located. He wrenched it open and ran out. Unfortunately, he ran straight into a Hunter. "Well, hello there." the Hunter grinned toothily. "Capturing you was easier than I thought it would be."

.  .  .

"What's going on over there?" Snotlout asked. Heather turned around and followed his gaze. "I don't know. A scuffle maybe." The two continued to listen, hearing excited voices coming from the forest. A minute later a large group of Hunters emerged, looking pleased. "Uh oh. Dragon Hunters." Snotlout worried, pulling up his hood. Heather did the same. The two were about to walk away when Heather gasped. There, being held roughly by two burly Hunters, was Hiccup. Heather could hardly believe her eyes.

He looked like he'd been to Helheim and back, clothes tattered and face cut up and bruised. "What are you two staring at?" Astrid caught the two staring into the distance, and stopped searching to check it out. Heather could only point at the Hunters, dumbstruck. Astrid followed Heather's finger, and when she saw who it led to she gasped. Hiccup's name was on her tongue, but she couldn't pull herself together to say it. "He's caught, what do we do? What's the plan?" Snotlout freaked out.

"Free Hiccup. By any means possible." Astrid's voice came out venomous, but not towards her companions. She clutched her axe. Whether by harm, maim, or even murder: She would get Hiccup back. "Yes ma'am." Heather tore off her hood, her weapon at hand. Snotlout sighed, but from underneath his cloak he unsheathed a dagger. "Alright."

Astrid let out a battle cry and charged. She ran towards the Hunters, seething. When she reached them, she attacked two Hunter standing in the way, swinging her axe viciously. A minute later she knocked out both with the side of her axe. "Astrid?" Hiccup asked blearily. He had been "subdued" by the Hunters (punched several times everywhere), so he was dazed. Was it really her? Or was his tortured heart and exhausted mind playing tricks on him?

But when she made a deadly move, the Spinning Axe of Fury (that was what they'd called her most lethal move with her axe) he knew it was her. How could he have questioned that golden hair and fiery temper wasn't her? "Astrid!" He tried to yell, but his voice was feeble. "Don't worry Hiccup!" Snotlout joined the fight, taking a swing at a Hunter. A sickening crunch was heard as his nose was broken. "We're here to save-"

POW!

"-you. . ." Snotlout blanked out, having taken a hit to the head. Hiccup rolled his eyes. What a muttonhead. 

"WINDSHEAR! GO GIRL!" Windshear, ridden by Heather, joined the fight now. Windshear whipped her tail, sending three Hunters flying through the air screaming. "STORMFLY! SPINE SHOT!" Spines sank into Hunters' skin. Some dropped dead, others fell screaming. The two Hunters holding Hiccup hostage backed away, their teammates falling.

"Go gang, go!" Though Hiccup's cheers were weak, they were still heard by the team. And it made them fight harder. The taller of Hiccup's captors growled, and socked Hiccup hard in the gut. This knocked him out, head falling forward. The shorter Hunter threw him over his shoulder, and made to escape the battle. He didn't get very far though. "Heather! Take down that Hunter. The one carrying Hiccup is mine!" Heather cried out an "Okay!", and proceeded to take down the Hunter that had stayed behind. Astrid took off after the Hunter carrying Hiccup.

Though he was short and stubby, the Hunter was fast. But Astrid was faster. "AGH!" The Hunter cried out, toppling over as Astrid knocked him down. Hiccup's unconscious body rolled a foot away out of harm's way. Instead of knocking this one out, Astrid grabbed the man's face. "You tell Viggo if he wants Hiccup, he's gonna get all of us. And we won't go down without a fight!" She screeched in his face before dropping him. The Hunter scrambled to his feet and ran away as fast as he could. Astrid saw him off, smirking. It fell when she heard a groan behind her. She turned and dropped down beside Hiccup, who was coming to.

"Uhh. As-trid?" He groaned out, eyes slightly out of focus. "Hiccup. You're alive." Astrid smiled exhaustedly, and lifted Hiccup gently so he could look at her. "Yep. I don't see how I could be anything else." Astrid laughed. She laughed out loud with joy and kissed him. He kissed her back, the hand that wasn't beaten tangling itself into her hair. They kissed each other until they had to break away for breath. "I feel like it's been forever since I last saw you." Hiccup panted out. Then he groaned, and hugged himself. He's hurt, Astrid realized.

"Heather!" Astrid yelled for Heather, clutching Hiccup to her. Heather appeared, beside her a dazed-looking Snotlout. "We have to get back to Berk! Hiccup's hurt bad!" She exclaimed. Heather nodded, and whistled for Windshear. "Wait. . ." Hiccup whispered. "Throk's hurt too, along with his friend Fergus. They helped me get here." Astrid nodded and turned to Snotlout, who was beginning to regain his senses. "Snotlout, go find Throk and Fergus. They shouldn't be far." Snotlout nodded and set off at a run. "They're in the forest, about 3/4 of a mile away." Hiccup added. Astrid repeated this information and Snotlout replied with an "Okay!"

Hiccup went limp, and Astrid clutched him tighter to her, if that were possible. Through the worry she felt for Hiccup, she also felt joy. At last, at last, they had found Hiccup. And he was alive. Astrid wanted to cry. He would be okay.