Silence met the end of the song. Hiccup glanced at the visitors. Most of them still held onto the awe he saw while Sunset was singing. A few were staring at the other dragons with thoughtful looks. Thuggory, who had been awed during the song, now appeared annoyed by something. Hiccup frowned but turned his gaze towards the table. He found Sunset sitting with his head bowed and his wings tucked against his sides.

"Sunset," Hiccup said.

His tone had been soft, but it reverberated in the silent Hall. Sunset startled slightly but turned. Hiccup smiled and used his free hand to tap his right shoulder, silently giving the youngling permission to jump onto him. Sunset chirped in the Old Tongue, flared his wings, and rose to land gently upon Hiccup's shoulder. Hiccup released Astrid's hand, lifting his so he could scratch Sunset's chin.

"You did excellent," Hiccup said, his tone still soft but he made sure it was loud enough to carry. He wanted everyone in the Hall to know his thoughts about Sunset's performance. "I am proud of you."

Sunset purred, shifting closer so he could nuzzle Hiccup's cheek. [Thank you, Afa,] he said, still a bit winded. [Sunrise and I watched Elder Gyda and Shadowfire teach the others. We-] The dragon paused, lifted his head and stared at Gyda who stood across the table from Astrid.

"Mimicked," Gyda said grinning.

She then said the word slowly a several times before breaking it down, an act ever Viking parent did when teaching their children to speak. Sunset copied her a few times then tried the word on his own a few more before he turned back to Hiccup.

[Sunrise and I mimicked Shadowfire.]

Hiccup smiled. Sunset had slowly said his new word but did not stumble over it.

[Elder Gyda encouraged us and said we can come to her den anytime so she and Shadowfire could teach us to sing.]

"Sunrise can sing too?" Astrid asked, leaning forward and staring at the female Terror youngling.

[Yes, Lady Afa,] Sunset said. [Elder Gyda said she's looking for a song for her to sing to you though.]

[Sunset!] Sunrise screeched. [I wanted that to be a surprise!]

[You never said that!]

[I did so!]

[Did not!]

"By the gods," Bertha exclaimed, effectively ending the younglings arguing as both jerked and shifted closer to Hiccup. "Dey be jest like me sister's young'ns. She be teachin' dem to speak, same as yer volva, and me niece and nephews be arguin' jest like dem two."

The Bog-Burglar chieftess glanced around the room, even looking up into the rafters at the Terrors there. She looked back down at Hiccup. She did not get a chance to say whatever she had been thinking though. Ingavr cleared his throat and leaned forward.

"Why dey be sayin' Afa 'n Lady Afa ta ye and da lass?"

Hiccup frowned. He had not wanted to address his official status until he knew how the Vikings took to hearing the dragons. He had wanted to deal with them understanding that the beings they hated for generations were not the monsters they thought. Hiccup sighed. He glanced at his queen, finding her smiling and nodding her head. He tapped the table and Sunset hopped down. Hiccup then stood, staring at the visitors.

"When Sunset and Sunrise first came to the nest," he began, "they were fledglings, a stage just older than hatchlings according to dragons. They had been found by my sister-in-law, Sneaky," he continued, gesturing to Sneaky who still sat beside Sharpshot in front of Stoick. "Both had been without food for two full days when Sneaky and the pack she ran came across them."

"Wot of deir parents?" Ingvar asked, frowning.

"Dead," Hiccup stated, reaching down to gently run his hand over Sunset's head. He made sure to lean forward enough to do the same to Sunrise. "From what we gathered two other packs of Terrors sought the tree their pack had control of. In the ensuing battle, their parents were killed and they were run off by the winning pack."

"Da winin' Terrors no take dem in?" Henrik asked, his brow furrowed.

Hiccup sighed. "In dragon society there are things known as Civility Laws that govern how all honorable dragons operate. Sadly, just like us, not ever dragon abides by them. The pack that won did not."

"'n no Terrors wot live 'ere be takin' dem in either?" Mogadon asked.

Hiccup frowned. Though the Meathead chief's tone was respectful, Hiccup got the feeling the man was not fully convinced. Given that Freezing to Death was second in number of raids, Hiccup could understand the hesitation. Seeing the Red Death's remains and hearing a dragon youngling sing did not fully erase a three hundred war.

"The elder of the Terrors took them in," he said. "She raised them but everyone in the nest aided her."

"Elder of the Terrors?" Bertha questioned.

"Each dragon species has elders, like us," Hiccup said feeling his confidence rise again.

He was not faced with revealing his title and knowing that the visitors knew him from before the dragons bowed to him and remembered everything he had done. They were seeking knowledge from him. Knowledge he could share with them.

"They are the oldest living dragons of their species," he continued. "Each dragon will seek their guidance just like we do with our own elders."

"But yer volva no be old," Cami said. "'n dey be callin' her elder."

"Gyda isn't my volva," Hiccup stated. "She's not even a volva. She's a mage."

"Son," Stoick said softly, "be best iffen we let dem keep callin' her a volva. Be too much ta explain da difference right now."

Hiccup sighed.

"Alpha," Gyda said softly, "if it helps them understand, they can call me a volva."

Hiccup grunted. "Fine," he said. "But stop calling her mine. She's not a thrall. She's a free woman and a member of the tribe."

"Be reasonable," Henrik stated before any of the other Vikings could comment. "But it nare explain why da little one be callin' her an elder when she no be older den me youngest sister."

"A mage saved all of dragonkind many generations ago," Hiccup said. "Dragons call every mage elder as a sign of respect because of that."

"Dat be explainin' dem young'n's callin' da volva dat," Mogadon stated, his tone still respectful if only just. "But ye nare be answerin' Ingvar 'bout wot dem two be callin' ye and yer lass."

Hiccup sighed. He had hoped they would have forgotten Ingvar's question until much later. He should have remembered Vikings were stubborn.

"When Sneaky first brought Sunset and Sunrise to the nest, they couldn't pronounce my title," Hiccup said, his voice soft as his uncertainty came back.

He felt Astrid slip her hand into his and gently squeeze. He heard his brothers give twin warbles and heard Sneaky and Shadowfire trill a gentle note in the Old Tongue. He heard his father, Gobber, and Spitelout grunt. He saw Gyda and the Riders give him the hand gesture that meant they were with him. He watched as Sunset and Sunrise both moved to where Astrid had his hand upon the table. The twins then laid down and rested their heads upon his and Astrid's entwined hands. Both purred and Hiccup felt the echo as Link and Nightjaw joined them.

"Wot be yer title?" Steinar asked, sending Hiccup the same hand gesture Gyda and the Riders did.

Hiccup stood straighter. He faced the visitors.

"I am the alpha," he stated, his voice clear and strong. "The dragons who live in the nest bow to me and follow my commands."

"Ha!"

[Ware your tongue, hatchling,] Toothless growled, rearing back so he stood on his hind legs and could glare down at Thuggory. [You sit in this nest by the welcome of its alpha. Try to show a claw's worth of honor.]

"Hatchlin'?! Ye callin' me a baby?!"

Thuggory stood, resulting in all adult nest dragons snarling, though Sunset and Sunrise hissed at him.

"Thuggory!" Mogadon bellowed. "Sit down!"

"Dem dragons be threatenin' me," Thuggory protested.

[You made an aggressive motion to the alpha of the nest,] Obsidian said, moving away from where the non-nest dragons had been standing. He came to sit beside Gyda and faced the visitors. [You speak with an insulting tone to the alpha as well. The alpha who allows you to rest within the nest's territory. The alpha who, by my understanding, saved all of your lives the day he freed his dragons from the control of a tyrant. Tell me, do you humans take well to visitors doing the same to your nest leaders?]

"Who be ye?" Henrik asked.

[My name is Obsidian. I am the alpha of this nest's father.]

Hiccup sighed as every visiting Viking, except for Steinar, faced him with questions in their eyes. He felt a headache building and he groaned.