They returned to Skulder's small camp. Skulder was notably uncomfortable with two Night Furies, on Deadly Nadder, and one Sentinel ringing his campfire. Hiccup still noted the man acted as he remembered. Skulder had not been one to fight when he lived on Berk and did all he could to avoid the dragons in the raids. He never made it to where his courage was questioned, though. While being uneasy about everything, Skulder still offered no threats or fear filled attacks towards the dragons.
Hiccup also had no qualms in telling Skulder the truth of the dragons. He told the man of the fallen queen, the battle, and the fact that the dragons could speak and had a culture all their own. Skulder had been one of a very few that saw worth in Hiccup as he grew and Hiccup never forgot that.
"They can speak?" Skulder asked. "It's funny. I got the impression those little ones were coordinating in their efforts to watch me. Now I know they were."
Hiccup snorted. "You would end up on a dragon's nest."
Skulder laughed. "Such is my lot in life," he said. "Purposively guard the women with little children to avoid the dragons and find myself surrounded by them. Still this renders mute old Bork's rhetoric about dragons being 'extremely dangerous'. I do wonder if half of the things he wrote were true. Have wondered that for a while now since I been gone. Tell me, young Hiccup, how did Gobber take the news his ancestor was wrong? How did the chief take the news he was wrong?"
"Dad adopted Toothless and Sharpshot," Hiccup said, "and Gobber's taken to playing his pipes for the young dragons that now live on Berk."
Having gotten used to calling it a nest, Hiccup had to stutter a bit to rephrase that line. Skulder might be accepting of the dragons not being mindless killers but this did not mean the man would understand that Berk was now a nest of humans and dragons.
"Oh, dear," Skulder cried, pulling Hiccup from his thoughts. "I have been exceedingly rude. The dragon chief must think I have no manners. Please, is he one of your companions? I wish to make amends."
Hiccup glanced at Toothless, intending to garner his reaction on Skulder meeting the alpha of the nest. Skulder, however, moved. Hiccup placed a hand over his mouth, hiding his grin, as Skulder bowed at the waist to Toothless.
"Honored dragon chief, please forgive me for setting up camp in your territory without your permission."
[I'm saying no,] Onyxwing stated in a playful tone.
To Skulder's credit, he only jumped a little. Hiccup stared over Toothless' head at Onyxwing and shook his head. Onyxwing shrugged his wings like Shadowfire did. Hiccup rolled his eyes then focused back upon Skulder.
"That's Toothless. The alpha of the nest is in inside."
"Oh," Skulder said straightening. He looked back and forth between Hiccup and Toothless. "Do you think I could meet him? Even if I can't understand him, I would like to apologize for dropping by unannounced."
Hiccup smiled.
They returned to the meeting cavern. Even being a prince of the nest, Hiccup would not bring Skulder to the royal chambers without the alpha's permission. Besides, it was Toothless' father's right to grant access to the nest, not Hiccup's.
Onyxwing volunteered to inform the alpha and bounded off through connecting corridors. Hiccup watched as Flame Whippers crawled across the meeting cavern's ceiling. Ice Terrors edged the various ledges scattered around the cavern. Hiccup did not fail to notice their gazes were trained on Skulder.
One Ice Terror actually fluttered across the cavern and landed at Hiccup's feet. Hiccup kept his grimace as the Terror bowed, wings spread to Hiccup and Toothless. This did not go unseen by Skulder. Hiccup knew that by the minute eyebrow lifting Skulder did.
[My princes,] the Ice Terror said, its voice female. [I shall stand guard until more of the nest and more of your flock arrive.]
[Thank you, Tiny-icespitter,] Toothless said.
Hiccup glanced at the dragon, his own eyebrow lifting.
[Something always done when the visitor the nest is not expected or does not have his story told in advance of his coming.]
Hiccup grunted but accepted the explanation.
Soon more dragons filled the cavern. Hiccup heard the murmurs and then heard all fall silent when the alpha pair, followed by all that had been in the chambers except for Haizea, the hatchling, Toothless' boys, and Sunburn walked into the cavern. Hiccup also noted that Shadowfire tried to keep back and away from the rest on a ledge Toothless' father directed the Riders and their dragons to stand upon. Hiccup smiled as Hookfang lightly buffeted Shadowfire with his wing and gestured with his head for the Western Dragon to join them. Meatlug also add her opinion on the matter by shoving Shadowfire towards the others. Hiccup's smile grew as Shadowfire stopped resisting and was bracketed by Hookfang and Meatlug while Barf and Belch laid by Shadowfire's front paws. The Zippleback acted as a backrest for the Riders told to sit by Spitfire.
[My son,] Toothless' father called down. [Whom do you bring into the nest?]
Hiccup glanced at Toothless only to have the Night Fury shake his head. Toothless then nudged Hiccup forward a step. A clear indication that Hiccup was to answer the question. Hiccup cleared his throat and stared into his adopted father's eyes.
"An old friend," Hiccup answered. "One who left home before the end of the war."
[He left the nest while it was still fighting those under that false queen's command?]
"He left to seek the tales of our people. Tales he believed the elders had forgotten or only had vague knowledge about. He also did with my blood father's full blessing."
Hiccup saw out of the corner of his eye as Skulder registered how Hiccup had phrased that. Skulder's eyebrows lifted again, but this time not in intrigue but in genuine surprise and a great deal of confusion. Hiccup knew he would have to explain fully later.
[Why has he been brought into this nest?] Toothless' father asked, pulling Hiccup's focus.
"He wishes to make amends for setting up camp without the permission of the alpha."
Murmurs chorused through the cavern. Toothless' father allowed them for a heartbeat then cleared his throat.
[Do you trust the human, my son?]
Hiccup straightened to his full height. "Yes."
Toothless' father did not respond for several more heartbeats, then Hiccup saw the gummy smile Toothless used split the alpha's muzzle.
[Then we must allow the human to understand us. It would be rude to carry on where he only hears one half of the conversation after all.]
Kirika: No, not Oswald. Good guess though. And cool. I may use that cause I like the way it is spelled.
Literally Nobody: I love writing Onyx and Sunburn. Those two never fail to put a smile on my face. Hehe, I had title it that way. Chapter called for it. Toothless is adorable and so is Moondust. It's great getting to write their love story. Skulder is an NPC in the School of Dragons game and is one of my favorites. Since I'm pulling from movies, books, and the games, I added him for this. He has more roles to play though. Nope, he doesn't, and won't, kill any dragon.