[I shall return to the dens, young alpha,] the large Typhoomerang said. [My son will remain and ensure your safety as you are a guest of my nest. I trust you will handle the humans and ensure they are gone from my island as soon as they have their one water worm.]
"Yes, sir," Hiccup said, tipping his head. "Thank you. May the winds forever be under your wings, alpha of the nest."
[And he even knows the traditional parting words. You are a strange human, young alpha. I look forward to your visits so that we can learn more of you. Myself and those with me will fly when you return to your flock to ensure you and your brother are not knocked over by our wings. May the winds forever be under your wings, young alpha.]
Hiccup smiled. "Thank you," he said tipping his head again.
He turned. Sharpshot shifted so he faced the direction Hiccup was traveling. Hiccup began walking back towards the others.
[You handled that beautifully, brother,] Sharpshot chirped. [The Illusion-scales' king will not have to show you much on proper manners when dealing with other nest leaders.]
"It's a lot like dealing with other chiefs," Hiccup whispered. "I've seen my dad do similar many times."
[I will take your word for it, brother. I have not met any other human chiefs,] Sharpshot chittered, slowly pronouncing the new word.
They reached the others and just as Hiccup stopped beside Fishlegs the seven Typhoomerangs spread their wings and rose into the sky. They flew high enough that when they went over the group to bank around and head the way they came no was knocked over by their wing-beats. The green Typhoomerang still curled a wing around Hiccup and those right near him.
The wing retreated when the flapping of wings receded into the distance. Hiccup saw the three from Meathead Island staring at him and his companions. Thuggory wore an expression of shock mixed with anger. The other two wore their shock openly. Steinar snorted.
"He be a coward and a weaklin' ye say, Thuggory?" the Shivering Shores heir asked. "Me thinks ye need ta rethink dat. Ain't no coward 'n ain't no weaklin' wot could do any of dat."
"You can get one eel," Hiccup said before Thuggory could comment. "Take more than that and the dragons will think you are stealing from them and will defend what is theirs."
Thuggory scoffed. "Be all ours 'n'ways. Dem dragons be beasts wot go no rights."
The green Typhoomerang curled his neck down so that he could stare Thuggory in the eyes. He snarled, eyes becoming slits. Hiccup watched Thuggory pale again.
"Call'm off," Thuggory said, sounding as if he pushed those words through clenched teeth.
Hiccup shrugged the shoulder Sharpshot was not on. "He's not one of mine."
"He be listenin' ta ye 'fore!"
"Cause he wanted to. I didn't command him. I don't command him."
The Typoomerang began to laugh.
They landed on the docks close to Johann's ship. The trader, true to his word, remained tethered, though the man stayed on his boat. He did come up from below deck as Gyda took the crate from her son.
"Ah, Lady Astrid and Lady Gyda, a pleasure. I trust you both are keeping safe and hearty as this terrible illness sweeps through the village. You know something like this happened while I was visiting a woodcutting tribe far to the south. They did not have dragons to aid them, no, but their intrepid ancestors learned to tame and train bears. Can you imagine that? Bears! Everywhere bears strapped to carts and pulling logs from the forest surrounding the village."
Gyda smiled despite knowing the path this man would take and the fact that his stories came from him stealing them from other traders. Before the plot twist that the man had been a traitor all along, Gyda had liked the trader. He had an active imagination and could spin a great tale. He did come in handy a few times as well.
"Well, if Hiccup can befriend a Night Fury, then I can't say I'm surprised someone has learned to befriend a bear," Gyda said, sitting the crate down on Johann's deck. "Fresh from Gothi's hut," she added. "The Meatheads portion of the brew."
"Ah, excellent. Excellent. I do so enjoy my time on Berk but with this eel pox I dare say I will enjoy my time away. I am most curious though, Lady Gyda, where is Master Hiccup?"
"Dealing with a sick dragon."
"Oh, dear. The dragon caught the eel pox too?"
"More or less. The dragon will be right as rain soon though. Dragons heal fast."
"Right as rain? I have never heard that saying before. I may procure it."
Gyda laughed. "Feel free. We must go now, though. We have some twins track down and give some medicine to."
"Oh, you will have your hands full if they are the two rambunctious ones that find pranks to be the greatest of pastimes. They do not sit still long."
Gyda grinned. "I'll just have Shadowfire hold them both."
Johann looked to the dragon and then back to Gyda. "That would work. I shall head out then. The Meathead chief will be grateful for this."
"Fair winds and fairer seas, Johann."
"Oh, another saying I have never heard before. I shall take it as well."
Gyda laughed and left the boat. She rejoined her son on the dock. He lowered himself so she could climb into the saddle. Gyda looked to Astrid.
"Shall we try by the Great Hall first? Those two could be hanging around there thinking themselves so clever to be so close and no one know."
Astrid snorted. Shadowfire and Stormfly lifted into the air. Windwalker, still aiding Astrid's mother with some chores around the house as Byrnjar was sick as well, chittered at them as they flew over. Stormfly chittered back.
[He said Snotlout is on the Great Hall steps but the twins are in the stone den for teaching.]
"Didn't you say Snotlout was trying to win the hearts of the Terrible Terrors, Shadowfire?"
[Aye, Lady Astrid.]
"Let's continue there and see this. We'll gather the twins after that."
Gyda snickered as they landed at the foot of the steps.
"Who defends the village while these so-called warriors cower in their Great Hall? And do they give you loyal dragon workers any support? Any respect? Any rights?! Nay says I!"
Gyda and Shadowfire began cackling. The six Terrible Terrors, which included Iggy, Buttercup, and Sneaky, turned around from where they sat upon the steps next to Hookfang and Wingblaze. Both Nightmares wore expression that said they could not choose between laughter or crying in frustration. Sneaky fluttered over to land upon Stormfly's back. She bowed to Astrid.
[Lady Alpha, he is funny. Remind me to thank Alpha for making him entertain us. It is keeping me from worrying too much about Alpha, Sharpshot, and the others.]
Astrid smiled and scratched Sneaky's horn. Sneaky cooed. "You go back to being entertained by Snotlout. We have to find the twins and I'll find you when Hiccup and the others get back."
[Aye, Lady Alpha. Thank you.]
Sneaky flew back to sit with the other Terrors. Shadowfire, still cackling, flared his wings and accidently knocked Snotlout over as he was begging the dragons to join hands and talons with him. The Terrors chortled and called for him to do it again. Gyda tapped her son's neck and he shuffled back so that when he lifted off this time, Snotlout was out of his wing's path. She noted that Astrid was grinning and shook her head, knowing that getting on to her son would be futile. Astrid would just praise the maneuver.
They found the twins in the academy just like Windwalker said. Shadowfire and Gyda snickered at the confused look upon Astrid's face and the questioning chirp from Stormfly. Gyda held up a hand, stalling Astrid from entering the arena. She wanted to see this.
Tuff stood on Belch's head holding a rock and a chicken feather. Ruff stood nearby watching.
"One, two, three," Tuff said and dropped both items on three.
The rock cracked against the stone floor in the blink of an eye. The feather drifted down in a lazy slow manner.
"Ah ha," Tuff cried as Belch lowered his head and the teen stepped off. "Sister, our hypothesis was correct. The air offers a much greater resistance to the feather than it does to the rock."
"Fascinating," Ruff exclaimed. "Shall we increase our sample size? I propose we drop a large yak alongside a normal-sized dragon rider."
Tuff gasped. "What luck. I'm a normal-sized dragon rider."
"Wonderful. I'm off to find a suitable yak."
The twins high-fived each other.
"Science!"
Ruff began to walk away coughing. She fell onto the arena floor. Tuff fared no better. He faceplanted. Gyda grimaced then had to snort when he began speaking.
"Where am I? Who are each of you?"
"Oh, gods," Astrid muttered pinching the bride of her nose. "Let's get them to the Great Hall before they kill themselves."
Gyda and Shadowfire could only cackle.
Kirika: Astrid's face was probably priceless and funny. Hehe, yep. No one really knows how to take Hiccup.