Prompt #5- I've got red in my ledger. HTTYD- Race to the Edge S3E1 from Dagur's perspective.

A couple months ago Dagur would have danced like a child on Snoggletog to have a downed night fury completely at his mercy. Now he'd give anything for said night fury to be operational and his rider to stop trying to glare a hole in Dagur's head.

"I told you that's how the dragon root antidote is made!"

"I can't believe I trusted you!" Hiccup launched himself at Dagur.

Hurtful- Hiccup's words- not his wiry little fists. Though Dagur admired the effort Hiccup put into the attack as he skillfully dodged the angry viking.

"Trust me or not I'm not trying to hurt your dra-!"
A loud roar- a human one- cut off Dagur's words. Hiccup drove one of his boney shoulders into Dagur's gut. The blow caught him by surprise and he stepped backward... and off the rock cliff.

Yelping in surprise both Hiccup and Dagur free fell into the river far below. Dagur struggled to get his head above water with Hiccup still attempting to rain blows on him while under water. If it wasn't so annoying it would have been laughable.

The current pushed them toward the river bank. Dagur hauled Hiccup out and pinned him against the ground.

"I. Did. Not. Kill. Your. Dragon."

Wrong choice of words. In an impressive feat of strength Hiccup wrenched an arm free and got a lucky shot at Dagur's nose. Blood immediately began to spurt out. Dagur reeled back, more so not to get blood all over Hiccup's face than from the pain. He'd had much worse in his time as Berserker Chief.

"Would you chill-" A cold blade at the back of his neck made him freeze.

"Two packages wrapped up for the price of one." The deep, patronizing voice made Daugr go even more still.

'Just great.'

Six brutish Hunters surrounded him and Hiccup, all with weapons at the ready.

"Viggo would prefer you alive, but he didn't specify in what condition." The point of the sword dug deeper into Dagur's neck. "Do as I say and you might get to keep your lives and limbs- or what's left of them- for a little longer."

Dagur could hear Hiccup's harsh breaths as they were both manhandled away from the river. Rough hands seized Dagur's wrists and jerked them in front of his body. Coarse rope quickly secured them in place.

Dagur snorted internally- then regretted it when his nose throbbed. These Hunters might know how to wrangle a dragon, but not a Berserker. Leaving his hands in front of him allowed Dagur much more dexterity that he could easily work with when the opportunity presented itself. If he'd been by himself he probably could have taken them already. However, Hiccup's presence would make an escape a little trickier, especially if he still let anger cloud his judgement.

So Dagur waited and let the Hunters shove him deeper into the forest. Eventually they came to a makeshift camp closer to the ocean. Dagur and Hiccup were shoved to their knees near a campfire.

"We're going to find that night fury eventually." The Hunter who'd first taunted Dagur stepped forward. "So why don't you work with us and maybe you'll get out of this alive?"

When neither Dagur nor Hiccup responded he gestured to another Hunter. "Maybe this will burn a hole in your memory."

The second man hauled Hiccup up by his scruff and dragged him toward the campfire. The fire that held pokers and brands sizzling in it. Hiccup writhed in the man's grip- a futile action for a stick versus a mountain.

"I'm not going to tell you anything!"

The Hunter grabbed a brand and held it inches from Hiccup's face. Hiccup froze, but Dagur saw his jaw set.

'That idiot is going to get himself killed!' Dagur grit his teeth. Hiccup was going to hate him for this, but despite what the young dragon rider might think, Dagur no longer wanted to see Hiccup hurt.

"Enough! I'll take you to the dragon."

"No Dagur!" The shout came out more of a plea than an order.

The men surrounding them laughed and the Hunter holding the brand to Hiccup's face tossed it back on the ground near the fire. He dragged Hiccup closer to the fire and threw him to the ground. Hiccup hit the ground with a half groan/half wheeze. More laughter rang around them making Dagur see red.

Taking a deep breath Dagur scrambled over to Hiccup's side. "You okay?" A piercing glare met his muttered question, though to be fair it didn't sound like the air had returned to Hiccup's lungs.

Dagur looked around. The men were preoccupied laughing at their success to pay too close attention. Hiccup still hadn't recovered his breath, and the younger man didn't know the island the way Dagur did. Plus Viggo wanted Hiccup alive, Dagur had no such illusions about his worth to Viggo. 'Oh he's gonna hate me for this.' But if he got out alive... Dagur could live with that.

Sliding his hands to the abandoned brand Daur let the hot metal singe through the rope on his wrists. Hiccup's eyes widened a second before Dagur broke out of his bonds with an audible snap. Shouts came from behind them.

Hiccup leaned forward, shoving his hands toward Dagur. "Cut mine too!"

Dagur grasped the brand and rose. His gaze cut to the Hunters running toward them. Taking the time to free Hiccup would only result in his recapture, especially if they tried to use Hiccup against him. Well one way to avoid that...

Dagur forced a mocking smile on his face. "Sorry Hiccup, but you'd only slow me down."

Then laughing maniacally he charged off toward the woods. The thwip of a bowstring came behind him. Jerking to the side, Dagur looked behind him and caught the arrow. He gave a mock salute and resumed his run.

"You're a fake Dagur! I hate you! You hear that Dagur? I. Hate. You!"

Dagur winced but didn't slow his stride. Better for the Hunters to think he'd abandoned Hiccup to save his own skin. As far as the Hunter knew, he still was the unhinged Berserker who'd let Heather go on a whim and disappeared into the horizon. Viggo always had an obsession with Hiccup (though reflecting on his younger self, Dagur supposed so had he). However Viggo would want proof of Hiccup's death, and carrying a corpse over miles of ocean was a lot less efficient than a prisoner.

Dagur sprinted through the trees, listening carefully for pursuers. Crickets- or rather only the pounding of his own heart beat in his ears. 'Good!' For once Daugar would take being considered less of a target.
Taking a deep breath Dagur scrambled up the cliff face. Lunging upward he reached the cave in record time. A deep, throaty growl stopped him in his tracks. It didn't stop his mouth though.

"Ha! I knew I had the antidote right!"

Acid green eyes appeared out of the dark. Dagur and Toothless regarded each other for a long moment. Slowly Dagur raised his hands in, what he hoped, was a non-threatening manner.

"I know we've had our differences in the past-" Toothless let out a warning growl, "Okay I've been a jerk in the past, but I'm trying to make it right. Hiccup is in danger." Toothless's ears went flat against his skull and he bared his teeth. "For once it wasn't me." Dagur hurriedly added. "Viggo's men have him and if we don't hurry he could be gone for good. So what do you say?"

Honestly Dagur had no idea how much of that Toothless understood. Yet something in his tone or his body language must have gotten through because Toothless slowly relaxed his defensive stance.

"Let's go get your rider. Then maybe we can smack some sense into him for causing all this to begin with." Toothless smacked Daugr in the head with his tail. "Kidding! Well mostly." Dagur started to scramble out of the cave when Toothless's tail cut off his path. "What-?"

Instead of preparing to attack, Toothless had turned so his saddle rubbed Dagur's leg. "Oh you have got to be kidding me."

Toothless warbled, insistent. "I'm going to regret this aren't I?" Dagur could have sworn the look Toothless gave him was a smirk.

Not bothering to waste any more time arguing (did it count as arguing if one party couldn't actually talk?) Dagur mounted Toothless's back. Toothless launched out of the cave... only for the pair to start plummeting. Screaming Dagur leaned forward. The motion tugged something in the left stirrup. Instantly they went from a free fall to a controlled glide.

Dagur cracked his eyes open (when had he closed them?) and trailed the line connecting the stirrup to Toothless's red tailfin. Oh. Right. Toothless couldn't fly solo. Still the night fury didn't seem to care about Dagur's subpar driving skills.

Toothless flew fast and sleek in the direction Dagur had come. They approached a cove where a large ship sat moored. Several small figures moved toward the ship, one smaller figure being shoved along.

"Sic em' Toothless."

The embodiment of lightning and death needed no encouragement. Purple plasma shot from his mouth, sending the Hunters running. Dagur laughed at the sight. A large spear came flying toward Toothless's neck but Dagur snagged it from the air.

Toothless roared and blasted the two closest Hunters. The leader shoved Hiccup in front of him as a shield, holding a sword to his throat. He seemed to have forgotten how much bulkier he was than Hiccup's lean frame. Toothless shot a precision blast at the man's shoulder, sending him sprawling. In the chaos Hiccup managed to get some distance between himself and the man.

Toothless landed on the beach, putting himself between Hiccup and the Hunter. The Hunter took one look at Toothless's purple maw and hightailed it toward the woods. A whoop drew Dagur's attention back to Hiccup.

Carefully he slid off Toothless. The dragon didn't notice, so enraptured in nuzzling his rider. After ensuring Toothless didn't have any injuries, Hiccup turned his attention to Dagur. His eyes were still wary, but relief also shone in them.

Dagur gestured to Hiccup's bound hands. Hiccup froze for a moment before slowly extending his arms. The rope snapped beneath Dagur's blade.

"I have no idea how you stomach all the flying."

Hiccup gave a half smile/half smirk. "Practice." He hesitated, then stuck a hand toward Dagur. "Thanks."

"Eh, I think I owed you one."

Hiccup rolled his eyes and slid comfortably onto Toothless's saddle. "Come on bud, let's show him what actual flying looks like."

Toothless took off but Dagur didn't watch them go. His eyes drifted toward the ship. Maybe Hiccup's crash landing had done some good for both of them. "We'll meet again brother. I hope then it's on better terms."