Hiccup sighed. Just how many times would this tale have to be repeated? He spied the Nightmare elder from the third flock to rest in cavern under Gyda's house shuffle up behind the line of three alphas.
[My alpha,] the Nightmare said, [the human alpha has given us his tale and it includes the point your nephew speaks of. If he will permit me, I shall tell it to you later. It is not a pleasant tale, nor is it short, and the sun is soon to tuck itself in its nest.]
"I don't mind," Hiccup said and smiled. "I did promise my nest's hatchlings some stories and some playtime before their parents order them to sleep."
He was actually ecstatic someone else would give that tale. He had lived it once. He had to give to his nest's elders. It had to be told to almost every dragon they had come across since Gyda returned and Hiccup had been named alpha. He briefly wondered if he could hire someone to just give that tale whenever it was asked so that he could vacate the area. He was still moving past the pain of all that happened and disliked having to go through it over and over each time someone asked how the nest came to be.
The big Nightmare curled his neck so that he could see his nest's elder over his wing. [You will tell this tale to the other alphas with me.]
The elder Nightmare bowed. [Aye, my alpha.]
[Very well,] the big Nightmare said. He turned back to look at Hiccup. [Thank you for allowing members of my nest to find rest within your territory.]
[I thank you as well,] the lava colored Gronckle said, its voice female. [My nest's elders say you had a cavern created for them to sleep in.]
Hiccup smiled. "Yes, Ringfire, a Rock-tunneler, knew of a cavern that could safely house everyone so she made an opening on the side of a cliff."
[Your nest holds more than just the four species who use this place to hatch and rear their young?] the orange Nadder said, its voice male.
"Yep," Hiccup said, turning to point at Toothless who stood near to Astrid and Stormfly but kept a watch on everything going on. "One of my dragon brothers is a Wind-shrieker. We also have Tiny-fangs, two Glow-eaters, and the mage that opened our ability to understand the Common Tongue is mother to a Tall-singer and a Tiny-icespitter. The Tiny-icespitter has a mate and they have already had three hatchlings. My dragon brother has a Sand-spitter son who is also apart of the nest. And of course, Ringfire and her hatchlings. I think that's all the other species right now."
[You said one of your dragon brothers,] the Nadder said.
"The other is a Tiny-fang. He's back at the nest so my dad doesn't get lonely while Toothless and I are here."
[Your father still lives?] The lava Gronckle asked.
Hiccup tilted his head. "Yes. The tale the Flame-skin elder will give you explains all of that."
[An unusual nest,] the Nadder said but tipped his head. [Still, you gave rest and safety to members of my nest and for that you have my gratitude.]
"Any time," Hiccup said. "If you all need rest on the trip back to your nests, feel free to sleep in my nest. I only ask visitors to not attack or insult my nest. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to spend some time with my nest's hatchlings."
[Of course,] the big Nightmare said. [Before you leave, I would like a chance to speak to my nephew some more.]
"That's up to him," Hiccup said. "He's free to make those choices on his own."
The big Nightmare stared down at Hiccup then tipped his head. He and the other two turned and moved back to where their nest's elders waited in the middle of the area all three had claimed as their own. Hiccup turned to Hookfang and moved so he could run his hand along Hookfang's jaw. The Nightmare purred.
"I know that can't have been easy, but I meant what I said. If you want to talk to him, you can and if you don't, you don't have to."
[Thank you, my alpha.]
Hiccup smiled and with one last scratch to Hookfang's jaw turned towards the hatchlings. He stepped back from Hookfang's side. The hatchlings chittered something that sounded questioning. Hiccup smiled.
"Let's go in the cave and play and tell stories," he said.
He glanced at Hookfang, already knowing what would happen. As with Frost and Pale and Ringfire's hatchlings, human words had to be translated into the Old Tongue. The hatchlings had not yet grown enough to be taught the pitch needed for the magic that created the Common Tongue to activate and allow the hatchlings to understand the humans. Hiccup knew these hatchlings would have a few months before that process could even begin.
The seven hatchlings back on Berk were nearing the point they could start learning. According to the elders, it would take a month of steady lessons for the hatchlings to understand human speech and it could be months after that, and the hatchlings well into the fledgling, even youngling, stage, before they were able to speak the Common Tongue and converse with the humans. Hiccup was eager for this all to start. It was one more sign that all he went through had been worth it.
The hatchlings standing before him started squawking and pulled Hiccup from his thoughts. He grinned, knowing their calls were protests. The cave meant sleep when the sun sank below the horizon and it seemed dragon hatchlings were just like human kids, they did not want to go in when they were having fun. Still, after saving that Nadder hatchling, Hiccup did not want his nest's hatchlings to do their playing near the cliff edge.
Hiccup tilted his head and then headed for the cave entrance.
"Hookfang, tell them I'm gonna go hide and they have to find me to get their stories and playtime."
He slipped into the cave and into the nest, laying down so as not to be seen just as Hookfang finished. He waited and then grinned when he heard the pitter patter of tiny dragon paws rush into the cave. He heard the hatchlings pause and give out questioning trills. He remained quiet, keeping his breathing soft like Gyda had taught them in their karate lessons. He heard shuffling and more questioning trills. He was not surprised when it was Stormfly's oldest, the blue-green male that hissed at him that first day, that poked his head over the edge of the nest. The hatchling squawked upon finding Hiccup and Hiccup laughed as every hatchling rushed into the nest and began crooning in a smug manner.
"You got me guys," he said, sitting up.
He heard an adult, who was already in the cave, chitter. He chuckled when the hatchling's crooning was accompanied by some strutting around the nest.
"So, stories or playtime first?" he asked.
A small grey colored Gronckle opened its mouth and Hiccup chuckled at the loud yawn it gave.
"Stories it is," he said moving around so that his back rested against the edge of the nest.
He smiled as Astrid and Gyda, as well as Toothless' three younglings, climbed into the nest. Since all three younglings were just barely younglings, they slept in the nest now as well. Something Hiccup had actually insisted upon. They were his nephews and he wanted to get to know them and he wanted them to trust him. Allowing them to sleep upon him seemed a good way to start. Besides their father slept in a different section of the cave and had agreed with Hiccup over the youngling's sleeping arrangements.
Hiccup looked over his shoulder as the rest of the adults came into the cavern, gathering in piles and laying down. He smiled as Toothless' sister joined them, moving to sleep next to Toothless, who took his place alongside Shadowfire as one of the guardians over the cavern entrance. He turned back to the hatchlings and younglings. Astrid settled beside him, placing her head upon his shoulder as he curled his arm around her. Gyda settled across from them. The hatchlings and the younglings piled all over them. Hiccup smiled and began a funny tale of something that happened as he learned blacksmithing from Gobber, pausing often so the Sand Wraith youngling could translate for the hatchlings.
As the tale wore on, the hatchlings began falling asleep. Hiccup smiled when the last one curled up and began snoring. He glanced at the younglings, who fought sleep but looked just as tired.
"Sleep," he whispered.
The three curled around each other and were soon snoring as well. Gyda looked over all the hatchlings then at Hiccup.
"We will need to get back soon," she whispered.
Hiccup frowned. "Future thing?" he asked in a whisper.
Gyda shook her head. "Worry. Bearspit knows about the dragons coming here."
Hiccup sighed and nodded his head. She was right. Being here and playing with the hatchlings was wonderful and one of the best experiences Hiccup had, but Bearspit being exiled meant Alvin could learn, not only of the parts of the story Dogsbreath did not tell, or was unable to before he died, but also about the mated dragons leaving the nest. Knowing Alvin, Hiccup was certain the man would try and attack Berk. Hiccup knew he would not be pleased if the nest was attacked while he was out again. He had to defend his home and his people, human and dragon alike. It was his duty now and he gladly accepted it.
Prince: All will be revealed about that dragon and the human he seeks soon.
Kirika: Hehe, they do always seem so shocked, don't they?