19 Everything Goes Wrong Again

19. EVERYTHING GOES WRONG AGAIN, VERY RAPIDLY While Hiccup and Snotlout were fighting, everything else had fallen away. They had been so focused on each other and their ancient quarrel that they had forgotten about the peril they were in, their flight from the witch and Alvin. But now the outside world forced itself on their attention once again. Just as they had got the ship on course, sailing towards the Dragonmarker hideout, Snotlout stared with an arrested expression at something back at the waterfall, on the shore they had just left, and nudged Hiccup. They were half way across Wrecker's Bay. Halfway to Coral Beach and safety. But a little group of black specks had crawled out of the calm, distant waterfall like bluebottles creeping out of a crack in the wall. Tense with anxiety, Snotlout and Hiccup stared at the distant land, hoping against hope that they were mistaken, that the little black specks were just tricks of

the light and the wind. But as the specks flew nearer, there was a hollow feeling in Hiccup's heart. He knew what they were. Ravenhunters. A flock of the witch's Ravenhunters, pursuing them like an inescapable, unwearying Fate. Ravenhunters were too small for riders,

but they acted as spies for the witch. On they came, with remorseless flaps. Flying dragons can easily outpace a ship. Nearer… nearer… nearer… 'SHOOT THEM!' yelled Snotlout, grabbing his bow. Windwalker and the Hurricane leapt bravely from the deck of the ship to confront the Ravenhunters mid-air as they flew overhead. Snotlout shot five of them– even Hiccup, with one dead hand, shot one.

Windwalker and the Hurricane took out even more, diving after them as the remainder flapped back to the witch, squawking. But there were too many to catch. 'They'll fetch reinforcements,' shouted Snotlout. 'And this time they will bring Bullguards with riders. Those Bullguards are quick. They'll catch us before we get to the Dragonmarker hideout, if it's where you say it is.' It was too cruel. Even half an hour later, and they might have got to safety. They were so close, SO close to getting away with it, sneaking those Things away from underneath

the very noses of Alvin and the witch… Hiccup scanned the horizon. The Winter Wind of Woden, blowing like an angry god, was closer than the Dragonmarker hideout. 'Could we steer the ship into the Winter Wind?' asked Hiccup. 'They'd never follow us in there.' 'There's a reason for that,' said Snotlout, with a hollow laugh. 'It's a guaranteed death sentence. Besides, I don't think there's time. Look! I can see the Bullguards coming out already. They'll reach us before we get to the Wind.'

The two boys looked at Windwalker and the Hurricane. The Things were trapped. They were locked in the hold. But the boys themselves did have a choice. They could climb on to the riding-dragons' backs and fly themselves to safety. Both Windwalker and the Hurricane were faster than Bullguards. But that would mean abandoning all of the Lost Things to Alvin and the witch. Including Toothless. What else could they do? Stay here and die? 'W-w-wossgoingon?' came the voice of Toothless, floating up from the hold of the boat. 'It's OK, Toothless,' Hiccup shouted down. 'We've just hit a little hitch… nothing to worry about.' Hurricane gave an unhappy whine, his spines drooping, his tail between his legs. Automatically, Snotlout put out a hand and soothed the Hurricane's splendid, drooping head. 'It'll be all right, boy,' he said. 'It's all going to be all right.' Snotlout stared into the distance, thinking. 'Oh for Thor's sake,' he swore, bending down, picking up his sword and putting it back in his