They found the cave with the sun still relatively high in the sky. It had taken a bit of time to pull Ruff and Tuff away from making a still paralyzed Snotlout slap himself so they ended up leaving the cove just after a mid-day meal of smoked salmon and yak jerky atop day old flatbread. A meal Gobber insisted they eat.
According to Gyda, the Speedstingers in the tale she knew had been active at night. Hiccup hoped that it being still well before sundown they would catch the Speedstingers asleep. That would lessen the chance someone could be harmed.
Hiccup, Fishlegs, and Toothless walked into the cavern as if a scattering of eggshells were underfoot. Frostfire, who accompanied them, rode upon Hiccup's back. Though Frostfire was lighter in weight than Sharpshot, Hiccup took solace in the Ice Terror's presence. Three months of having Sharpshot almost always with him made the continued absence of his brother profound.
Not far into the cave they found the Speedstingers. Fishlegs pointed to one curled upside down upon a rock spike the jutted down from the roof. Hiccup lifted his Gronckle Iron improved shield. He tapped the button at his thumb. The center spike slid aside. He triggered the switch near his first finger. A bola shot out. It snagged the red crested Speedstinger. None of the flightless dragons moved.
Toothless slid like black water across the cavern floor. He hopped to the wall. Teeth retracted, he pulled the chief Speedstinger down. Hiccup and Fishlegs moved close. They bound it in full. Toothless gripped the rope. Hiccup grabbed just behind him. Fishlegs grabbed behind Hiccup. They pulled the dragon out in slow, measured, and silent steps. Frostfire hopped to Fishlegs' shoulder, staring behind them. Hiccup did not understand but did not question it.
They made it out of the cave and hallway to the cage when Frost hissed.
"Um, Hiccup."
Hiccup turned at the worry in Fishleg's voice. The chief Speedstinger, still bound, stared up at them. Hiccup looked to the cave. The pack advanced out of the shadows. Those at the front bent low, arms and head extending. White-hot fire streaked the entrance. The Speedstingers squawked. The chief began fighting. A loud, but somewhat familiar, screech filled the air. The Speedstingers yowled.
"Move, Fishlegs!"
They all but ran as the two female Night Furies joined in pulling the chief. Astrid, the twins, and the other dragons waited by the opened cage. More fire heated their backs. More screeches filled the air.
"Toothless, you and the other Night Furies, go help your brother," Hiccup ordered, realizing with the chief awake, getting him in the cage would be tricky.
The three dragons dropped the rope. They spun, joining the male in a rear-guard position. Hiccup still heard Shadowfire flaming the cave entrance. He knew the dragon did not have a shot limit like the others but Gyda had said Shadowfire could tire and not be able to produce his flames. Hiccup needed to hurry.
"Astrid, stand at the back. I'm gonna feed the rope to you. We'll pull him in."
With the dragons not holding the line, the chief fought more. Hiccup heard gas build up. He turned. Frostfire shot a cone of dagger sized ice shards at the Speedstinger. Several jabbed the chief's eyes. He screeched and stopped struggling. Hiccup saw the pack redouble their effort to get out. Two did, but meet a line of dragons as Stormfly, Windwalker, Meatlug, Boulder, Barf and Belch, and Sugar and Spice joined the Night Furies.
The male continued his screeching. The others alternated firing at the freed Speedstingers. Shadowfire continued flaming the entrance. Hiccup watched as Shadowfire lifted his tail and swung. One freed Speedstinger slammed against the rocky cliff face.
Hiccup quickly fed the rope through the cage. Astrid and the twins grabbed it. Hiccup rushed out. He and Fishlegs joined Astrid and the twins. They all pulled. The chief fought. Slowly he moved closer. It was not fast enough. Hiccup could see Shadowfire's flame dulling. He could hear the male Night Furies screech coming less.
"Pull!" he yelled, hoping to energize his friends.
The sand made it difficult. They fell more than they pulled. The chief Speedstinger kept fighting. Hiccup watched as Shadowfire opened his mouth but no flame erupted. The pack began to rush forward. The chief fought more. The last freed Speedstinger tired to join them. Shadowfire's tail knocked it into the sea.
Hiccup watched as the pack advanced out of the cave. Shadowfire moved back, keeping his mother away from the dragons. The Speedstingers bent low again. Green acid slammed the sand. A tug had all humans falling. The chief slid into the cage. Astrid, up first, ran and slammed the door. Frost flew off Fishlegs' shoulder. Hiccup heard more ice shards and then the lock click. Hiccup moved Tuff's elbow out of the way. He found three Changewings staring down at him, rope in all three's muzzles. A fourth Changewing stood away from them, also looking down at Hiccup.
[Hello, young alpha,] the Changewing said, smiling and Hiccup recognized the king's voice. [I see you had a festival. I apologize for showing up late. Your brother had to rest a bit before he could give us our invitation.]
Hiccup and his friends untangled themselves. Hiccup blinked as Astrid's hand appeared in front of his face. He looked up. Her expression said he had better accept. He did so. She aided him to his feet. He smiled at her getting a terse smile in return. He looked back to the cave unsure what had her upset.
Seven more Changewings aided more dragons from the nest keep the pack contained. Hiccup turned to Astrid. He did not know why she was mad, but he hoped his next command would ease that anger.
"Get Stormfly. Grab the cage and fly it off Berk."
Astrid gave him a fierce grin. She whistled. Stormfly stepped back. A Changewing took her spot. Astrid bolted into the saddle. Stormfly's wings flared. She rose. Her talons gripped the cage. She rose and flew away. Hiccup saw the pack try to run. A barrage of green acid and several colors of dragon fire stopped them.
Hiccup felt Sharpshot's weight upon his back second before he heard his brother's voice.
[Sorry, brother. It took longer than I wanted due to a vicious cross wind.]
Hiccup reached up scratching Sharpshot's head. "You did good," he said. "Everyone, on your dragons! We have to let the pack follow their leader!"
Fishlegs and the twins obeyed. Hiccup bounced into Toothless' saddle.
"Okay! Everyone up and back! Fast! Keep the Speedstingers from reaching Astrid and Stormfly too fast but let them follow!"
Green acid and dragon fire erupted across the cave opening. An iridescent barrier flashed into existence across the entrance as the Speedstingers backed into it.
"Up!" Hiccup yelled.
The dragons rose. Hiccup gestured. The barrier disappeared. Speedstingers rushed out. The one from the sea and the one from the wall joined them. They tripped and slid but ran through the sand after their leader.
"Go!"
The dragons followed up far enough the Speedstinger could not reach them. Each alternated firing at the pack to keep them back a bit.
Astrid and Stormfly paused at the ice bridge. She looked back. Hiccup saw her tap Stormfly's neck. Stormfly flew out over the ice bridge. Toothless and the non-mated female Night Fury raced ahead, flipped and waited. The pack reached them. Both dragons fired down. The pack turned. Everyone followed.
Hiccup's heart froze. One Speedstinger shifted left. Avoided a lava blast from Boulder. It raced ahead. Jumped. Climbed the cage. Stormfly screeched. Windwalker snarled. His wings beat. Nadder fire slammed the Speedstinger. Hiccup only cared that Astrid and Stormfly hit ice. He did not even care that the cage shattered.
Barf and Belch, along with Sugar and Spice and two other nest Zipplebacks, surrounded Astrid and Stormfly in Zippleback gas. Spice and Belch ignited it. Hiccup's heart beat again as the Speedstinger pack swerved to avoid the flames. Windwalker and three other nest Nadders grabbed Stormfly and rose. Astrid sat upon Windwalker's back. The flames melted the ice. Hiccup looked back. Many more nest dragons fired upon the ice purposely missed so the Speedstingers had a path.
Toothless came even with Windwalker. Astrid hopped to the Night Fury's back. Hiccup jerked his head towards Berk.
"Keep her safe," Astrid said as her arms encircled Hiccup's waist.
[Nothing will harm her,] Windwalker promised before he and the other Nadders flew the somewhat paralyzed Stormfly back to Berk.
Toothless flew forward. Hiccup watched as every dragon that aided them moved to surround the Speedstingers who had gotten their chief free of the ropes. Hiccup stared down at him.
"This is my nest," he said, letting the thing within him add to his words. He did not want it to force his dragons, but he held no qualms about using it to intimidate the invaders. "You are not welcomed here. You have this one warning: Darken our island or the island of my allies once more and I will kill you all."
The chief Speedstinger screeched up at him. Hiccup's eyes narrowed.
"Go!" he yelled, letting the thing add more to his voice.
He saw the chief Speedstinger blink before the flightless dragon turned tail and ran. His pack chirped but followed him.
"Follow them and destroy the ice behind them. Let them remain upon their own island but if they ever show up here or on the Changewing's island again, they are to be given no mercy."
New nest dragons that joined just as Hiccup began speaking screeched and obeyed. Hiccup heard the king Changewing, who flew at his right side, chirp. Many new Changewings blinked into view and flew among the nest dragons, aiding them. Hiccup closed his eyes. The thing within him calmed and settled. He felt it curl up and begin to purr like a contented dragon. It did not seem inclined to rise again. Hiccup opened his eyes, finding the king Changewing staring at him.
[I see,] he said. [Young alpha, I think it would be best if you visited me whenever you can. We should talk.]
Hiccup frowned, not sure if the king was happy or angry and not sure he wanted to find out.
Kirika: Hehe, go ahead and give him all the hugs you want. I'm sure Astrid won't mind. Also, you are correct. The welfare of his nest is the greatest tell of who he truly is. He should have someone point that out to him. I wonder who that could be.
Guest: I'm sorry if this has brought up unpleasant memories. That was not my intention. The thing within Hiccup is important and like you said a cog to move the story along. We will learn a great deal about it before the story ends. Maybe then it won't seem as off putting. The full story will have to wait until certain characters enter the picture so to speak. Well, more than they already have. Also, thank you for saying the universe is well crafted. I like knowing that my story has a good foundation and seems solid to the readers.
Prince: As Gyda said: Hiccup has the heart of a chief, the soul of a dragon, and the mind and will of a king. Dagur will not. He shows up for the Thing in the next book. All the other islands are pretty much hunkered down at this point since Winter has hit full on. Only the merchants are crazy enough to brave the seas and only on really calm days.