The Night Fury screeched something else. Shadowfire tilted is head.
[I still have no idea what, or rather, who, you are talking about.]
The Night Fury warbled.
[My mother is a mage and can understand the Common Tongue. I'm not going to be rude and keep her out of this conversation, unlike some dragons I can speak of.]
The Night Fury blinked. Its gaze shifted to Gyda. Its eyes widen as Gyda lifted her hands, still coated in fire and lighting.
[I apologize, Elder Mage,] the Night Fury said, its voice male. [I was unaware any were still alive. We were always taught they were extinct.]
"We are not from around here," Gyda said, releasing the spark within her and allowing the fire and lighting to sink in to her skin once more. "Now who are you looking for that you think my son knows where they are?"
[My mate. I can smell her scent upon him.]
Gyda's eyes narrowed and she felt Shadowfire tense under her.
[She rejected you, Wind-shrieker. She told us so.]
[Lies! Tell me where she is now! She is mine!]
"No," Gyda said. "We will not."
The male roared. Shadowfire cackled darkly a familiar shriek of wind echoed. Gyda turned right just Hiccup and Toothless shifted to a hover just beyond Shadowfire's wingtip.
"Is everything alright?" Hiccup asked.
[He is the male Moondust rejected, my alpha,] Shadowfire said.
The Night Fury made a sound that did not need the Common Tongue to translate. Shadowfire and Toothless snarled.
[He is Alpha,] Toothless stated. [You would do well to respect that.]
[He is a human. Humans cannot be the alphas of dragons.]
[There is no law against that and you know it,] Toothless returned.
The Night Fury grunted. [It matters little. The Tall-singer holds the scent of my mate. I demand her return.]
Toothless snarled. [She rejected you. She renounced her place in the nest you call home. She joined another. She is not your mate.]
[She is mine! I have the Elder's permission. I have her father's permission.]
[Do you have rocks in your ears?!] Shadowfire demanded. [She, of her own free will as an adult, left that nest and joined another. Your elder and her parents have no say over who can court her now. The elder Wind-shrieker and the Alpha of her new nest do.]
[And since there is no elder Wind-shrieker,] Toothless stated, [you will have to seek her alpha's permission.]
"And he does not give it."
Despite weeks of hearing it, the deep draconic undertone added to Hiccup's voice due to his power still caught Gyda off guard. She saw that it caught the Night Fury off guard as well as he jerked and stared at Hiccup.
[You would use tricks to speak with the ancient voice of the alphas? Is that how you got the title of alpha? You play a dangerous game.]
Gyda saw Hiccup's eyes narrow.
"The dragons of my nest named me their alpha, Wind-shrieker," Hiccup stated, his power still coating his words. "I do not play with such responsibilities and I do not do tricks."
The Night Fury snorted. [You know what, I don't care. Just give me back my mate.]
"She rejected you. I back her decision and reject your claim as well."
[You risk a war with my nest. I hold a high status and they will not take this slight to my honor lightly.]
"You will not force a mate-hood upon a member of my nest. If your alpha deems that worth fighting over tell him I will defend my nest and those who call it home. Now I suggest you leave before the Water-twister who guards this island deems you a threat to the hatchlings."
Just as Hiccup stopped speaking Gyda heard a disturbance at the water's surface. She looked down as the Submaripper rose once more. Given the way the shows portrayed them Gyda had not believed the Tidal class dragon could actually rise out of the water that far at all. Then this one did and was doing so once more, though Gyda could tell there was a slight strain upon the Submaripper's wings this time as opposed to the last.
[Young alpha,] the Submaripper asked. [Is everything alright? I heard the roar.]
"Just a male Wind-shrieker who as worn out his welcome," Hiccup replied. "He seeks to court a female of my nest who has rejected him and does not understand why I refuse his claim upon her."
Gyda saw the Submaripper's eyes narrow as she shifted to gaze upon the Night Fury. [Leave or your nest will face my wrath.]
The Night Fury growled but dove. Gyda watched his path as he banked around to head south.
"Thank you," Hiccup said and pulled Gyda's attention back to him and the Submaripper.
[You're welcome. I so detest those who do not understand what the word no means. Before you and your nest-mates leave the hatching nest, young alpha, I would ask a favor, if I may.]
"What is that?"
[May I speak with you more? Most humans I have ever dealt with were ones I had to kill to keep this island safe. I am intrigued by the thought of an honorable human who I can talk to.]
Gyda saw Hiccup smile.
"I would enjoy speaking with you more before I leave. Myself and another of my nest are learning all we can about dragons. Our dream is that future generation of the nest and even beyond can learn the truth of dragons instead of the fears that plagued us all during that war. But would there be a place on the island we can speak that you do not have to hover out of the water for? I can see your wings are straining slightly and I do not wish you undue stress or harm."
Gyda hid her smile behind her hand as the Submaripper's eyes widen.
[Well, my my,] the Submaripper said. [Tis a pity you are not a Water-twister and that you have an intended.]
Gyda pulled the hood of her robe down over her face to muffle her snickers even as she heard Shadowfire and Toothless cackle and Hiccup sputter. The Submaripper laughed.
[There is a small island to the south of the hatching nest. I sometimes go there to speak to an alpha if there is need for a long conversation. We can speak there, young alpha.]
With that she winked at Hiccup and then dove into the water. Toothless and Shadowfire rose to escape the splash though not all of it.
[Oh, Astrid is going to be mad,] Toothless said. [First Icewing and now the Water-twister. Brother, the females love you.]
"Shut up, Toothless."
Prince: Hehe, who says she's gonna be found early?
Kirika: Well, there have been some major shifts too. Ringfire's children have not been placed there by Alvin. The Screaming Death is not running amok trying to find his mother and in doing so, eating the islands around Berk. Torch and his mother are coming to Berk with Hiccup's full knowledge so that whole debacle of Hiccup putting Toothless in the cove hasn't happened. Mildew was exiled before he could blow up the armory. Gyda slipped the ingredients of Gronckle Iron under Meatlug's saddlestrap so the Berkians now have weapons and tools made from it. They know about the Hatchery before the dragons all fly away and know the Gronckle eggs explode so those houses are spared and everyone in Berk is spared Yaknog, since Astrid is away right now. Dagur has not come for that treaty thing at all. I think that's all of them for now.. I think. But you are right, this is a huge shift. And it's for a reason.
Dark: Hehe, Stoick teaching one of his sons.