[To the humans,] Meatlug said before Hiccup could even formulate a reply, [the action is similar to us nuzzling our mates. Alpha and Lady Alpha seem to do this action to likely strengthen their bond, just like the rubbing of his neck earlier.]
Hiccup saw several dragons, including the alpha pair, nod their heads as if in understanding.
[Since it suffocates the other,] a lightly blue-hued Groncicle began, [it probably shows trust between them as well while their courtship continues.]
Shadowfire choked then snickered. [No,] he said, shaking his head. [Despite what Toothless thought, and continues to call it, kissing doesn't suffocate the humans. It's actually an enjoyable activity for those who are mates or to become mates, as I'm sure Alpha and Lady Alpha will attest to.]
Hiccup felt his cheeks burn. He then saw Gyda cut her eyes at her son.
"Since when did you become such an expert on courting humans kissing each other?"
Hiccup grew intrigued when Shadowfire cast his gaze at the others around before staring at his mother and smirking.
[Netflix and YouTube.]
Hiccup blinked at the unfamiliar words but Gyda seemed to know exactly what they were since her eyes narrowed and her face turned neutral. Shadowfire was unphased as he snickered.
[Also, Nana explained many things to me and Frost when you were at your mage training.]
"Of course she did," Gyda muttered, running a hand over her face.
[From the word we gained the last time humans and dragons could use the Common Tongue,] Toothless' mother began, shifting to look at Gyda, [we know young ones will call their father or mother's mother that. Was this your mother Shadowfire speaks of?]
Gyda took a deep breath and Hiccup saw Astrid place a hand upon the mage's forearm and saw Gyda's thankful smile.
"She was my father's mother," Gyda said. "My mother and her bonded dragon now fly with the ancestors and have done so since I was an older fledgling."
Hiccup blinked as all the dragons from the nest, even Toothless' parents, began crooning in a soft melodious tone. He saw his nest's dragons react and join the others, even Shadowfire. The Western Dragon even kept to the Old Tongue for this.
"Thank you," Gyda whispered, apparently understanding what was going.
Hiccup looked to Toothless as those right with them finished but the sound of the crooning continued up and down the corridor.
[A song of passage,] Toothless said, his tone reverent and soft. [Even though Elder Gyda's mother and aunt have long been flying with the ancestors, we still sing that song. It's usually done just as a dragon passes to ensure a safe flight to the ancestors.]
"Is that dragons honor their dead?" Fishlegs asked in a tiny voice. "I have asked that of Lorekeeper but he still seems reluctant to tell me. He said I will learn in time."
Toothless' father sighed. [It is the first part. The remainder is not something talked about until full trust is known between the two speaking. That Lorekeeper says you'll learn in time means he is coming to trust you fully.]
"Oh," Fishlegs said and Hiccup could hear the slight hurt and slight excitement in his friend's voice. "Then I will wait until he trusts me completely before asking again."
[My prince,] a light green and yellow Woolly Howl began, staring at Hiccup, its voice and the smaller chin scales announcing it to be a female, [What title is Lorekeeper in your nest? I was not able to be at the welcoming and naming ceremony as I was on patrol, but my cousin was off duty and there and he said the title when giving me the tale.]
Hiccup smiled as his friends, human and dragon alike, snickered. They were getting used to this question.
"Lorekeeper isn't a title, it's a name. He's a Flame-skin and is the oldest dragon living in the nest, so he is the Head Elder. When he and the other dragons joined the nest, I asked if I could give him a name as there were many Flame-skins and I knew I would get confused. He said elders hold the tales of the ancestors. To Vikings tales are the lore of our people so I asked if he would mind the name Lorekeeper since he keeps the tales, the lore his people."
The Woolly Howl titled her head. [Clever,] she said. [I have heard that humans are not blessed with a dragon's sense of smell or you all would not let yourselves smell like that, so giving your nest-mates names would help you.] The dragoness' eyes widen and she bowed, wings spread as she was able with a Flame Whipper to one side and the Groncicle that spoke earlier to the other. [Forgive me, my prince, I meant no insult.]
Hiccup chuckled. "It's okay. First day we met Shadowfire, he informed all the humans of my nest that they smelled like three barrels of fish that were left to stay in the sun for several moon cycles."
[I believe it was three, Alpha,] Shadowfire said.
One of the two three Western Dragons with the group stared at Shadowfire as if it could not believe what it was hearing. The dragon, one that stood at a height slightly shorter than Shadowfire and had black scales like him, but had dusk blue to its horns, chin, neck, underbelly, and under its wings where Shadowfire had silver in those areas, shook itself.
[Your alpha did not reprimand you for that?] it asked, its voice female.
Shadowfire chuckled. [The nest wasn't formed then,] he said, [and the other dragons had not called him alpha. And they were visiting mother's den. And I left Alpha out of that comment. He smelled nice then and still does now. The other humans are learning though.]
The Western Dragon female blinked and looked to Hiccup. For his part, Hiccup snorted and then shrugged.
"I like to smell clean," he said. "And then Toothless would start the licking thing as we became friends." Hiccup cut his eyes at his brother. "Which still does not wash out, mind you."
[Still not meant to, dear brother,] Toothless retorted.
Before anyone else could make another comment an explosion rocked the corridors. Toothless' sons screeched in fear and tried to become one with Hiccup, who immediately knelt as he was able to comfort them.
Toothless' father groaned as a loud roar followed the explosion. [I am going to have to give her an extended break for this,] he muttered.
Literally Nobody: Hehe, yes, they are and they know it too. That Night Fury will appear again and we'll learn who he is later. That would have been hilarious but at that point he was reacting like a concerned father rather than a curious dragon. And it's Hiccup and Astrid, you know before they actually leave the nest to return home they'll kiss each other more than a few times. I'm sure all in the nest will get a chance to see the suffocating lip action.
Don: Hehe, good guess, but nope.