17 The Swordfight

17. THE SWORDFIGHT 'Well done, Useless, well done,' drawled Snotlout. 'Very neat dealing with the Spydragon there. I really thought you were a goner.' The Hurricane sloped out from behind the mast, growling warningly. Windwalker snarled in response, and the two riding-dragons paced warily around each other on the deck, their spines pointing upwards as if they were about to fight. Hiccup caught his breath. It was impossible to read the expression on Snotlout's face 'Snotlout…' he said slowly. 'Yes, yes, yes,' said Snotlout, waving his hand dismissively. 'I know, I'm a villain, and a rogue, and a Very Naughty Boy and everything, and I betrayed all you goody-goodies, and aren't I terrible, tut tut TUT, but let's get this ship sailing and out of the cavern first, and then we can argue to our heart's content…' Hiccup and Snotlout took up an oar each, and rowed towards the waterfall. Soft as a shadow, and unoticed in that lightning-lit cavern with the Battle Under the Waterfall raging at its height, the ship carrying the Lost Things

slipped out from under the waterfall and into Wrecker's Bay. Snotlout put away his oar, and took out his sword. 'Fight me,' said Snotlout. 'But I don't want to fight you,' said Hiccup. 'FIGHT ME!' roared Snotlout. 'I haven't got a sword,' said Hiccup. Snotlout always carried two swords, and he threw Hiccup his second-best one. With the other, he made furious imaginary passes in the air. 'Why don't you want to fight me? Is it because you are scared?' 'Not really,' admitted Hiccup, and that seemed to enrage Snotlout even further. 'I'm a little scared, but

mostly I just don't want to fight you.' 'You ought to be scared,' said Snotlout. 'That bite from the Vampire Spydragon means you won't be able to use your left hand. FIGHT ME! I have betrayed you yet again… Why won't you hate me?' Snotlout was so flushed with anger, in such a state of emotion, that the words came tumbling out as if they were beyond his control. 'HATE ME!' 'Snotlout, I don't hate you… and I forgive you for betraying me again… I understand why you keep doing it…' 'Oooh, you are so irritating. You keep being so heroic all the time. Stop forgiving me. Stop it! You don't understand anything! I DON'T WANT TO BE FORGIVEN!' 'Snotlout, I don't want to fight you because I think we should be trying to get these Lost Things out of here…' 'But I'm NOT ON YOUR SIDE!' howled Snotlout. 'IF YOU WON'T FIGHT ME NOW, I SWEAR I WILL KILL YOU!' Hiccup shrugged off his backpack with the sleeping Hogfly in it, and put it carefully down in a coil of rope so the little dragon wouldn't get hurt. Hiccup's eyes never left Snotlout's face.

'All right, then,' said Hiccup, 'if you insist.' Snotlout lunged at him. Automatically (and clumsily, for it was with his right hand), Hiccup parried the lunge. 'Oh dear,' sighed the Wodensfang, sadly fluttering down to perch on the tiller.

'Some humans… always fighting… if only it didn't have to be this way…' With a cry of horror, Windwalker dived down to protect his Master… but was attacked in mid-air by the Hurricane who brought him rolling down into the sea. Snotlout slashed forward with a Flashburn Fancy that overwhelmed Hiccup's guard and gave him a nasty gash on the shoulder that stung like a viper's bite.

Hiccup only just managed to throw the larger boy off, and roll out of the way, before clumsily ducking behind the masthead. His left side was so numb now it was like dragging a great dead weight. 'All right,' screamed Snotlout, beside himself with rage, 'Mr Smarty-Pants, I'm-Such-A-Hero, I'm-So-Good-at-Putting-Myself-in-Other-People's-Shoes, you tell me, Hiccup. You tell me why I keep betraying you all the time!' He lunged forward, trying to reach Hiccup with his sword around the mast. 'I think it's because you could have been a King yourself,' said Hiccup. This was like adding another log on to a fire. 'YOU BET I COULD HAVE!' screamed Snotlout, attacking Hiccup with every single sword thrust he knew. 'I SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE HERO! IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ME! I have everything! The physique, the intelligence, the ruthlessness, the charm. All I ever wanted was to be a Chief, a leader. IS THAT SO MUCH TO ASK? But it was denied to me, just because I was the son of the second son, not the first. 'Is that not unfair?' 'It is very unfair,' admitted Hiccup.