They entered the Great Hall. Stoick heard Hilda gasp and the men with her grunt as Stoick and Brynjarr held the doors open so the three Elder dragons could enter the room as well. Stoick hid his smile in his beard when the dragons moved passed the four with nothing more than a glance and headed for the far corner of the vast cavern. He heard Hilda gasp again and heard the men make various non-verbal noises as the three dragons laid down near to what could only be described as a pile of sleeping human young ones, dragons, sheep, and three hatchlings.
Stoick headed towards the pile, knowing Brynjar, Fintan, and Hoark would keep an eye upon the newcomers. He heard various people greet Hilda quietly, none of the normal boisterous greetings Viking usually gave. Stoick smiled, this time where anyone could see him. The tribe did not want to disturb those sleeping. Stoick guessed the tribe knew the gist of what had occurred during the night since everyone could recognize the black sheep Silent Sven so highly prized. It was the only one on the island now after all.
Stoick stopped next to Eydis, who was staring down at the pile. She glanced at him the pointed to the middle of the pile. Stoick's smile turned soft. His son had his arms encircling Astrid, who was holding him in her sleep. Toothless was curled up at Hiccup's back while Stormfly laid with her head along Astrid's back. Her mate laid next to her. Sharpshot and Sneaky laid curled up on Toothless' saddle. Stoick peered closer and shook his head amused to find Icewing curled up on Hiccup's head. The young gold Nadder that had asked if she and her brothers were to be eaten laid curled up at Hiccup and Astrid's feet. Her brother with the hurt foot curled up next to her.
The older Nadder brother and the Gronckle that had been with them laid with the Elder dragons, looking over the pile. The Elder dragons also looked over the pile and Stoick saw smiles upon their snouts.
Stoick's gaze traveled across the rest of the pile. Hookfang and his mate curled around Snotlout, who held onto Hookfang's neck. Fishlegs laid between Meatlug and Boulder. The twins draped over Barf and Belch's necks while the Zippleback's mate had both of her heads laying upon the twins' bellies. Gyda laid with her head pillowed upon Shadowfire's foreleg. Wildfire and Snowfire curled in a ball upon her belly. Stoick saw Frostfire and Palewing sitting upon Shadowfire's leg alternating between looking at their sons to looking at their daughter and back again.
Sven's sheep found various places in the pile. Some were upon dragons. Others were under dragon wings. The black one and the small one Toothless had saved from falling off the cliff laid against the Night Fury. Stoick noted even the three Gronckles that had been with them through the night were amongst the pile. The Fireworms also slept, still staying with the Gronckles.
"Wot is he doin' in dere?!"
Stoick's gaze whipped right, finding Baneson glaring towards the middle of the pile. Stoick gripped the young man's shoulder hard enough Baneson winced.
"Keep ye tongue still, boy," Stoick ordered in a harsh whisper. "Me boy and his friends be up all night rescuin' those sheep and ye will not wake'm."
"S..sure, chief," Baneson said, his voice notably lower.
Stoick let him go and the young man scurried away. Stoick turned back to the pile, finding all the adult dragons awake and staring but none of them moving from their spot. Stoick blinked as all the adult dragons began to purr. He glanced to his son, finding Hiccup's face smoothing from where it had scrunched up when Baneson asked his idiotic question. Stoick noted all the humans in the pile relaxing and none waking. Stoick stared at Toothless, who was watching him, and tipped his head. Toothless winked at him and all but the Elder dragons closed their eyes again.
[Father to the alpha,] Lorekeeper said, his voice soft. [We shall keep watch over Alpha and those with him.]
Stoick merely tipped his head. The four new ones did not know the dragons could understand and respond to the Vikings. Stoick was not about to advertise that fact either. That would be discussed with chiefs and elder councils with his son awake and present, not with returning tribesmen and an arrogant brother who should remember how to speak with respect to a chief. He frowned when Torgeir and Firestorm moved away from the corner they had been in and stopped in front of himself and Eydis.
"We'll watch out for them too, chief," Torgeir said, hand upon Firestorm's snout.
Stoick knelt and place gentle hands upon the lad's shoulders. "Thank ye," Stoick said.
Torgeir smiled and Stoick felt a pang strike his heart. His own stupidity and short-sightness caused him to never see Hiccup this small and this open. Things were different, and no one looked down upon Hiccup, but time had caused his boy to keep most, if not all of himself behind walls.
Stoick knew that the only ones who now saw Hiccup open and free were his dragon brothers and Astrid. That small glimpse back on the side the mountain only given to the others because Astrid had seen something Stoick had missed and moved to correct a false belief that Hiccup started nurturing.
Stoick stood, staring at his son again. He had lost all those years and that was on him. He would not lose the present or the future. Not while he drew breathe. He would fix the neglect he gave his son. He would relearn who his boy was.
"Hilda and her boy are back?" Eydis asked in a whisper as she and Stoick turned away from the pile and faced the rest of the cavern.
"Aye," Stoick said.
He frowned when Eydis looked over her shoulder and then looked out over the crowd until her gaze landed upon Baneson. His brow furrowed more when Eydis' eyes narrowed and she glared at the young man.
"Fishlegs told me why Hiccup left while we got those Nadders and that Gronckle in Dervla's hut."
Stoick blinked then wanted to kick himself. He had not even noticed his son left that day. He noticed his son's absence but put it off to his boy taking a patrol flight that would include some trick flying since they had been at the Changewing nest for the better part of the day.
"What did Fishlegs say?" Stoick asked instead, vowing to notice more what he son was doing from now on and to finally stop assuming anything when it came to his boy.
"That Baneson told Hiccup that eating with the tribe more than once unless he had to be there made people ill."
Stoick's eyes narrowed. "He told Hiccup what?" he asked, remembering only at the very last moment to not bellow like he wanted to.
Me thinks that in a moment Baneson is gonna wish his mother had stayed in Shivering Shores :p