My deepest apologies for the late posting. Life has been, well, life. I do hope you all enjoy this chapter.
Burnthair released Thuggory and Camicazi by the time Stoick and Dagur finished speaking with Hilda. That allowed both to accompany their parents while the chiefs oversaw their crews moving the ships to the inlet docks. Bertha's warriors got their ships moving first. She waited until Ingvar had his crew out on their ships before cornering Stoick near to the main connecting walkway.
"Dem dragons take issues to me warriors iffen they do their gods-given duty?"
Stoick lifted an eyebrow. Her phrasing made him wonder if Ingvar shared the answer Hiccup gave him. If so, Bertha must worry that the dragons would speak out if her people stole anything. Stoick did hope the man had. Her worry might mean this would be the first Thing in his memory where the host tribe did not have to worry about the Bog-Burglars slipping into their huts.
"Yes," he said, keeping his grin in his bread and out of his tone.
Bertha tipped her head. She looked to her generals. Both women's eyes narrowed. The taller of the two began shaking her head. Bertha stood straighter.
"We be for'goin' our duty."
"But Chieftess-"
"No. Da gods be forgivin' us dis time. Dem dragons have nare tried ta kill us. We no be givin' dem a reason."
The two women sighed but ultimately nodded their heads. Bertha tipped her head to Stoick again before looking back down the docks.
"Camicazi! Now!"
Stoick looked over finding the Bog-Burglar heir speaking with a Berkian dock worker. Stoick's eyes narrowed. It was one of the lasses that tried to woo Hiccup during the winter. Stoick wondered what Camicazi wanted with her. He had no time to question that though. Camicazi hurried to her mother's side and all the Bog-Burglars headed back to the village.
A fluttering of wings had Stoick turning to the posts lining the walkway. Three Terrors alighted, one each to a post. They tipped their heads towards Stoick, though their wings remained tucked against their sides.
[Greetings, father of the alpha,] the teal and cream colored one said, its voice female. [Our patrol leaders asked us to stay with you.]
Stoick looked over the harbor waters. The three patrol flocks flew patterns that kept at least one member of each flock near to the docks. The visiting Vikings kept glancing at the flying dragons as well. The Berkian dock workers went about their tasks unconcerned about the flocks in the air or the various dragons milling around the docks. Any time a worker had to interact with a dragon they acted as if such was normal. Stoick smiled though he made sure none the visiting Vikings could see it. The Berkians were just as determined as he and Hiccup to prove how wrong the old beliefs about dragons were.
Stoick tipped his head to the Terrors, acknowledging their assigned task. He then moved back onto the dock where Ingvar was. He heard wings and knew the Terrors followed him. Just as he reached Ingvar, roars and the sound of Toothless' signature attack echoed from the arena. Stoick's brow furrowed as more roars followed. The dragons assigned as patrol leaders for the dock flocks all roared back. Every dragon except the three Terrors headed for the arena. Soon the sounds of multiple dragons firing had even the Berkians looking towards the arena.
"Sounds like dere be war over dere," Ingvar said.
"Told ye Useless-"
Stoick spun, a growled reply resting on his lips. He smirked instead. Thuggory's face held no color. The Terrors had their fangs bared and their wings flared as all three snarled. Knowing that Thuggory would complain if he laughed, Stoick kept his mirth inside. The lad's complaining would only cause Stoick to have a headache and he would have to resist the urge to push Thuggory into the water.
Thuggory shook himself. Stoick's eyes narrowed.
"Ye hit them," Stoick began as Thuggory's fingers wrapped around his sword's hilt. "And I be draggin' ye to the jails by yer ear."
"Dey gonna attack," Thuggory protested. "I have me rights ta defend meself."
"Dem dragons done be attackin' iffen they wanted," Ingvar pointed out.
"And ye hold no rights to insult me son," Stoick stated.
Thuggory snorted. "Be no insult iffen I be speaking truth."
"Silence boy!"
Stoick's eyes widen as it was Reindar who got into Thuggory's face and yelled.
"'Fore yer tongue get ye inta more trouble than ye be worth."
"Oh, ye join da Useless-"
Thuggory's statement ended in a high-pitched yelp. Stoick stifled his chuckles as a red mark appeared on Thuggory's cheek.
"Oath breaker!" Thuggory screeched.
That got the back of his skull cracked by his own father.
"Da Thing be started when all chiefs be here, fool boy. Reindar no be an oath breaker fer knockin' sense inta ye."
"But-"
"Still yer fool tongue or I be shovin' ye inta Stoick's jails meself."
[I dislike the strikes,] the female teal and cream-colored Terror said, [but the human hatchling had it coming.]
[Do we really want to insult hatchlings by calling that human one?] the red-gold Terror said, its voice male.
[Hmm, good point,] the female responded.
The third Terror, a green and silver one, stared over towards the arena, seemingly unaware of its companions' comments. Stoick moved over to them. Ingvar was correct. It did sound like a war and Stoick wanted to know what was going on.
[The worm from last night refused Alpha's judgement,] the green and silver one said, its voice proving it was a female.
Stoick hummed though inside he was annoyed. The Terror's words explained the noise but Stoick had again been denied the chance to deal with a fool dragon. The father of the first fool at that.
Stoick frowned. Every other dragon that had been at the docks was now at the arena. Stoick knew enough about dragon culture to know that when an all-nest call rose, only those assigned by Hiccup to other tasks, or those out on mating months, were exempt from going. Typically, the tasks exempt were the nursery workers or outbound patrols who had no way to return quickly enough. The three Terrors were not on special assignment and their own patrol leaders were already gone. Stoick looked down at the dragons, his brow furrowed.
[Our patrol leaders told Nest Protector why we did not come,] the teal and cream female said. [Alpha would be upset if the visiting humans harmed you. We will incur no punishment for making sure you are safe.]
Stoick kept his face neutral. Neither the humans around him nor the three dragons before him held a right to know how much the Terror's words meant to him. For all he had done to his son, and not done for him, Stoick praised the gods daily that he was allowed to be a father to his brilliant boy. Knowing that Hiccup would rather these dragons not answer an all-nest call in the vague chance one of the visiting Vikings proved hostile almost caused tears to form in the chief's eyes. He kept them inside, just like his guilt. They were not for anyone to see.
Wing flaps announced the arrival of the Sand Wraith brothers who followed the Foreverwing still resting in the waters north of the island. Both dragons dived to land upon the dock Bertha's ship had been tether to. Stoick glared at the visiting Vikings. Their chiefs, even Dagur, scolded the warriors until hands were removed from sword hilts.
[Jumpy humans,] the younger brother stated.
[You spooked them,] the green and silver female chastised. [The peace Alpha has won is still a hatchling learning its paws. Those humans don't yet realize we will only harm them if they harm a nest-mate. Sudden appearances still cause them alarm.]
[We humbly apologize for the scare, defender of her nest,] the older brother said, tipping his head. [Our alpha tasked us with an urgent message for yours. Might we inquire as to where he is?]
[Think the noise behind us answers that question, brother,] the younger one quipped.
The older glared at his brother to the amusement of the Terrors who chortled. Stoick kept his mirth inside. The visiting Vikings would not understand. Besides, it would be rude to laugh at a conversation most could not follow.
[Indeed,] the older one said. [Well, we shall be off. Water dens were spotted rounding a tall, thin land rise north of our alpha's sleeping place. He tasked with informing the honored alpha of this nest. May the winds forever be under your wings, father to the honored alpha and defenders of the nest.]
With that both dragons rose and banked around towards the arena. The wind from their wings filled the sails of one of the Hopeless' ships, much to the surprise of its crew. Stoick heard many Berkian dock workers snickering as yelps and cries of alarm filled the harbor. Stoick, though, did not smile or laugh. He saw Ingvar and Mogadon's thoughtful looks as the Hopeless crew fought to slow their wing-boosted ship down. He knew both men were thinking of ways such a thing could aid them. Stoick hoped both men would realize after they learned the truth that dragons gave wing-boosts to those they deemed worthy and demanding would get them nowhere.
He also was pleased by the Sand Wraith's words. The ships seen could only be the remaining tribes. He was beyond ready for them to be on the island. Honestly, he was ready for the Thing to be over with. He wanted his people and his son's nest back to normal again.