A new Berkian joins the dramatis personae.
As they neared Berk, Hiccup curled his neck. Sharpshot crawled up onto Hiccup's shoulder.
"Go tell the Nadder to get his sister and brother and the Gronckle that helped him and bring them to the plaza," Hiccup whispered.
[Sure, brother.]
Sharpshot flared his wings, rising above Hiccup's head. He banked left to come alongside the Nadder. Hiccup heard several chirps and squawks then heard the Nadder chirp. Hiccup looked over his shoulder as the Nadder tipped his head in Hiccup's direction and then banked out of the group and headed north. Sharpshot returned to his place upon Hiccup's back.
Hiccup waved to some dragons out on the sea stacks around the harbor. The dragons all bowed to him. Hiccup coughed and pointed to the inlet just under Gyda's house and to the left of the Academy. They could see Stoick, Gothi, Snotlout, Hookfang, Ringfire and the three Scauldrons lingering near to the beach leading into Ringfire's cave. Just as they landed, Hookfang and Ringfire bowed to Hiccup. Stoick looked up from where he watched Gothi spread some ointment upon the young Scauldron's wing.
"Ah," Stoick said, walking over, "Snotlout and Hookfang tell me ye met with Changewings while helpin' this lad. Did that meetin' after go well?"
"The Changewings allied their nest to us," Hiccup said.
Stoick clapped Hiccup's free shoulder. "Well done, my boy," he crowed.
Hiccup blinked and set back a bit, still unnerved by all that had been revealed in the meeting with the Changewings. His father's praise, while welcomed, was a bit too much right now.
"Dad, can we get the tribe to gather in the plaza?" Hiccup asked, hoping to divert his father from any more heartfelt congratulations.
Hiccup knew he could not take them right now. Each time a new part of his past no one had ever noticed came to light, he felt raw and venerable. He just wanted to let the Nadder tell his story and see if Gothi could help the Nadder's little brother. He then wanted to take a flight with Toothless and Sharpshot and breathe again.
"Is somethin' wrong, son?"
"No, the Changewing..uh.. princess, I guess that's what she's called, asked a young Nadder from here to go with us because he told of his life in the monster's nest. I think the tribe needs to hear it too, and his little brother might need Gothi's help."
Gothi looked up as she placed her jar of ointment into a small bag at her feet. She stared at Hiccup and tilted her head.
"His little brother fell off a ledge when he was younger and hurt his leg. I was hoping you might could look at it and see if there's anything we can do for him."
Gothi tapped her finger to her chin then reached for her staff. Snotlout, who was holding it, handed it to her. She smiled at him then etched some runes into the sand. Hiccup looked down then up at Gothi.
"Thank you," he said, smiling.
Gothi gestured to the young Scauldron and the etched some more runes into the sand. Hiccup looked up at the water dragon.
"She said the ointment has to be reapplied ever other day as your wing heals. Are you okay with that?"
The Scauldron blinked. [You would allow me a choice?] he asked.
"Yes. I'm not going to ever force something upon any human or dragon. I detest slavery in all forms."
The Scualdron sighed. [I am a fool,] he said.
Hiccup frowned. "No, you're not."
The Scauldron shook his head. [I was there the day you gave my father those flowers. I placed the small catch of fish upon your water den. Father told me to get all I could carry. I purposely did not. I thought your entire 'gift' was a ploy to cause us to let our guard down and then you would either kill us or capture us. Even when you aided me in the Illusion-scales nest, I thought it was all a trick and that you could not possibly be what you said you were. What the other dragons called you. Now I see I was wrong.]
"What changed your mind?" Hiccup asked, curious.
[Being here. The dragons are free to fly and fish and no human yells at them. No human tries to harm them. I watched a Flame-skin bring a large fish to a tall human male and the male toss it for the dragon to catch. The dragon was laughing and enjoying playing with the human.] The Scauldron sighed, then lowered his head. [Can you give mercy to a young fool who thought he knew everything?]
"No," Hiccup said and the Scauldron jerked and looked up. Hiccup smiled. "I give you forgiveness."
The Scauldron shook his head. [I see now why Father allied our pod with yours,] he said. [Thank you, honored land alpha.]
Hiccup's smile grew. "You're welcome," he said. "So, are you going to be okay with Gothi coming to put the ointment on every other day?"
[Yes,] the Scualdron said. He turned to Gothi and tipped his head. [Thank you, Elder Gothi for your help.]
Gothi grinned and curled her finger. The Scauldron lowered his head and Gothi reached up and scratched the Scauldron's chin. The Scauldron cooed.
"Okay, son," Stoick said. "Let's get everyone to the plaza."
They landed and all the riders dismounted just as the Nadder, his sister, a small red colored Nadder and a youngling beige colored Gronckle landed. The smaller Nadder stumbled a bit but did not fall, even with his right paw twisted at a strange and wince-inducing angle. Gothi shuffled over and knelt next to the Nadder's leg. The young Nadder chittered and looked to his brother. Hiccup walked over. Before he could speak or try to calm the red Nadder, the female flopped onto her back at Hiccup's feet and crooned sadly.
Hiccup stopped and knelt beside the female. He turned to Toothless.
[She fears she has angered you with her playing in the wind and that's why they were all summoned,] Toothless translated.
"Oh, no," Hiccup said, sitting down fully beside the young female. "You're not in any trouble," he said. "I like that you fly and play in the wind like that. You'll never get into trouble for having fun unless that fun hurts another, you understand?"
The female chirped and Hiccup felt his heart break at the hopeful tone.
[She said, 'We not be eaten?'] Toothless whispered.
Stoick knelt. "Son?" he asked.
"It's part of the older Nadder's story, Dad. Um, can we get the tribe here so everyone can hear it?"
"Sure, son," Stoick said, standing and moving away.
Hiccup heard his father's bellow but turned to the young female instead.
"You'll never be eaten, little one," he said. "Please stand up."
The female rolled to her paws. Toothless aided her to stand fully. Hiccup held out his left hand, palm's facing her, and turned his gaze. He heard the female chitter and Toothless answer with a soft warble, then felt warm and soft scales press into his palm. Hiccup turned back and smiled. He then began scratching the female's beak. She cooed and her eyes dilated then closed. Hiccup blinked as she felt into his frame and nuzzled against him. He smiled and wrapped his arms around the dragon.
"Shh," he said, feeling her tremble. "You're safe. Your brothers are safe."
She made a whispered chitter. Hiccup looked to his brother.
[She said, 'Thank you, Alpha.']
Stoick returned before Hiccup could reply. A good portion of the tribe that could come were behind him. They gathered in a ring around the plaza. Hiccup looked up at the older Nadder but Gothi standing and looking towards him caused his attention to shift. Gothi moved around so he could see and etched something in the dirt upon the stones. Hiccup read it and frowned.
"If we can turn it and keep it splinted it will heal. Not perfectly, but he will be able to fly, land, and carry small things with nothing more than some pain that your ointment can ease?" he asked, trying to clarify the somewhat lengthy set of runes.
Gothi nodded. Then etched something else. Hiccup sighed.
"You don't know of anything that could turn it and keep it straight?" he asked.
Gothi shook her head.
"I do," Gyda said. "Back home healers had to straighten twisted arms and legs often. I've seen the device they used. I can describe it and how it functioned so you could make one."
Hiccup nodded his head and then looked to Gothi. "Can you put some of that ointment on him now. I suspect that leg gives him pain."
Gothi nodded and turned back to the red Nadder. Hiccup looked to the older brother.
"Go on," he said softly. "Tell them your story."
[Aye, my alpha.]
The Nadder began and Hiccup watched his tribe. He saw as their wide eyes narrowed and their jaws began to clench. Hiccup hummed and the thing within him purred. The youngling in his arms cooed and nuzzled closer just as her brother finished. Hiccup blinked though when Meatlug waddled away from Fishlegs and Boulder who had also come to the plaza. She stopped and sat down beside the older brother.
[My father and mother,] she began softy, [found that nest long after myself and my two siblings became younglings. That fallen queen demanded we find her food to prove our loyalty. Father and Mother refused. They knew the queen had forgotten what it meant to be a dragon. That monster ate both of them. She then looked to myself and my siblings. I had to submit or she would have eaten them as well.] Meatlug's eyes narrowed. [She ate them anyways when they failed to bring her food the following moon cycle.]
[I had a fight with my father,] Hookfang began, causing everyone to look at him. [I left our den. My brother followed me. Trying to get me to come home. We both ended up in that nest. That monster sent my brother out. The raiding flock he went with returned. He did not. One of the raiders said he died defending another Flame-skin from some humans. I led my brother to that monster and she sent him to his death.]
[We are the,] Barf began as they, Sugar and Spice, and two dejected looking Thorston twins walked over from Gyda's home.
[Only members,] Belch added.
[Of our flock to,] Barf continued.
[Survive her hungry,] Belch finished only to have both twins hug both heads and for Sugar and Spice to nuzzle them all.
Hiccup watched his father walk over and place a hand upon Meatlug's head. The Gronckle looked up at him. Hiccup did as well. Stoick had a sheen to his eyes that Hiccup recognized. Though his father's brow was furrowed in anger, Hiccup knew his father had tears in his eyes.
"Never again," Stoick whispered. "I knew ye dragons call my boy yer leader but as a father and as the chief, I will say this: Never again will anyone treat ye like that monster treated ye. And ye all are part of the tribe."
Meatlug cooed and nuzzled against Stoick's leg. Hiccup noted the older brother, the Gronckle, and the red Nadder looked confused. He then heard Toothless warble something that sounded as if his brother was explaining. All three dragons nodded their heads.
"Chief," a new voice said, "Young Hiccup, may I speak ta da older Nadder there?"
Hiccup turned, finding Dervla stepping out from the crowd of Vikings. The normally quiet woman did not speak at tribal gatherings. She had once been a thrall given to Stoick by an arrogant chief of a distant island that no longer visited Berk. Stoick had order the man gone and then freed the woman. She became the tribe's tailor after everyone was able to convince her she was truly free.
"Go ahead, Dervla," Stoick said.
Instead of moving, Dervla looked to Hiccup. He blinked but nodded his head. She smiled and walked around to stand in front of the older Nadder. He tilted his head back and forth to see her and she purposively moved so he did not have to.
"Yer brother need ta be close fer Gothi ta fix him's leg. Ye all can stay with me. I live in a hut next level down. It be no cave, but it be dry and be close enough fer Gothi."
The Nadder blinked. He looked to Hiccup. [Alpha? I'm sorry. I don't understand.]
Hiccup sighed, sadly at the worried tone in the Nadder's voice. Hiccup suspected the dragon feared he was going to cause offense.
"She's letting you, your brother, and your sister-"
"And da Gronckle."
Hiccup blinked then smiled. "And the Gronckle to stay with her while Gothi treats your brother's leg."
The Nadder turned to the woman. [Really?]
Dervla smiled. "Aye. Like da chief done said. Ye be tribe now. Tribe help tribe."
Kirka: Nope, he didn't. But he has a whole bunch of dragons to help him now. Aye, Astrid is his rock. Toothless and Sharpshot are his brothers and their bonds are special and unique in their own rights but Astrid's love and support keep Hiccup standing.