The Other-worldly Protector

84. Evade

The chief hunter staggered out of his tent with his eyes bloodshot and streaming. "Viggo?" Harald gasped. "Are you—"

"Which way did they go?" Viggo cut him off.

"I..."

Taking Harald's hesitation as ignorance, Viggo snapped his head away with an impatient growl. "Just raise the alarm!"

Meanwhile, the intruders sprinted between dark tents. "Why aren't we headed to our dragons?" Kiara hissed.

"We need to throw them off our scent first," Hiccup replied in a hushed voice.

Behind them, a horn was blown. Hunters woke and rushed into the open. The air filled with shouts and the glow of torches as the news of the intruders spread like wildfire. Their hunt began.

As the riders crossed into the woods, someone barked at them from alarmingly close. A patrolling hunter had spotted them. He gave chase. "Stop right there, you night-demons!" he shouted, closing in. Kiara scooped up a fist-sized rock and flung it at him. It struck his helmet and he collapsed. She guffawed, hardly believing that she had made that hit. "Nice aim," Hiccup remarked. Kiara saw a flash of his teeth in the fading torchlight. She grinned back. The woods were darkening around them as they sprinted away from the camp.

-

Ryker's sneer was highlighted by the flaming torch he held. He stomped through the busying camp, every footfall a testament to his rage. He hated when his sleep was disturbed and only Odin could help the ones who had woken him. All nearby hunters edged around him, knowing to keep their distance.

Ryker paused in his stride when a glimmer of orange caught his eye. Something on the forest's floor was glinting in his torchlight. He narrowed his eyes and stalked into the woods, towards it. Murmuring broke out among the surrounding hunters as they noticed the change in Ryker. Soon, every hunter in the vicinity was following behind the second-in-command. On approach, it became apparent to Ryker that the glinting object was a hunter's helmet, and that the one who wore it was slumped in the underbrush, face down and unconscious. He kicked the body. "Wake up," he barked. As the man stirred and rolled over his hand went to his forehead and he groaned. So, he was knocked out from the front. How stupid could he be? As the man sat up, Ryker caught sight of his face. It's Jasper. No wonder. "What happened 'ere?" Ryker demanded.

"Oh, sir!" Jasper said as he drunkenly scrambled to his feet, "The intruders! I almost caught them; I swear—"

"Save it! Where were they heading?"

"Oh, um." He pointed. "Northwest, sir."

Ryker faced the group that was gathered. "This way, Hunters!" he bellowed.

"Wait!" At the sound of Viggo's firm voice, the group of hunters parted and Viggo strolled through them. As he drew closer, Jasper let out a gasp. "He got sprayed! Just like you that day," he said excitedly to Ryker. "He got them puffy waterin' eyes and all, Sir! Remember—" Viggo gave him a sharp look and he gulped, becoming silent. Satisfied, the leader faced his brother.

"We head southeast," said Viggo.

"Are you mad?" Ryker shouted.

Viggo let out an aggravated sigh. "For how long have you been a commander, dear brother?" he said with disdain. "And yet you're still unable to read your opponent."

"I'll leave the readin' to you," Ryker muttered.

"Hiccup values his nightfury over everything," Viggo explained briskly. "He would attempt to lure us away from his dragon and then circle to it later. Besides, the forest southeast from here is more desolate: a perfect spot for a stowaway dragon or two. Now, brother, we've wasted enough precious seconds." Viggo spun on his heel and marched away. The cluster of hunters quickly followed their chief. Ryker paused before following behind the lot, the sneer never leaving his face.