Toothless shifted to a hover just above the inlet separating the village from the rest of the island. The Whispering Death rescued from the Outcast hovered before them.
"Greetings, Ringfire," Hiccup said, not lifting his chin from Astrid's shoulder.
[Greeting, Alpha, Lady Alpha, Protector. You three are not busy at the moment, are you?]
"Is something wrong?" Hiccup asked, now lifting his head in his worry.
[No, my alpha. It is just time for my hatchlings to meet you, your queen, and your brother.]
"Oh, then please, lead the way."
Ringfire curled upon herself, heading back the way she came. A feat not many dragons could perform. Toothless followed her as she dove to the cave she called home. They flew into the opening and through a couple left and right turns before Ringfire landed next to an underground river that flowed through the cavern. Toothless landed next to her. The cavern was dim but something glowing blue within the river's depths provided enough light Hiccup could see an odd lump huddled near to a bend in the river. He and Astrid dismounted Toothless. Ringfire gave a soft chuff. The lump wiggled and soon revealed itself to be the tangled mass of four hatchlings. Hiccup's eyes widen.
Realistically, he knew every hatchling would not all be the same size but he was not expecting ones as long as his arm. He also did not realize that a Whispering Death's hatchling was mostly tail with a head the size of an adult Terror's paw attached at one end. Two appendages jutted out to either side just behind the head and wiggled as the hatchlings moved. Hiccup blinked as three of the hatchlings slithered closer and lifted to sit on their tails like their mother. Each one had a single tooth poking out of their upper lips and tiny horns crowning their small heads. All were the mottled green their mother sported. Hiccup heard Astrid gasp and looked over. She was not looking at the three hatchlings. She stared behind them. Hiccup turned and his jaw dropped. The fourth hatchling shifted out of the ball shape it had been in when the other hatchlings moved away. It was twice the size of its siblings and pure white with red eyes. It had longer horns circling its axe-blade sized head and had two teeth poking out it upper lip. When it slithered over and sat up, its head reached Hiccup's chin.
Ringfire purred and then bowed to Hiccup and Astrid. The hatchlings chirped. They slithered closer and began sniffing before pressing into Hiccup and Astrid's sides. Hiccup smiled and scratched the two with him, one of the smaller hatchlings and the bigger one. He caught Astrid's beaming smile as she scratched and accepted nuzzles from the two with her.
"Boys or girls?" Hiccup asked, looking up at Ringfire.
[The smaller one you are scratching is first hatched and is a boy. The other with you is third hatched and a boy as well as a blessing from the ancestors. The two with Lady Alpha are both girls and both hatched at the same time.]
Hiccup turned back to the hatchlings. "Hi, guys," he said softly. "Your mother and many other dragons call me alpha. I still don't know what all that entails but I love this part of it. Meeting hatchlings is great."
All the hatchlings cooed. Hiccup giggled as the two with him slithered over to Astrid and the two with her moved to press against him. He scratched their chins, earning more coos. He looked up.
"They are beautiful," he said.
[Thank you, my alpha.]
"You said the bigger one is a blessing from the ancestors. What does that mean, if I may ask?"
[It has been said that the ancestors will bless my kind with a hatchling such as he when they can grow in peace and learn to be an honorable leader.]
"You don't sound as happy as I would have thought."
Ringfire sighed. [Hatchlings that are blessings from the ancestors like him need that peace in their youth. It is said they need that foundation as they will face hardships in their adult years.]
Hiccup frowned, watching as all the hatchlings slithered over to Toothless, sniffing the Night Fury and nuzzling against him. Toothless purred and returned the nuzzles. Hiccup looked up at Ringfire.
"I will do all I can to see he gets the peace he needs in his youth and if I still live when he reaches his adult years, I will aid him as I can."
Ringfire purred. [If he gains just half the honor you show, Alpha, I know he will succeed in the mission the ancestors have in store.]
Hiccup felt his cheeks warm but did not have much time to react to Ringfire's comment. The bigger hatchling slid back over to Astrid and gently tried to nudge her closer to Hiccup. Hiccup frowned. Something within him rose with a soft growl at the hatchling's actions. Ringfire chirped, sharply. The bigger hatchling laid down flat and crooned. Hiccup stared at Ringfire, eyebrow lifted.
[He is apologizing. His intentions were good, but he and every hatchling must learn not to shove the humans of the nest around like that. Those who are your age or older could handle such a move but any younger than you and they might get hurt. Besides, no one, hatchling or adult, is allowed to push your queen around.]
Hiccup heard purring as whatever was within him agreed with Ringfire's declaration. He focused upon Astrid kneeling next to the hatchling instead. He still had no clue what this thing within him that responded like a dragon was, but he suspected it was his dragon side that Sharpshot mentioned once.
"What were his intentions?" Astrid asked, looking up at Ringfire.
[He thinks you should stand next to your intended as I introduced you both as the alpha pair of the nest.]
Astrid looked down at the hatchling and placed a hand upon his head. The crooning stopped and the hatchling's eyes shifted to focus upon Astrid.
"We stand beside each other often, little one," she said softly. "But we don't always have to. I know Hiccup loves me. He tells me often with his words and his actions. I hope he knows how much I love him and I hope I show and tell him that just as often."
Hiccup walked over, placing a hand upon the her left shoulder. He then knelt next to her, his hand sliding down her back and circling around her waist. That thing within him purred as she leaned against him. He placed his lips next to her ear, wanting, needing her to know.
"You do," he whispered. "And I thank the gods daily that you would love me and accept my love."
He felt Astrid grow still but the hatchlings chittering stopped whatever comment he knew she wanted to give. A comment he knew she would give him after they finished here. Part of his knowing she loved him came from her constant support and desire to help him come to terms with his past. He knew statements like he just gave would cause that desire of hers to flare and he knew he was in for it later.