Hiccup turned. All of the teens and their dragons stared at him as they landed. The dragons all bowed to him. The teens used that moment to dismount. Hiccup's eyebrow lifted as Snot and the twins all turned to stare at Fishlegs. Fishlegs, noticing the others' regard, frowned.

"What?" he asked.

"You ask him," Snotlout stated. "You're the Elder-in-training after all."

Hiccup blinked, exchanging a glance with Astrid. The request must be serious or Snot believed there was a high chance it would be rejected. That would be the only reason he would not insist on asking himself. Hookfang and the other bonded dragons snorted, shifting so they were standing beside their riders, or as in Barf and Belch's case, standing with their riders between their heads.

[Alpha,] Hookfang began, [we all wish to fly with you to Toothless' hatch nest.]

Hiccup frowned. "But you all just became parents and your hatchlings are still so small."

[Yes, Alpha,] Meatlug began, [but your trip is not forever, is it?]

"Well, no," Hiccup said.

[Then our hatchlings-] Barf began.

[Will be fine, Alpha,] Belch finished.

"But I don't know exactly how long we will be gone. You'll miss so much."

[Alpha,] Stormfly said moving closer, [every dragon in a nest knows that there are times when they must be away from their hatchlings. We all know we have duties that we must tend to.]

Hiccup turned to her. "What duty would require you all to fly with me on a trip that might take a month or more?"

[Honor guard,] Hookfang answered for Stormfly. [An alpha is supposed to have one when duty requires him to leave the nest. For your trips to the Illusion-scales, they were the ones to ask for a small one and as our allies and your mentors, we all agreed. Toothless' brother offered an invitation for as many as you wished to bring, Alpha. We all wish to accompany you and provide that honor guard, even our riders.]

Toothless nudged Hiccup. [He is right, brother, and my father would expect you to arrive with such a guard.]

Hiccup looked to Astrid. She glanced around at their friends then looked back to Hiccup and nodded her head. Hiccup sighed before facing Spitfire.

"I know you wished to leave today, but if we are all going to go, we have some things we must settle here before we can leave. I would not wish you to fly alone. Do you mind staying a bit longer?"

Spitfire smiled, though she kept her teeth in place. [Of course. It has been many seasons since the nest guards have seen my brother. Many have forgotten all about him. You'll need me to get past the outer guards without issue.]

[You're just full of jests today, aren't you, dear sister?] Toothless grumbled.

Spitfire shook herself. [I have no idea what you are talking about, dear brother.]

Toothless snorted. Hiccup swallowed his chuckle, though the rest in the cove did not. Toothless just began grumbling in the Old Tongue until Moondust trilled a soft sound and nuzzled against him. Toothless instantly switched from something that sounded annoyed to cooing. Hiccup began to cackle.

"So wrapped around her claw, brother."

Spitfire chortled. [How could I have ever disliked this human? He and I think alike.]

"We should get back to the village and get things settled," Gyda said, "before Toothless tries to bury into the dirt and hide."

"Chief!"

Hiccup shared a startled glance with Astrid as her father's voice bellowed over the village just as they all landed in the grass behind Hiccup's house. The humans quickly dismounted and both human and dragon raced around the house. Hiccup's eyes widen as Brynjar stalked through the village, dragging one of the warriors from Hopeless behind him.

"What's this then?" Stoick asked, meeting the woodcutter in the plaza.

Brynjar threw the disheveled warrior at Stoick's feet. Hiccup noted Bjarte did not seem too upset by the treatment his man was receiving. In fact, Bjarte looked as if he expected it. Hiccup also saw that Steinar did not seem alarmed either. Hiccup shared another glance with Astrid as their group made their way down to stand on the rise about the plaza.

"That," Byrnjar growled, pointed at the warrior now climbing to his feet, "fool tried ta bribe me inta dissolving the contract 'tween Hiccup 'n Astrid."

"He did what?"

Hiccup felt surprise when he heard his own voice. This was not like the other times his alpha magic coated his words. This was deeper, vastly more vicious than those times. This promised death to the warrior and the anger Hiccup felt sweeping through him did not seem it would abate unless the fool was dead.

He saw his father and future father-in-law's eyes widen as they spun to face him. He saw Bjarte and Steinar stare as if they had just walked upon something that unnerved them. The fool paled and stared as if something out of his worst nightmare just visited him. Hiccup did not care about the others, but the fool's terror caused something within him to rejoice.

The fool then looked away and seemed to gather more stupidity as he looked back and stood straighter.

"Ye are a coward," the man stated. "Ye canna be da man fer such as her. Ye canna handle slicin' da throat of a man ye had cowed. I challenge ye fer her."

"I will kill you."

Hiccup took great pleasure as the fool swallowed and stepped back when his whispered promise reached the man's ears. He took greater pleasure that the fool paled again when Toothless and the dragons standing with Hiccup roared and that roar was answered by every dragon living in the nest followed by the sound of wings as every dragon flew to the village.

"Son?" Stoick questioned.

"She is my queen," Hiccup stated, his alpha magic still coating his words with the same vicious promise of death to the fool.

The dragons all landed as they could find places around the plaza. Hiccup waited until they were settled and watching before turning and walking down to the plaza, hand already reaching for his seax.

"Draw your blade," Hiccup growled.

Kirika: Hehe, yep. However, for this trip, Hiccup does need to go with Toothless. Toothless' parents do have to meet the alpha he now bows to.