Hiccup watched Hookfang and Shadowfire carry the chest in using the net Fishlegs carried for collecting rocks for Meatlug and Boulder. The dragons sat it down far from the barrel so as not to disturb Skulder. The man glanced up once when they entered then returned his gaze to the carving. Hiccup still appreciated that Skulder did not seem uncomfortable with all the dragons around him. Of course, Skulder had always been one who focused solely upon his research to the point he forgot his surroundings. He also forgot to eat. Hiccup remembered bringing the man food at times before he left the island. Skulder always thanked Hiccup when he did that. Something Hiccup did not get a lot of back then, not even from Gobber.
Meatlug hovered over the net, lifting the chest and sitting it down to the side so her rider could gather the net back. Hiccup waited until Meatlug moved away, landing beside Fish, before he and Astrid moved closer. Gyda joined them. She pointed to something near the point a lock would naturally be placed. Hiccup leaned closer and his eyes widen. He turned to Gyda. She nodded her head. Hiccup blinked and shook his head in disbelief.
Part of his magic training with Gyda had been to learn the mage's tongue as it was named. The language of magic according to Gyda. Not only was it a spoken language used to enact the spells a mage learned if the spell called for one, it was also a written language used to teach those who knew it. Hiccup was not fluent in this form, not like he was in Gaelic or Latin, but he recognized the symbol Gyda indicated. It literally translated to 'close and open only when ready.' That the symbol also looked like a simplified form of Berk runes in use today also shocked Hiccup.
"Do I get to know what is so important about that lock symbol?" Astrid asked in a soft voice.
Hiccup glanced at his teacher and only turned to Astrid when Gyda nodded her head. Normally non mages were not allowed to know and understand either form of the language, but Hiccup was adamant that Astrid would stand as his equal in all things. She would know everything he did. She would be his queen and run the tribe and the nest along side him and in his place if he was unable to do so.
Gyda had said she would not keep Astrid from his lessons but had been reluctant to let her learn the non-magical parts of it until he insisted. Her muttering something about his resolved reminding her of a fighting arena still confused Hiccup, especially considering that she did not then, and still did not now, elaborate on what she meant. Whatever she was thinking of aside, she did end up teaching Astrid.
"It means it opened when the spell faded," Hiccup whispered.
Astrid had not been with him when Gyda taught about magic set to remain in an area or on an object for a certain limit of time, unless a mage renewed the spell. She had been with her mother learning something that she said would be a surprise for Hiccup. Hiccup had not pushed to know the surprise, trusting Astrid's words that he would gain the surprise when Astrid was ready to give it to him.
"The mage that set the spell didn't return and renew it," Hiccup added, still keeping his voice in a whisper.
Astrid glanced over her shoulder at Oynxwing then turned back to the chest. "So, we know the mage is not dead since he said his rider did all of this. That means he meant for the spell to fade."
"More than that," Gyda said softly. "The landslide was no accident."
"What are you all blathering on about?"
Snotlout's shouted questioned prevented Gyda from explaining. Hiccup straighten, looking behind Astrid and finding Snot, Fish, and their dragons standing next to Barf and Belch and the twins who had awoken when everyone came back into the cavern. Hiccup snorted, shaking his head.
"What?" Snotlout said. "I did the nice thing with Shadowfire. Only one a day. That's my limit."
Hiccup frowned. "What nice thing with Shadowfire?"
Snotlout jerked a thumb in the dragon's directions. "He thinks he's above you."
[Snotlout!] Hookfang cried.
"What?! We already established that he does."
Hiccup turned to Fish and then to Gyda, hoping one of the two would know what was going on. He found Gyda pinching the bridge of her nose, but her gaze remained upon her son. Fish heaved a long sigh.
"Shadowfire doesn't think he's really forgiven," Fish said in an even tone.
Hiccup spun. He saw Shadowfire sitting back away from the others, head lowered and eyes closed. Hiccup raced across the room, earning murmurs from humans and dragons alike. Shadowfire's eyes opened but Hiccup did not give him a chance to speak. He dove onto the dragon's snout, now big enough that he could do this. Shadowfire held perfectly still and allowed Hiccup to shift around and lay his back against the scales in between Shadowfire's eyes.
[Brother, what are you doing?] Toothless asked, padding over.
"If I didn't forgive him," Hiccup said, his legs dangling to ether side of Shadowfire's snout, "then I would not trust him to catch me. But he did because I know he will never let me down. Just as I know he would never have let any harm actually come to Astrid."
Hiccup saw everyone looking at him as if he had lost his mind. Even Skulder paused in his examination of the carving to stare. Hiccup grunted and shrugged his shoulders.
"Sometimes actions speak louder than words," he said.
Onyxwing began to cackle, though Hiccup heard the slight sorrowful tone underlining it and knew the laughter did not stem from mirth. Whatever Onyxwing was thinking, it overwhelmed him to the point he had to laugh, even if he, as Hiccup suspected, wanted to cry. Hiccup turned his head, still keeping in contact with Shadowfire. He had felt his alpha magic rise the moment he landed upon the dragon's snout and felt that if he stopped touching Shadowfire now something important would be disrupted completely.
Hiccup saw Sunburn and Silent watching Onyx with shared looks of concern. Hiccup resisted the urge to go comfort the dragon. His alpha magic was still active. Onyxwing soon calmed and stared at Hiccup.
[You remind me so much of my rider.]
The statement had been uttered with the same sorrowful tone Hiccup heard under the dragon's laughter. Hiccup tipped his head, still keeping contact with Shadowfire, and vowed to do all he could to get to the end of all of this soon so Onyx could return to his rider.
"Uh, excuse me," Skulder began, sounding unsure. "Um, why did, uh, Toothless, that was your name, right?"
Toothless nodded his head. Hiccup wondered if he had learned that from him or Onyx's rider and resolved to ask his brother about his human traits when they returned home.
"Good, I got it right. Wouldn't want to offend a Night Fury. So, why did Toothless call Hiccup brother? I get the feeling it means more than battle brothers."
Literally Nobody: Shoulder? Hehe. That's actually funny. Snotlout has a good heart. He just has to know he can show it and not be judge for that. Shadowfire might not believe you but he certainly don't mind pets and hugs. Hehe, I think you'll see Hiccup has got the whole making Shadowfire believe covered. And yep, Hiccup is still amazed by all of this coming down to him. But he'll learn. Have a good day/night as well.
Kirika: Ease your worry, my friend. Astrid will have her say. She just prefers to speak to Hiccup about deep things, like his wondering why him, when they are…relatively alone. They are a highly private couple after all. That they let me put in the story what I have… shocks me.