It took many days for the Zippleback male to fly to the Bewilderbeast's nest and return. In the time he was gone Pepper and Piper showed her mother all over, introducing her to not only dragons but many humans as well. It seemed Pepper and Piper, as well as all the younglings in the nursery, had won the hearts of the mothers the night they fought off Alvin. All the younglings, Toothless' included kept all the children, human and dragon alike, entertained so the mothers and the one parent from ever mated pair that stayed could focus upon guarding the room.

Hiccup did note that his nephews aided Pepper and Piper in her endeavor to get her mother to like the nest. He also noticed they took to being stand-offish and avoiding him. Hiccup knew they were still annoyed with him over not ordering Pepper and Piper's parents to stay so their friend could, even if he did explain his reasons for not giving into their request. He still felt their avoidance of him keenly. They were his brother's sons. He wanted to get to know them. He wanted to spend time with them. He wanted them to like him. Respect him. To not view him as monster.

This remained the norm until Toothless' sister confronted them behind the house one morning a full two days before the male Zippleback returned. Hiccup had no way to know what was said between aunt and younglings as the entire speech she gave was in the Old Tongue and he could not follow it enough to catch any impressions. It seemed Toothless agreed with his sister's words, if his head nodding had been any indication. Hiccup remembered that he had been about to ask but was all but tackled by his nephews as they nuzzled him and apologized for their behavior. Hiccup just hugged them all while hearing his brother thank his sister and then informing his sons that the next time, he would straighten them out. Something the boys did not want as they promised it would not happen again.

Now, with all but one of his family close again, Hiccup was in the forest along with the other teens. Eydis and Gyda had, the night before in the Great Hall, spoken about something to with their karate training and were in the process of setting up the clearing they normally trained in. Hiccup had seen Brynjar, Fishleg's parents, Gobber, and Stoick heading to that same clearing just before the teens had been found by Frostfire and told to don the white gi and belts Gyda had Dervla make them and then head to training.

Hiccup blinked as he cleared the trees and found not only those humans but all the bonded dragons, their mates, Hiccup's nephews, Toothless' sister, Moondust, and the Elders in the clearing as well. All the dragons and the humans closest to the teens, even Spitelout and his wife and the twins' parents, were ringed around the edge of the clearing. Wooden stakes were driven into the ground with rope tied between them, creating an enclosed square roughly the size of the area Gyda usually had them begin their sessions in. Gyda, herself decked out in her black gi, stood where she normally stood but a bag sat at her feet.

At her gestured the teens hurried to line up in front of her, making sure to bow before stepping through the one opening in the rope fence. Gyda smiled at them.

"Face left," she ordered.

Hiccup and the teens spun. This was normal. Their trainings sessions always began with the teens running laps around the area until Gyda called for them to form up.

"Hiccup, head them out."

As befitted his status as heir to Berk and alpha to the dragons, or so Gyda said, Hiccup always lead the laps. Hiccup suspected Gyda also did this because of his leg and that by making him first the other teens had to run at his pace. Considering she had scolded him when he tried to run faster after Snotlout complained and then boasted how he would do it better, Hiccup was certain his leg had a lot to do with his placement. Still, the enjoyment at having to watch Snotlout run extra laps and then do sixty of what Gyda called push-ups had taken the sting out of that realization.

Right now, Hiccup felt slightly exposed as he and the teens ran around the inside of the rope fence with all the people watching but he tried to push that from his mind. Gyda had warned them that outside issues remained in the trees while they were in the clearing. Their focus was karate so long as the session was going on.

"Form up."

Hiccup frowned. When they first started Gyda had not had them run long around the clearing. That gradually increased as each day they trained. They could now run several times around the entire clearing and not be the least bit winded. This lap had been twice around a smaller fenced in area. Still, he and the other teens fell into the formation Gyda had taught them. He, Astrid, and Ruffnut stood in a line right in front of Gyda while Snotlout, Tuffnut, and Fishlegs stood in a line behind them.

"Ready stance."

Hiccup and the teens shifted into the called for stance. Their right foot slid back. Their left shifted. Arms, with hands loosely fisted, rose in guard positions near their face and neck, and their knees bent.

"Forward right jab," Gyda ordered before giving the call she had trained them to respond to.

Hiccup and the teens punched forward with their right fists, their legs and hips shifting to accommodate the move. Each teen also gave the appropriate yell Gyda had taught them as their fists reached their apex. Hiccup and the teens returned to the ready stance without being told. Gyda gave the call once more and they punched again.

"Forward left jab."

This continued with Gyda making them go thorough every punch and kick she had taught them but always with shorter repetition than normal. As she called for them to form their sparring teams, Hiccup realized what was going on. They were showing their families and closest friends what they had learned. He smiled, even as he dodged, ducked, and blocked Astrid's attacks, while giving a few of his own back.

"Form up."

Hiccup and the others returned to their lined positions. Gyda now had Shadowfire holding his head over the rope. The bag sat upon his nose. Gyda looked at each of them, smiling, then looked at the onlookers.

"In any form of martials arts training, karate included, there comes a point where what all the students have learned pushes them to a new level, a higher learning. We have reached one such point. Back home, this was acknowledged with the students performing all they had learned for their families and friends to see. To join in celebrating as they stepped beyond where they were now and move onto what came next."

Hiccup felt excitement rise as Gyda reached into the bag and pulled out a yellow belt. She had explained the belt ranks in karate on their first day and Hiccup realized that was not just a chance to show off for their families and friends. Gyda, their sensei, felt them ready to advance to the next rank and learn more things.

"Students, remove your belts."

With slightly tremblingly fingers, Hiccup untied his belt. He folded it in the manner Gyda had taught them their first day as well.

"Kneel."

Hiccup and the other knelt, though Astrid was quick to give him a hand when his metal foot slipped slightly. He could see the excitement in her eyes and her smile and had to resist kissing her. That would not be appropriate in this setting.

"Place your belt before your knees and as you do so, remember all you have learned while wearing that belt."

Hiccup took a deep breath. He slowly placed the folded belt before him, mind recalling the sore muscles that eventually grew used to the actions he had them doing. The punches he landed upon the targets Gyda had him and Dervla fashion from scrap sheep and yak skin. The moment he was able to bypass Astrid's guard in a sparring match and won it. He smiled at the memories.

"Hiccup."

Hiccup looked up, finding Gyda standing before him. She held out the yellow belt. He took it slowly, bowing his head. She tipped hers before moving to Astrid and repeating the process. When all six teens had their new belts, Gyda returned to her spot though Shadowfire and the bag were gone now.

"Place the new belt against your forehead."

Hiccup and the teens did so.

"The things you learn while wearing this will be more involved then what you learned while wearing your previous belt. Ready yourself."

Gyda waited for several heartbeats.

"Stand, my students and place your new belts on."

Hiccup and the others stood. They wound the belts around, tying them in the front as they were taught.

"Grab your old belts then face your families and friends, but do not forget to congratulate each other. I am proud of you all."

Hiccup picked up his old belt, fully intending on making something to display it and any others he earned. His attention was diverted as Astrid, laughing, grabbed him by the edge of his gi. She gave a sharp tug that Hiccup did not fight, and soon her lips covered his own. Hiccup moaned and returned her kiss. He vaguely heard dragons roaring and humans cheering but he did not care about any of that right then.

[Alpha! Alpha! Oh, sorry.]

Hiccup grunted but pulled away from Astrid to find the Terror he had sent to find Pepper and Piper's parents landing in the clearing.

[I did not realizes this..um… what is this?] the Terror asked, looking around in confusion.

[Is something wrong?] Toothless asked, moving from where he had been sitting with Moondust and his sons over to the Terror.

[Oh, no, Nest Protector. Pepper and Piper's father just returned and I came to inform Alpha.]

Kirka: Well, considering they don't know which direction he went in, it would be hard to follow him.