"Why does that give you a headache?" Hiccup asked.
"Eh," Gyda began, "we have a device back home that aids us with holding information, like the records in the Great Hall. Sometimes the device just stops working. It happened enough that it was given a name. Blue screen of death. My son was just using the name in a play on words."
[You love my puns.]
"And being silly. Don't mind him."
Shadowfire snorted. Hiccup frowned. He knew there was more to that but also knew they could not get into it. They were running out of time. Gobber would soon be finished aiding Stoick with the guest in the Great Hall and anything else Stoick needed done. Hiccup knew his uncle would then head back to the forge and would need his help. With the longhouses being built for the visiting Vikings there was even greater need for nails and hinges, not to mention every tool the tribe owned would need maintenance and repair.
Eydis would then need Hiccup and Astrid for weapons training. Hiccup also wanted to get a look at those saddles from the four visiting Riders. They had been creating saddles for their dragons longer than Gothi had been alive and Hiccup was dying to know any tricks to use in his saddles. There would not be a chance for him to look at them tomorrow as the Nightmare queen had said she would seek their aid in the morning. Besides, tomorrow would be his and Astrid's mage training along with the teens' karate training.
Since the dragons and humans were, for the most part, living peacefully amongst each other, it had been deemed the daily lessons in the arena could be reduced to four times within in month's time. Though if more new dragons kept showing up, like Whitesand and her daughter, that might have to be revised after the Thing. Hiccup did not see any new Vikings coming to live on the island anytime soon so he doubted he would need to give them lessons on life with dragons.
Hiccup looked away from Gyda, fully intending on asking her more questions at a later date. His gaze fell upon Old Wrinkly.
"Did the dragons' eyes go half-lidded whenever you scratched them?"
Old Wrinkly frowned, tilted his head. "No. They enjoyed the attention but didn't do anything special because of it. Why do you ask?"
[Because when a dragon touches him,] Sunburn began, [peace and a warmth floods them. The scratching just means a lingering of the touch and getting rid of itching in places we normally can't reach.]
[This is something only Alpha can do?] Meatlug asked.
"Apparently," Old Wrinkly answered. "I didn't have that when Link rested in my soul." He shifted a bit so he could look up at Onyx. "Did I?"
[Yes and no.]
"Well, that's not at all confusing, oh eloquent one."
Onyx snorted. [Silly human should wait for his long-suffering dragon companion to finish before commenting.]
"Silly dragon should remember his long-suffering human knows where the best fish are and might just forget that knowledge in his old age."
Hiccup had to laugh at the look of horror that crossed Onyx's muzzle.
[I am so going to tell Luna you were mean to me.]
"She'd laugh, like all the other times before."
Onyx grunted. That caused everyone else in the cove to laugh as well. Even the extra nest dragons. Hiccup did worry a bit that the teasing went too far but the twinkle in Onyx's eyes and the grin splitting his muzzle said the dragon was not upset by Old Wrinkly's words.
[Anyway, as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted. Your touch brought peace to me but not to really anyone else. Kaja's touch brought peace to Sunburn, but not to me.]
Old Wrinkly appeared thoughtful. He turned to Stormfly. "Does your rider's touch bring you peace?"
[Yes. Not as much as Alpha's touch but more than any other human in the nest, even my flock leaders, her parents.]
Old Wrinkly shifted towards Meatlug.
"And yours?"
[I have the same experience as Stormfly.]
[Before you ask,] Shadowfire stated right as Meatlug finished speaking, [Mama's touch has always brought me peace. Alpha's touch is an intense wave of peace. His words to your soul, drown you in peace and love though.]
"My words to your soul?" Hiccup asked. "You heard words that day?"
[Yes.]
"If I were to ask you what those words were," Old Wrinkly began.
Hiccup blinked as Shadowfire's upper lip curled to bare his teeth and a low growl worked itself out of his clenched muzzle. Hiccup shifted, silently asking Astrid to move. Old Wrinkly held up a hand.
"Peace, young alpha. I expected that reaction. Easy, Shadowfire, I will not ask."
Shadowfire's narrowed eyes that bore slits slowly opened and dilated. The growl eased and the lip descended. Shadowfire shook his head, as if warding off an annoying flying insect, then lowered his head. Gyda reached up, cupping a hand around her son's muzzle. Shadowfire purred.
Hiccup turned to Old Wrinkly. His eye rose in a silent demand that his ancestor explain himself. Shadowfire was one of Hiccup's dragons and had been through enough already.
Old Wrinkly sighed. "Your power is far greater than mine, Hiccup," he said.
[Afa is best.]
Old Wrinkly smiled. "You really love your afa, don't you, young one?"
[We all do,] Evergreen stated.
"Is this limited to just the dragons of the nest?" Kaja asked.
Hiccup tilted his head. He resisted shrugging as his queen still sat in his lap and he would never disturb her.
"The Changewing princess," Fishlegs said. "She seems to love him. Anytime we go there, he's the first one she seeks to nuzzle against."
[One could say Deepminer loves him too,] Toothless said, amusement in his tone.
Hiccup's eyes narrowed and he elbowed his brother lightly. Toothless did not need to bring that up. Toothless chortled but did not seem bothered by Hiccup's move. Gyda's teaching gave every teen the power and the skill to hurt someone with their elbows but Hiccup doubted dragon skin would be affected. Still, he tempered the power of his swing because it was Toothless and he could not hurt his brother. Not anymore.
An indignant squawk pulled everyone's attention up. Hiccup frowned. Sunrise hovered just over everyone, but her gaze bore into her brother.
[That's not fair,] the female youngling groused. [How did you get to spend time with Afa and not let me know about it?]
[Elder Sage said you had to train with her but not me. I went to visit the humans.]
Sunrise grunted. [Still not fair.]
Hiccup felt Astrid's silent giggle and bit his own lips to keep from laughing as well.
"Why don't you join us, Sunrise?"
The youngling shook herself. [I come with a message, Afa. Freezeframe and Bluefrye need to speak with you, if they can. They were in the human territory. Shall I bring them here? And then can I stay and spend time with you?]
"Sure," Hiccup said.
Sunrise chittered and rose, banking over the rim of the cove.
[Icewing is going to be very upset,] Shadowfire stated.
[So will Deepminer,] Toothless added.
Hiccup elbowed his brother again. Toothless just chortled.
"Mine," Astrid stated with a note of finality to her tone.
The dragons and the humans cackled. Hiccup just placed his head into the palm of his hand and slowly shook his head, his hand moving back and forth as well.
Kirika: Hehe, Shadowfire's silliness is in full swing. Wonder how the visiting female is taking this. And that's a good suggestion.
NightshotShadowFury: Hehe. That's does sound cool. We shall see. I would never pick upon my readers. I respect all of you to much. I just realized that this Astrid will not do the hitting thing and I know people would wonder why so I was letting the character explain.