The storm lasted through the night. Toothless and the Gronckles remained upon their hindlegs and the dragons kept their wings extended and covering each other's. Except for the part Shadowfire cleared, snow did pile up in the circle which meant no one but the sheep could sit or lay down. Neither the humans nor the sheep were that cold though. The dragons, even Sharpshot and Sneaky, took turns to keep the center part hot.

When it was Shadowfire's turn to keep the circle warm, Gyda would sing or tell some tales of her home. She kept away from their future but she did speak more of the tale the Son of Man song came from and of others that had been her favorite or her sons' favorites. This usually prompted Shadowfire to sing songs from those tales when it was another dragon's turn. A few of those songs had Gyda joining her son. Gobber even got to tell some stories when both mother and dragon needed to rest their voices.

Throughout the night, Astrid did not leave Hiccup's arms. She only spun so that she faced the circle. She kept his arms around her and did look at the others once when she first turned around. Hiccup got the impression the look on her face was an invitation for someone to make a comment. The dragons he could see snorted. Gyda grinned and winked at Astrid. His father wore a proud smile while Gobber smirked. Snotlout harrumphed but said nothing. Tuff did not seem to notice but Ruff sniggered. That prompted Tuff to determine Ruff was mocking him about something and the two cracked their helmets against each other. They would have continued if Stoick had not ordered both the stop. Hiccup did not know how Fish reacted as his friend was not in his line of sight.

When the sun broke through the fog, Sharpshot and Sneaky ceased firing at the bare stone. The ring of dragons shook snow from their wings. Toothless and the Gronckles fell to all fours. Every dragon then stretched both legs and wings. The humans stretched as well. The sheep woke up, bleating softly but none of the three ran in fear.

"Son," Stoick began, walking over and looking down at Hiccup, "will the dragons be alright to carry us all home?"

Hiccup blinked. "Um, dad, you know you can ask them, right?"

"I haven't forgotten," Stoick said. "But they be followin' yer orders. Jest like I speak for da village, ye speak for da dragons."

"Uh," Hiccup began, lifting his chin from Astrid's shoulder.

Astrid stepped from his arms, though she kept her right hand in his left one. Hiccup looked over his left shoulder at Toothless. Toothless curled his tail around and Hiccup groaned. Ice had frozen the fin again. The Fireworms moved to glide over but Hiccup frowned. They seemed as tired as the rest of the dragons and had glowed the entire time it was their turn.

"No," Gyda said gently, stepping away from Shadowfire's foreleg. "You all are tired. Let me."

The Fireworms chittered and Hiccup got the impression it was both questioning Gyda's ability and annoyance at Gyda's belief they could not handle melting the ice from Toothless tail.

"May I, Alpha?" Gyda asked, looking at Hiccup.

Hiccup blinked. "Huh?"

Gyda smiled. "May I use my fire to melt the ice?"

Hiccup frowned. "You know I don't care if you use your magic if you feel you need to."

Gyda chuckled. "I know," she said, her gaze flicking towards the dragons who had never seen her magic.

She then looked back to Hiccup but did not move. Hiccup sighed and nodded his head. Gyda walked over and knelt beside Toothless. She tapped her knee and Toothless laid his tail upon it so that the fin hung just off to one side. Gyda's hands glowed and fire seemed to coat both. She held one hand below the fin and one above it. She did not touch the fin but kept her hands close enough the ice began to melt. The Fireworms and the Gronckles chittered and it sounded surprised. They moved around so they could watch. They then looked up at Hiccup and he saw the awe in the Gronckle's faces. The Fireworms were standing upon the Gronckles' heads and he only knew they looked towards him because he saw the movement. He could not see what their expression was.

[We knew a mage lived in the nest,] one of the Gronckles said, its voice male. [Knowing and seeing-] The Gronckle's voice trailed off. [Alpha, your inner circle declared they would follow you. Order me, Alpha, and I will fly into volcano for you.]

[As will I,] the second Gronckle said, it's voice female.

[And I,] the third said, its voice male.

Hiccup swallowed. Astrid squeezed his hand and then released it. He looked at her, eyebrow raised. She tipped her chin towards the Gronckles and tapped his hand. Hiccup swallowed again but walked over. He lifted both hands and did not have time to turn his gaze before two of the Gronckles placed their noses into his palms. The third, the last to speak, stepped closer and nuzzled against Hiccup's left side. Hiccup scratched the first two but made it a point to scratch the third as well. The Fireworms upon the Gronckles heads chirped. The first Gronckle translated for them.

[She says that while neither she nor her sisters can actually follow you wherever you go, she is glad that her flock lives in this nest and has you as their alpha. Even if it is unusual for Tiny-fireglows to pledge allegiance to a male.]

Hiccup tilted his head. "It is?" he asked.

One of the Fireworms upon the male Gronckle's head, stepped away from her sisters and bowed to Hiccup. She chittered a rather long string from the Old Tongue. The Gronckle hummed.

[Tiny-fireglows follow a queen not an alpha,] he said. [If their queen bows to an alpha they will follow but she has never known a queen to willingly bow to a male.]

Hiccup looked at the Fireworm. "So why do you follow and bow to me?" he asked.

The Fireworm chittered again.

[She said her flock has always lived in that cave even before your ancestor placed those things in there. Whenever one would become a queen in her own right, they would leave to establish a nest elsewhere. Those that remained waited for a day their ancestors always spoke of. The day a male who had the loyalty of humans and dragons entered the cave.]

Hiccup scrunched his nose up. "Um, why?"

The Fireworm chittered again. The Gronckle gave a grumbling sounding reply. The Fireworm chirped. Hiccup heard Toothless sigh and warble. The Gronckle blinked but all three stepped back from Hiccup. Hiccup turned to his brother.

[The Alpha protects them all,] Toothless said staring at Hiccup as if that statement had more meaning behind it than simply stating a fact.

Hiccup frowned. "I don't understand," he said.

[Lorekeeper wasn't the only one to ever hear that line, brother,] Toothless said. [The Elders of the nest I grew up in said it as well. It was always spoken when they told us tales of humans and dragons that flew the wind as one.]

[My old nest Elders gave similar tales,] Hookfang said.

[As did mine,] Meatlug said.

[I only ever heard the line about the alpha,] Stormfly said. [If any knew of those tales, they were eaten by that monster before they could pass them on.]

[We heard the same,] Barf began.

[As Stormfly,] Belch finished.

[We as well,] the translating Gronckle said. He hissed. [It seems that fallen queen robbed us of more than we first thought.] He looked at Hiccup. [Thank you again, my alpha, for freeing us. Now we can learn of the history we almost lost completely.]

"Ice is gone," Gyda announced in the silence that fell after the Gronckle's comment.

Stoick walked over and place a hand up Hiccup's left shoulder.

"Let's get everyone back to Berk, son," he said. "When we are all warm and you young ones have had some sleep, we'll discuss all of this."

Hiccup blinked but looked up at his father. "Oh, okay."

Kirika: Hehe, I'm glad you are loving my take on HTTYD. It is fun to write and explore.