The Dramatis Personae will finally be updated with the new named dragons.

Shadewing slipped from his and Haizea's sleeping den. He found Toothless' flock curled in sleep around the entrance to his brother's sleeping den. A den he once thought would never house another again. It filled his heart with joy to see the pile of human and dragons that spilled out onto the stone floor of the common room. A gummy smile he learned from Toothless split his muzzle as he noticed Moondust, the three younglings, Hiccup and Astrid were not among the visible sleeping pile. A presence at his side pulled his attention. His father stood there, staring at the pile as well. Shadewing smile faded and he stared at his father.

"What prompted you to accept Hiccup as your son?" Shadewing asked in a low tone so as not to wake those still sleeping.

When he and Haizea had given his parents the story of where Toothless had been and why he was still gone, neither had been happy or thrilled. Shadewing still remembered the roaring his father did right after he got to the point in the tale about Toothless' tailfin. In the time after until Toothless returned, Shadewing was certain his parents hated the human that hurt their son. It shocked Shadewing when his father declared Hiccup his son for the entire nest to hear.

"For so long," his father began, his voice soft and low as well. "I thought I had lost him. When he did not return to see the next to split their spikes, I thought he was dead. He had trained for so long to split his and he never missed the ceremony when another achieved that goal. Hearing what happened to him angered me, and not just the fact he was downed by a human. Hearing that he had to submit to a Lava-dweller that acted just like those alphas of old-"

His father sighed and lowered his muzzle.

"That hurt," he continued, still looking down. "Our ancestor worked alongside his human for so long as both were adamant that would never happen again. That fool of a false queen shredded the peace so many died for. Then Toothless did return and he brought all of them with him. Hearing the tale from Hiccup and then hearing his voice when he said it was wrong to hurt Toothless just to gain acceptance, I knew the human was genuine and that your praise of him was justified. I knew I had to acknowledge him as my son if for no other reason than to ensure he knows I hold no ill will to him over everything that happened."

Shadewing tilted his head when his father looked up and stared at the pile then at him.

"I hope in time though, he will become my son in full, just as you and Toothless are."

"Do you think he's the one the Way-guard came to see?" Shadewing asked.

"Before I slept, I sent for the Way-guard. He confirmed Hiccup is the human he came for. He was nice enough to let us have at least two days with them before he fulfills his mission. He understands I want time to catch up with Toothless and get to know my new son and grandsons. Of course, now I also have to get to know two females and make sure they are right for my sons."

Shadewing chuckled softly. "If my words hold any weight, Father, I say both are."

Shadewing blinked as his father faced him and green eyes flashed with an intensity seen only when his father had to 'go alpha' on someone, as Toothless once called the severity their father showed over a traitor to the nest.

"You are my son. All of your words hold more weight to me than the rocks we stand upon."

Shadewing smiled. "Thank you, Father."

A gentle rustle had both looking towards the pile of humans and dragons. Shadewing tilted his head as the mage, Gyda, stood from where she had been sleeping against her son's foreleg. She tipped her head to both of them upon seeing them. Shadewing saw his father jerk his head. Gyda frowned, tilted her head, but ultimately moved away from the sleeping pile and joined them.

"My son said you are a mage and the reason we can converse once more with the humans and he told me of your true origins."

Gyda smiled and tipped her head again. [Aye to all of that, sir.]

Shadewing was tempted to hide his muzzle behind his wing as his father began to bounce in place. Ever since Shadewing could remember, his father had sworn one could subvert the time that flowed ever forward. No one believed him, even when he claimed the poem they all knew said such an event would happen. Or had happened. None were sure of the right way to put that. The elders had been adamant such could not happen and that there was no real way to say if the parts unknown and hinted in the Elder tales spoke of such an occurrence. The parts once spoken in human and mage were long lost to memory after all.

As the nest had once house humans during those dark Days of Chaos, many human dens still littered the surface and caverns of the nest. Yet no matter how many fledglings searched, and every fledgling including the royal ones did, nothing had ever been found to prove more than what was accepted as truth. Shadewing realized that now his father had his proof. Shadewing frowned. That meant there was more to that poem and more to their history than even the oldest elder knew. He wondered how his father knew.

"May I see?" his father's voice pulled Shadewing from his thoughts and he found his father staring at the mage with shining eyes.

Gyda grinned but then bowed slightly. [I would need to ask Hiccup's permission, sir. He holds the authority over my magic.]

Shadewing expected his father to be disappointed but blinked upon finding his father nodding his head.

"My son is lucky to have a loyal mage counsel him as he leads his nest."

Gyda turned back to stare at the sleeping pile then, to Shadewing's surprise, faced him and smiled before turning back to his father.

[The world is lucky to have all of your children, alpha of the nest.]

"Wait, why me?" Shadewing asked. "I didn't do anything that Hiccup and Toothless did. They ended that war. I wasn't even in this part of the world."

Gyda chuckled softly. [You saved that Glow-eater and she was able to clear Astrid's family's honor. Astrid trained for so long to clear that dishonor, but you allowed her to become more than she once thought she would be. You allowed her to fully accept the future she can have with Hiccup.] Gyda looked over her shoulder again and whispered. [Hiccup will need both his dragon brother and his wife to stand with him in time.] She turned back to Shadewing. [And you are in part responsible for her being able to do that.]

Kirika: I loved that name the moment you suggested and knew it would be perfect for Toothless' sister-in-law. Thank you suggesting it. And yep, Toothless' mother has some interesting children. We'll get to see more of her as Hiccup and the others visit some more.

Literally Nobody: Hehe, yeah, I'd say you did miss a lot. I am glad you are enjoying the journey though. And I'm glad you're happy for Toothless and Moondust. Have fun rereading. I do that as well. Mostly to ensure threads I purposively left dangling are fresh in my mind for when I need to close them later.