Hiccup stood upon the hill over looking the plaza. Upon his awakening from the induced sleep Gothi had placed him in, he had seen the main brazier filled with fish for the dragons to eat from. To his surprise he had learned the change had been spearhead by Astrid and her family as a form of apology to the dragons. Now its pole cast a shadow upon the stone below and provided a place where many humans and dragons could gather around as they waited.
Hiccup looked to his left. He reached over, slipping his hand into Astrid's. She looked at him, squeezed his hand, smiled, then turned her eyes back to the skies. Hiccup looked along the line to either side of himself, Toothless, and Astrid, finding his other friends looking to the skies as well.
It had been a month since the mate-hood ceremonies. Stormfly, Windwalker, Meatlug, and Boulder had stayed on the island but had not left the caves they stayed in. Hookfang, Wingblaze, Barf and Belch, Sugar and Spice, as was the custom of their kinds, traveled away from the island for the month. Hiccup knew his friends were anxious to see their dragons again.
A familiar squawk had Astrid giggling. Stormfly and Windwalker landed in plaza and immediately faced Hiccup and bowed.
"Welcome home," he said.
Stormfly and Windwalker chittered and then stood up. Their wings flared and they flew over the line of teens. Astrid let Hiccup hand go as she spun to accept Stormfly's nuzzle. Hiccup watched them, a soft smile upon his face.
[Hello, sister,] Stormfly said. [Miss me?]
Astrid just snorted and held Stormfly's head in her arms. Hiccup saw Windwalker tilt his head and then look over the two at Hiccup.
[I think we have just ceased to exist, Alpha,] the male Nadder said with a chortle.
Stormfly flicked her mate with tail and Astrid looked over her shoulder at Hiccup. Hiccup wisely kept his mouth shut and his face neutral. He was saved by a loud cry. Everyone looked up as Barf and Belch and Sugar and Spice landed. They bowed to Hiccup.
"Welcome home," he said, smiling.
They also flew over the teens and landed behind Ruff and Tuff. The twins spun, hugging the head they bonded with. Sugar and Spice waited to the side but Ruff snagged Sugar's head as she hugged Barf. Tuff slipped his arm under Spice's chin, pulling her close as he hugged Belch. Hiccup smiled when the twins released the heads they held and made it a point to hug the others. Hiccup's smile grew when Astrid stepped around Stormfly to hug a surprised Windwalker.
Another loud cry followed by a softer grumbly sounding chitter had everyone looking up again. Hookfang and Wingblaze landed. Meatlug and Boulder landed beside them. All four bowed to Hiccup.
"Welcome home."
As soon as the words left his mouth, the four flew to land behind the teens. Fishlegs squealed and ran to hug Meatlug and Boulder at the same time. Snotlout sauntered over and affectionally cuffed Hookfang lightly on the chin before scratching his dragon. Hookfang rubbed the side of his head against Snotlout's chest as Wingblaze shifted closer and nuzzled against Snotlout's side. Snotlout gently ran his hand over the top of Wingblaze's snout.
Hiccup watched his friends reconnect with their dragons and greet their dragons' mate for a long silent moment. He then sighed, looking back to the skies. Though Nadders did not normally travel after a mate-hood ceremony, Pinpoint and Skysinger had. Pinpoint had been rude at the first meeting and had threatened Astrid's life, two things Hiccup would not forget, but Hiccup held no grudge against the Nadder. He was not joking when he told Pinpoint that he understood. Had it been Astrid taken before his eyes, Hiccup knew he would have killed anyone in his way to rescue her.
Over the course of the month, Hiccup had begun to fear the pair left due a misguided belief he held Pinpoint's past actions against them. In all honesty, Hiccup had never cared that the Nadder was rude to him. It was the threat against Astrid that brought Hiccup's ire to bare. Now, after apologies and time, Hiccup hoped the pair knew this nest was their home.
"They'll be back," Astrid whispered, returning to his side and taking his hand again.
Hiccup sighed, hoping she was right. He blinked when several squawks echoed throughout the village. Pinpoint and Skysinger landed but were not alone. Six other Nadders, two the same size as Stormfly and four that stood as high as Hiccup's elbow, landed behind them. Pinpoint and Skysinger bowed to Hiccup, causing a murmur from the other Nadders with them. Hiccup tilted his head but smiled down at the dragons.
"Welcome home," he said.
Pinpoint and Skysinger stood. Skysinger stepped over to the two bigger Nadders and nuzzled both of them. She then turned to Hiccup and looked up at him.
[Alpha, these are my parents and my younger brothers and sisters.] Skysinger looked at her parents. [Mother, Father, this is my alpha, the one who directed his intended and fellow nest-mates to free me from some humans who had lost their honor.]
Hiccup stood straighter as the dark green Nadder stepped closer and looked up at him. The Nadder shifted its head left and right before stepping back and turning to Skysinger. The Nadder chittered, its head tilted. Skysinger responded. Since the other dragons were not causing a fuss, Hiccup relaxed slightly. He did not understand what was being said but it did not seem as if the new Nadders were being disrespectful. Hiccup knew Toothless would have been the first to respond if that had been the case. Sharpshot, now in his usual spot upon Hiccup's back, would have probably tied with Stormfly for second. The green Nadder chirped then looked back up to Hiccup.
[My daughter says you can understand me and I heard her use the pitch needed for the Common Tongue,] the Nadder began, its voice male.
Hiccup smiled, though the comment about pitch had his mind whirling. "I can understand you, sir," he said.
He gestured to Gyda. The mage stood to Fishlegs' right at the top of the steps that led down into the plaza. Shadowfire stood behind her with Frostfire and Palewing sitting upon his neck. Wildfire and Snowfire sat upon Gyda's shoulders and Icewing laid in Gyda's arms. Wildfire seemed slightly bored though he watched what was happening. Snowfire stared, intrigued and focused upon everything. Icewing lifted her head when Hiccup gestured towards Gyda, staring at him with a hopeful expression. He saw Gyda murmur to Icewing and saw the hatchling drop her head back onto Gyda's left forerm.
"She is a mage," Hiccup said. "Her magic has unlocked our ability to understand the Common Tongue."
The older Nadders looked to Gyda. The four younger ones looked around the rest of the village and shuffled closer to their parents. Hiccup frowned.
"May I approach your children?" he asked the older Nadders, remembering Windwalker's comment in Gyda's home about asking the elder of a flock before approaching a specific member of that flock.
Both dragons blinked, their gaze shifting back to him.
[My daughter says you are the alpha of this nest,] the purple Nadder said, her voice soft. [And yet you are asking our permission while we stand in your territory?]
"They are your children," Hiccup said. "You are the elders of their flock. Even if the dragons here call me alpha, I'm not going to approach without your permission."
The Nadders blinked again, staring at him in silence for several heartbeats. The male finally nodded his head. Hiccup smiled, releasing Astrid's hand. He turned right, heading towards the steps. Just as he came even with Gyda he heard Frostfire and Palewing squawk.
Kirika: Hehe, they are adorable. I think a lot of people would like to see Toothless as a dad. We'll see how things go. I know Hiccup and Sharpshot would love for him to find a lady Night Fury, if only to get him back for all the teasing he's given them over their relationships. Hehe, well, the wedding will have to wait. Hiccup and Astrid are still fifteen and Gothi will not marry anyone in Berk under the age of sixteen. Considering that there is going to be many mated pairs having hatchlings soon, a dragon nursery seems a better idea than poor Hiccup and Astrid running back and forth across the island.