Riders of B E R K

Part 7: Saving Hiccup

My eyes widened as I realised what I was seeing. The creature was sleek, streamlined and alien, the large acid-green eyes almost glowing with slitted pupils. It was completely black with enormous bat wings, half unfurled. The blunt head was vertically flattened with ears flicked backwards and a lithe, strong body on four sturdy legs. The long tail was flicking with one fin apparently made of red material. It was a dragon.

It was Toothless.

Hiccup screamed more desperately. "Toothless-NO! Get away, bud!" And Dagur twisted the knife, drawing another pained scream from him. I flinched and almost jerked forward, but I could see the dragon had his eyes locked on the men torturing his friend. A low growl began to rumble in his throat and he advanced inexorably, every motion balanced and oozing hunter's poise. His head lowered and the growl grew louder.

The other men were here to subdue and capture him, I realised. And then something snapped inside me, a burning desire not to let these people who have scared and tormented Hiccup get their hands on the creature he had risked so much for. I dashed to one side, towards the nearest one of them. Ozzie glanced after me and opened his mouth to call me back but I ducked behind the bushes as the roar echoed through the whole glen. The gloom was like a blanket now and I could barely see, especially in the shadow of the trees. The Outcast didn't see me at all as I spun him, my foot slamming up and hitting him squarely in the solar plexus. I followed with another kick to the groin and then, as he doubled up, the chin. I threw him and a swift kick across the face finished him off. I ducked down to snatch his weapon and dived back under cover. The others focussed their weapons on the dragon and Hiccup wildly kicked out with his normal leg, catching Dagur across the face. Alvin dealt him a brutal punch and he sagged.

"NOW!" Alvin roared and his men focussed on the Night Fury but the black dragon was fast, leaping aside and swiping one man heavily with his tail. He flew across the ground and hit a tree, then landed and lies still. The dragon roared again, a purplish glow suddenly filling his maw and blasting away at the third man hiding on the perimeter. Then the dragon turned on the huge arms dealer and his prisoner. Suddenly, there was a knife at Hiccup's throat and the others turned to the dragon, their weapons raised. My eyes widened: I had no clue what to do and I slank back to the rest of the BERK team. Stoick scowled but his wristwatch flashed suddenly and he gave a grim smile.

"The cavalry has arrived," he announced and nodded to Jorgensen. The man gave a grin and ran back from the clearing as the whooshing of wings sounded behind us. I half-turned...to see a huge, red and brown dragon briefly touch down to allow Jorgensen to leapt aboard his neck. The creature was nowhere near as sleek or impressive as the Night Fury, his horns and spiky skin more menacing. Jorgensen pumped his arm in the air.

"Snotlout! Snotlout! Oi! Oi! Oi!" he shouted as he soared into the air. Simultaneously a cloud of green gas coiled to the far side of the clearing and then exploded, as another dragon whooshed overhead with two voices screaming obscenities and laughing. Alvin leaned closer to Hiccup and grabbed his hair, pulling the bleeding man hard against his chest.

"Back off-or little 'Iccup 'ere loses more than 'is leg!" he snarled. Stoick lifted his chin.

"Give up, Alvin-you're surrounded!" he shouted back.

"Then we are at an impasse!" the arms dealer snarled. "Except I 'ave another ten men closing on us now. Did yer think I'd just bring me driver and put the dragon in me trunk? I just want the Night Fury, Stoick! And you can 'ave your runt of a boy back!" Stoick's silence spoke volumes. Hiccup's head lolled.