Even with many of the Tall-singers of the nest being in the contest, it did not last long. It held only three rounds and ended with Shadowfire and the black and duskblue female they met in the corridor being the last two contestants. Gyda grinned when Shadowfire seemed to insist the female to go before him when the elder called for them. Shadowfire probably did not see it, her son rarely did, but that female had been intrigued when she learned he sung in the Common Tongue. She remained intrigued now.

Everyone watched Shadowfire once he began singing the first time. They continued watching him throughout the night. Gyda, however, split her attention. She would watch her son as he performed two songs from Josh Groban, but she would also watch the female. Said female stared at Shadowfire except for the times she sang.

It also amused Gyda that her son was the only one to sing in the Common Tongue. He had not lied when he explained why. He taught himself to do this so that she could enjoy her son's talent and to also join him at times. At least the other dragons who were in the competition were not as grating upon the ears like some Terrible Terrors that swore they could sing. Even Iggy, calm and collected Iggy, yelled at them in the morning when they chose to 'practice' in the middle of the village.

Gyda set up straighter when the female finished and moved aside. Shadowfire padded over to the stone and stared at his paws for a few seconds. Gyda tilted her head, wondering if he would sing another Josh Groban song or change everything up.

Hiccup's little stunt had erased the guilt and trepidation her son felt. Gyda knew that. The roars and cheers from the nest as he performed restored her son's natural good nature. The first song had been a soft melody that Gyda loved. His second had been slightly faster but no less profound. She wondered what his third song would be.

He lifted his head and began singing. Gyda swallowed her bark of laughter. It would not be appropriate. Her son, her giddy and silly son, was back. She did giggle when he started dancing as soon as he hit the chorus.

"What song is he singing?"

Gyda glanced left, finding Astrid staring at her. Gyda grinned. "It's called I Lived and I suspect he's singing it in honor of Onyx."

"I'm glad he's back to his usual self," Fishlegs said. "I was missing the dragon that sang and danced for us back at your house."

"Wait," Snotlout began, "he's done this before?"

"Not this song," Fishlegs said. "That was one he said was called Can't Stop the Feeling. But he danced much like he's doing now."

"Man," Tuff grumbled. "Knew I should have come with you Fish instead of following my sister into-"

Ruff's slap to her brother's arm shut Tuff up but Gyda leaned forward and stared at them.

"After the contest," she began, purposively shifting her tone into her sensei voice as they called it, "you two and I are discussing just what you both were up to while in my home."

"Yes, sensei," both chorused at the same time.

Hiccup chuckled but gestured for everyone to look back at Shadowfire. Gyda grinned when even Snotlout did as Hiccup silently ordered. They had come a long way. Gyda knew she would have done everything the same, even with knowing that pretty much the entirety of her family had lied to her.

She would only change one thing about the entire experience. She would slap Loki for putting her son in the position he did. If the implications of Onyxwing's existence meant what Gyda thought it did, she knew what she would do if she lived to see the day those three finished with the younger version of herself. She would wait until they were away from that cave, but she would give Loki a piece of her mind.

[We shall take a moment and then announce the winner.]

The elder Tall-singer and what looked like every elder for the difference species in the nest, moved out of the caldera. Gyda watched the female stop Shadowfire before he would walk away from where the performers were.

"Oh ho," Tuff cried. "Sister, I see something. Do you see what I see?"

"Dear brother, do you mean the budding form of love blossoming in the frozen north?"

"Why yes. Such wonder deduction you have, sister."

"Thank you, good sir."

"What are you two muttonheads going on about now?" Snotlout asked.

Tuff pointed at Shadowfire. "Our boy is falling in love."

"I'm pretty sure he's Gyda's boy," Fishlegs said.

Tuff and Ruff shook their heads at the same time.

"Oh, no, our young elder-in-training. Gyda may have raised him, but we..we taught him those moves."

Fishlegs snorted. "Did either of you listen earlier? Shadowfire sang and danced for Hiccup, Astrid, and I in Gyda's dining hall when we visited her home. You couldn't have taught him anything."

Gyda turned away. The twins now looked as if Fish had taken the very ground under them and ripped it away. She did not want them to see her grin. It would not be appropriate but it amused Gyda that with all the changes, the teens still sometimes acted like they did in the shows.

[Mom. Mom.]

Shadowfire's voice coming close pulled Gyda's attention forward. She did grin then. The female was walking with him.

[Mom, she wants to learn to sing like I do,] her son said, what could only be called a happy grin splitting his muzzle. He then turned to Hiccup. [Alpha, could she come visit the nest sometime after winter so I can teach her?]

Hiccup grinned. "All from this nest is welcomed to visit, whenever they want to."

[Thank you, Alpha,] Shadowfire said, lowering his head.

Gyda saw the female watch her son before looking towards Hiccup. She clamped a hand over her mouth at the calculating gleam that appeared in the female's dusk blue eyes. Astrid slapped her arm as soon as both dragons returned to the other side of the caldera. Gyda snorted and snickered.

[Frost is going to love this,] Sharpshot said with a cackle.

He shared a look with Toothless and both dragons grinned then spoke at the same time.

[Payback.]

Authoress note: The second song he sang was Brave by Josh Groban. The third was I Lived by OneRepublic.

Kirika: I agree with Spitfire too.

Literally Nobody: I was wondering where you were. I'm glad that you like how I write Toothless. It's nice to know I got them in character. Yep, Hiccup's power is growing as he learns to trust it. And yep, now Skulder knows. Considering what is gonna be learned at the end of this, he needs to know. Have a good day/night and Easter as well.