Author's Note – This brief scene is set in Children Of Dawn chapter 11 – First Contact.
Shadowwing wasn't sure how he ended up in the prayer chamber of the Great Hall. This specific place was one he hadn't had any great interest in going to before, except out of some need to be present for a tribal ceremony. The gods had never... well, maybe once or twice... answered his pleas. Perhaps he had just been asking for the wrong things.
Regardless, the prayer chamber was also a place of quiet, respectful peace, and that calm made it worth spending some time in just as an escape from everything else. It had been a long waking-cycle of answering frustrations, and he was very relieved Thorvald had taken over.
But as he sat there staring at the murals, busts, and icons of various gods and goddesses, his restless mind went to the many adventures, quests, and deeds attributed to those beings. His thoughts were inexorably drawn to another adventure now happening beyond the known bounds of the hidden world. It had been... weeks since the children left.
There was no way to possibly know when everyone would return or what news they would have when they did return. If they returned...
When they returned.
He sighed and closed his eyes.
Going on an adventure of growth is... necessary. Gods, I and my brother had to do that in our own ways.
His father's manic betrayal back on Berk had sparked so many events that couldn't have been foreseen at the time. Berk had needed a new Chief, so Astrid stepped up and became Berk's first woman Chief, a role which eventually got her killed, though she proved her ability to lead and win battles. Toothless had been grounded, leading to his new name, had eventually found Green-Wings, and began a family with her.
As for himself, he had been forced into the wider world far before he was reasonably ready for that, had helped show some people that dragons are not necessarily monsters, had also taken on a new name, and had also become obsessed with an idea that became tragic in the end. That was all before he found Luna.
All of it was connected: happy and sad, joyful and bitter, triumph and tragedy.
He hung his head, his eyes closed.
Dad, we both became obsessed in different ways. I didn't learn from your mistake. But I... have tried to not make the same mistakes with Moon-Dancer or any of them as you made with me. You...
He whined softly, not wanting to disturb anyone outside or break the peace.
You did so much for me that I didn't appreciate at the time. Even after all my mistakes and failures... you still trusted to put me in training. You hoped I could grow up and learn to be like you. You never hit me except with words. You made a lot of mistakes, but I did also... as your son.
Letting Moon-Dancer fly away on this mission was, while necessary, the first step to push his son out of the nest, figuratively. Part of raising a child while well was to make them independent and confident enough to be able to leave and make their own life.
The calling of every parent was to become unneeded, in a tragic and beautiful way.
I hope you're proud of me. I'm trying my best as a father and as Chief, but it's so hard. Not sure if you can do anything for me from Valhalla, but a sign... eventually would help a lot.