"May we see the location where everything started then?" Old Wrinkly asked, looking at Fishlegs.
Fishlegs frowned but it was Snotlout that answered.
"No. That's Hiccup and Toothless' spot. No one goes there without either of them."
Old Wrinkly tilted his head but to Fishlegs' relief he smiled. He then walked over to where Snotlout was standing with his back to everyone, staring into the open cage where Hookfang used to stay. Hookfang, for his part, watched him intently but did not impede his progress. Fishlegs' tensed when Old Wrinkly placed a hand upon Snotlout's shoulder.
"You worry."
Fishlegs looked to his right, finding Kaja and Brynja standing there. Yngvar stood near to Brynja but seemed to be conversing in low tones with Lightbeetle. Onyx and Sunburn alternated between watching Old Wrinkly's interaction with Snotlout and Kaja and Brynja talking with Fishlegs. Meatlug returned to her rider's side and pressed against him, a silent way of telling him she was there.
"Snotlout's behavior is known to us," Fishlegs whispered. "We allow it because it keeps his grandfather from disowning Spitelout and kicking him, Snot, and Runa, Snot's mother, out."
"I sense a but there."
Fishlegs sighed. He knew he probably should not speak of this to someone out of the tribe and not one of Hiccup's Riders, but Kaja was, presumably, the second human to ever bond with a dragon and fly the wind currents with them. She was also so many great grandmothers to Hiccup that it hurt Fishlegs to count them in his mind. He was not sure he honestly could without her or her husband giving a detail bloodline of the Haddock clan.
Which Fishlegs had no doubt Stoick would be after before Old Wrinkly left Berk. What better way to preserve Stoick's reputation as one of the oldest chiefs than to show just how the tribe formed and the journey it took to get to Berk. Let the Lava-louts say they were the oldest tribe now. Fishlegs rather would like to see Stoick shut that loud-mouth chief up except the man was now banned from Berk after the whole incident with Dervla.
"Young one," Kaja said, yanking Fishlegs from his thoughts.
He blinked. "Oh, sorry," he squeaked.
Kaja chuckled. "Worry not. I understand. Know this, neither my husband, nor I, ask these things with the intent to harm. We have been through all of this, young one. Both in getting humans who did not like each other to work together and getting humans to get along with dragons. Stoick and Hiccup are our direct descendants. You are directly descended from Yngvar and Brynja. We wish to help."
"The Thing," Fishlegs whispered. "The other chiefs are coming to make sure Berk isn't going to attack them with our dragons."
Kaja glanced over to her husband who seemed to be speaking with Snotlout in low tones. She then turned back to Fishlegs.
"You fear his words will cause an issue?"
"Yes. Hiccup..well, to some of those chiefs, Hiccup is still thought of as he was by us before the war. They don't know he saved all our lives. They don't know he killed a dragon the size of a mountain. They don't know the dragons follow his ever word. If they see and hear Snotlout talking…some may think they are allowed to renew past actions against him."
"Which would cause all the dragons to go berserk," Brynja pointed out in a low tone.
[We will defend our alpha,] Meatlug said. [To the point of death.]
"Meatlug."
[Brother, you know this to be true. You have spent many moments with the Elders and the other dragons of the nest. You know what will happen if someone harms Alpha.]
Fishlegs sighed. "I know and I'll be there defending him too, but.. can we try to not let it come to that. I just..I just got to know you and your babies.. They're still so little. They need their mother and father. And I don't want this nest to go away. I love having all the dragons here. I love being able to learn from them and to teach them."
Fishlesgs smiled and bounced in place as a memory flashed across his mind.
"Just yesterday," he began excitedly. "Mistsand came up to me and asked for a tale of the human ancestors. She was curious about our past. I felt so honored and happy that she asked me. And Dimglow and Solarflare always wants tales and stories. So does the Ice Trio and Pinpoint and Skysinger's babies. Even her little brothers and sisters, well they're not so little anymore. Rockmoss also loves to stay over and visit because Mom and Dad tell him stories of the clan's past."
Kaja chuckled, causing Fishlegs voice to trail off. "Spoken like a true elder," she said. She reached over and placed a gentle hand upon Fishlegs' shoulder. "We will do all that we can to help Hiccup keep this nest, young one. Which means we need to figure out a way to get this grandfather of Snotlout's to either go away or realize his stupidity and see the change in reality around him. I prefer the going away part. Blind and stupid aren't usually things one can correct in old fools."
Brynja giggled. "Why don't you tell us how you really feel?"
Kaja cut her eyes at her companion but did nothing more than snorted. She turned back to Fishlegs and patted his shoulder. She said nothing else since Old Wrinkly, with Snotlout and Hookfang following him, walked back over.
Fishlegs stared at the elder Haddock as a question he wanted to ask since hearing the man's tale made its presence known again.
"Go on," Old Wrinkly said. "Ask what's on your mind."
Fishlegs blinked. "How..how did you know?"
Old Wrinkly snorted and gestured to Yngvar. "His face scrunches the exact same way."
"Oh," Fishlegs said, not sure how to reply to that and not sure how to feel about it either. It was not every day one met a clan ancestor. An extremely old ancestor at that. Still, the question needed asking, for Fishlegs' peace of mind if nothing else. "How..how did the dragons react when..when the one Hiccup named Link left you?"
[You worry that if Link and Nightjaw leave Hiccup the dragons will stop seeing him as their alpha?]
Fishlegs looked up, finding Heatwave staring down at him. He shook his head.
"I know those here, those who Hiccup forgave, will always see him as their alpha," Fishlegs said.
[That is something claw-carved into stone,] Meatlug stated with a tone that said the matter was closed.
[I agree,] Hookfang stated. [As I said at the Hatchery, Hiccup is our alpha with or without his voice powers. He could be mute for all I care. I will serve and obey him until my dying breath.]
"Then what is your worry, young elder?" Old Wrinkly asked.
"The dragons beyond Berk. Hiccup said Nightjaw is the reason many think he's a dragon in human skin. Link gives his voice weight and throws people and dragons off. Will..how.." Fishlegs took a deep breath, gathering his words like Gyda and Lorekeeper taught him. "Will the dragons not from this nest start seeing him as just another human if Link and Nightjaw leave him?"
Old Wrinkly smiled. "Ah, young one," he said softly. "Link and Nightjaw are not the sole reasons the dragons are amazed by Hiccup. And yes, I know what Link does when residing within. He rested in my soul for many years. I am not sure what Nightjaw really brings to the entire thing, but I do know they can only give strength to what's already there."
"I don't understand."
[Remember that I and Silent explained that this was tried on others of Hiccup's bloodline?] Onyx asked.
"Uh, I remember you saying it. Er, that was what Silent was telling all the other Night Furies about in the royal chambers?"
Onyx shook his head just like a human would. A trait that Fishlegs wondered if the dragons now living with the humans on Berk would start to mimic.
[This was later. When were in that other room without the alpha pair and Toothless' sons.]
"Oh, okay."
[We would see humans of Hiccup's flock who would act as my rider did all those years ago. And yes, we used him to have a stable wind to compare everything to. We had no other option.]
Old Wrinky snorted but waved a hand at Onyx when the dragon looked at him. Onyx chortled a bit then continued.
[I see now that Link would make those traits more pronounced so that those humans came to our notice. I guess my son joined him in that endeavor after-] Onyx's voice trailed off for many heartbeats. [Sadly, their efforts were wasted. Every human before young Hiccup failed. They eventually proved they could not properly wield the power given to them.]
"What makes Hiccup so special?" Snotlout asked.
[I will tell you what Silent told myself, Toothless, and Moondust that day in the old nest,] Onyx said. [Hiccup holds full love for all.]
"Something even I cannot claim to hold," Old Wrinkly stated. "There are those I would gladly watch as they die slow and painful deaths and then clap when their last breath is taken."
Fishlegs stared at Snotlout and knew the same realization stampeding through his mind was racing through Snotlout's. Snotlout, however, gave voice to that thought.
"So that's why Hiccup always feels as if he's a monster."
"I'm sorry, what?"
[That will have to wait,] Heatwave called down from above. [Two ships have docked and it seems one of the humans has threatened Stoick. Several dragons have moved to offer him and the plump one with odd paws back up.]
Fishlegs' eyes widened. He jumped into Meatlug's saddle. His sister in scales rose. Fishlegs felt faint.
"We need to go. Now."
Kirika: Stoick is crafty and now has all kinds of knew things to use. Hehe, um, Icewing is the girl. And go for it.
Don: Um, AJ? And well, I could answer that, but… I'm not going to.
NightshotShadowFury: Hehe, yes, do not mess with Hiccup 1 and Onyx. I'm sure Gyda is probably done with the being blindsided thing by now. She might seek Hiccup out just to tell him the future she knows before he gets a shot at asking.
Literally Nobody: It's fun to write Hiccup going into Alpha mode. Especially on people who were jerks to him, ie Thuggory. I love that line to, but it was Bearspit that did that. Mildew had already been exiled by then. Have a good day/night as well.