Everyone lapsed into silence as Toothless' voice trailed off. Hiccup saw a thoughtful look cross Gyda's face. He watched as Shadowfire paused for half a heartbeat before he resumed eating some fish. Hiccup realized both knew something about the poem. Hiccup wondered if Ombra told the same story to them.
[Toothless,] the queen said. [Thank you for providing that tale.]
Toothless tipped his head. [You are welcomed. I, for one, did not believe it when I was first told. The elder of my hatch nest would give the tale when the young needed to be kept occupied. Given that nest had not housed or been around humans for many seasons, most in the nest just believed the tale created solely to keep hatchlings and fledglings still for parents needing a small break.] Toothless turned to Hiccup. [Then I met my brother and we flew in the skies just liked my ancestor was said to have done with his rider.]
The head Changewing elder chittered softly. [It might be helpful if you all take a flight and visit your old nest, young Toothless. Now that you know humans and dragons can fly like that tale said, you could ask the nest elders for more information. That could aid you in finding out what the power is that the young alpha holds.]
Hiccup smiled. "We had planned on visiting anyways. Toothless needs to see his family again."
[I have been away for far too long. And I want them to meet my brother and my alpha.]
[Then please, eat, so that you may return to your own nest now and prepare for such a trip.]
Hiccup noted the young princess seemed to wilt as her mother finished speaking. Hiccup gently nudged her. She looked up at him.
"You okay, little one?" he asked.
[You leave soon.]
Hiccup placed a hand upon the top of the princess' head. "We'll be back to visit. Your father said he had much to teach me. I'm sure your mother has much to teach Astrid." Hiccup paused and smiled. "And how about this, come spring since winter is a bad time to fly, especially for one so young, if your parents are okay with it, why don't you come visit my nest? The hatchlings that are there now would be old enough to play with then."
The princess blinked and looked to her mother. The queen smiled.
[Of course you can visit, Daughter.]
The princess squealed and nuzzled into Hiccup's frame. She pulled back a heartbeat later and nuzzled against Astrid. Hiccup chuckled as he pulled his belt dagger and set about readying the shark to be cooked.
They left the Changewings not long after the shark was cook and most of it ate. The parts they could not consume were wrapped in the leaves from the stone and placed in a bag Gyda carried back. Hiccup could see the mage had snow and ice swirling around her hands as she held the bag. He frowned, resolved to ask her later why she would do that. His gaze turned instead to his future queen. He had not forgotten, even with Toothless' story, about her reaction to the princess informing everyone about Astrid's purr. As he had vowed sitting there, no more would things be left to fester.
"Toothless," Hiccup said. "Hover."
Toothless immediately did as Hiccup asked. Stormfly, flying beside Toothless, shifted to a hover as well. Meatlug also hovered and turned in the air to face Hiccup. Shadowfire, however, snorted and dove to fly under the hovering dragons.
"Son?" Gyda asked.
[Alpha wants to talk to Lady Alpha,] Shadowfire said, rising to be level with Toothless and the others after passing them. [I'm going to that sea stack until he's finished.]
Hiccup chuckled. "How did you know?"
Shadowfire snickered. [I am not blind, my alpha. I saw Lady Alpha's reaction to the princess' story.]
Gyda snorted. "Come along, Fish, Meatlug. Let's give our alphas a moment of privacy."
Fish grinned and Meatlug chortled before following Gyda and Shadowfire to a sea stack that would be out of earshot but not out of sight of Hiccup, Toothless, Astrid, and Stormfly. Hiccup waited until they landed before shifting in the saddle and pointed to a closer sea stack, still in line of sight of their 'human' chaperones for the trip.
Toothless and Stormfly landed upon the sea stack. Hiccup dismounted. Toothless padded away and laid down. When Astrid dismounted, Stormfly moved over and sat down next to the Night Fury.
Hiccup faced Astrid and saw her frown. He smiled and cupped her cheeks. Astrid's eyes closed and she nuzzled into his palms. Hiccup leaned over and kissed the tip of her nose. Astrid's eyes snapped opened and then narrowed. Hiccup grinned.
"Why were you upset over the princess saying you could purr too?"
Astrid grimaced. Hiccup placed his forehead against hers.
"Why, Astrid?"
"Hiccup, you saw the dragons for what they are, not what we thought them to be. You connected to them. The purring, the power in your soul, those are yours. I can't take that from you. I won't take that from you."
"Why would you being able to purr take that from me?"
"It.. You won't be the only one anymore, Hiccup. You're special. You're not what we thought either. You… you're more. I can't take this from you."
Hiccup took a deep breath. "Astrid," he whispered. "All my life I wanted to be a Viking. To be known as a Viking. Because if I was, I'd belong. I'd have a family. I'd have tribe."
Hiccup covered Astrid's lips with his own when she opened her mouth. He pulled back a few heartbeats later.
"No more apologizing, my love. No more guilt. That's over. That life is done. I am a Viking now. I do belong. I have a family. I have a tribe. I have a nest of humans and dragons. I have you."
"Hiccup, if I have this purr, you won't be the only one-"
"I don't want to be the only one with this," Hiccup whispered, cutting her off. "I'm happy the princess said you can purr too. You are my equal in all things, Astrid. All things."
Hiccup kissed her again, this one still soft so they did not break their chaperones' trust but no less involved. It also lingered for more heartbeats than it probably should, but the dragons did not interrupt. Hiccup pulled back and stared at Astrid.
"Together, Astrid," he whispered. "We'll learn what this is and what its true purpose is together. And together, my future queen, we will use it to better our nest."