Hiccup grinned and dismounted. He tapped Toothless' saddle. Sharpshot hopped down. The Changewing youngling squealed like a newborn boar, a sound Hiccup did not know a Changewing could make, and flopped onto her belly. She slinked closer to Hiccup, sniffing his metal leg. Hiccup's eyebrow lifted when she reached out with a single claw and tapped it. It gave a dull clank. The youngling jumped back. She slinked forward again.

[Young princess!]

The youngling froze at the elder's words.

[That is not how we greet honored guests.]

[But it shiny. It make noise. What it?]

Hiccup knelt, with some difficulty. The youngling had shifted closer to him when the elder continued speaking and did not seem inclined to move. He did not want to accidently hit the princess and he was still slightly unstable when most, if not, all of his weight had to rest upon his metal leg. Still he got down and when the youngling lifted her head, he was eye level with her.

"It's my metal leg," he said. "I got injured really badly in a fight and my leg had to be cut off."

The youngling's eyes widen. Hiccup held up his hands, palms facing the youngling.

"It's okay," he said soothingly. "My flock took great care of me and I got better."

[But leg go.]

"Yeah, but my uncle built me this leg to replace it."

[Built? What built?]

[Like when we take leaves to make sleeping spots in the cave at night,] the elder said.

The youngling looked at her then back to Hiccup and shook her head. [I no un'stand.]

"It's okay," Hiccup said smiling. "I don't understand a lot of things either, young princess."

[But you big. You alpha of nest. You sup…sup… have un'stand.]

Hiccup chuckled softly. "Not always, young one. My flock still sees me as being a youngling and I've only been the nest's alpha for a few months. I'm still learning."

[Like me?]

"Yes, like you."

[We learn 'gether?]

"Maybe. Your father asked my father if he could teach me some things."

The youngling trilled and nuzzled against Hiccup's arm before nuzzling his metal leg. She then trotted back to her mother, chirping and trilling something that sounded happy and cheerful. He heard the queen chitter something and the youngling freeze. She rushed back to stand in front of Hiccup. Hiccup, with Toothless' help, stood. The youngling then tipped her head.

['elcome, hon…ho…friend alpha.]

Hiccup smiled even as the elder groaned.

"Thank you, young princess," he began, bowing at the waist like Gyda had taught him and the others when they started learning karate from her, "for the best welcome."

The youngling trilled again, this one also sounding happy and cheerful. She then slid closer to Hiccup and all but fell against him. Hiccup, surprised, caught her. The youngling chittered and nuzzled against him. He could hear the elder squawking, the queen hissing, and the older princess gasping. Those who came with him giggled and chuckled. The other Changewings scattered around either made sounds that conveyed horror or that they were suppressing laughter.

[Daughter,] the queen began walking up, [what are you doing? That's not how you act around other nest leaders.]

[But Mama, he nice. I hear purr. It soft, like when Dada sing me sleep. I safe.]

Hiccup blinked as he realized the thing within his soul was purring softly. He noted that the youngling did not seem paralyzed by it or forced to act as she was. She began purring as well and tried to wrap her wings around him.

[Daughter! Let him go! You know how you're supposed to act. Do so.]

The youngling grumbled but moved away from Hiccup. She turned and looked up at her mother.

[I hear purr,] she said. [He purr. It nice.]

[Regardless, daughter, you can't just fall on to him like that. He's the alpha of his nest and our ally. We have to treat him with respect.]

Hiccup bit the inside of his cheek again. He knew he could not interfere with the queen reprimanding her daughter, just like he could not interfere when Frost or Pale reprimanded their hatchlings. He still wanted to tell the queen he did not mind the youngling practically laying upon him. It was not the first time he had been a roost for young dragons and he knew it would not be the last. He also enjoyed it greatly. The young felt safe in his presence and that was something he longed for everyone he knew to feel. It had not been that long ago that no one felt safe when he was around.

The youngling turned back to Hiccup and bowed her head.

[I sorry, friend alpha.]

Hiccup smiled. "I accept your apology, little one, and forgive you."

The youngling trilled again.

[Come, Daughter,] the queen said, [you have to go with your aunt now.]

Another Changewing, one that had been trying to suppress laughter, moved from the treeline and stopped by the queen and the young princess. The new Changewing bowed her head to Hiccup and he returned the gesture by bowing his. The new Changewing and the young princess walked back into the cave opening and were soon enveloped by the darkness within. Hiccup turned back as the queen shook her head.

[I apologize, young alpha,] the queen said. [She is usually better behaved than that.]

Hiccup smiled. "It's okay, ma'am. I didn't mind. The young back home know if they ask and I'm not busy they can usually roost upon me. In fact when the snowstorms kept us in a central cavern like you have here, the young who were sheltering with us slept upon myself and Astrid the entire week."

The queen looked over Hiccup's shoulder at Astrid then back to him. She titled her head. [My mate has offer to teach you?]

"Yes. He said I would need to know how to actually run a nest of dragons when other dragons begin to live there. Others who I had not forgiven before offering a home in the nest."

[He is right, young one, but did he also extend an invitation for your future queen to come learn as well?]

Hiccup shook his head. "No, ma'am." He glanced over his shoulder at Astrid then looked back to the Changewing queen. "I was going to ask him at the celebration if she could come with me. She will lead both my flock and the nest along side me and I want her to know everything I know. She's my equal in all things."

[Again you show the wisdom I did not know humans could show,] the queen said. She looked to Astrid again. [Young queen-to-be, I extend an invitation for you to come with your intended and learn from me how to run a nest. If you have to ask permission from your parents, please do so. The young alpha is correct, you will need to know all that he knows.]

"Yes, ma'am," Astrid said. "And thank you."

The queen bowed her head then stepped back. [I am sure you all are needed back home, young alpha.] She looked to the elder and her older daughter who moved to join them. [Enjoy the celebration. Take whomever in the Guard is off duty and wishes to accompany you.] The queen then looked at Hiccup. [May the winds forever be under your wings, young alpha.]

Hiccup bowed. "Yours as well, queen of the nest."

Kirika: Thank you. I'm glad you like the description of the nest. Hehe, also the old lady is gonna be fun. She's gonna teach not only our lovable Elders, Gothi included, how to be a true nest dragon elder.

Prince: Hehe, everything is changed. That's why Gyda and her family are wondering if the future they know even matters anymore. You'll understand as we move on. Hiccup is smart and knows to listen to his future queen.