Hiccup hugged Shadowfire's muzzle again. He allowed his alpha magic to surge. Shadowfire cooed. Hiccup felt Astrid's hand upon his right arm. She lifted it, placing it around her shoulders as her left hand curled around Hiccup's waist. Her right arm then enclosed Shadowfire into the embrace.
"I forgive you, too," Astrid whispered.
Hiccup watched silver eyes close and felt the dragon go boneless, slumping against the ground, though he kept his muzzle tight against them. Hiccup smiled as Astrid laid her cheek against the ridge of scales over Shadowfire's eyes. Hiccup followed suite, laying his cheek against the ridge on the other side.
[Thank you,] Shadowfire whispered.
Hiccup's head jerked up at the sound of a dragon growling. He glanced around, finding none of his dragons making the noise. They all landed as they were able near to Shadowfire and were laying their heads against him, even Toothless' boys. All were purring as well. Their riders were standing beside their dragons, hands placed upon Shadowfire's scales. Hiccup caught Snotlout's eye. The teen gave a half-hearted shrug but made the hand signal for later with his other hand. Hiccup tipped his head then looked around again for the growl.
"Whoa!" he cried, causing everyone with him to look up.
The alpha pair were hovering in front of the other Fury. Both had their teeth bared and sensing lobes laying flat against their skulls. Spitfire and Haizea hovered to either side of them, while Shadewing stood between Hiccup and his group and the edge the dragons hovered off of. The hatchling laid at his father's paws, glancing around with wide eyes. He turned at Hiccup's call and wobble-walked closer. Hiccup extracted himself from the group and scooped the hatchling up. Shadewing spared a glance over his wing. When he saw his son in Hiccup's arms, his wings flared and he joined his mate in the air.
[You could have killed my sons,] Toothless' father snarled.
The other Fury lowered his head. [Hiccup had to trust his soul. He cannot learn what the Way-guard is here to teach him if he did not.]
[And your solution was to attack him and his brother in the air?!] Toothless' mother growled.
Hiccup moved closer, keeping the hatchling tight against his chest. "What do you mean trust my soul?" he asked.
The other Fury looked down and Hiccup saw a peculiar light shine in the dragon's eyes. A look that was part longing, part sad, and part proud all mixed together.
[There is power woven into your soul, Hiccup. You have to trust it, all of it. My attack was to get to you fully reach out to Toothless.]
[Why don't we return to the nest and discuss this?] Toothless suggested. [So that everyone can be on solid ground.]
Toothless' father grunted. [Go.]
Toothless lowered his head, offering his back to Hiccup. Hiccup looked up to Shadewing.
[You carry him, brother,] Shadewing said.
Hiccup blinked but did not protest. He was enjoying holding the hatchling. That part of being an alpha he greatly loved. The young of the nest always brought smiles to his face. He moved to Toothless' side and felt a hand upon his arm. He glanced over, finding Astrid standing there. She held out her hands and he shifted the hatchling to her. He smiled at her then slipped into the saddle. Once he was settled, Astrid handed him back the hatchling. The little dragon cooed and yawned before curling against Hiccup's belly. Hiccup heard soft snores and heard Astrid snicker softly. She gripped his arm, staring at him for heartbeat before kissing his cheek then moving away from his line of sight.
Soon they were in the air and heading back to the nest. Once there they went straight to the royal chambers. Hiccup, having seen Shadowfire fly slightly away from the group, gestured for the Western Dragon to lay down in the middle of the room. Hiccup then purposively sat down by the Shadowfire's elbow and leaned against the dragon's side. Astrid and the rest of the humans all sat down to either side of Hiccup and leaned against Shadowfire as well. Hiccup smiled when the Berkian dragons closed in around Shadowfire and laid down with some part of themselves, be it a wing or a tail, touching the Western Dragon.
[The Alpha's forgiveness is absolute,] Sunburn whispered as she and the other Fury sat down next to Meatlug.
Said Gronckle sat between Shadowfire's forelegs, though she faced the group.
[Yes,] Toothless' father said as he, his mate, Spitfire, Shadewing, and Haizea completed the circle, [and I am proud of you, Hiccup, for forgiving your nest-mate.] Toothess' father looked to the other Fury. [Now, explain what caused you to think that stunt was the right call.]
The other Fury sighed. [The Way-guard needs to be here for the full story,] he said.
[Shadewing.]
Said dragon spun out of the circle and bounded out of the chambers. Hiccup took that moment to catch Haizea's eyes and point at the hatchling still sleeping in his lap. She shook her head.
[He is fine, brother, so long as you don't mind.]
"I don't," Hiccup whispered. "I love holding hatchlings."
He again caught that gleam in the other Fury's eyes but it was gone as soon as the dragon shook himself. Sunburn stared at her friend and Hiccup saw concern in the eye he could see. Before he could ask, Shadewing bounded back into the chamber and Hiccup's eyes widen at the dragon following him.
Easily as tall as Shadowfire, the solid white dragon had milky white eyes and looked like it had stones for a hide. Its white wings were used as walking aids, much like the Nightmares did. It also walked as if its legs were popping in and out of contact with its body. Its head even moved with the same popping motion. Hiccup then saw all the Night Furies' sensing lobes lift straight. Toothless' father looked over his wings.
[He attacked my sons and said you must be here for the explanation.]
Hiccup blinked. That sounded like a response to some question Hiccup did not even know existed. Toothless' father snorted.
[Yes, I know. Now, explain,] the alpha added swinging his gaze back to the other Fury.
The other dragon sighed. [A plan has always been set for humans and dragons. It was put into effect at the founding of the world. Unfortunately, dragons began to believe themselves superior to that plan and the humans they were supposed to be working with. Such beliefs escalated until massive alpha species pitted their nests against each other.]
"The Days of Chaos," Hiccup said, catching the white dragon shifting with that same popping motion and staring at him. "The Head Elder of an Illusion-scale nest mine is allied with told me that."
[Correct,] Sunburn said. [Sadly, it took far too long for something to change.]
"Toothless' ancestor," Fishlegs stated. "He told us that tale."
[Quite,] the other Fury said. [Despite what the tale says, they were not the first humans and dragons to bond. There were others before the Days of Chaos. Arrogance destroyed them and the bond they created. Love restored everything.]
"So, the Common Tongue and the rider's bond happened before Toothless' ancestor met that human mage?" Hiccup asked.
[No,] Sunburn said. [The bond created before the Days of Chaos was just the bonds one forms with nest-mates and such can be easily shattered if the right pressure is placed upon them.]
[It took the magic in the mage and the magic all dragons possess to weave that bond into a solid cord,] the Fury said, he eyes closed and his muzzle lowered.
"But," Hiccup began, "how does a breath attack make this bond that strong?"
The Fury lifted his head. [Dragons hold far more magic than our breath attacks. Sadly, the Days of Chaos caused us to forget or lose that fact.]
[Aunt always said differently,] Toothless' said. [She told us all that a dragon's only magic was the breath attack they used and everything else was just how we were made.]
Hiccup saw the other Fury flinch as if Stoick had leveled a punch to his head. Sunburn nuzzled the dragon, cooing.
[She's wrong,] the other Fury whispered. [And I am fool for not making sure she told the truth. She had guided the nest wrong and I was not here to stop it.]
"Wait," Fishleg said. "You act as if you could have stopped her. You're just a visitor trusted by the alpha, right?"
[No,] the Fury said and Hiccup's eyes widen as the dragon stood to his paws, the spikes upon his back split, and a blue hue radiated from all of them, even the ones on his head. [I am her father and I am the dragon in that tale all nests give.]
Literally Nobody: Sure. Hehe, Loki had his reasons. Trust me. Heather was already in the story and will show up again. You have a good day/night as well.
Kirika: You are right. Something important was overlooked. But that was on purpose. As for the confusion, being surprise attacked does make for a tangled mess of everything. Things will be revealed and explained, don't worry.
Prince: Stormfly would not have endangered Astrid since Shadowfire had her suspended as he stood on his back legs. Since everyone was trying to get him to let her down, that stopped anyone from interfering with what was happening in the air. It's all for a reason that will explained.
Dark: It's an eye opener for all. And Hiccup used his alpha voice to command Shadowfire. His soul connecting to Toothless flew from a different power. That will explained soon as well.