úlfheðnar, httyd

xviii. Counter Attack

𖣯 ✹ 🌷(úlfheðnar) ꏍ ！┈─❟
╰───►chapter eighteen; hiccup
❝ counter attack! ❞

     HICCUP felt a surge of confidence.

      With Yrsa safe on the ground with the others, he could examine the Queen Dragon properly with a keen eye. Toothless's wings flapped with immense strength against his legs, sending wind gushing behind them. He glared at the beast with the same ferocity as his rider, the both of them working as one. Hiccup's feet moved in the stirrups without him having to think. It was like he was at the sea stack maze again, just trusting his instincts and Toothless to get them out of there, and here he was doing the same thing; it might be the only way they'd make it to the end of the battle alive. 

     He was swooping them around when his eyes caught something that sparked a plan in his head. Hiccup's eyes widened, taking notice of the long, leathery webbed flesh at the Queen's sides. "That thing has wings!" he announced to Toothless. "Okay!" he leant forward in the saddle with a set of his jaw. "Let's see if it can use them!"

     He pulled back and Toothless extended his wings. Turning his body, they dived back down to the creature with a shriek. Hiccup could feel Toothless ready a shot; it vibrated in his throat and chest, bringing forth as much power as he could as they drew closer and closer━

     Hiccup pulled up at the last minute and Toothless let go.

     The blast sent the dragon off her feet. She moaned as she hit the shore, blinking away the waves of purple fire that set dust exploding all around her. The Vikings below covered their eyes, swiping away the rocks and dust with coughs. They peered, gobsmacked at the beast who slowly pushed herself back up. With a fresh menance, she unwrapped her leathery wings, extending out two longship boat lengths, at the very least. 

     Hiccup glanced over his shoulder as he and Toothless took a head start to the mist shrouded sea stacks. "You think that did it?" 

     Oh, it did.

     His eyes widened to see her rise up on her hind legs. With a geyser of wind, she launched up into the sky, sending Vikings stumbling off their feet. She followed Hiccup and Toothless with a slow pace, but she didn't need to be fast to catch up. Her mighty wings matched her mighty weight━at each flap, she gained striking amounts of distance. Soon, Hiccup and Toothless were only just keeping ahead of her saber teeth. 

     "Well," Hiccup managed, trying to keep down the building fear in his chest, "she can fly."

    Toothless growled in reponse and gave a harsh flap of his wings. They dived down between the sea stacks, weaving in and out, only just missing the slamming jaws of the Queen as she dived after them. She slammed through sea stacks, and they crumbled around Hiccup and Toothless into the ocean. They only narrowly missed one falling sea stack, diving under crumbling rock and shooting past the beach.

     The Vikings all stood watching, in gaping shock at the scene before them. As Hiccup and Toothless raced past, there were cheers from the teens and a cry of, "Take 'em down!" from Yrsa. Hiccup saw that the Devilish Dervish had rejoined her, hanging with the other dragons as they, too, stopped to watch the battle. 

     Hiccup gritted his teeth as he heard the dragon slam through the sea stacks behind him, not at all fazed. He glanced up at the clouds, and secured his plan in his head. 

     "Okay, Toothless," he said, switching back his tail with a click, "time to disappear."

     They dipped down and then up. Hiccup's hair flattened against his scalp as they fired up towards the grey clouds above. "Come on, bud!" he shouted, egging the dragon faster. "Come on, you can do it!"