[How did this come to be?] the Fire-spiraler asked. [Why does a Wind-shrieker eat what his body cannot handle in order to save a human? How does that human end up being called an alpha and hold the loyalty he does?]
"Hiccup," Fishlegs said, "I'll explain everything to her. You can stay with Toothless."
"Thank you, Fishlegs."
Fishlegs looked up the Fire-spiraler. "Will you come with me down to the beach and I'll explain? Toothless will need to recover from all of that and he will probably feel better if a dragon not of the nest isn't so close."
The Fire-spiraler blinked but tipped her head. [Lead the way, human who speaks in one breath. Fledglings, do not bother the Wind-shrieker.]
The three small dragons chittered. Hiccup glanced at them but turned when Sharpshot landed, out of breath. The Terror looked at Toothless then to Hiccup. Hiccup held out his right arm. Sharpshot jumped onto Hiccup's knee. He crawled over to Hiccup's left leg, tucked against the side of Toothless' neck. He then curled up against Toothless' neck. Hiccup heard him begin to purr. Toothless curled his head so that his cheek rested against Hiccup's bent left knee. Hiccup laid against his brother' neck. His left hand ran soothing circles over Toothless' back near to the sensing lobes. Toothless cooed.
Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Moondust watching the scene. Hiccup held out his right hand. She had done much to help in all of this. She did not deserve to sit to the side and just watch. Hiccup wanted her to know she was welcome to join in. He had a feeling that she would be flock in time anyways.
Moondust padded closer. To Hiccup's surprise, she nosed at his right hand until she got his fingers next to her mouth and proceeded to lick them. Hiccup frowned then hissed and grunted. Sharpshot lifted his head. Hiccup heard his brother's sharp chitter. Shadowfire answered him with a soft but amused sounding warble. Sharpshot's gaze shifted to Hiccup.
[You stuck your hand into the hot, smelly water you gave Toothless?] Sharspshot asked.
"Just my fingertips," Hiccup said, grimacing as Moondust continued to lick the burned areas.
Hiccup saw Sharpshot roll his eyes before lowering his head back against Toothless' neck.
[Serves you right that she's not being very gentle then.]
Hiccup chuckled. "I love you too, brother."
Sharpshot merely cut his eyes at Hiccup before purring once more. Toothless cooed again. As soon as Moondust finished cleaning Hiccup's fingers she walked away, heading towards a stream near to some rock outcroppings. Hiccup watched her, confused. She skirted around the rocks but did not come out the other side.
[Your fingers had remnants of that tea you gave Toothless,] Shadowfire said softly. [She will be back when she gets all of it out of her mouth.]
Hiccup looked up, finding Shadowfire gazing down at them from behind Toothless' curled head. Hiccup blinked, noting someone was missing.
"Where's your mother?" he asked, looking around.
[She's cleaning up and making sure the Fire-spiraler's fledglings don't get into the tea or get ahold of that eel Toothless ate.]
"Oh." Hiccup stared up at Shadowfire. "Thank you for carrying me all over to get those ingredients."
Shadowfire smiled, lowered his head, and nuzzled into Hiccup's hair.
[Anytime, my alpha.]
"Your uncle really taught you how to contain and hold a dragon like that?" Hiccup asked.
Shadowfire lifted his nose and shifted so his head was low enough he could stare at Hiccup.
[He said it was a skill passed down through his ancestors and that I would need to know it. He taught me the same time he taught his son.]
"He had kids?"
[One. My aunt died not long after the hatchling became a fledgling.]
Hiccup frowned. "Where is he now?"
[He bonded with a human and left the nest long before your gods visited Mother.]
"Won't he wonder what happened to you all?" Hiccup asked.
Shadowfire sighed. [He did not take his father's death well. It is likely he does not even know Mother had to leave. I know not what he will do when he finds out the truth of the situation, though.]
Hiccup sighed. "I wish there was a way to let him know you all are safe. He's probably really worried."
[Mother left a message with some Tiny-fangs that lived near the nest. If they see him, they promised to let him know what happened. That is why I said I do not know what he will do when he learns the truth, both of the nest and of what happened to us. He may have not left on nice terms, but he still was raised alongside myself and Frostfire. He is still flock.]
Hiccup lifted his left hand and rubbed the top of Shadowfire's muzzle. "I'm sorry you all had to leave him behind. That you all had to leave everything behind. If I could, I would speak to that noble for you and your mother. I would make sure he never bothered you all again."
Shadowfire cooed. [And you wonder why we call you Alpha,] he said then winked.
[I get the feeling he will forever wonder that,] Moondust said as she returned looking a bit queasy but otherwise fine.
[I suspect you are right,] Shadowfire said, lifting his head.
Hiccup snorted at them but held his right hand out again, inviting Moondust to come closer once more. She moved over and laid down next to, but not touching him. Hiccup reached out and gently scratched her just behind her sensing lobe. Moondust cooed and leaned into his fingers. Hiccup smiled and moved his hand around to the back of her neck. She leaned into his touch more. She yelped when she found herself almost laying on Hiccup.
[Sorry, alpha,] she said shifting away.
"Moondust, you can lay against me if you want. I don't mind."
Moondust hummed. She shifted so that she laid down against Hiccup's right leg, conveniently placing her head near to Toothless'. Hiccup smiled but only petted both Night Furies. He did hear Sharpshot give a soft snort though and caught the grin the Terror gave. Hiccup winked in return. Toothless' eyes narrowed. Hiccup returned the look with a lifted eyebrow. Toothless looked skyward then closed his eyes. Hiccup and Sharpshot grinned.
Fishlegs and the Gronckles returned with the Fire-spiraler. Hiccup blinked when the dragon lowered her head to stare him in the eyes. The dragon said nothing, just tilted her head.
[I never thought this day would come. We had begun to believe the ancestor's tale a mere story to entertain and not to actually teach or be something to look forward to.]
"I'm sorry?" Hiccup said.
The dragon blinked. [You do not know?] she asked. [But you hold the voice of the ancient alphas. You hold the loyalty of a multitude of dragons that you freed from a monster.]
Hiccup frowned. "I don't know what makes my voice sound like that. The dragons.. they named me alpha. I still don't know why."
[You earned that title, brother,] Toothless whispered, opening his eyes. [You killed that monster. You freed those under her command and let them live in your nest.]
"Shh," Hiccup said, laying his cheek against Toothless again. "Just rest, brother. Get your strength back."
Toothless grunted. [No, brother. I must say this. I know of the tale she speaks of. My former nest told the same tale. I know how you will react to that tale and I want you to understand the power your voice holds had nothing to do with us naming you alpha. We all knew of the power within you. We felt it before it made itself known to you. When you touched my nose, brother, I could feel it purring, reassuring me that things were okay.]
Toothless paused, taking several deep breaths. Sharpshot lifted his head.
[I felt it too, brother. Back when I sat in your lap in Elder Gyda's den. I could feel the purr. I could hear the purr.]
[I felt and heard it both in Elder Gyda's den and later in the training den before you killed that monster,] Meatlug said.
[I felt and heard it in Elder Gyda's den,] Boulder added.
[I heard it in your voice when the Tail-stingers attacked the nest,] Moondust said. [I felt it when you offered your paw and I chose to place my muzzle into it.]
Hiccup blinked, then frowned.
[Don't brother,] Toothless said. [Don't think that it forced us to bow to you. It did not. It never forces us to do anything we are not willing to do.]
"But..but it stops you.. freezes you.."
[Because we are willing to submit to you, brother. Those of that nest were forced due to fear of being eaten to submit to that monster. With you, we chose of our own free will to bow to your authority.] Toothless stared at Hiccup as if willing him to listen and believe. [Only you would knock a dragon from the sky and then create a tail for him to fly again. Only you would care enough to learn how to work with dragons instead of just killing them. Only you would forgive so many dragons and find them dens on the very island they constantly raided. Only you would give us the choice to touch you or not. Only you would worry over our safety and happiness. No human has ever, to my knowledge, done anything you have done, brother. And for those from that nest, no alpha or queen has either. You earned our loyalty and our love by just being you.] Toothless paused and gave Hiccup his gummy smile. [And you will always have both, my brother and my alpha.]
Kirika: Well, he has Meatlug and Boulder to help him with that. Plus all the dragons in the nest who are starting to see him as an elder-in-training.