Hiccup walked from around the rock outcropping fully intending to return to the nest and Astrid's arms. He had enjoyed as much as she their chance to hold each other and sleep while sheltered in the Great Hall. Knowing he could do so again during this trip thrilled him.
Hiccup stopped short when four dragons, three of which he knew the species, rose to a hover just off the edge of the cliff. His head tilted in confusion when the three younger dragons gave chirps that sounded joyful.
At least Hiccup believed the unknown dragon was young. It was half the length of Meatlug after all and bore an uncanny resemblance to a Night Fury, only a light sand color instead of the usual dark black to light black he had seen so far. Its tailfins were also completely different than a Night Fury's. It held two crescent shaped fins, one wider than the other and its tail ended in a point. For all Hiccup knew right then, it could be a young Night Fury and its tailfins grew to look like Toothless' when it was fully grown. Being a different color did not really mean anything. All other species came in wide variety of colors so why not a Night Fury.
The three younger dragons landed and the new one rushed forward. Hiccup moved, not sure of its intent. He stopped. The new dragon nuzzled against Toothless and far from looking alarmed, Toothless looked happy and relieved. The new dragon chittered something in the Old Tongue. Hiccup frowned. The new dragon sounded sure and unsure at the same time.
Toothless dropped his head and nudged the new dragon. The new dragon stepped back, looking up at Toothless with an expression Hiccup recognized. He had seen it on many children when they looked at their father. Hiccup's eyes widen. He wondered if these were the three younglings Toothless had cared for, had joined the Red Death's nest for. He hoped so. His brother needed all his family, not just some of it.
The lone dragon, still hovering in the air, landed. It did not approach though the young Nightmare, younger than even Firestorm, and the young Nadder moved to join the new dragon next to Toothless. When all three were before him, Toothless began speaking in the Old Tongue.
Hiccup smiled and turned his attention to the last dragon. He walked over, ducking under Hookfang's neck. The fourth dragon, a Night Fury like Toothless, shifted its attention from Toothless to Hiccup. Hiccup stopped. The new Night Fury's eyes became slits. It began hissing. That caused the nest dragons to give out low growls. The hatchlings, which had been staring at the newcomers scurried for the cave. Their parents closed ranks around Hiccup and the cave entrance. The new Night Fury jerked, its head rising and its eyes dilating.
Hiccup felt a presence and turned. Toothless stood at his side. The three young dragons he had been talking to were watching with looks that could only be confusion.
[Hello, sister,] Toothless said, his voice even. [Please don't hiss at him.]
The new Night Fury warbled something that did not sound nice. The nest dragons snarled again, this time louder. Hiccup heard questioning chitters from the three flocks that had rested on Berk and were nesting around his dragons.
[Sister,] Toothless said, [you trend on a thin wind. He is alpha of the nest. He is my alpha. He is their alpha. Do not hiss at him. Do not insult him. And speak in the Common Tongue. I know you know how.]
[He is human,] the new Night Fury spat, its voice indeed female.
[He is my brother and my alpha.]
Hiccup saw the mistake the instant Toothless spoke. He remembered the older brother's tale of searching for Toothless. He remembered the warning.
[You..We searched for seasons and you replaced us with a human?!]
Toothless gave a sharp warble in the Old Tongue. [Sister, you don't know the reasons. You don't know the full story. Do not judge him until you have heard. Father taught us all better than that.]
[What reasons could you possibly give that would explain this?]
[He gave me back the skies after I lost my tailfin. He freed me from the control of a monster. He killed a tyrant that forgot what it meant to be a dragon. He gave me a home when I didn't think I deserved one anymore.]
Hiccup jerked. He spun to face his brother. "Toothless?" he asked.
Toothless sighed. [I killed many in her name, brother. I was tasked to scout dragon nests in her name. I lead younglings I had come to call my own to her.]
"You can't be held at fault for what she ordered you do to. You can't be held at fault for her lying to you in order to gain new slaves."
[I know that in my head, brother. I knew that then. It took a long time, a long time with you, to understand that in my heart. I'm still trying to understand it fully.]
[Does Father know you abandoned your nest, your flock for a human?]
[Our older brother has visited the nest I now call home, sister. He and his mate have met everyone I now protect. Both left to inform Father and Mother of what happened. The full story of what happened.]
The new Night Fury, Toothless' sister, shook her head. Her eyes switched between slits and open. A low growl resonated in her throat. She stared at Toothless.
[I searched for you. I was almost captured by these humans you bow to. I almost died at their clawless paws. And you.. you would stand there and tell me one is your brother. I…I don't know you.] She stared at the three young dragons. [Come. We need to return to the Rock-biters and the Spike-throwers. They still need us to guard against the waves. You three do not need to be near humans. Humans are nothing but honorless, scaleless, lizards who gladly murder dragonkind.]
That caused the nest dragons to roar, even Toothless. Hiccup held up a hand. The roars silenced. A fact that did not go unnoticed by Toothless' sister.
"I forgive you of your words," Hiccup said.
[What should I care about your forgiveness, human?]
"It's not you that should. I forgive you because of Toothless actually. He is my brother and one of my closest friends. He saved my life and he says I saved his. Please, I ask this, not for myself but for him, listen to the tale of what happened. Then judge if you know your brother or not."
Hiccup turned to the three young dragons that huddled close to each other and to Toothless.
"I will not harm you. I will never harm you. It does not matter if you are Toothless' younglings or not. You are still safe here. I wish for all dragons to feel safe in my presence and the presence of my nest, human and dragon alike."
[Dad?] the unknown dragon said, looking from Hiccup to Toothless.
[You can trust him. He killed the monster that once ruled over us. He freed us all.]
The three dragons chittered in what sounded like surprise then sighed. The unknown one stepped forward.
[Two Rock-biters and two Spike-throwers took us in after we fled when the humans came. Their nests are too close to the sea because they are on their own. We help keep the waves from drowning their hatchlings.]
"Bring them all here," Hiccup said. "They can stay with us up here away from those waves. They can place their hatchlings in the cave with my nest's hatchlings."
[You would let non-nest dragons roost with your nest?] the unknown dragon asked. [You would let them bring their hatchlings?]
"Yes."
Kirika: Well, it might. It might not.
Dark: I think the new chapter answers that question.
Prince: Hmm, well, we shall see, won't we?