"Remember, remember always, that all of us, and you and I especially, are descended from immigrants and revolutionists." - Franklin D. Roosevelt (attributed to)
Between Two Worlds
They arrived back at the nest after several days of rapid flying with the wind and breathed a sigh of relief that everything looked normal. Shadowwing flew in the main entrance and went straight for the other Furies' ledge. He quickly spotted his brother down on a lower ledge and flew to him.
"You were gone many suns. Over a moon-cycle," Was-Grounded greeted him with a hum and gentle head bump.
"Yes, much happened that you should hear about. Where are Green-Wings and Dawn-Singer?"
"Getting fish."
He glanced down at the pool where he could clearly see one large and one small dark shape waiting for the King's arrival while the other dragons kept their distance. They had all learned that to approach the little one was only desirable if they wanted to get flamed in the face.
"How is his flying now?"
"He is very good at it already for one his size. He is hatched to fly and is learning his flying much faster than I learned long ago," Was-Grounded groaned.
"What is the problem? It is good for him to fly."
"Think about how hard it will be to watch out for him now when he starts flying the whole nest."
Ah, look at you being a concerned daddy...
Then Was-Grounded hummed happily.
"You will like to hear this. He can talk now."
"He can talk now!"
"He only knew a few words at first: fish, fly, no, dam... sire."
"That is good. I am happy for you all. His dam has done well with him," Shadowwing hummed happily.
"What? What about me?" Was-Grounded seemed shocked and dismayed.
"Do not fear, brother, you taught him... something I am sure."
And that comment earned him a smack in the head.
Totally worth it though...
"He will start learning far more words and much faster now," Was-Grounded continued as if nothing had happened.
Then his eyes gleamed with humor.
"What do you think I should teach him for your name? Little-cougher, Hiccup, or Shadowwing?"
They stared at each other for a moment and then broke down in laughter, thrashing their tails against the rock in their joyful abandon.
"I will teach him your old name if you teach him my old name," Shadowwing waggled a single claw in warning.
That earned him a toothy play snarl and a tail swipe which he managed to dodge.
The King arrived on schedule and provided a bounty of fish which they both winged down to enjoy. It had been a long flight back to the ice nest after all. He briefly greeted Green-Wings and glanced at Dawn-Singer, who was currently struggling with a fish just a bit too large for him, before pouncing at the flopping fish himself. Four large fish vanished into his belly before he beckoned his brother away so they could talk freely.
"You should hear what happened out there."
"What happened?"
"Our old nest on home-nest-island... is gone, burned to dust."
Was-Grounded spun around and stared with eyes that narrowed in alarm. He was almost certain that he had misheard.
"Gone? What?"
"Most nest-dens were burned. The great, tall den where we ate much in the cold-season was burned down to the dirt."
"What happened there?" Was-Grounded's eyes were now wide with concern.
"The bond two-legs and kin all flew the nest, and then the empty nest was burned."
"Burned?"
"Yes, but there is more. All the other nests of two-legs that are warm to kin also flew their nests to hide. Something is hunting them."
"What could hunt so many kin and two-legs?"
"A very big flight of kin. Kin-liver told the two-leg Alphas of the other nests that they could bring their nests here."
"Here to the ice nest?" Was-Grounded exclaimed in evident alarm.
"Or to this island if not in the ice nest. This is the most safe place for kin and all two-legs who are good to kin."
Was-Grounded paced at hearing that news.
"Even if there was a big flight of kin, why would they drive another kin nest out and then burn the empty nest? There is no reason. Driving kin out a nest or a den and then claiming it is a flight that has some lift, but not this."
"I hope that we do not need to see," Shadowwing mumbled.
Was-Grounded spun around and looked over at his mate as she attentively watched over Dawn-Singer.
"I will tell her that strange two-legs might come here. I do not think she will like it. Your dam she knows, but others..."
Then a thought bit at his tail.
"When you say that the other nests might come here, does that mean our old nest also?"
"Yes."
"Astrid?"
"Yes."
"Your sire?"
Shadowwing looked at his paws for a moment. A long moment.
"Yes, he would also... What do you think about that?"
Was-Grounded lay down with his tail anxiously twitching as he thought about his response.
"I... hated his liver. I wanted to claw him to death and spill his life-water. But I would not have found Green-Wings if he had not done what he did. What he did to me was bad but much good hatched from it. He is out of my life-flight. I do not think about him now."
Shadowwing considered what his brother said and grumbled softly as he looked out through the ice nest.
"I still do," he mumbled.
Several weeks passed during which everything in the nest continued as normal. Some of the dragons still fought with each other for territory or status as was normal but most had settled down.
Valka returned to trapper-handling duties with Shadowwing eagerly assisting. Dawn-Singer began to learn words at an alarming rate, started to express himself in more words, and started to show actual personality instead of only needing and wanting. He also took great pleasure in his every opportunity to play with or be held by Valka, much to Was-Grounded's and Green-Wings's continued amusement. They were also grateful for that because it let them have more time alone on the winds or simply playing together whenever Shadowwing was not there to watch over the fledgling.
And then the island and nest was sent into a frenzy late in the summer. Shadowwing followed Valka and Cloudjumper outside to investigate the source of the disturbance.
Dozens of dragons were either already on shore or were flying in. Riders were clearly visible on the dragons' backs or were already on the ground beginning to make camps with the few supplies they had brought. Shadowwing noticed one Timberjack among them and had a very good guess at who they were.
The Vaina did come after all.
He dove to land among them as Cloudjumper followed behind him. Chief Svana extricated herself from the assembly and strode over to meet them.
"There you are. I never thought I would see so many dragons. This is... amazing," she whispered in awe as she stared at the massive wall of ice deeper inland.
"Chief Svana," Valka announced herself from behind her mask.
"Dragonheart, this is an incredible place. Where do you think we can make camp?"
"I would build further away from the nest and over towards the trees. The tides can be fierce here, as can wary dragons."
"Ok, we will. The ships are on their way as well and should be here in a few days. All the other tribes agreed to seek shelter here too."
"All of them?" Valka exclaimed.
"Yes, us, Berk, the Volsung, and even the Outcasts, they all saw the need for protection together."
"How many are there coming here?"
Chief Svana put her hands on her hips in thought.
"I would guess five hundred dragons and a couple thousand people."
Valka gasped at hearing how great a number there were coming.
"How are we going to support all of them? Even the King cannot catch enough fish for all of them."
"The King, right, where is it?"
"I will go get him. Stay here," Valka answered before running back to Cloudjumper.
Shadowwing and Svana watched as the Stormcutter flew off into the frozen nest.
How was the journey?
"Long. It took a bit of searching but we got here in the end. Not everyone wanted to come with but all with dragons did."
Do you know why you are being hunted?
"Why never occurred to me, and I do not care why. We only had a day of warning from our scouts. We are not true fighters, so we fled and sent word to our allies. All the Chiefs gathered and agreed to hide the tribes. You know the rest."
They were interrupted by Cloudjumper's return.
"He is coming," Valka answered after vaulting down from his back.
"Where is it?" Svana asked while looking around the beach.
Valka pointed to the deep bay. They both watched for several moments as nothing happened. Then the water began to roll and pitch. A massive head and pair of curved tusks burst from the water.
A collective gasp went through everyone gathered on the shore as the white Bewilderbeast emerged in all its massive glory in the bay and turned its attention on the coast.
The ground seemed to tremble with every one of the King's steps. His piercing blue eyes were narrowed on all the tiny humans on the shore. The dragons on the ground went still and inclined their heads toward the great creature.
Shadowwing marveled at the King anew, this being the first time that he had ever seen the King fully on land. He had barnacles on his legs and belly. His tail was long and had rows of spines running down its length, clearly a creature meant for being in the water.
The King stopped moving and growled softly. For a moment Shadowwing was afraid that something terrible was about to happen. That the King did not know friend from enemy.
But then something unexpected happened. The dragons, which had been submissive toward the King, stood up and bellowed at him.
The King pulled back slightly, and his great head swept from side to side as he looked across the beach and saw the same all along the shore. He gave a rumble of confusion and looked over toward where Valka, Svana, and Shadowwing stood together. Jorm, Svana's Nightmare, hopped over close to the Vainian Chief and stared up at the King as well.
The King's eyes stared directly into Shadowwing's as a brief buzzing flared in his head.
Confusion...
Enemies...
Not enemies...
Kin with rot in their livers?
Not-threat two-legs?
He stared back into the great eyes and willed the King to hear him, if such a thing was possible.
No, they are not bad humans.
They are good to dragons and need your protection.
The King's eyes gradually softened. The King then sighed deeply, gave a low moan that shuddered bones, and turned away from the shore to make his way back into the deep water. Everyone watched as the great creature sank into the deep and vanished with a great splash of its tail.
Svana slowly turned back to them both with a look of fear and amazement, a look which was echoed all down the shore.
"That is the King. Do you think he can protect us now?" Valka said with a grin.
Svana said nothing in her stupor but did manage to nod.
Shadowwing nervously watched the horizon in anticipation at every free moment. The other two tribes had arrived at various points over the last few weeks. Those who had arrived built a makeshift village from salvaging some ships, driftwood, and felled lumber from the small forest.
Meeting the Chiefs of the Volsung and Outcasts, Edgaras and Alvin, again was a strange ordeal for him. Both of the proud leaders clearly remembered him, but they both seemed far less sure of themselves. They seemed weaker, as though their confidence was shaken. He was also much bigger than them now and towered over them, despite their both being massive men in their own right.
He flew out over the assembled fleet and tried to count the number of ships. There were easily over fifty including the fishing sloops, which were busily at work to provide for all now living on the island.
I have never seen so many humans and dragons gathered together before.
Again seeing nothing on the horizon, he flew back into the nest and sought out his family. And he saw something wonderful and amazing despite having seen it many times already. Dawn-Singer was again aloft on his own, spiraling a short flight near the Furies' ledge while his parents attentively watched.
Wow, you are growing up fast.
He landed on their ledge and hopped up to them.
"He is a strong flier!"
"Yes, he is strong like his sire," Green-Wings answered while rubbing Was-Grounded's neck.
Shadowwing lay down across from them and watched the little one as he soared freely while bellowing his joy.
"There are many two-legs here now."
"We have seen them," Was-Grounded answered.
"And what do you think?"
"They should stay away. I have no anger for them if they stay out of the nest and away from Dawn-Singer," Green-Wings growled back.
"Why? They are not bad two-legs. You know one already."
"She does not have a two-leg liver. She has the liver of a kin," she answered.
"And those out of the nest do not?"
"What she means is that we do not know them. We have no reason to trust them," Was-Grounded explained.
"How can you learn to trust them if you will not meet them?"
They were still pondering their response when Dawn-Singer winged back in with a happy roar. He hopped over and was nuzzled by his mother.
"I fly much!"
"Yes, you fly well, Dawn-Singer," Shadowwing happily said.
"Not-sire Shadowwing!"
Dawn-Singer got up, ran over to him, and hopped on his back.
"What are you doing?" he hummed up at the little one.
"I will sleep here!" Dawn-Singer cried out while collapsing on his back.
Oh, that is... wait... sleep here?
"No, I have to go and..." he began.
The little Fury was already splayed out on the middle of his back and thoroughly asleep.
What just happened... Great... just great...
Was-Grounded turned to Green-Wings and whispered something in her ear. She rumbled in approval and amusement moments later.
"We are going to fly to warm our livers and see the two-legs again from the sky. Watch him for us!" Was-Grounded teased.
They both took wing before he could object. He grumbled softly as he watched them fly from the nest.
I just got volunteered to do some hatchling-sitting. Totally love it...
Actually no, he would not be a hatchling anymore since he can fly.
He is a fledgling now.
He blinked.
Wait, I really am an uncle... gods that feels strange.
He craned his neck around to look at the sleeping Dawn-Singer again.
He trusts me. They all do.
Watching the little Fury's chest rise and fall as he slept off his flight induced exhaustion greatly warmed his heart, and he gave the little one a soft hum of happiness.
Hmm, almost like he is my own. I wonder if I...
Sigh.
He stayed there and rested himself for a long time during which Dawn-Singer thankfully did not wake once.
Then both Was-Grounded and Green-Wings returned to the ledge. She gently grabbed her little one from his back without waking the fledgling. It was questionable how much longer she would be able to do that with how much he was growing.
"How was the flying?"
"We did not fall," Was-Grounded answered.
Shadowwing noticed though that his brother had an odd and somewhat nervous look and feel.
"What is biting your tail?" he asked.
"They are here. The flight you have been waiting for."
Shadowwing stepped back at hearing that. He nodded at his brother and jumped from the ledge to make his way outside.
Sure enough, there was another flight of recently arrived dragons down on the shore. People had already dismounted to meet with others and begin unpacking supplies.
He saw the flag that they were flying. A nondescript dragon in flight with a rider on its back, all set against a red background.
His heart clenched as he flew down toward them and landed in the clearing.
This is Berk.
He could already see several familiar faces out there looking toward him. Hands tapped shoulders and pointed his direction.
His gaze immediately wandered to the blue and green Nadder resting near the front of the assembly. Several smaller Nadder fledglings were playing close to the adult. And right among them stood a woman with blond hair, a cape of blue Nadder scales, and a clear presence of authority.
Had it really been three years since he had seen her?
His steps toward her were hesitant and fearful. He had no idea what to expect of this fateful meeting.
She was wearing lightweight leather armor. The hilt of a sword showed on her right hip and a dagger hung from her belt. A sash of blue wove across her chest and up to her shoulder while a blue, scale cape draped down her back.
Her forearms were far more muscular than he remembered. Her face spoke volumes though. She had new carelines on her brow, and her hair was somewhat unkempt. Her eyes, her piercing eyes, seemed tired beyond her years but also awed as she also strode forward to meet him.
He stopped walking a couple paces from her and looked down at her. Even trying to be relaxed, he still stood far taller than her. The last time they had seen each other he had only stood a few hands above her. That was not the case now.
A complete silence ensued.
He had no idea what to say, where to begin, or what to do.
Her gaze never left the Night Fury as it flew down to the ground. The most wondrous and special dragon in the world. It landed and looked around the gathering of people and dragons on the beach without showing any fear.
Then it saw her and stared in what could only be recognition.
She stared right back and forgot to breathe.
It could only mean one thing.
All her nightmares of a Night Fury being caught, starving to death, or being skinned alive had been wrong. The whispers she had heard from the messengers from the Vaina had been the truth.
Hiccup was alive.
She caught her breath and found herself walking toward him in a daze. What had happened to him in all these years? Did he know anything about what was happening? Did he know about what had happened to her and Berk?
He was much bigger, no doubt fully grown for a Night Fury if what she remembered of Toothless was a fair guide. But his wide green eyes still had the same look of innocent surprise that she remembered from years ago.
They stopped and regarded each other from a couple feet away. She wanted to scream out his name and punch him for not coming back sooner.
But that behavior would not befit her position as a Chief or look at all appropriate regardless.
She slowly cupped her hands and held them out to him. They were toughened hands with calluses earned by hard labor and much training with weapons.
He closed his eyes and rested his head in her hands with a soft moan that no one else could possibly hear.
For all that she tried to be tough and unemotional, she sobbed anyway though she shed no tears.
"Hic… Hiccup…" she gasped.
She closed the curtain of her Chief's tent, leaving just enough room for both of them inside the tent. He carefully lay down on the furs on the ground. He had a pencil in paw and paper laid out before him. She also sat down cross-legged and faced him in a long moment of silence.
Where to even begin?
"Well, Hiccup, it is good to see you again."
Same here, Astrid
Strange to hear my old name
"What? Why?"
I have been called Shadowwing for years now
"Shadowwing, it seems appropriate. Why the new name though?"
Bad memories with the old one
And I am not exactly a youth now
I am an adult in a way
She nodded solemnly.
"I think I understand. You didn't get to go through the ceremony with us formally after all. You had a far more... real way of having to grow up. I want you to know that he is with us."
Who?
"Your… father."
He tried and failed to stifle the growl that involuntarily rose at that mention. Being here among his old tribe, though he had not yet had a chance to freely mingle, and hearing about that man better brought out the anger that had been bubbling deep within. The anger that he was not sure had been there. And that was without even meeting him directly.
"You should hear what happened with him," she continued.
I really do not care.
He shook his head with an angry hiss.
"But he…"
He stamped on the ground.
"No!" he growled.
She held up her hands to placate him.
"Ok, ok, fine, fine. You should go see Gobber at least. He will be very happy to see you."
He nodded and relaxed, glad that she changed the subject to something more pleasant.
It would be nice to see Gobber again.
"He has gotten a bit slower and is starting to show some more of his age. He really needs to get another apprentice, but he kind of had a run of bad luck with those... He never stopped believing that you would make it out here, there, or wherever you went."
Yep, that sounds like him.
Then he remembered that there was a piece of very good news that she definitely needed to hear about.
I found Toothless
Her eyes went wide with amazement and relief.
"You really found him! Where is he?"
In the nest here
With his mate and son
She blinked.
"Toothless has a family!" she exclaimed.
He goes by Was-Grounded now
She is Green-Wings and his son is Dawn-Singer
"Wow. A Night Fury family. Did he have them before Berk or..."
No, he found her after Berk
"Well, I am very happy that you found them. I hope that I can meet them."
That should be easy enough to arrange. They will like you, he already does.
"And who is she, the woman with the Stormcutter?"
He groaned.
Great, just when I thought this couldn't get stranger for her.
Her name is Valka
"Valka… why is that name familiar?"
She is my mother
Astrid stared at the words in evident confusion.
"Your mother? But your mother died when you were only a baby. Everyone knows that."
He slowly shook his head.
She was carried away
We thought she was dead
Amazement and comprehension lit in her eyes.
"They just thought she was dead. It made sense to think that back then."
He rolled his shoulders in a shrug.
The dragon was a Stormcutter
It brought her here
"Any idea why?"
No.
She has been here since then
Helping dragons out of traps
Fixing broken wings and the like
"Your mother was out here all the time! That is amazing! You found her! Your mother is some kind of crazy, feral, vigilante, dragon lady."
That about sums it up
"Hey, at least she is not boring. I will have to meet her now."
Then she paused for a moment.
"What about your parents? Don't you think they should meet?" she nervously asked.
I already told her what he did
"What did she say?"
She was sad
If she wants to meet him
That is her decision
I do not want to now
Tell me about Berk
What has happened?
"What has not happened..." she sighed.
"In case you cannot tell, I became the Chief."
He nodded, remembering that amazing detail that Svana had shared.
I never thought that we could do that
Have a woman be the Chief
"Yeah, it's true. Your father... was no longer fit to be the Chief after what happened. I challenged Thorvald in the Hall after you left. He gave his 'I'm next in line' and 'right by blood' argument. I reminded everyone what I had done by going to the other tribes, building and leading the Academy, and killing the Skrill. It was going to become a death duel, but Sifa actually helped calm him down and convinced him to let it go. So I became Berk's first woman to be a Chief. No one else seemed to want to challenge me for it."
Then she grinned.
"Oh, you will like this. Thorvald and Sifa have a son, Ysmir."
Really? Snotlout and Ruffnut have a son now. Wow.
"I know, right. Amazing how that changes people, having actual responsibility to someone else they love. They actually have another baby on the way right now. Skald and Vistra also have a daughter, little Faen."
He hummed in amazement.
They are all so grown up.
What else happened at home?
Her smile gradually faded as she continued.
"Everything was good for a year. People came from the other tribes to learn and share knowledge. Skald took over the Academy and teaching. He had a real knack for it, so much information up in that head of his. And then we heard things from the other tribes. We heard about an army of dragons."
So it is true... why would they attack people who had never hurt them?
"I learned who was behind it, a man called Drago Bludvist or Blood-Fist or something like that. We sent scouts out to find the army and realized that it was coming for our islands. The army was too large to fight, so we all went into hiding."
What does he want?
"It doesn't matter what he wants. What matters is what he was going to do to us."
But if we learn what he wants
Then maybe we can talk to him
"Talk to Drago? Do you know what he did to Berk or the other tribes?" she nervously laughed.
He solemnly nodded.
He must have a reason for what he is doing
Did anyone try to talk to him first?
"When someone sends their army at you first with no attempt to negotiate... you do not stop and try to talk nice with them. No, you raise your ax and your shield and you protect your own. And no one wanted to volunteer for a suicide mission."
I have met many people out in the world
They all learned that I am not a monster
"How are you so sure that is the problem with him. Maybe he knows what dragons can be and simply does not care."
He could give her no answer to that point.
"There are some people who are too set in their ways to change. And some people are just plain bad. They want something that they know hurts people and they do not care. Some people want to see others burn."
He does sound a bit crazy from what I've heard, but still at least try for peace before admitting that fighting is necessary.
Sigh.
"But what about you, Hiccup? Tell me about some of your adventures. Surely you have gotten up to some kind of trouble since you left."
He chuckled heartily.
You have no idea
We might need more paper...
Shadowwing came back to the village the next morning and quickly found a pair of familiar faces.
Fishlegs and Snotlout, now Skald and Thorvald, he recognized despite them being far taller, stronger, and, in one of their cases, leaner than before. Skald had grown a very impressive mustache, whereas Thorvald had grown a thin beard. The former ran over to him with a giddy grin quite reminiscent of the younger boy he remembered.
"Uh, do you remember me?"
Yes, he nodded.
Skald's eyes went wide with glee.
Shadowwing looked around at the ground for a surface he could write on.
Skald
"You are him. Chief Astrid told me, told everyone about what happened."
He almost flinched.
What did she say?
"She told us what Stoick did. He sold your brother to those bad people. You flew away to find Toothless. A lot of us were very sad and angry at Stoick when we learned that. No one thought that the Chief would do that to one of his own dragons."
He relaxed slightly. She had not lied, but she had kept his secret this whole time.
"Dear, aren't you going to introduce us?" a young woman stepped forward.
The young woman had a baby in a sling about her chest.
Hello Vistra
"Hello Hiccup, we are all happy to see you again," Vistra said.
And the little one?
She turned so that he could see her baby, sound asleep in comfort and sucking on her thumb. He could not help but hum at the sight.
Wow, she is so cute...
"Her name is Faen," Skald proudly spoke up.
"Well, well. That is mighty brave of you two," Astrid spoke up as she approached.
Her blue raiment was quite radiant as it flowed behind her back in the full sunlight.
"What? Showing our baby to a creature known as unholy and the offspring of lightning and death itself? What could possibly go wrong?" Skald teased.
All four of them laughed freely.
"Hiccup, come on. I want to show you something," Astrid said.
He got up and followed her back to her tent. There was someone waiting for him in the tent. Someone who stood on a peg-leg and was heavily hunched over.
Gobber!
He jumped forward and embraced his former teacher while Gobber patted him on the back.
"There he is. My favorite dragon in the world. Look at you, all grown up. I knew that you would be just fine out here. I did say that, didn't I say that Astrid?" he pointed his remaining hand at her.
"That you did, Gobber. Many times."
Good to see you
Then Shadowwing realized something obvious that had slipped his mind before. Those arrived from Berk had not brought any ships of their own.
How did you get here?
"Oh, I got a dragon of my own now. We actually found the Boneknapper last year."
He slowly turned to Astrid in complete astonishment. She sighed and put up her hands in amused exasperation.
"Yeah, he was right about part of it all along."
"So what if it doesn't actually wear bones? Its cave was still full of them. That's impressive enough. I had all kinds of bones showing up at the forge, at least until we had to leave of course," Gobber chuckled while he clarified his situation.
Gobber then stepped over and patted him on the shoulder again.
"I'm afraid I need to get back to work building a forge for us here. The one that the Vaina built is not good enough at all. Thank you for checking up on me, Hiccup."
Any time
He watched as Gobber limped away with what looked like a bit more spring in his step.
"I didn't tell him about Valka. I figure that she will come down when she is ready," Astrid whispered.
He nodded. Then he had an idea. She had not yet had a chance to actually meet Valka or the other Furies.
Why haven't mom or any of them come down to visit?
Let me fly you into the nest
She stared at the words, clearly disbelieving that he would even suggest such a thing.
"Fly me? You mean... on you?"
Yes, he rolled his eyes.
"No, that is not right... I could not..."
Why not?
"I... no, I would not..."
You said would not that time
"But you are Hiccup!"
No way!
"You know what I mean..." she groaned.
I promise no spinning
She stared for a while and then did something very surprising. She bent over with laughter, her hands clutched to her sides.
"Sorry, I never thought that... Fine, fine, if you really want me to..."
Yes, he hummed.
They stepped outside together, and he braced himself as she climbed on his back. She lay flat and held onto the base of his wings. It felt oddly intimate, similar but also different to carrying Valka. They were both close to his heart for very different reasons.
"Ready?" he rumbled.
"Yeah, I guess so," she answered.
He took a couple hops and threw out his wings. Several great beats followed and they were gliding over the village, gradually ascending toward the ice nest. They could both see scores of people and dragons freely coming and going without any apparent fear. A living rainbow of life, color, and noise. It was all very good.
They arrived at the passageway and landed. Astrid gracefully hopped off his back and walked at his side into the nest.
"Thanks for that. Have you ever done that with anyone else?"
Yes, he nodded with a nod at Valka's hut.
Astrid stared in amazement as soon as they arrived at the inner chamber.
"Is that... the King?" she stared down at the massive white figure resting in the central pool.
Yes.
"He is even bigger than the monster on Dragon Island was. That must be the biggest dragon ever. And the others, there are so many of them."
He got her attention and gestured her over to the writing box.
Valka was the only other one
This is very different from Dragon Island
"I see that. This is where Valka lives, right?" she gestured to the hut and supplies.
Yes.
"Where are they now?"
Probably a short flight away
A brief glide together was all it took and they arrived on the ledge where they could clearly see two other adult Night Furies and one solitary woman. They all got to their feet when Astrid dismounted and stood up.
Was-Grounded moved first, taking several bounds her direction and approaching her without any hesitation.
"Toothless."
He hummed openly in happiness and nuzzled her cheek in greeting. She stroked his neck and twisted at his ears until he gave her an amused grumble.
"Yeah, I missed you too."
Valka then approached her.
"You must be Valka."
She stopped and leaned on her staff.
"He told you, didn't he," Valka whispered.
"Everything," Astrid answered.
"And you must be Astrid Hofferdottir."
"And the Dragon Whisperer."
"Lovely title."
"And Chief of Berk."
"That... hurts to hear, I will be honest," Valka muttered.
"Your... husband was no longer fit to be Chief. I took over because of my experience with dragons and other tribes and my skill as a shieldmaiden," Astrid explained.
"So all Berk is here now."
"Yes."
"And Stoick, is he here too?"
Astrid nodded very slowly.
"You haven't told him, have you?" Valka stammered.
"No, I will leave that up to you if you want it. Why are you staying in here instead of joining us?"
"I... do not belong with them. My place has always been here."
"And now we are here also. The tribe out there is not the same tribe you were taken from many years ago. We all changed. Please consider it."
Then Astrid turned her attention to the one remaining Night Fury that had hung back the entire time and had not moved toward her.
"Green-Wings..." she whispered.
She unhooked her sword and dagger and visibly set them aside. Then she slowly, cautiously, approached the nervous female. Her body was slightly smaller and leaner than either of the males and her facial features were slightly different, slightly more rounded and with fewer frills on her head. But she was still beyond any doubt a Night Fury.
"Hello..."
She waited as the greeting was translated for her. Then she held out an empty hand for the wild Fury's nose. Green-Wings stared intently at the hand and smelled her without moving for several moments.
"You are a beautiful dragon..."
Then the dragon looked up at her in apparent astonishment as the words were translated. Then she very slowly stretched out her neck and cautiously touched the hand with her nose while giving a very faint hum.
Astrid choked back her tears and stepped back a moment later.
"Thank you. You have a baby?"
Green-Wings paused a moment and then lifted a wing. Astrid's heart almost melted when she saw the young Fury, his head on his arms, cozily sleeping against his mother's side.
She bowed to Green-Wings, who seemed very surprised by the gesture and then slightly inclined her own head. Astrid then returned to Toothless's side and gave him a sly nudge on the shoulder. He rumbled his confusion at her.
"Look at you, Toothless. A daddy. I am happy for you."
He heard her words and, understanding enough of them, licked her on the cheek.
"Ugh, Toothless, why would you do that?" she exclaimed as she wiped off the drool.
He laughed at her and hopped over to snuggle against Green-Wings's side.
"Great, I hope this washes out," Astrid groaned.
"It doesn't," Valka chuckled.
Astrid turned back and looked with mirth at the three resting Furies.
"I have met a family of Night Furies," she whispered almost in disbelief.
"Dawn-Singer can fly freely on his own already, and he can talk. And there will be another before too long. Green-Wings is carrying another egg now," Valka added.
"Wow. I am glad I got to see this. Hmph, unholy offspring of lightning and death indeed..."
She looked out over the growing evening darkness and listened. Everyone could hear them. A mix of human voices and the distant calls of dragons far above. All was peaceful. There was no conflict or strife. Everything was good.
A few moments passed while she watched Stormfly and her brood slowly flying on the nearby winds.
"Chief." "Chief."
She nodded at the passers-by and returned to her tent. She took off her cape, blue sash, weapons, and all Chiefly attire. She then put on her resting gown. Flying light and on short notice certainly had drawbacks as far as the variety in the wardrobe is concerned. She fell down onto her furs and sighed. The only light inside her tent came from a very small, smoldering fire in a makeshift fireplace.
"What a day... why should this one be different? Not a moment of peace."
Her eyes closed as she tried to find sleep. After moment though she started feeling like something was wrong. Almost like she was being watched.
She glanced over at the front of her tent and saw a head poking inside. The large and rounded eyes reflected the light.
"Hiccup..." she exclaimed in surprise.
She rolled to a sitting position and faced him. If it were anyone else there would be some very harsh words being used at the intrusion.
"What is it?"
He brushed inside, sat down before her, and pretended to write.
"You want to talk?"
No, he shook his head before pointing to her and nodding.
"You want me to talk?"
Yes.
"Ok then, I'll bite at that. I still cannot believe that all this happened. Almost a week of flying and now we are here. All the dragon riding tribes are together and united. And I found family that I thought might be lost. I really don't know what to think yet."
She yawned.
"Mostly, I am just exhausted. It has been a long day, week, year actually."
He glanced at her fur bedroll on the ground and had an idea, although he did feel a bit awkward about it. A moment of hesitation passed before he made up his mind, shuffled over a few steps, and lay down by the bedroll with a wing extended. Then he expectantly glanced up at her.
She did not move or speak for several moments.
"Hiccup, what is this?" she whispered.
He looked for a free patch of ground within reach.
Sleep
"That is... you must know how strange this is."
He slowly nodded with a sad hum.
I miss you
A lot
She hesitated a further moment before she approached and lay down on her furs while facing him. He slowly lowered the wing over her.
"Remember the last time we talked about this?" she whispered.
Yes, he hummed and nodded.
"Have you learned anything about how to be changed back?"
He very slowly and solemnly shook his head.
"Anything about dragon magic?"
He nodded and started to write on the nearest dirt.
I do not have any
"Well, that is good, I guess. Wouldn't want you changing me into a Night Fury now would we?"
He seemed to huff in amusement and then gained an obviously thoughtful look.
Would you be one?
She stared at the words for a long time in thought.
"I imagine that it is something that every dragon rider has thought about at some point. What is it like to actually be one of them? A crazy thought to escape from real life."
Sigh.
"I guess if it was the difference between living or dying, like it was for you, then sure, yeah, I would rather be alive than dead."
"Being a dragon would also be an escape from being Chief, I suppose. Thank the Fates that you did not have to be Chief. Always on call, never free of duty, always having to make choices that matter and ones that do not matter, and never thinking of yourself or doing what would make you happy. It tears you up inside, knowing how important you are to the people and how little you know even as you are supposed to lead them."
Then she groaned.
"Hiccup, why are you... why are we talking about this? There is no reason to want something that cannot be."
I know
"Do you? Why are we really talking about it?"
He froze before answering and replaced one word in what he had previously written.
You know
She sighed and continued while staring up at the top of the tent.
"One thing I know for sure is that I will not be one to settle down, take a husband, and dutifully pop out some kids. I think I have always known that somehow. I spent so long training to be a shieldmaiden that I cannot do what is normal to most people now."
She looked away from him up to the top of the tent for a long time before continuing.
"Am I a good Chief?"
His confused expression said enough.
"Think about it though. I am Chief for only a year, and we lose Berk and have to go into hiding. I do not know if I did something wrong and should have prepared better or differently. I guess that no one knows what it is really like to be Chief in advance though. To have all that responsibility and be expected to have all the answers. All one can do is try and learn on the job."
He nodded once to her and turned away to yawn. She also stifled a yawn.
"I think I am about done. And thanks for... this, whatever this is."
She closed her eyes on her small pillow and fell asleep in the shelter of his wing. He watched her and listened to her breaths as she slept in peace and warmth.
Not once did he feel any stirring or excitement with her at his side. Warmth, trust, and a protectiveness owed to one considered to be family certainly, but nothing more.
And he gave a soft, sad sigh.
Astrid... I wish... that things could have been different... for us.
She watched him from the shadows. Silently flirting between tents and watching his progress as confusion boiled in her heart. Over twenty years it had been since she saw him, and the things that Hiccup had told her about him were...
Was there anything left of the good man she knew so long ago? He certainly had changed after losing Hiccup. He had allowed Berk to change for the better and gave Astrid the backing and support needed to make real a world that she herself had thought impossible. He fought battles and won wars for his people and then...
Turned on one of his own.
She saw him approach a small, simple tent. Then she saw something that made her hands shake in disbelief.
There was a Rumblehorn resting near that tent, and he was patting the dragon. The dragon had a saddle at its side and clearly knew him. He was being gentle to a creature he would have once killed without a second thought.
"What happened to you, my darling dear?" she whispered.
He eventually turned from the dragon and retired inside his tent.
It would be easy to turn away, walk back outside the camp, and return to the ice nest. To the world that she knew and called home. To the place where even now, hidden deep in one special chest, there was a ring of gold carefully stowed away.
She made up her mind and walked straight over to the tent to confront the past, now become the present. Her staff was left on the ground outside the tent as she opened the curtain, stepped inside, and let the curtain close behind her. There was enough light from the small fireplace to let her see his face.
"Who is there?" Stoick asked.
His voice was different now, something was broken in it. Far weaker or more humble than she remembered.
He rolled over on his bedroll and looked up at her as she stood there in her complete mask of attire. Then he stood up before her.
"The Dragonheart, I have heard about you."
She said nothing.
"They say you have lived here your whole life and that you know the Night Fury from Berk."
She nodded while he groaned.
"Then you know my story. You know what I did."
Another nod.
"Do you know why? No, it does not matter why. What matters is that I did it. I cannot change that."
Sigh.
"I wish that I could have it all back. I failed him. I failed her."
She almost gasped.
"I made my wife a promise after she was taken. That I would look after our boy. I failed him so many times and I... I even turned on my own... There is probably no greater crime that you can think of."
A silent, solemn moment passed.
"I know that she is looking down at me now. What must she think of me? She must hate me."
He turned away from her and looked down at his bedroll in silence.
She was not sure why it was happening, but her hands moved up to her helmet and took it off. She gingerly held it in her fingers and then unceremoniously dropped it. There was a soft thud and then nothing else. Pure silence followed except for the crackle of the fire and the occasional distant call from beyond.
"No, I do not," Valka whispered.
Neither of them moved for several moments until he slowly turned around and stared at her. At her green eyes and thin cheeks illuminated by the firelight.
He took one slow step toward her. Then another. And another until he was close enough to touch her. His eyes were filled with disbelief, awe, fear, and tears.
She could not remember him ever openly weeping before.
And he fell to his knees before her and stared up at her.
"Oh, Stoick..." she barely whispered.
"Val..."
Words then failed him as he wept openly.
A long silence followed broken only by his choked sobs.
"I... know... who... the Night Fury is," she eventually whispered.
"And... you do not... hate me?" he slowly gasped.
"I hate what you did. Not the one who did it."
He blinked and slowly shook his head.
"You were always too forgiving," he whispered.
"And you were always too stoic."
He stifled a pained chuckle.
"You were right about them all along. Your son saved us all," Stoick then whispered.
"My son?"
"I do not deserve to be called his father."
She went down on her own knees until they knelt roughly at the same level. She slowly reached up with her trembling hands and placed them on his cheeks.
"Val?"
"Where is the man I knew?"
"He... died on Berk," Stoick groaned.
"I do not believe that," Valka whispered back.
"What?"
"Sing to me, sing me our song," she implored him.
He took her hands and held them ever so gently as he kept his eyes closed. His voice was soft, ever so soft, when he began.
"I'll swim and sail on savage seas... with naer a fear of drowning... and gladly ride the waves of life... if you will marry me... no scorching sun nor freezing cold... will stop me on my journey... if you will promise me your heart... and love me for eternity..."
She sang almost in a whisper.
"My dearest one my darling dear... your mighty words astound me... but I've no need of mighty deeds... when I feel your arms around me."
He continued.
"But I would bring you rings of gold... I'd even sing you poetry... and I would keep you from all harm... if you would stay beside me."
She answered.
"I have no use for rings of gold... I care not for your poetry... I only want your hand to hold... I only want you with me."
Their voices remained solemn as they mixed.
"To love, to kiss, to sweetly hold... for the dancing and the dreaming... through all life's sorrows and delights... I'll keep your love beside me... I'll swim and sail on savage seas... with naer a fear of drowning... and gladly ride the waves of life... if you will marry me."
Silence followed save for the crackle of the fire.
"Do you think... we can ever... be a family again? Will he ever forgive me?" he warily asked.
"How about we start with us now?" she answered.
"Us?"
"Will you sweetly hold me?"
She put a finger on his lips to silence his reply.
"Just hold me."
He nodded and waited as she removed her remaining riding attire, leaving only her poor and ragged garments that she wore underneath. Then she lay down at his side.
And he held her gently. Only when she was sure that he was asleep did her own tears come forth, though they fell silently.
He listened to the world around him from deep under the ocean's surface. Down here where it should be restful and where the large numbers of fish could be found and hunted.
But the long peace and quiet was now changed. There was another voice far out under the distant waters. A voice he remembered from long ago. Another great one like him but one who did not understand why the kin wanted to flock around him but not around it. One who did not think it just or fair that he should have more than it. One who was jealous of another's abundance. One who did not know sacrifice or accept duty. One who would swim with and join power with two-legs to get power and kin of its own through twisted force instead of right example.
He let his great growl escape from his vastness and race through the water. The echo from the ocean's ground bounced, strengthening his call. The water shuddered and trembled with his power as fish floated lifelessly.
He waited and silently listened for a reply, for an acknowledgment of any kind.
There was no answering call.
Words whispered to him long ago now remembered again, having been brought to the currents of his thoughts when the first dark wing appeared in his nest. Chill his liver the words did.
But having his role in the nest was not for his own sake. That great calling was not for the gorging of his own belly or the flaming of his own liver. It was always for others.
For he was the last in the nest.