Life on the Edge

3.13 Defenders of the Wing, Part 1

A fairly successful mission for the Dragon Riders leads to yet another one of Viggo's ships sunk and a few more captured dragons released. Unfortunately, it doesn't come without its consequences for said Riders.

"How's she doing?" Hiccup asks, watching as Ragnar inspects Meatlug's left wing.

"You know, her feelings are hurt," Fishlegs claims. "You guys were cutting it a little too close."

Ragnar ignores him as he carefully lifts Meatlug's wing himself and, when she doesn't even wince, nods in satisfaction. "It's a minor sprain. She'll be fine in a couple of days."

Hiccup nods before movement at the corner of his eye catches his attention and he turns to se Heather helping Astrid across the arena. "Astrid, are you limping?"

"No," Astrid says, stepping away from Heather's side only to wince.

"She got shot in the leg," Heather and Ragnar say in unison.

"What?" Hiccup gasps.

Astrid waves him off. "A Hunter's arrow was gonna hit Stormfly so I blocked it."

"With your leg?" he asks incredulously.

Ragnar answers before Astrid can. "It just grazed her. She'll be fine as long as she lets me treat it," he says, already digging through the bag on his hip for supplies.

Astrid frowns in confusion. "You and Nightshade weren't even near us," she says, gesturing between herself and Stormfly. "How do you know this?"

Ragnar scoffs. "Please, Astrid. Don't insult me." He gestures at a nearby stool. "Sit down so I can look at it."

"I'm fine," she insists. "Really. You don't need to bother. I'll just wrap it tonight."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Ragnar says with an overly sweet smile. "I didn't realize you'd spent years training to treat wounds just like that. Obviously, you know exactly what to do to keep it from getting infected and killing you."

Astrid huffs out a breath. "Okay. Point taken," she mutters, limping over to the stool. "You can look at it."

"I know I can. It wasn't a question," he says as he makes his way over.

"Alright. Has anyone else been hurt recently?" Hiccup asks. He looks around at the others before he glances back at where Ragnar is busy cleaning and bandaging Astrid's leg. "Especially anyone who didn't tell Ragnar?"

Snotlout raises his hand. "I bruised a couple of ribs, but I told him." He drops his hand to press against his side with a grimace. "Believe me. I learned that lesson a long time ago."

Ragnar smirks as he tucks Astrid's bandage into itself to keep it in place. "Yes, he did," he mutters.

The twins also raise their hands.

"Yeah. We're good now though," Ruffnut says cheerfully.

"I got a thing in my eye," Tuffnut reports.

Ruffnut's smile fades as she looks at him in confusion. "You mean that tiny little bug?"

"Hey," he says with a defensive point. "That bug was on a mission. A mission to be in my eye."

Ragnar rolls his own eyes as he walks back over to Hiccup's side. "Which is why I flushed it out. Not that he couldn't have just done that himself," he adds dryly.

It really hadn't required a healer but, honestly, he's just glad they're willing to come to him. As annoyed as he gets with the twins, it means they're less likely to hide any serious injuries.