"Whump"tober 2021

#5) Two Halves of a Coin- HTTYD

Prompt #5- I've got red in my ledger. HTTYD- Race to the Edge S3E1 from Dagur's perspective.

A couple months ago Dagur would have danced like a child on Snoggletog to have a downed night fury completely at his mercy. Now he'd give anything for said night fury to be operational and his rider to stop trying to glare a hole in Dagur's head.

"I told you that's how the dragon root antidote is made!"

"I can't believe I trusted you!" Hiccup launched himself at Dagur.

Hurtful- Hiccup's words- not his wiry little fists. Though Dagur admired the effort Hiccup put into the attack as he skillfully dodged the angry viking.

"Trust me or not I'm not trying to hurt your dra-!"
A loud roar- a human one- cut off Dagur's words. Hiccup drove one of his boney shoulders into Dagur's gut. The blow caught him by surprise and he stepped backward... and off the rock cliff.

Yelping in surprise both Hiccup and Dagur free fell into the river far below. Dagur struggled to get his head above water with Hiccup still attempting to rain blows on him while under water. If it wasn't so annoying it would have been laughable.

The current pushed them toward the river bank. Dagur hauled Hiccup out and pinned him against the ground.

"I. Did. Not. Kill. Your. Dragon."

Wrong choice of words. In an impressive feat of strength Hiccup wrenched an arm free and got a lucky shot at Dagur's nose. Blood immediately began to spurt out. Dagur reeled back, more so not to get blood all over Hiccup's face than from the pain. He'd had much worse in his time as Berserker Chief.

"Would you chill-" A cold blade at the back of his neck made him freeze.

"Two packages wrapped up for the price of one." The deep, patronizing voice made Daugr go even more still.

'Just great.'

Six brutish Hunters surrounded him and Hiccup, all with weapons at the ready.

"Viggo would prefer you alive, but he didn't specify in what condition." The point of the sword dug deeper into Dagur's neck. "Do as I say and you might get to keep your lives and limbs- or what's left of them- for a little longer."

Dagur could hear Hiccup's harsh breaths as they were both manhandled away from the river. Rough hands seized Dagur's wrists and jerked them in front of his body. Coarse rope quickly secured them in place.

Dagur snorted internally- then regretted it when his nose throbbed. These Hunters might know how to wrangle a dragon, but not a Berserker. Leaving his hands in front of him allowed Dagur much more dexterity that he could easily work with when the opportunity presented itself. If he'd been by himself he probably could have taken them already. However, Hiccup's presence would make an escape a little trickier, especially if he still let anger cloud his judgement.

So Dagur waited and let the Hunters shove him deeper into the forest. Eventually they came to a makeshift camp closer to the ocean. Dagur and Hiccup were shoved to their knees near a campfire.

"We're going to find that night fury eventually." The Hunter who'd first taunted Dagur stepped forward. "So why don't you work with us and maybe you'll get out of this alive?"

When neither Dagur nor Hiccup responded he gestured to another Hunter. "Maybe this will burn a hole in your memory."

The second man hauled Hiccup up by his scruff and dragged him toward the campfire. The fire that held pokers and brands sizzling in it. Hiccup writhed in the man's grip- a futile action for a stick versus a mountain.