"Ah, Berk, my favorite of all the islands in the Archipelago. Chief Stoick, I must ask, has your son tamed more dragons? I spent ages waiting under the gaze of four Scauldrons and three Tide Gliders until the young lad on the Nightmare was able to call them off. Let me tell you it such a harrowing experience. Not unlike the time I met the king of-"
"Johann," Stoick said, knowing if he did not stop the trader right then no one would be able to get chance to speak. "Did ye see any ships as ye traveled 'ere?"
Johann blinked and stood straighter. "As a matter of fact, I did. Such a marvelous invention your son made, Chief Stoick. That spyglass has saved this weary trader so many times I could regale you for days. You must so be proud of your son, dear chief. He is such a blessing to me and to the whole of my career."
"Yes," Stoick said, smiling. "I am very proud of my son, but I must know: the ships. What ships did ye see?"
"Oh, my, yes. Well, as I crossed the open waters between Freezing to Death and Berk, I saw them. They were slinking in and around the sea stacks like a roving band of wolves seeking an easy kill. Master Hiccup's spyglass once again came to my rescue and kept me from being their kill. It reminds me of the time-"
"Johann, what be the symbol on those ships?"
"Why it was Outcasts."
Stoick groaned then growled. "Ye best be heading out, Johann. Alvin be comin' 'ere. I would not wish ye be caught in the fight."
"No, no, I would not like that. Thank you, Chief Stoick. You and your son are always looking out for this poor trader. Tis why Berk is my favorite port of call. I believe I shall head to Hopeless early."
"Will ye give this message to Chief Ingvar fer me? I will pay ye when ye return."
"Of course, Chief Stoick. I know you will best those scallywags. I shall return in a few weeks then. Sadly, that will be my last call upon this great island until spring. The icy wind is getting to be too much for me old bones."
Stoick merely nodded his head and handed the man the rolled and tied piece of parchment. Stoick had no way to know if his message would be received well or even acted upon, but Hopeless held treaty with Berk. They were bound by oath to fight for Berk against all threats except dragons as all islands in the Archipelago fought them during the war and had no way to rush to each other's defense. Alvin, though, was not a dragon.
Still, Hopeless was one of the tribes coming in the spring to discuss the dragons now living on Berk. Stoick could well see the Hopeless chief declaring the treaty null and void due to those dragons.
Stoick hoped Ingvar would honor his ancestor's oath. He knew every dragon in the nest would defend it with their dying breath, but it never hurt to have several more Vikings to also fight. Those same Vikings could do as Padrig and Steinar had done. Learn that the dragons were not vicious and mindless killers and hopefully give Berk another on their side when the Thing rolled around.
[We do,] Knowledge began.
[Understand, Alpha,] Wisdom finished.
[Protecting the nest come before anything,] Stormfly added.
Hiccup sighed, partially in relief, as the other adults echoed her and the Zippleback's statements. As soon as the sun rose, Hiccup, Astrid, and Gyda had gathered the adults in the cave before any could go fishing or the hatchlings could be let out. Hiccup then explained their fears over Alvin attacking the island while they were gone.
Hiccup knew he should have not been surprised the mated dragons, even the four that joined the nest earlier that week, felt this way. Just like Vikings, dragons jealously and viciously guarded their homes and their flocks when allowed to.
Hiccup heard a questioning chirp from one of Meatlug's hatchlings and realized one part of his nest would not understand what was going on. At least not right now. To the hatchlings, the human alpha they had heard so much about had been a source of play and stories and loving scratches. Their future queen and a human elder they also heard about, giving equal time, attention, and love. The hatchlings had no concept of danger and less concept of the fact their nest had to be defended. They would only see their alpha, their future queen, and an elder leaving. Having felt what it meant to be abandoned, Hiccup did not want the hatchlings to feel the same.
Hiccup tilted his head, staring at Knowledge and Wisdom. "When do you all think you will be returning?"
If it was longer than a week or so, then maybe he, Astrid, and Gyda could return after the nest sent Alvin scurrying back to Outcast Island. It would mean missing Snoggletogg but Hiccup had not really celebrated that holiday even before Ruff and Tuff's prank landed him in the forge and unable to decorate, or participate in anything the holiday offered. The other teens and children could all recall gifts given to them by Odin. Hiccup could only recall the small hammer Gobber gave him on his third year being Gobber's apprentice.
Hiccup glanced at Astrid, resolved to let her and Gyda stay and enjoy the holiday while he returned as the alpha of the nest to the hatchlings. He would not keep Astrid from her family once they got back. Gyda also needed to be in her grandkids lives and without Astrid going along, she would not be needed as the human chaperone.
He blinked, pulled from his musings, as the adults looked between each other and then as one turned to Toothless. His dragon brother's sensing lobes lifted as Knowledge and Wisdom began what sounded like a serious question in the Old Tongue.
[You want me to convince him to do what?!] Toothless questioned, sounding both scandalized and proud at the same time.
Knowledge and Wisdom both sighed. Hiccup bit his lip as both sets of eyes rolled. All the nest dragons appeared to have spent too much time with Shadowfire it seemed. First the wing shrugs and now the eye rolls. Hiccup wonder just what other human traits the Western Dragon would teach the rest of the dragons next.
[Alpha,] Knowledge began.
[We all stand,] Wisdom continued.
[As one in this,] Knowledge added.
[We return with you,] Wisdom finished.
"But the hatchlings? There will be danger."
[We discussed our return before Stormfly went after you, Alpha,] Windwalker said. [We all want to be home. And that you believe it to be in danger, we want to be home even more. It is our nest, Alpha. We want to defend it. The hatchlings can stay in that cavern you had Elder Ringfire create.]
[And one parent will remain with them while the other fights for the nest,] Wingblaze stated.
[To ensure no hatchling is completely orphaned should anything happen,] Boulder added.
[Brother,] Toothless said slowly. [The only way you'll get them to stay now is to order them.]
Hiccup sighed and turned to Astrid and Gyda. He did not want the hatchlings in danger, but he also did not want to tell the adults they could not defend their home. Viking parents defended their homes even with screaming infants shuffled to the tribe's old place to keep non-combatants, which oddly enough was that jut of land no dragon would tread across and no woodcutter would take a tree from. The legend held that Odin claimed it for his own and protected it.
Hiccup would not make this decision without the council of two out of a very select few people that he trusted the most.
"In the tale I know, Hiccup, they came back with you, if that helps your decision. There wasn't the threat of a war though, but they still came back with you."
"I say we take them home, Hiccup. They have the right to defend their home and the right to decide to bring their hatchlings to that home as well. We don't stop people in the tribe from fighting even after they have children, so we really can't stop them."
Hiccup frowned. He looked to Toothless who nodded his head.
[It is a risk, but they do have the right, brother. You fought to give them that right.]
Hiccup turned back to Gyda. "Did the tale you know show how I got hatchlings that can't fly back to Berk?"
Gyda grinned. "Yes. Yes, it did."
Kirika: Yep, we are almost back home. Course we still have a trip north to deal with.