Life on the Edge

4.03 Midnight Scrum

"Toothless! Toothless!"

Ragnar's head snaps around when he hears Hiccup's frantic calls. Nightshade tilts her head with a questioning chirp while Toothless drops the basket of apple he'd been carrying. They'd flown out to a nearby island to gather supplies, but none of them are focused on that now.

As Hiccup comes into view over the island's rolling hills, the decidedly unfriendly looking Vikings chasing after him make it obvious what the problem is.

Toothless growls and hurries over to his rider while Ragnar quickly mounts Nightshade's saddle.

"Come on, beautiful," he tells her, hovering over the unknown Vikings as a plasma blast from Toothless sends them to the ground. "Now!"

A volley of tail spines follows Toothless' shot. Multiple shouts of pain lets him know at least a few hit their targets.

The Vikings take off at a run as they apparently decide the fight isn't worth it. With Ragnar's encouragement, Nightshade sends a shot of magnesium after them before she touches down and he hurries over to Hiccup.

"Are you okay, Hic? No injuries? Bruises? Blood?"

Hiccup chuckles as he accepts Ragnar's hand up, standing there and letting him look him over without protest. "Maybe a few bruises, but I think I'm fine."

Toothless bounds over and licks his cheek, happy to see he's okay.

"I'm alright, bud," Hiccup assures him. He looks at Nightshade when she chirps at him and reaches over to scratch her jaw. "I'm okay, girl."

"Who were those guys?" Ragnar asks once he's satisfied Hiccup really does only have a few minor scrapes and bruises. "And what the-"

"Rags."

"-do they want?" he finishes, smiling innocently at the look Hiccup gives him. "They didn't look like the usual Dragon Hunters."

"You know, I don't know," Hiccup admits. "With all the flying axes and tumbling down hills, I forgot to ask."

Ragnar shakes his head and clicks his tongue. "You should be ashamed of yourself," he tells him, eyes bright with a smile even as he frowns in mock disappointment.

"Oh, should I?" he asks in amusement.

A croon from Toothless catches their attention and they both turn to see him batting at a rolled-up scroll. Nightshade snorts and turns her nose up at his behavior.

"I told you he's a cat," Ragnar says, fully letting his smile show.

"He is not a cat," Hiccup protests for what is far from the first time as they make their way over. "What you go there, Toothless?"

Toothless pins the scroll down and they can finally see what it says. Hiccup just nods along when Ragnar proceeds to mutter several choice words.

"Yeah," he agrees. "Couldn't have said it better myself."

The first thing they do when they return to the Edge is call the others into the Clubhouse. The first thing Snotlout does when he sees the wanted poster with Hiccup's name on it is laugh.

"No way!" he exclaims, studying the poster he'd snatched. "Viggo put a price on Hiccup's head? Oh, man! Every bounty hunter from here to the archipelago is gonna be looking for you."

"Thank you, Snotlout, for your undying support," Hiccup says flatly.

"No. Thank you, Hiccup," he tells him.

Ragnar glares at the shorter Viking. "How would you like to lose another tooth?"

Snotlout's laughter abruptly cuts off. He clears his throat and takes a couple of nervous steps back to put more distance between them. "I wouldn't," he says quietly.