Stepping Forward
Chapter Six
The great white Bewilderbeast bowed his head. /Yes, I live./
"But how?" Valka gasped. "We all thought you were dead!"
/I very nearly died. When the younger one stabbed me, I thought my time had come and indeed, for several days afterwards I hovered between life and death. Yet somehow, I survived. A pod of Thunderdrums fed and protected me while I was recovering./ The Bewilderbeast answered in his deep, great voice.
"We should have come back," Valka spoke in an agonized tone. "It was bad enough when we thought you were dead, but to know that you were alive! Oh, Alpha, I am so sorry. Please forgive us."
In spite of the shock, Hiccup couldn't help but notice that his mother had forgotten that her Bewilderbeast was no longer the alpha, and he glanced at Toothless to see the Night Fury's reaction, though he knew that Toothless would understand. But Toothless seemed too stunned to have even realized Valka's slip.
The Bewilderbeast had noticed though. He shook his massive head. /Of course I forgive you. I don't blame you for believing that I had died. It was a grievous wound. But I am no longer the alpha here, dear Valka. Another holds that title now./
He turned his attention to the Night Fury. /You are the alpha now, are you not?/
Toothless only nodded in a dazed sort of way.
The Bewilderbeast bowed and spread his relatively small wings. /I honor and serve you, Alpha. I was so grateful when I heard that you had saved my beloved family from that monster./
Toothless pulled himself together and said quietly, /Yes, well, I had to save my family./
He and Hiccup smiled at each other.
/Of course./ The Bewilderbeast acknowledged.
Stoick spoke for the first time. "How did you hear that Toothless had won the battle?"
The Bewilderbeast looked at him in surprise. /You understand us?/
Valka climbed back to her feet. "My son and I have been teaching some of the humans in our village—our nest—to understand Dragonese. This is my husband Stoick. He has become a great friend to dragons."
/Ah, Stoick./ The Bewilderbeast mused thoughtfully as he studied the Viking chief. /Yes, Valka spoke of you often through the years. I am glad we can be at peace now./
Stoick nodded. "Yes. I am as well."
/So how did I learn of the new alpha?/ The Bewilderbeast began.
Cloudjumper could no longer contain his joy and clapped his wings together. /I know. A little bird told you./ He looked around at Toothless, Hiccup, and Stoick. /That's what he always used to say whenever we asked how he knew everything./
The Bewilderbeast dropped his almost formal solemnity to grin mischievously at them. /In this case, it was more like a great big bird./
He turned his head and roared, a thunderous cry that caused them all to take a step back. Then, as if once weren't enough, a second Bewilderbeast rose from the deep waters, gray in color and with a missing left tusk.
Toothless hissed and spread his wings even as Hiccup sprang to his saddle to aid him in flying. At the same time Valka had also leaped onto Cloudjumper while Stoick drew his sword.
/Peace!/ The White Bewilderbeast called. /He means no harm. He was Bludvist's victim more than anyone./
While they hesitated, the Gray Bewilderbeast spread his wings and bowed to Toothless. /I am sorry, Alpha. Forgive me./ His voice was low, though not quite as deep as the white one's, and almost gravelly.
Toothless looked closely back and forth between the two Bewilderbeasts before addressing the gray one. /Will you allow me to see into your mind?/
In response, the Gray Bewilderbeast lowered his head even further until it was almost touching the water. Hiccup was distinctly uneasy at being so near to their former antagonist, but the Bewilderbeast did seem humble and subdued. Toothless stared keenly at him for long moments while the rest of them waited with tense uncertainty, until finally Toothless relaxed and folded his wings. /He is not a threat./
Cloudjumper immediately followed Toothless' lead and relaxed, but Stoick was more reluctant to put away his weapon. He stepped close to the Night Fury and attempted to speak in a whisper. "You're sure? It couldn't be a trick?"
Toothless nodded. /I'm sure./
Stoick slowly put the sword away, still keeping a gimlet eye fixed on the Gray Bewilderbeast.
"But how did-?" Valka began.
She was interrupted by a fierce war cry and they all looked beyond the Bewilderbeasts to see the Dragon Riders leading the rest of the flock towards them at breakneck speed, while the Hooligans' sailing ships followed as quickly as they could.
"We have got to work with them on stealth," Hiccup murmured. Toothless warbled agreement and then the two of them took to the air.
"It's all right!" Hiccup shouted to his friends. "He's not dangerous anymore! We're safe!"
At the same time Toothless was roaring to the dragons. /Peace! There is no danger! The Gray One was under Drago's control and he is free now. He means us no harm!/
It was almost comical how baffled and confused the Riders and dragons looked. The thought flashed through Hiccup's mind that the Bewilderbeasts were bewildering everyone, and he had to grin at the pun.
"But Hiccup, isn't that Drago's Bewilderbeast? He tried to kill us all," Astrid called out to him.
"Yes, but he was under Drago's control. He's free now," Hiccup echoed Toothless' words.
"So everything's all right?" Snotlout asked doubtfully while Hookfang growled suspiciously.
/I have seen his thoughts. He was Drago's prisoner and suffered terribly his entire life until I freed him. Now he is grateful and wishes to live in peace with everyone./ Toothless announced firmly.
/And our alpha is alive!/ A purple Scuttleclaw who had lived at the Sanctuary exclaimed joyfully. Then as she realized her mistake, she spun around in mid-air and bowed to Toothless, exclaiming in horror, /Oh, my apologies, Alpha! I meant no disrespect. I meant our former alpha./
Toothless inclined his head. /I know what you meant. I am not offended./
"So that's the good Bewilderbeast too?" Fishlegs stared at the two mighty creatures. "I thought he had died."
"We all did,"Hiccup replied. "But he survived."
"But how-?"
/How did they meet?/
"What-?"
A cacophony of voices, human and dragon, filled the air as everyone asked their questions.
"I don't know—hold on, guys!" Hiccup tried to speak but no one paid him much attention until Toothless gave a roar.
/Silence!/ He nodded to his brother as if to say, 'go ahead'.
"I don't know exactly how he survived or how they met again," Hiccup told them. "Look, Fishlegs and Snotlout, go tell the ships that everything's all right and they can go back to work. Then I guess we can all land and let the Bewilderbeasts tell us what happened."
A short time later they had gathered on the shore but then the White Bewilderbeast suggested that they go to the inner courtyard where it was warmer and more comfortable. So the two giant dragons dove down to swim through an underwater tunnel to the pool inside while the humans and other dragons made their way through a rocky passage to the interior of the caldera.
Those who had not seen the inner Sanctuary before stopped and stared in amazement at its beauty—the silver rocks covered with emerald moss and ferns, the impossibly tall cliffs and rock pillars, the cascading waterfalls, and the soft humid air as warm as summer.
"Wow," Ruffnut and Tuffnut spoke together.
"It is lovely, isn't it?" Valka smiled, looking around at her old home. Stoick came up beside her and tucked her hand into the crook of his arm. She smiled at him and patted his arm reassuringly.
"How is it so much warmer than on the outside?" Fishlegs immediately began answering his own question. "Of course these rocks were formed from lava cooling. This whole area must be geologically active. I bet there are warm springs of water around here somewhere."
"There are," Valka agreed, pointing them out. "But we must meet the Bewilderbeasts now. Follow me."
She led the way to a cliff that overlooked the pool below. The Gray and White Bewilderbeasts soon appeared and Hiccup noted that Valka, Cloudjumper, and the other Sanctuary dragons almost started to bow to the White one, but caught themselves in time. He thought that Toothless noticed too, but he didn't seem upset or threatened by it. Hiccup smiled and reached to scratch Toothless' neck and the Night Fury rubbed his head against him, purring contentedly.
Everyone settled down and waited expectantly, while the two Bewilderbeasts looked at each other and seemed to consider how to begin.
The Thorston twins were never known for their patience and even among such august company, Ruffnut couldn't help but speak up after a moment.
"Hey, we're really glad you're not dead," She addressed the White Bewilderbeast, then looked back and forth between the two. "But what the heck happened?"
"Ruffnut," Stoick began reprovingly.
But Valka's Bewilderbeast only chuckled. /It is a fair question. Yes, young one, I am glad to still be among the living as well now, though for the first few days when I was weak and in pain, I longed for death./
The Gray Bewilderbeast moaned softly in distress.
The White one nuzzled him in comfort. /I do not blame you. I never did. Drago Bludvist alone is responsible for all the suffering and loss. In any case, I began to heal soon./ He looked to the humans. /Dragons tend to heal more quickly than humans, at least that is what Valka always said./
The Vikings nodded, having discovered that for themselves over the past few years.
/As I said earlier, a pod of Thunderdrums scented blood in the waters and came to investigate. When they discovered that I lived, they brought me fish and licked my wounds and stayed close to protect me from predators. I owe those Thunderdrums a great debt, for they helped to save my life./
/So, physically I grew stronger, but my heart was sick with grief and fear. I had failed to protect my flock, my family. For an alpha, there is no greater pain or shame. I was haunted day and night by thoughts of my flock suffering. I had no appetite and my sleep was plagued with nightmares, but I forced myself to eat and rest for I needed to heal as quickly as possible so that I could attempt to rescue any who might still live./
/Once I was strong enough to fend for myself, I asked the Thunderdrums to scout for news of what might have happened to my flock. They left and in their search, they came across another suffering soul./
He turned to the Gray Bewilderbeast, who looked at him, startled, and then glanced shyly at the group of Vikings and dragons before ducking his head.
Valka's Bewilderbeast nuzzled him again in encouragement. The Gray one seemed to gather his courage and took up the tale, though he kept his head lowered and his eyes downcast.
/After the—the battle,/ he almost whispered the words. /Master and I fell into the ocean./
The White Bewilderbeast gave a soft growl and spoke in a kind, but firm tone. /He is no longer your master./
The Gray Bewilderbeast nodded. /Drago was killed by a falling rock. I did not kill him, but I was glad when he died. Glad!/
"Can't say that I blame you," Stoick remarked grimly and everyone else made sounds of agreement.
/He was an evil man. He stole my egg and was there when I hatched. I never knew any other life except to be his slave./ The Gray Bewilderbeast went on. /When I was a hatchling, he would make his other dragons fight with me. He forced them to claw and bite me. He wanted me to hate other dragons and made me take control over them. If I refused or failed, he beat me and starved me. He kept me chained and caged when I was smaller. Soon after I hatched, he shackled my tusks and had them pulled for hours every day to cause them to grow deformed. It was—painful./
/When he died, I was glad, but I had no idea how to survive on my own. Truthfully I did not even want to. I felt in my heart that everything I had done was wrong, but I was too weak and afraid to defy my—Drago. So I was evil too./
Hiccup, Valka, Toothless, and the White Bewilderbeast all spoke at the same time. "You're not evil." /You're not evil./
The Gray Bewilderbeast raised his head to give them a quick, grateful look. Then he turned to the White Bewilderbeast and rested his head briefly against his shoulder before going on.
/For the next several weeks, I simply wandered the seas, eating nothing and waiting to die. But one day the pod of Thunderdrums came near, asking if anyone knew what might have happened to the flock of dragons from the Ice Sanctuary. They told me the great White Bewilderbeast lived and was desperate for word of them. I knew what I had to do. I would go to him, explain how the small black dragon had won and saved them all, and then I would let him execute me for my crimes./
He fell silent, lowering his head again.
After a moment, the White Bewilderbeast spoke. /I knew he was coming, of course. But I knew there was no danger. His pain and sorrow radiated through the air and waters long before he came into sight. He stopped some distance away and told me of the battle, that there was a new alpha, and that my dragons were safe. Then he threw himself at my feet and begged me to end his misery./
/I could not help but feel sympathetic, as I had known from the start that he did not act of his own free will. So instead I explained that I was lonely without my flock and asked if he would like to stay here with me. You see, I had wondered why I had been spared. My wound should have killed me, and yet I survived. I had thought, or hoped at least, that I lived so that I might be able to save my family. Then, to my great joy and relief, I learned that they were already safe. And when I met my new friend here, I thought that perhaps I could help him to heal and to find peace. At the very least, I could offer friendship and comfort./
/Over the past week or so, we have become very close. I have grown to love him as if he were my own hatchling./
The two Bewilderbeasts nuzzled one another again before turning back to their audience, one pale with turquoise eyes and the other, thinner and darker with light blue eyes.
Glancing around at the group, Hiccup saw that everyone looked touched by the Bewilderbeasts' story. Valka's face was streaked with tears, which didn't surprise Hiccup at all, as he too had found his vision blurred at the thought of the Gray Bewilderbeast's suffering. Most of the others were surreptitiously swiping at their eyes and clearing their throats as well.
After a while, Valka spoke. "But if you've known where we were for a week or more, why didn't you let us know that you were alive?"
The White Bewilderbeast tilted his head. /There was a new alpha, a strong and courageous one who did what I could not. He defeated Drago and saved the flock. You were better off with him./
He looked at Toothless and bowed again. /I certainly did not want you to think that I would challenge you, Alpha. You are the rightful leader now./
Toothless hesitated, for a second looking as if he were unsure how to respond. Then he stood and stepped close to the cliff's edge, to the Bewilderbeasts. /Thank you, Bewilderbeast. I would be proud to call you a friend. And if any dragons wish to return here to their old home, I understand./
/But Alpha, your flock needs to be near you./ The White Bewilderbeast said.
Toothless shook his head. /I mean, those who return here would be your flock again. You would be the alpha of the Sanctuary dragons and I will be the alpha on Berk./
There was an electric silence. Hiccup wondered if the others, besides Valka, really understood what a revolutionary proposal Toothless had just offered. In dragon culture, the 'alpha' title was either won through fighting or passed to a successor upon the death of the old leader. But a young, healthy alpha simply did not offer to share power.
But Toothless and Hiccup had always forged their own path, regardless of traditions.
Loud, excited chatter erupted from the dragons as the White Bewilderbeast stared in astonishment. /Alpha, are you certain?/
Toothless nodded. /Yes./
Stoick spoke thoughtfully. "If some of the dragons came back here, we might not need so much fish for the winter, after all. Toothless, how soon could we get an estimate on how many dragons might return and how many would stay with us?"
Toothless motioned for two Sanctuary dragons, a Nadder and a Nightmare, to approach.
/I need you to fly to Berk and let everyone there know what has happened. Tell them what I said—that anyone who wishes to return to their old home may do so. Try to get a number for how many will come to the Sanctuary and how many will stay on Berk. Then fly back here and let us know. Tell them we are planning ahead for the winter, to know how much food we will need to catch and store./
The two dragons bowed to him and then flew off through the tunnel to the outside, back to Berk.
Toothless turned to Stoick. /We should know something by tomorrow or the next day, Dad./
Stoick rubbed the Night Fury's head affectionately.
In the meantime, Tuffnut had been watching the two Bewilderbeasts. He stepped close to them and bowed, but then called out, "Hey, do you guys have names?"
/Dragons do not commonly have individual names. Once I became the alpha here, I was always referred to by my title./ The White Bewilderbeast explained.
The Gray Bewilderbeast said quietly, /Drago called me 'Ugly' or 'Monster'./
Tuffnut glared at the absent warlord. "Well, he was a real idiot then," he declared hotly. "Because you're not ugly or a monster."
The Gray Bewilderbeast seemed a little surprised by anyone having consideration for him. /Thank you./
"Can we call you Venn?" Tuffnut asked. "Because you're not an enemy anymore. You're a friend now."
The Gray Bewilderbeast blinked. /I—I would like that./ He said softly.
Tuffnut turned to the White Bewilderbeast. "Could I give you a name too?"
The White Bewilderbeast seemed amused. /You humans do like to name things, don't you? What name would you give me?/
Tuffnut considered. "What about Snaer? Cause you're white like snow and so you could be a snow king."
The White Bewilderbeast blew a gentle breath of mist at him. Neither Hiccup nor Valka had mentioned that that was a sign of Bewilderbeast approval, but Tuffnut got the idea anyway.
/You may call me 'Snaer' if you wish./
"All right!" Tuffnut punched a fist into the air and turned to his sister. "Hey, I got to name them!"
She ran over. "How come you got to name them?"
"Because I picked good names and they like them!"
While the twins bickered, Snaer leaned close to Toothless and whispered /I think I'm glad those two are in your flock./
Toothless smirked. /They're human. Dad and Hiccup get to deal with them./
/Your nest sounds like an interesting place./
Toothless actually laughed. /Oh, it is. But there's no other place like it and it's home./
Author's Notes: In Old Norse mythology, Snaer seems to be the personification of snow, and possibly a legendary Scandinavian king. Venn is 'friend' in Norwegian. These seemed to be appropriate names for the two Bewilderbeasts, to me.
I hope this chapter was worth the wait, and I love reviews! Thank you for reading!