úlfheðnar, httyd

xxv. Mutiny

"HEY!" Snotlout shouted after him. "Rude!"

Eret aimed towards him, but Astrid had his back. Having landed on the boat, previously helping Yrsa take out the trappers by the nets, she jumped and toppled Eret away, "Hold your fire!"

The net was let loose, but the aim so far off, Hiccup could weave down and away. Astrid and Eret rolled across the wood of the boat.

Hiccup pushed his body upwards to grab the rope of the sails. His hands burned as he slid down, but broke his fall enough to jump and land, safely, back on the deck. Toothless jumped down after him, the ship rocking a little at the impact. He nudged his rider, but Hiccup ignored him to shout, "Uh, what are you guys doing here?!"

Yrsa reached his side with Helrose, holding a hand to Toothless to keep him back so Hiccup could fold his leather wings back into his suit. The trappers were all dumbfounded by the amount of Riders landing on their small boat, their dragons barely fitting. Stormfly squawked, flapping her wings at Astrid who finally got up, kneeing Eret in the groin as she did so. He gasped, clutching in between his legs as he rolled over. An ... interesting way to keep him down, but Hiccup guessed it worked ... he just seriously felt for him at this moment. A knee to the groin from Astrid? Oh, gods, the pain he remembers ...

Not far from them, Fishlegs squeezed Meatlug in beside Hookfang. The Monstrous Nightmare huffed, annoyed but pulled up a wing to let the Gronckle shuffle in. Barf and Belch settled themselves on the stern, necks long enough to peer around the mast at the trappers, curious. Following━with a great big thud━came a hefty Hotburple. To no one's surprise, Grump was alseep as soon as he touched the deck.

"We're here━" cried his rider, furious at Hiccup and Yrsa, "━to rescue you!"

Hiccup tugged at his hair before gesturing widly at Gobber, "We don't need to be rescued!"

"Wait," Tuff faltered, shoulders slumping. "Really?" he threw his head back, devastated. "Awe! Way to ruin the fun, Hiccup!"

He stared at him, incredulous. A bottle of fury was rising up in his chest━he should have seen in coming, but it didn't make him any less frustrated. Did they not trust him? Did they not think he could do this? He was trying to do the right thing! "What do you mean━?"

"Enough!"

The boat shook━more than it had before. Hiccup froze up immediately at the voice, lips pursed as he heard Skullcrusher growl. Glancing back, he couldn't help but be a little sheepish ... oh, yes, his father was definitely angry.

Even Toothless hunched back behind Yrsa, covering his ears and eyes with his paws. He knew what Hiccup was in for, and the dragon couldn't watch. Thanks for the support, Hiccup thought bitterly.

Stoick the Vast jumped from his saddle and landed with a mighy huff. Taking a moment to fix his helmet on his firery red hair, he glowered at Hiccup down his large nose.

Eret pushed himself to his feet, trying hard to regain his pride after his encounter with Astrid, "Well!" he announced, puffing out his chest. He approached the chief, arrogant. "Didn't you just pick the wrong ship, eh? I'm Eret, son of━" Stoick's hand enveloped the trapper's entire face, shoving him to the ground at Grump's feet. He went to get up again, but Gobber just smacked his mace onto his head, and the trapper hit the deck. Grump huffed at the movement, annoyed to be woken. He moved his head, setting it onto Eret's back━

"Ooof!" he was met with a mouth-full of splinters and wood. Hiccup heard a muffled, "Get this thing off of me!"

"Anyone else?" Gobber offered happily. Eret's crew looked away, shuffling willingly to the capture of the Dragon Riders. "That's what I figured."