Life on the Edge

2.13 Maces and Talons, Part 2

Hiccup stands at the edge of the ship, leaning on the railing as he looks out over the foggy water. "I don't get it. How did Viggo get away?"

Ragnar sighs and crosses his arms as he leans back against a mast. "Because he had a plan. He had an escape route."

"How did we lose Heather, Windshear, and the Flightmare?" Hiccup goes on, shaking his head a little in frustration at the whole situation.

"Same answer, Hic."

Astrid shakes her own head. "I don't even want to think about what they're going to do to her and those dragons."

The other Riders finally arrive, back from their search for any clues as they touch down on deck.

"You guys find anything?" Hiccup asks hopefully.

"No," Fishlegs tells him. "The fog was too thick. They used it as cover and- and just vanished."

Ragnar sighs again, absently running a hand over the tattoo on his forearm. "Of course, they did," he mutters. "Remember when we had dumber enemies? That was nice, wasn't it?"

Astrid makes a quiet, dismayed sound. "We should've just pulled Heather out, Hiccup. I knew something like this was-"

"Don't do that to yourself," Ragnar warns her.

"She wouldn't have come with us," Hiccup adds.

Tuffnut shrugs as he and Ruffnut make their way over. "It could be worse," he points out. "We could've brought the Dragon Eye. Ow!"

Ragnar raises an eyebrow when Ruffnut promptly elbows her brother in the ribs.

"How do you know I didn't bring the Dragon Eye?" Hiccup asks expectantly.

"How did I know you didn't bring the Dragon Eye?" Tuffnut repeats only to get elbowed again. "Ouch!"

Hiccup stares at him for a moment. "Yeah. Okay. You're right," he admits. "I didn't bring it."

"Thank Thor," Astrid breathes.

"No kidding," Snotlout chimes in from Hookfang's saddle. "Then Viggo would have Heather, Windshear, the Flightmare, and the Dragon Eye."

Ragnar barely hears the unhelpful comment. Instead, he's focused on the twins who are determinedly avoiding his eyes.

"Which is still back on Dragon's Edge completely unguarded," Hiccup realizes.

Ragnar clicks his tongue and gives the twins one last suspicious look. "It better be," he mutters before he walks over to Hiccup and presses a light hand against his chest. "Calm down. We'll head back now and check on the Eye."

"And if it's gone?"

"Then we'll go from there," Ragnar tells him, "and whoever took it will face the due consequences."

Ruffnut and Tuffnut share a worried glance as they climb on Barf and Belch. "Was that aimed at us?" he whispers.

"I really hope not," she whispers back.

Hiccup ignores them as he covers Ragnar's hand with his own and takes a deep breath. "Right," he mutters, already calmer at just his touch. "Okay. Let's go, gang."

The Edge looks significantly different when they arrive. The Hunters have obviously been by already and, in their search for the Dragon Eye, done more than enough damage. It's not the first time they've had to repair and rebuild their base and, unfortunately, it won't be the last.

Ragnar walks back out of his hut with a frown that eases into an amused smile when he sees the way Nightshade leaps deftly over a broken barrel with a disdainful squawk.