/You sought to test one who had already been tested./
"I do not need your counsel."
/Your father would not be pleased by your actions./
"My father is not here."
/You would be surprised./
"I have no need to continue speaking with you."
/Then listen./
The Way-guard took a measure of enjoyment in watching the female Wind-shrieker jerk at the tone his voice took. She had done what he and her alpha had warned her not to. She had thought her way the right one. She forgot that her father sought to rid all of the dragons of that kind of thinking. She forgot that believing themselves right and superior had been why the alphas of old wrought chaos upon all of dragonkind and almost destroyed everything set in motion from the very beginning. The Way-guard was done being polite to one who had not learned her lesson in the many seasons she had been alive. The Way-guard had enough placating her just because she was a very old friend's daughter and he had asked the Way-guard to guide her.
/The one you made to feel was not welcomed is the one I am here for. The one you caused to leave this cavern is the one who must be shown the way. I will execute my duty because I vowed that to your brother. You would do well to never harm that human ever again, no matter how right you think you are. I will defend him next time and it will not be yelling that you endure./
The Way-guard then left the cavern. His ears caught the sound of the female hissing and the sounds of the nest scrambling to find its new prince. The Way-guard sighed. He hoped the female's ill-conceived actions had not set everything back. He must show the human the way. He must show the human the past secreted away to safe guard it for this moment. He had made that vow long before he found his rider, but being here, this far from his rider, was causing a strain.
The Way-guard headed away from the noise of the search. He had given the alpha two turnings of the sun and the moon and it still amused him that the alpha immediately remembered the human term for that. Much had been learned when the humans stayed within the nest and much had been lost when those same humans had to leave. Soon even the parts hidden would be revealed but for now he would return to his sleeping den and rest. He had to keep his strength even with the yawning hole tearing at his soul. He had to be prepared. Once his duty was discharged, he could return to his friend, his rider, his human. For now, he would sleep.
The boys got to him first. Hiccup no more stepped into the nest fully than all three younglings raced ahead of everyone. Spikestorm pressed against Hiccup's right side. Sliverfire pressed against Hiccup's left side. Sandblast stopped in front of him and rose to his hindlegs, which put his head right even with Hiccup's nose. This did not stop Sandblast from trying to hook his forelegs over Hiccup's shoulders. Hiccup realized what the youngling wanted and ducked a bit. Sandblast cooed and gripped Hiccup much like Toothless' mother did earlier.
[Uncle Alpha, that elder was mean. Uncle Elder Fishlegs yelled at her for you.]
Hiccup blinked but was unable to look at his friend for confirmation because Sandblast tried to enclose Hiccup with his wings. His brothers screeched in protest. Hiccup heard Toothless chuff and then heard the boys grumble in the Old Tongue.
[Sons, let him breathe.]
Hiccup made it a point to scratch each of his nephew's chins before they stepped back to let the others move closer. Toothless' father stood right behind Sandblast, who had return to all fours.
[My son,] Toothless' father began, [I am sorry she did that to you. I told her not to. I told her to leave those blasted tests back in the past along with the stupid thinking that dragons knew better just because we can use magical breath attacks. Know this, you are wanted and you are very much welcomed in this nest.]
Hiccup glanced back towards the opening then turned to Toothless' father and smiled. "Someone set with me out there. A Night Fury that said you know him and let him come and go as he pleases. He talked with me over what happened and told me what she was doing. He told me to stop overthinking what others think of me and to remember that my flock and my nest love me and that cannot be changed by outsiders."
"Okay, I want to meet this Night Fury," Astrid said. "I've been telling you that for a while now and you haven't listened to me yet."
Hiccup chuckled then looked down at Sandblast who decided to sit down right in front of him. Sandblast lifted his head and Hiccup heard the youngling hiss.
[You want me to move so you and Aunt Lady Alpha can do that lip suffocating thing, right?]
Hiccup sent a glare towards Toothless as the rest of the Berkian nest dragons and humans started cackling. Toothless' father and mother and several other adult dragons, who were with all of them, looked between those cackling and Hiccup. Hiccup knew his face was red again since Toothless' mother and father stared at him with the same concern he saw when Toothless' father asked if Astrid massaging his neck was magic too.
[What is this lip suffocating thing?] Toothless' mother asked.
Hiccup swallowed hard then coughed. "It's kissing," he said feeling his ears burn. "Toothless did not know what Astrid and I were doing at first and said it looked like we were suffocating each other."
The two Night Furies turned to Toothless. He shrugged his wings.
[It's what it looked like. Ask Stormfly. She was there.]
The alpha pair turned to Stormfly. Stormfly squawked and shook herself.
[It does look like that.]
Hiccup fell under the gaze of all the dragons from this nest standing in the corridor. Toothless' father titled his head.
[Son, why do you do this thing?]
Hiccup wanted to be somewhere far from where he stood.
Prince: Hehe, yes she did. He's got a great woman standing with him. And Astrid would make a great guard, so long as Hiccup didn't distract her with several kisses.
Dark: If you mean notice Hiccup leaving? Everyone did but Toothless' mother did tell them where she sent him so they were not worried.
Don: Um, not quite.
Kirika: Hehe, I think Fish surprised himself with all of that. And Sandblast loves his uncle. And we'll meet those two dragons again and learn who they are later.
Literally Nobody: Everyone loves Fishlegs and everyone was surprised by him. I think he was surprised by himself. Eh, Toothless' aunt…well… yeah.. They have learned their lesson and are now making sure it never happens again. I'm glad you liked the chapter. Have a good day/night as well.