A/N: Originally chapter 16 and 17 were going to go into detail surrounding the events of Gone Gustav Gone and Have Dragon, Will Travel. However, I really struggled to have those flow organically for Tengan's growth as a rider. (And I may have been getting impatient to get to the scene at the end of this chapter) And that's even with glossing over all the episodes in between. Pretty much the first season of Race to the Edge comprises several small self contained adventures with a little bit of the main plot connecting them. For now, I'm skipping WAY ahead to Night of the Hunters. Who knows, when the fic is eventually complete I might come back to do the little filler chapters as an epilogue. If I end up writing them and sticking them in place later on, I'll make a point to note it then. Also, please forgive any more than usual missed spelling or grammatical errors. I edited this chapter after having my eyes dilated at the doctors.
CHAPTER 16
Almost five months had passed since the discovery of what the group would come to know as the Dragon Eye. It seemed the universe or someone watching up in Valhalla had an interesting sense of humor when it came to the Dragon Riders of Berk. More crazy adventures had been crammed into those twenty weeks than the last three years combined. Between wrestling a tooth from a Snow Wraith, building the outpost on Dragon's Edge, partnering Stoick with a wild Rumblehorn, visiting the island of Dark Deep, and Astrid establishing a reserve group of riders to defend Berk in their absence, the Dragon Riders had barely a moment to breathe, let alone spend any quality time with their dragons.
Of all the recent events, rediscovering Heather had shaken the group the most. She had really seemed to come into her own over the last few years by caring for her Razorwhip, Windshear. Learning that Dagur, the person responsible for the slaughter of her adoptive family, was actually her only remaining blood relative could not have been easy. Astrid had taken it the hardest when she decided to leave the Edge. Tengan couldn't blame her. The two seemed to be cut from the same, intense cloth. A few nights after her departure, Tengan shared a horn of mead with her gloomy friend and lamented the loss of their ally. She had "evened out the girls' side" as Astrid put it, and was still sorely missed.
On the first bright morning where no distress calls or responisibilies had awaited any of the Riders, it was no surprise Astrid had already disappeared on Stormfly before any of the others stumbled from their huts. According to her, early morning patrol flights were the best way to clear the head and get the blood pumping. The others, rising to the day on their own timetable for once, silently agreed to dedicate the day to focusing on their own interests.
From her balcony, Tengan could occasionally make out the delighted squeals from several captive boars as the twins whiled away the hours wrestling in the pit beneath their hut. She smiled and turned to head inside, stretching her arms over her head. Her hut had been taken a bit longer to finalize than she had anticipated, but it had been well worth the wait. Every wall had some kind of shelf or bookcase built into it. Currently, only half were full from the journals, scrolls, books, and medical supplies she had brought over from Berk. The others sat empty, waiting and almost taunting her with their underutilized space. In one corner, resting over a reinforced floor frame, sat a flat bed of shale where Rumble was currently curled up, snoring lightly. Across the room from the dragon's napping spot was a wooden framed bed large enough for Tengan to sleep next to her usual nightly pile of books and journals without fear of rolling over into ink. Several layers of furs topped the straw filled mattress as the cliff side nature of the Rider's new sleeping quarters often allowed drafts to flow easily through the stilted huts. In the center of the room stood a large, square wooden table. Resting in the center was a small, well used stone fire pit that served to provide both light and much needed warmth. Currently, well away from the smoldering embers, a flat expanse of parchment took up a good amount of the remaining surface. It was held down by different glittering rocks Fishlegs had gifted her and displayed her newest project; a map of the Edge and all the surrounding islands. Stacked near the edges of the map were notes on Dark Deep, Deathsong Isle, Wild Boar Island, several small clusters of sandbars littered with toxic Blue Oleander, and so on.
"Alright Rumble." Tengan yawned as she patted her snoozing dragon's shoulder. "You take it easy today. Give me a shake when you get hungry. I'm spending the day reorganizing my notes." With a content smile, she got to work.
Hours slipped by, totally unnoticed by the island's inhabitants. It was only when the Sun began to slip towards the horizon and dark clouds gathered in the distance did a new figure block the open doorway of the Scribe's hut. "Have you seen Astrid?" Hiccup asked urgently without dismounting. "No one else has all day and a storm is coming in."
Tengan picked her head up from her hunched position over her map, blinking rapidly to focus on the dragon and boy before her. "No, I haven't. We've been inside all day. Do you want help looking for her?"
"Please." Hiccup agreed, a note of stress in his voice. "She's never been gone this long with the weather looking like this. Something's wrong."
Tengan nodded. "I agree. Go on." She added as she began adjusting the loose straps on Rumble's saddle. "Get the others together. We'll meet you down by the arena."
The storm had moved in faster than any of the riders could have anticipated. Failing to find their missing companion anywhere on the island, the teens braved the harsh weather to expand their search to the surrounding ocean. Several times, Tengan had to direct Rumble to intercept bolts of lightning that had come way too close to striking the others. If they didn't find Astrid soon, or at least a safe place to release the excess energy, she wasn't sure how much longer they could deflect the strikes. Rumble's skin had started to nearly vibrate at her touch from the vast stores of electrical energy.
"We're never going to find her like this!" Hiccup called out to the others over the howling winds. "We have to split up!"
"I'll head south!" Snotlout immediately spoke up.
"And why is that?" Hiccup countered, voice still on edge.
"Because Astrid likes to fly south and she'll obviously be expecting me to rescue her!" Snotlut crossed his arms, a cocky smirk on his lips.
"Yeah, no way that's happening." Hiccup countered before turning Toothless to the south and taking off from the group.
"Whichever way you end up going, be careful!" Tegan called out to the retreating riders. "Rumble and I won't be able to cover you all once we split up." Seeing as the others had covered most of the area before them, Tengan turned Rumble around, making several passes over the space they had already flown over just in case the wind or current carried anything back towards them. Minutes ticked by as the rain continued to fall in icy sheets. For a horribly long while the only sound was the howl of the wind or the crash of not so distant thunder. Finally, a bit of shadow detached itself from a puff of dark cloud to the south. Tengan's heart dropped as Hiccup and Toothless flew into view, the former supporting a shivering, almost unconscious Astrid on the latter's back. "Get her back to my hut, quickly!" Tengan hollered as Rumble glided into place next to Toothless. Her brain rapidly searched itself for any information she could recall Gothi showing her on how to treat exposure. "Any sign of Stormfly?" She called after a minute.
"None!" Hiccup yelled back, clutching Astrid tighter to his chest as a strong wind rocked the dragons. "The others are heading back in soon if they can't find her."
"The sooner we're all out of this storm, the better." Tengan agreed as the pair landed on the balcony of her hut. Ignoring the damp seeping into her own bones, she threw the door open to her hut. With quick movements, she swept the typical pile of books and papers from her bed to the floor before gathering spare rags and herbs from her shelves. "Place her on the bed and get that fire going." She ordered Hiccup sternly over her shoulder as three subsequent thuds announced the arrival of the other riders.
"Any sign of Stormfly?" Hiccup asked the others quietly as he worked to fan the cold embers into a working flame.
"None." Fishlegs answered meekly. "She's a smart dragon. I'm sure she found her way out of the storm and will make it back when things settle down."
"Perhaps." Tengan added as she joined the group. "But for now we have to focus on Astrid. Ruffnut, I need you to grab some dry clothes from Astrid's hut and meet me back here. The rest of you." She gestured to the boys. "I need you to clear out until I call for you. She needs to be out of those wet clothes and I won't have you gawking about while I work." Her stern gaze met Hiccup as she finished.
Thankfully, they complied without complaint. Tengan had already stripped Astrid of her freezing wet outfit by the time Ruffnut returned. The two girls managed to help their shivering friend into a new set of dry clothes and get her to swallow a few mouthfuls of herbal tea before letting her settle in for the night.
As dawn broke the following morning, Hiccup paced softly past the other riders and in front of Tengan's bed where Astrid still laid unconscious. "Any idea when she'll wake up?" He whispered.
Tengan, puffy eyed from trading watches with Ruffnut all through the night, shook her head. "She's been through a lot. Let her rest. We're lucky she doesn't have a fever after being in the water for who knows how long."
As if on cue, Astrid began to stir fitfully, nervous groans escaping her lips. Before the others could converge on her, she sat up with a gasp. "Stormfly!" She wheezed before doubling over, panting slightly.
Tengan scrambled to her feet and pressed a fresh mug of tea into her friends hands. "Drink. Now." She encouraged with a gentle but unwavering tone.
"It's alright." Hiccup lowered himself on the edge of the bed, taking Astrid's free hand into his as he settled. "Just try to relax. You had a tough night."
Astrid cradled the warm earthen mug to her chest as she gazed hazily up at her somber faced friends. "No no no." She asserted weakly as she tried to swing her legs over the edge of the bed. "They were all in cages. And they have Stormfly!"
A shock of unease ricocheted through the Riders. Hiccup was the fastest to recover. "Woah, woah. Slow down. Cages? What are you talking about?" His gaze softened. "What happened out there?"
Astrid glanced down into her gently steaming mug of tea. "Dragon hunters. A whole fleet of them. They have Stormfly!" She struggled to escape the blankets once more. "This big, ugly one… Oh when I get my hands on him!"
"And welcome back." Fishlegs murmured with a small smile.
Tengan placed a firm hand on Astrid's shoulder. "We will get Stormfly back. But first we need to make sure you're alright."
"I'm fine!" Astrid asserted, reaching her free hand up to shrug off Tengan's grip.
"I'm sure you are." The darker girl spoke calmly. "I just need to see you drink that mug and eat a little mutton. Then we'll all go out and make those dragon hunters sorry they ever messed with one of ours."
Hiccup nodded, his determined expression mirroring the emotions bubbling beneath the surface of the group. "She's right. Eat first. Then we'll go. You can ride with me."
Tengan was mildly surprised the food and tea stayed down with the speed Astrid inhaled them. In what felt like next to no time, the group had gathered on the shore of the island Astrid had last flown over the day before. Each rider spread out on the beach, eyes combing the abandoned camp and surrounding sand for any clues as to where the hunters would be headed next.
"Ugh!" Astrid called out after almost half an hour of searching. "There has to be some clues here! Somewhere! Something!"
"How many cages were there?" Hiccup asked calmly.
"Remember the number of cages we saw on the Reaper? Double them." Astrid snapped back as she began to pace the shoreline again.
The group's attention shifted back to searching for several more moments before Snotlout crumpled to the ground, howling in pain while clutching his foot. "Something bit me! Is it a sand crab? I'm allergic!" He blubbered, rocking back and forth.
Astrid rushed over to the downed viking, yanking his foot higher to inspect the wound. She extracted the offending object as the other riders crowded around. "It's a dragon hunter arrow. Stormfly was hit with one right before she was caught. I've never seen her act so out of control."
Fishlegs gently took the arrow tip from Astrid before turning it in the sunlight. "Interesting." He licked the iridescent green tip on the head. "Unexpected and… tangy? It seems to be some kind of refined Dragon Root. I've heard in large concentrations it can render a dragon unable to fly. Just one quiver of these arrows can decimate an entire flock of dragons."
"How are we ever going to find them!" Astrid threw her arms up in desperation. "We've found nothing that can tell us where they're going."
"True." Hiccup acquiesced as he took the barbed head from Fishlegs. He angled the coated weapon until a sigil clearly shone through. "But we do know where they've been."
Tengan squinted at the marking. "That looks eerily similar to the symbols on the ships wrecked in Johann's graveyard."
"Then that's where we're headed." Astrid all but growled as she stalked back to Toothless.
The flight back to the graveyard was swift and mostly silent. Each of the teens were acutely aware of time slipping through their fingers. The longer it took to find Stormfly, the harder it would be to recover her. Once in the fog banks, Tengan stayed aloft, circling overhead with Rumble while the others searched the ship. Every once in a while, one of the area's enormous eels would slither hopefully towards the boat. Rumble had only enjoyed the pleasure of taking chunks out of two before they decided against any further attacks.
It wasn't long before the others rejoined her in the air, Hiccup holding a new Dragon Eye lens aloft. "We found a new lens below deck. But we need Changewing acid to use it."
Tengan exhaled in exhaustion. "Changewing island it is then."
Thankfully, the flight was relatively short and saw the riders touching down just over an hour later. Several times, Tengan found herself glancing up at the sky. It was already early afternoon. The hunters already had a full day and a half lead on them.
Surprisingly enough, it was Tuffnut who managed to coax (more like annoy) acid from an ornery Changewing, and in record time too.
"Bonus points for getting it on Snotlout's helmet." Ruffnut whispered to her twin as the group huddled in a nearby dark cave to read the newly revealed map.
"It looks like a series of ports." Hiccup squinted to read the marking in the green lighting. "And that one looks like the closest one to where Stormfly was taken. They must be heading there."
"Then that's where we're going." Astrid slammed the hilt of her axe against the rock wall behind her for emphasis.
"One question." Fishlegs spoke up. "How are we going to avoid those arrows?"
"Funny you should mention that Mr. Gronckle Rider. For my plan to work, someone is going to have to get shot." Hiccup replied with a small smirk as he led the group out of the small cave and back to their waiting dragons.
"I really don't like where this is going." Fishlegs groaned as he climbed back into the saddle.
Tengan shifted uncomfortably in the saddle as the hunter's ships came into view a couple hours later. The plan, while straightforward, and discussed in painstaking detail the entire flight, still left a lot open to error.
"Everyone ready?" Hiccup called out as the passed overhead. "Fishlegs, now!"
On cue, their ranks broke. Tengan baked left, utilizing Rumble's speed to avoid arrow fire as he buffeted their sails with his wake. A nearby scream informed her the plan was working; Meatlug had been hit and was "crashing" onto the lead ship. "Ok Rumble, lay down some cover fire and get us out of here!" She smirked as her dragon, full to capacity from last night's storm, let loose a blinding white bolt of lightning towards the ship.
The bright light from the blast forced several enemy shots to go astray. However, many more still sailed true. As Hiccup and Toothless dodged an exceptionally large boulder, Astrid was knocked from the saddle and, before anyone could dive to catch her, was caught in a loose chain trailing alongside the lead ship.
"Hiccup we need to fall back!" Snotlout yelled as Astrid was pulled on deck and shoved below after Meatlug and Fishlegs.
"He's right." Tengan called out as they regrouped. She fought to keep her voice steady as her heart raced. "She's with Fishlegs. All we can do now is wait for them to spring the trap. Until then, we need to get under cover."
Hiccup, clearly torn, eventually nodded once, his jaw apparently too tight to speak. He led Hookfang, Rumble, and Barf and Belch higher where the group settled into to circle and wait. Thankfully, their patience was soon rewarded as Meatlug, followed closely by Astrid, Stormfly, and Fishlegs, broke through a wooden door and onto the deck.
"Now!" Hiccup cried, leading the airborne group into a dive. "Cover them while they get away!"
"Something's wrong." Tengan mumbled to herself as they closed in. "Why aren't the guards doing anything?"
As the group closed in, several things sprang into action at once. On the deck of the ship, multiple bolas were fired from cannons at the escaped dragons, effectively hobbling them. Anyone not recapturing Meatlug and Stormfly loosed a volley of green-tipped arrows into the advancing riders.
"No!" Tengan screamed, yanking Rumble out of the dive. "Gotta get out of here before-" A dull thud and pained roar cut her sentence off as Rumble spiraled downward, his tongue lolling out his mouth. "It's a trap! We're hit! Get out of-" Her sentence cut short as she was knocked out of the saddle by a flailing wing. Bracing for impact, she shut her eyes as she and Rumble crashed into the icy water. As the bubbles surrounding them began to clear, a heavy chain net snagged over their bodies, dragging them unceremoniously onto the lead ship. "Not this again." Tengan growled, struggling the small amount the net allowed her as Rumble's twitching body was deposited on the deck.
"Your pathetic tricks won't work on me!" A deep, taunting voice boomed over the water. "I'm a dragon hunter! I know Gronkles are immune to Dragon Root. I used your pathetic escape plan to lure your friends in closer." The large man sneered down at the captive teens. "Take them and their dragons below!"
Tengan thrashed for several moments as the net was removed and a guard slammed her to the deck. She managed to sink her teeth into his bracer as he confiscated her sword and earned a strong backhand for her efforts. Woozy from the hit, she could only call desperately out to Rumble, still unable to get his feet under him, as she was herded below deck and into a cell with the other captive riders. She glanced around nervously at her friends, exhaling slightly when it seemed none of them were seriously injured. "Wait." She performed a second headcount. "Did Snotlout and Hiccup get away?"
"Yeah, but Hookfang was hit." Fishlegs groaned pathetically.
Astrid, catching sight of the imposing commander, shoved past the group to slam herself against the unforgiving bars. "Where are our dragons!?" She bellowed, entirely unrestrained. "What have you done with them?!"
"If I were you." He responded calmly, face impassive. "I'd worry about yourselves."
Footsteps echoed on the wood as several people made their way below deck. Most of them were just as large and burly as the commander, but two smaller figures caught the eyes of the riders. One with short cropped, uneven firey hair, and the other with a long, black braid.
"Heather?" Astrid bleated in pure shock.
"No way." Tuffnut gasped, his jaw dropping in shock.
"Surprise!" Dagur slid sideways into view of the cage, his arms spread wide. "Did you miss me? I know you did." His eyes flicked to Tengan momentarily. "Have you all met my sister? Of course you have! You guys were pals and little buddy buddies." He devolved into malicious giggles.
"Hey, family is family." Heather added with a cool, taunting tone the group hadn't heard her use in years.
"I can't believe this, Heather." Astrid spoke quietly as her shoulders sagged.
"Well, it may not be Dragon's Edge. But it's something." The dark hair girl sneered. "Enjoy your new home, guys. You'll be here a while."
The taunting laughter faded as the group plodded on, leaving the captured Riders to sulk in their featureless cell. Their mood sank as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting dark shadows along the ship's brig.
"Dagur's here?" Fishlegs eventually broke the silence. "And Heather's working with him? I don't believe it." He sighed, letting his body slide along the wall to the hard floor.
"Trusting her turned out to be a big mistake." Astrid said bitterly, her back to the others.
"Yeah who puts loyalty to their brother ahead of loyalty to their friends?" Ruffnut added with an air of someone trying to inject humor into a heavy situation.
"I'm more concerned about who these hunters are working for." Tengan spoke up from the far corner where she sat huddled against the wall. "This operation is too big for them to be doing this alone."
"You're about to find out." Heather's cool voice carried through the bars as she approached, flanked on either side by large guards. "Ryker wants to have a little chat with you, Astrid." She motioned to the guards, who deftly unlocked the cell, shoved Astrid out of it, and quickly secured it before the other Riders could think to react.
Astrid's voice trailed away as Heather shoved her down the hall. "You're lucky these guards are here or I'd take your head off."
Tengan sighed heavily, staring up at her friends. "I hate to say it. But we should probably try to get some sleep . I don't think we're in any danger just yet and they'll probably want to question us all before sunrise. Better we get what little shuteye we can now, so we can fight for our dragons tomorrow." Her voice wavered at the end of her sentence as she imagined Rumble, battered and caged, somewhere on the ship.
With defeated mumbling, the others agreed and settled into varying positions on the cramped floor. Sleep did not come easily but, as the boat rocked gently on the waves, it eventually overtook the Riders one by one.
Tengan stirred as the first rays of sunlight streamed into the hold through the small gap under the wooden door leading out to the deck. "Is Astrid not back yet?" She mumbled to the room at large.
Her question was answered as a guard slammed the cell open, shoved an unstable Astrid inside, and slammed it back closed, jerking the others awake in the process.
"Astrid! Are you alright?" Fishlegs asked as he scrambled to his feet.
"Yeah." Her reply was weary. "Just tired. They questioned me all night. Wouldn't let me sleep. Dagur and Heather wouldn't let up. That Ryker guy mostly stares."
"But you didn't talk, right?" Ruffnut, still seated with her knees drawn to her chest, lifted her head from her arms.
"Actually, I did." Astrid confessed weakly. "They wanted to know about the Dragon Eye. It's very important to the hunters. They've been looking for it for a long time."
"And where did you tell them it was, loose lips?" Ruffnut shot back bitterly.
"Back on Dragon's Edge, being guarded by all the riders we left behind under command of Captain Gustav!" Her voice rose in volume as she spoke.
Tengan shifted to sit straighter and exchanged glances with the others. Peeking around the corner, she made sure the guard disappeared behind a door before whispering. "Good plan. You bought us some time."
Astrid sighed before wearily sinking into a seated position. "It was all I could think of to keep them away from Dragon's Edge. We need to get out of here before Ryker sends someone to check. Any ideas?"
The next hour saw the Riders whispering half formed ideas and possible escape plans to one another. The least likely plan involved Ruffnut somehow marrying and divorcing one of the guards. Over time, Tuffnut's idea to tunnel out of the ship using only a single discarded wooden mug seemed more reasonable.
Their planning was interrupted as the lock on the cage turned once more. The door swung open to reveal Heather, flanked by her usual platoon of guards. "Ryker wants to see all of you. Get moving."
Glaring, Tengan plodded stiffly along at the back of the group, casting a wary glare at the guard stationed behind her now and again. Their trip, although heading deeper into the hull of the ship, was short. Tengan found herself glaring at her traitorous friend as Dagur and Ryker emerged from a side room.
"I am Ryker." The booming voice echoed slightly in the small room. "This is my ship and you are my prisoners. Your dragons are now my dragons." He smirked down at the battered teens.
"And how they're treated is entirely up to you!" Dagur taunted, his signature manic grin in place. "Would you care to see?"
Tengan bit back a colorful response as she and her friends were shunted down a hall to a large room dotted with more cell doors on either side. Each of the cells held a captive dragon. Poor Meatlug was being force fed large quantities of metal before being jostled around until she regugiated the mixture in a seemingly endless cycle. Slightly further down, Stormfly was already displaying several minor cuts as men jabbed at her face with spears until she fired off spines into waiting shields. Barf and Belch were being treated the best of the group, if only for the moment. A couple men alternated between feeding and massaging oil on the lounging dragon to prepare it's skin to be sold as a pelt. Right across from them, in a cell flooded with water, and muzzled for good measure was-
"Rumble!" Tengan began to move towards the bars, her eyes scanning him for any hint of injury. She grunted as she was roughly pulled back into line.
"Consider him my payment for helping the hunters take Hiccup's little group down." Dagur chuckled into her ear as he shoved her back into place. "Should have taken my deal when you had the chance."
"This is the fate that awaits all your dragons." Ryker stated smoothly. "Of course they could get better treatment." Grabbing an empty container of oil from one of the guards, he hurled it towards the teens with considerable force. "Start talking! Tell me what you know about the dragon eye! Exactly how many riders guard your base!?"
Ruffnut, apparently pushed to her breaking point, threw herself at the nearest guard. "Oh please don't kill my dragon!" She blubbered desperately, throwing her arms around the guard as she slowly slid to the ground. "I'll do anything!" She continued to sob for several more seconds before, seemingly on a whim, standing back up and retreating towards the group, entirely composed. "Sorry. Lost my head for a second there."
"Something you and your dragon might have in common soon." Ryker sneered. "Take them back to their cell and out of my sight!"
Tengan stole a final fleeting glance at her dragon, who strained desperately against his muzzle before she was shunted back through the halls and towards their cell. She waited until the guards had left them once more before pacing, a surge of furious energy fueling her limbs. "We need to get out of here and fast."
"I've memorized the guards patrol routes." Astrid glanced down the hall as if to confirm something. "And I have a plan, but we'll need a way out of this cell first."
"You mean, like this key?" Ruffnutt smirked as she withdrew the small metal key from her jacket. "Took it off the guard back there. You know you all should listen to me more. I do have pretty good ideas once in a while."
Tengan's face broke into a gin. "Ruff, you're amazing. Now, let's get out of here!"
Astrid nodded once, face set. "Alright, let's split up, get our dragons, and get out of here. Once in the air, fly straight up and out of range of those arrows. Everyone ready?" When the others nodded she turned to the cell. "Guard, guard! I can't take it anymore! I'll tell Ryker everything he wants to know!"
Tengan almost felt bad for the headache the guard was surely going to have after Astrid knocked him out with the cell door. Almost. Bidding her friends good luck, Tengan padded quietly with the twins back towards the hall where their dragons were stored. Sliding the stall door open, she slipped inside. "I'm here boy." She murmured comfortingly as she caressed under Rumble's chin. Quickly she assessed the situation. A strong metal muzzle, one barely large enough for him, had been forced over his head before being attached to the wall by a heavy chain. The floor was slightly pitted and allowed for a couple inches of standing water. Encouraging the Skrill to stay quiet, she began to tug at the corners of the muzzle just as a clanging bell rang out somewhere above her. "Dragon dung." She whispered harshly, head whipping towards the sound of approaching boots. "Comeon Rumble, let's get you out of here." She whispered urgently as she struggled desperately against his chains. Her movements slowed to a stop as she noticed her dragon's eyes narrow at something just behind her left shoulder.
"Don't you ever learn?" Dagur growled as he lunged forward, grabbing and pinning Tengan's arms behind her back.
"Let me go!" She struggled, aware her movements were rather sluggish after two nights of poor sleep and several missed meals.
"Not as feisty today, eh?" Dagur taunted as he wrestled her out of the cage and into the hall where two other guards held the twins at bay with raised crossbows.
"Rumble! I'll be back for you!" Tengan cried out weakly as her dragon strained pitifully against his bonds, vocalizing desperately as she was dragged away.
Dagur laughed as he marched the small group onto the deck. "Oh I highly doubt that. Keep filling your own little head with these delusions though. It's quite entertaining." With a harsh shove, he released Tengan towards the other recaptured Riders. Sneering, he climbed up a set of stairs to join Ryker, who had been glaring down impassively. "Did I or did I not warn you about this group? They never give up. Ryker, can we please work together on this? You know dragons, and I know dragon riders." His face split into its usual crazed grin. "Oh oh! You should throw one overboard to teach them a lesson. You know, send a message."
"Or" Heather spoke up as she deposited a bruised Astrid into the mix. "You could have them work for you. Split them up so they can't make any more escape attempts. Make them serve you as their dragons do."
Ryker laughed, a joyless, sadistic sound. "Oh, I like that. Guess we know who got the brains in your family, eh Dagur?"
"Was there ever really any doubt?" Tengan spoke a bit too loudly before she could stop herself. Despite the sniggers her quip earned from her friends, Dagur's dark glare promised her she'd regret her outburst.
"Should have kept my big mouth shut." Tengan mumbled under her breath a little while later as she knelt in front of a reclining Dagur. Several piles of cracked, dry, and scuffed leather armor lay before her. Once she had finished cleaning and oiling all of that, she was to polish all of the shields and chain armor. Problem was, Dagur had insisted she start by shining his boots. No matter how hard she worked, they never seemed to be clean enough for the Berserker.
"You know." He mused, smirking down at her. "I rather like this. You look much better kneeling at my feet."
Tengan opened her mouth to retort before biting her lip and getting back to work on his boots. Occasionally her eyes flicked to a pile of weapons in the far corner. Among several obviously stolen pieces were Astrid's favorite axe and the sword Makara had given her at the start of her journey. Forcing her gaze back to the task at hand, Tengan sat back on her heels to rest. "Are they clean enough now?" She spoke through gritted teeth.
Dagur, grinning down at the girl, barely even glanced at his boots. "Not even close. You'll have to do better than that." He leaned forward slowly, dropping his voice. "Unless, you enjoy this? Hmm? Would you rather spend all day working on Daddy Dagur's boots?"
Tengan was saved from the almost certain flogging her response would have brought when a sentry burst into the room. "Dragons sighted off the port bow!"
Dagur paused only long enough to drag Tengan along with him by her upper arm as he scrambled to meet with Ryker and Heather on deck. "It's Hiccup and that Snothat." He sneered, glaring as the two dragons approached in a steady, straight line. "I don't believe it!" He devolved into a fit of laughter, his grip on her arm loosening. "He's coming straight in! Suicide run! I didn't think he had it in him!"
"Fool." Ryker grumbled in disbelief.
"Hiccup is many things, but he's no fool. What is he up to?" Heather folded her arms, deep in thought as she tracked the approaching dragons.
Ryker chuckled. "Well I'll be sure to ask him after I've knocked his Night Fury out of the sky!" He held one arm aloft. "Archers! Fire at will!
Tengan, yanking her arm out of Dagur's grip, gasped as several volleys of arrows flew towards Toothless and Hookfang. "No!" She cried out as they made their mark.
"Yes!" Dagur cheered, jumping for joy. His laughter subsided as the two dragons flew on, unaffected by the poison. "Wait, what?!" Pulling a spyglass from his belt, he trained it quickly on the pair. "They have some kind of dragon armor!" He shouted in disbelief.
As if on cue, Hookfang and Toothless blasted the deck, forcing everyone to duck for cover. Tengan, taking advantage of the chaos, darted back into the armory and made a beeline for hers and Astrid's weapons. Finally armed again she ran as quickly as she dared towards the hold, pausing only to step into a shadow or corner as more guards ran past to deal with the distraction Hiccup and Snotlout had provided. She grinned as Astrid, Fishlegs and the twins joined her. "Astrid, here!" She cheered, tossing the recovered axe to her friend. "I'll see you all topside!"
"Don't have to tell me twice!" Fishlegs called out as he severed Matlug's chain with an axe abandoned by a fleeing guard.
Tengan darted into the larger cells at the back of the ship, accompanied by the twins. Forcing Rumble's stall wide open, she stumbled as the ship shuddered from another impact.
"Do you need help with that?" Tuffnut called out as he helped his sister lead Barf and Belch towards the exit.
"No, just go!" Tengan cried out as she fell against Rumble's side. "You can help by clearing a path for us to follow!"
"With pleasure." Ruffnut grinned as she, her brother, and their dragon disappeared down the hall, Zippleback gas trailing behind them.
Tengan, her heart racing, threw her weight against the tight muzzle as Rumble pulled in the opposite direction. When that failed to even budge it, she tugged at the point where the chain connected to the wall, only to find it had been welded on using Gronkle Iron. "It's all metal. I can't cut it!" She cried out in desperation. "How are we going to get this off?!"
"Oh that's easy. You just need this key." Dagur stepped into the hall, twirling a single key on a metal ring in one hand while his other brandished an axe. "So predictable. Did you really think I'd just use the water trick again after last time? If you plan on leaving here with MY dragon, you'll have to get through me first."
Tengan sighed before lifting her sword, rolling her sore shoulders in a quick attempt to limber up. "I still owe you for making me shine your boots a dozen times." She growled, stepping out of the cage and into the larger hall.
"Come and get me then." Dagur challenged, shoving the key in his pocket.
With a battle cry even Astrid would be proud of, Tengan launched herself at the Berserker, arms vibrating as their metal connected. She jumped back and pushed forward again, aiming towards his hip. Between the long days and hard labor she was slower than usual. All of her attacks were blocked effortlessly. It almost felt as if Dagur was toying with her rather than defending himself.
"You look tired." He remarked after a few exchanges. He deflected another blow with an exaggerated yawn. "Are you done yet? Good. My turn." He shifted his grip on the axe and began a flurry of brutal swings, each one clattering against Tengan's sword.
It was all she could do to hold him off. With each exchange, she found herself taking a step back. Her arms began to burn from the force of defending herself and her lungs fought for air. Another step backwards and her foot caught on a discarded tankard. Stumbling backwards several steps, her back slammed into the wooden hull of the ship. Dagur's axe blade closed the gap immediately. She barely managed to bring her own weapon up to connect with it. From her position, all she could do was strain against his weight as he leaned against the weapons.
"Any last words?" He taunted darkly.
'Need to distract.' She thought quickly, her eyes darting around what little of the room she could still see. Dagur was leaning in so closely, she could hardly make out anything past him. 'Need to do something that will throw him off balance, but what?' As her eyes flicked to his, a reckless idea popped into her mind. "Yes actually." She wheezed. "You were right. You were always right. I should have gone with you when I had the chance. Back when we first met."
Dagur's brow furrowed. "I'm sorry, what now?" He asked quickly, his grip loosening ever so slightly.
'Here goes nothing.' Tengan thought bitterly as she forced a small smile on her lips. With the little freedom of movement she had, she forced their weapons down and threw her weight forward. Her lips crashed into his with a bit more force than she had intended. The initial contact was more of a bumping of their faces rather than an actual kiss. Closing her eyes tightly, she leaned into the contact, angling her face to capture more of his lips. For several heartbeats nothing happened as Dagur stiffened underneath her. Then, she felt his body relax as his axe fell to his side. Pressing her advantage, she chanced letting her sword clatter to the floor and brought her hands up to his chest, still refusing to break the kiss. She forced him backwards for several steps before finally pulling her face away from his and opening her eyes.
Dagur blinked rapidly, mouth slightly agape. His grip on his axe failed completely and it thudded dully as it sank into the floor.
Tengan smiled sweetly, maintaining eye contact as she brought one hand up to eye level between them, the key delicately wrapped in her fingers. "Thanks a lot!" She giggled and shoved him into an empty cell with her free hand before he could react.
Dagur's back slammed against the back of the cell before he could move freely again. He scrambled forward just in time to see the door booming shut. "GET BACK HERE!" He hollered, shaking the bars with his full strength.
Tengan, having freed Rumble and retrieved her sword, simply scoffed. "Better luck next time, Dagur!" Without a backward glance, she hugged her dragon's neck, snuggling into his warm side before taking off down the hall with him, following the sounds of chaos. The twins had done an excellent job of clearing an escape route. Several scorch marks and a few still burning planks of wood were the only things they encountered on their way to the deck. Once out in the open, she quickly mounted and took off, encouraging Rumble to loose a cascade of lightning as cover fire as she ascended to join the group. "Did you leave any fun for me?"
"Yeah Tengan! That's everybody!" Hiccup cheered. "Let's get out of here gang!" He circled the unarmored members of the group until they were well out of crossbow range. "By the way, did I see Dagur on that ship back there?!"
"Not JUST Dagur!" Ruffnut shouted eagerly.
"We have a lot to fill you in on, Hiccup." Astrid added with a heavy sigh.
"It seems you guys do too." Fishlegs chimed in as he sidled up to Hookfangs. "Screaming Death armor? Impressive!"
"It was all Snotlout!" Hiccup gestured to the Jorgenson, beaming proudly.
"I'll definitely have to get with you to draw the patterns and take notes on the construction!" Tengan smiled at Snotlout as she laid flat on Rumble's back, her arms squeezing his neck in a constant hug. 'And maybe we can forget to jot down the whole kissing Dagur thing.'
Hiccup laughed, eyes flicking to each of his team flying safely alongside him. "You mean after you've eaten and had a nap."
"You know me so well." Tengan smiled back, eyes already drooping. While the hunters were certainly a formidable threat, especially with Heather and Dagur lending them a hand, nothing ever seemed impossible when the seven of them flew together.