The Other-worldly Protector

85. Together and fighting

Toothless crossed Whiplash's path, blocking her way. The scorching wrath gave him a questioning look. He responded to it by pointing out the forest in front. It only got thinner from there.

We'll get spotted, Toothless told her.

Not moving gets us spotted sooner; now move! Whiplash hissed and butted her head against his side, pushing him.

Toothless growled, dragging his paws. He wanted to face the hunters.

There's too many, Whiplash told him.

Toothless snorted. Who says we have to fight them all at once? 

Whiplash stopped as she saw certainty in his eyes. She glared at that look.

"Kiara," she reached out to her rider, "Toothless wants to try stealth mode on these guys. Can I knock some sense into him or would that raise too much noise?"

"Listen to him," Kiara replied after a moment of thought. "Or else you'll get cornered at the cliff."

"I have wings," the dragon retorted, "and four other limbs to carry Toothless."

"And for how long?" Kiara pointed out. "He's a whole dragon. You'll tire and be forced to land."

Whiplash thought it through and realised that with Toothless's idea, they at least had a chance of making their way back to the riders. "Fine." Satisfied, Kiara's presence left Whiplash's mind with a parting whisper, "We'll be there soon."

Whiplash reluctantly backed away. Seeing her acceptance, Toothless flopped his ears gleefully and spun around. A swish of his tail signalled Whiplash to follow. She did so at a distance. The hunters' pattering footsteps and low voices filled her ears. Three minutes away.

Toothless bounded into a large tree. After some rustling, he hung upside down from his tail. He gave Whiplash an encouraging look before stilling and closing his eyes. With the sunny-green glow hidden, his black scales became one with the dark air. He was gone.

Two minutes. Whiplash glanced at the painted scales on her legs. Could she do that? Disappear? Deciding there was only one way to find out, she jumped behind a bush and pressed her back against the bark of a tree.

A minute. It was spent in strained silence while all of Whiplash's muscles were coiled for action but forced to stay still. The iridescent blue of her eyes was pushed to the corners, since her dark pupils were large as they scanned the black forest, trying to see the ones she could hear. Torchlight was visible, but it was a haze and further than the closest hunters. Some had been sent ahead under the cover of darkness.

The first hunter emerged from the brush. His shadowy outline drew closer. The creak of wood being clenched hard told her he held a crossbow. He stalked vaguely towards Toothless, though oblivious of him.

Toothless snatched him up and struck his helmeted head against the tree. The man was knocked out before he could scream.

The second walked past a moment later, undisturbed and clueless about the fate of his fellow hunter. The third, Whiplash swiped.

This might just work... she thought as she looked down at her unconscious prey.

But in no time the swarm was all around them. Their breaths and footfalls blended like fine mist on a cold morning: subtle yet all-encompassing. The click of a loading crossbow stuck out like an icicle. Whiplash's eyes snapped to the sound and she saw the culprit levelling his crossbow, aiming for Toothless.

Whiplash fired. The blast threw the hunter against a dead trunk and lit up the forest like a flash of lightning. There was a pang of silence, then thunderous battle cries exploded from the hunters. Toothless scrambled down from the tree and the two dragons locked eyes.