Shadewing's wings dropped. Hiccup grinned. The male looked like Toothless did when the first tailfin had been placed upon him. Hiccup's grin grew as Shadewing rushed to the sleeping den and carefully entered. Toothless' father and mother moved around the group and met at the opening. Spitfire began nudging Hiccup. He frowned at her.
"The hatchling's alpha is Toothless' father, not me."
Spitfire groaned and rolled her eyes. Hiccup tilted his head wondering when she picked that human trait up.
[You are flock now, Hiccup. Dad made you his son. That hatchling has to meet all of its flock. Now you and Sharpshot scoot or I'll pick you up and move you over there.]
[Don't do that,] Toothless said. [His blood father used to do that a lot.]
Toothless' mother jerked and looked over at them. Toothless' father turned as well. Both were frowning.
[Was this when he was a hatchling?] Toothless' mother asked.
[No,] Toothless stated before Hiccup could quiet him. [Youngling.]
Toothless' father moved away from the den and stopped in front of Hiccup.
[Does he still do this, son?]
"No, sir," Hiccup answered shaking his head. "Not since the battle with the fallen queen."
[Good.] The male looked over at Toothless. [Should the human begin again let me know. I will have a talk with him.]
[Yes, Father,] Toothless said.
"That's not necessary," Hiccup said at the same time.
[It is, Hiccup. A hatchling being picked up is one thing. A fledgling if they are in danger is also understandable. Youngling: no. For a parent to pick a youngling up as if they were a hatchling means they disrespect their own offspring. A parent is never to disrespect their offspring for that means they can't expect their offspring to respect them. Now, go over there and be ready to meet your new niece or nephew, my son.]
"Yes, sir."
Toothless' father cooed. Hiccup smiled and moved to join Toothless' mother. He looked back when he noticed the male did not follow him, nor did Toothless or Spitfire. He found Toothless' father staring at Astrid. Toothless and Spitfire waited behind them, watching with amusement shining in their eyes.
[You two, my future daughter.]
Astrid tipped her head and move to Hiccup's left side. She took his hand and smiled at him. He returned the smile, squeezing her hand. Out of the corner of his eye, Hiccup saw Toothless' father stare at Moondust and then jerk his head towards the opening.
[You'll be my daughter soon as well,] Toothless' father said. [And Sharpshot, your intended is where?]
[Right here,] Sneaky said, climbing onto Astrid's shoulders. Toothless' father grunted.
[I see why you were called Sneaky,] he muttered. [Toothless leave your sons to eat. They would get bored before the hatchling can fully leave the egg.]
[We can keep an eye upon them, Toothless,] Stormfly said.
Hiccup watched as Toothless' father faced the Nadder. [You are the bonded dragon to Astrid, correct?]
[Yes, alpha of the nest.]
[Good. Get over there. You are flock to my future daughter and will be in her life until its end. The hatchling will need to know who you are as well. The rest of you can meet the hatchling next. Okay?]
"Sure, sir," Fishlegs said. "We can get the fire going so Hiccup and Astrid can eat after they meet the hatchling."
[Good, good.]
Soon all of the immediate flock to the hatchling and the few extras told to stand there, were waiting at the opening. Hiccup saw his human friends move to the den Toothless' father spoke of while their dragons stayed out and watched Toothless' sons, who were still eating.
Hiccup chuckled. No one could accuse those younglings of missing a meal. Hiccup had found his father sneaking them food from the table and the Great Hall. When Toothless protested the action, Stoick just reminded the dragon he was the boys' grandfather and it was his right. Hiccup stayed out of the entire affair since he was guilty of doing the same thing.
Hiccup turned back when he heard Haizea and Shadewing cooing in the Old Tongue. He tilted his head slightly. The sounds gave Hiccup the impression they were encouraging the hatchling. Sharpshot's muzzle brushed against Hiccup's ear.
[They are telling their offspring he has this and letting him know of all us out here waiting to meet him. Did you pick up on that?]
"I got that they were encouraging the hatchling," Hiccup whispered.
[Hm, we will need to see if this aunt of Toothless' can answer what the elder of the Illusion-scales could not.]
[What are you two talking about?] Toothless' mother asked as she moved around her mate to stand at Hiccup's right side.
Sharpshot waited until Hiccup lifted his head before climbing onto Hiccup's shoulder and looked down.
[Brother can pick up on impressions of what our conversations in the Old Tongue are about,] Sharpshot said. [He could tell Haizea and Shadewing were encouraging their hatchling and he's been able to pick upon other things for a while now.]
Toothless' mother tilted her head. [Interesting. We'll take you to see your aunt before the singing competition,] she said. [She'll want to meet you anyways and she can answer your questions. Her age is the only reason your father does not go and get her right now. The hatchling will be here before he could get her out of her den and back up here. You were right in that the hatchling needs to meet his alpha before he meets the rest of you.]
Haizea and Shadewing's cheering silenced everyone. Soon Shadewing appeared at the entrance. Hiccup frowned. He could not see the hatchling and figured it was still in the den. Hiccup's eyes widen when Shadewing moved to stand in front of his father and opened his mouth. Toothless' father leaned forward, opening his mouth as well. Hiccup noted both Night Furies had their teeth retracted.
Shadewing cooed. Hiccup's jaw dropped as a black head no bigger than the palm of his hand lifted. Blue eyes stared over Shadewing's gums and nubs where the sensing lobes would reside twitched. Toothless' father warbled. The hatchling stood on wobbly legs and began climbing out of its father's mouth. Hiccup gasped as the hatchling stepped too far and began to tumble but Toothless' father was ready and caught the hatchling. Toothless' father warbled and cooed while the hatchling moved around in his mouth.
That lasted for several heartbeats then Toothless' father turned to his mate. The procedure of the hatchling leaving one mouth for another repeated itself but this time the hatchling seemed surer of its paws and did not fall. The Night Furies passed the hatchling amongst themselves like that until Toothless got the hatchling from Spitfire. After a moment of cooing to the hatchling, Toothless turned to Hiccup.
[Hold out your hands, son,] Toothless' father said. [Your muzzle is not made to do this so your hands will have to do.]
Hiccup did as he was asked and Toothless lowered his head until his mouth was touching Hiccup's hands. Toothless cooed. The hatchling moved out of its uncle's mouth and onto Hiccup's palms. Hiccup did not even mind the slickness from the adults' salvia. He was too busy staring at the small being he was holding.
The hatchling, finding itself not in the mouth of another of its flock, looked around. It then stood and stretched. Hiccup made a non-verbal, human version of a dragon's coo. The hatchling was bigger than Frost's and Pale's but not as long as Ringfire's. Nubs that would be wings lifted and lowered along a body the length of Hiccup's hand.
The hatchling shared one thing with the other hatchlings Hiccup had met, it could not control its tail anymore then the others could. The tail, with nubs where the tailfin would grow, swung and cracked against Hiccup's chest frequently. Hiccup did not mind. He brought the hatchling up to his face, still uncaring that its scales were wet due to being in the adults' mouths, and nuzzled its cheek. The hatchling cooed and returned the nuzzling.
She knelt upon her partner's back. An expanse of blue extended both below and above her. Many times she and her friend would do this when it was just the two of them but this time others came along with them. She glanced over at the flock then down at the alpha and frowned.
She could never understand their noises, but she had long figured out they were speaking to each other. She knew back at the nest both her friend and the alpha were arguing before the alpha roared and all of the nest flew into the air, hatchlings settled in the mouths of their parents. She and her friend had moved to the front of the flock and her friend began flying north. She glanced back once to see if the flock followed. They did, but what she also saw both scared and upset her. The alpha was attacking the nest that had been home for years.
That had been days ago and still they traveled north. She did not know what was going on. She did suspect that the Terror that showed up and the fact that a pair of Zipplebacks left with the Terror did not sit right with the alpha, but she did not see why he would have the entire flock move and then destroy the nest.
Still, she trusted the alpha. He gave her a home. He allowed her to stay with the one who reflected her soul. He kept her family safe from her.
She knew not where they were going or even why, but she knew that when they arrived wherever the alpha ordered them to go, she would do as she had always done. She would serve her alpha alongside her friend and repay him the kindness he had shown her.
Kirika: Hehe, yes. We'll get to meet the new one.
Literally Nobody: I'm glad you like the hatchling. Did he live up to your expectations? And thank you, I am honored and humbled that you like my OCs. I work hard to keep them real and not let them overpower the hero of the story, Hiccup. And you said it right.