It was dark inside the cave, illuminated only by a pair of eyes sitting on the far side. Hiccup couldn't make out who was there, even when his eyes adjusted partway. Akey pressed close to him, apparently nervous. Who was this Kemat? Probably the leader of the Were-dragons. Tar was sitting at the entrance, listening closely. Hiccup was slightly nervous as the eyes blinked slowly. The owner of them moved closer and reached out, and Hiccup stiffened when a hand touched his chin. The slender fingers moved up the side of his head and brushed the Night Fury ears he had gained.
'Blood-changed...' A voice murmured. 'Unfortunate...'
"Hello- I mean, hello, I am-' Hiccup was interrupted by the stranger in front of him.
'I know who you are. Tar gave me the report. I know why you're here.' The voice said. There was a sense of authority, but no hostility. 'You are looking to become wingless again.' Hiccup nodded dumbly, not knowing what to say. 'I assume the young here is the reason you are changed, mm?'
'Yes.' Akey said quietly. 'It's my fault. Can you undo it?'
Kemat moved forward, and there was some shuffling. The leader was looking closer at Hiccup. He stared into Hiccup's eyes for a long moment.
'I might.' The man stated simply. 'We shall see, mm?' Hiccup stayed still, despite the fact that he was slightly uncomfortable. He had yet to see the person who might save him. There was a stretched silence as Kemat looked Hiccup over. At last he spoke again. 'Yes, I think there is a way to save this one.'
"Oh, thank Thor." Hiccup mumbled in Norse. Akey pressed against him.
'At a price.' Kemat said, sensing the relief.
"What- what price?' Hiccup asked.
Akey tensed, suddenly feeling all his guilt again. Of course there would be a catch.
'We would need something that is not easy to get by any stretch of the imagination.' Kemat started. 'Some of the venom of the one that changed you, mixed with the crushed scales of a moon-changed Nighli, and-'
'Well, we can get one.' Akey said. 'It's in my blood, right?'
'Correct, young one.' Tar replied.
'But what's a... Nighli?' Akey asked, confused.
Tar broke out into a wheezing laughter. 'What's a- what's a Nighli, he asks.'
Kemat growled. 'It's not funny, Tar. Clearly, this young has grown far away from his tribe. He does not know what he is.' Tar went quiet at that.
Kemat turned to Akey. 'We are the Nighli, young one. But we only change to our other forms during the full-moon. You would know this. That is when our instincts come out.'
Akey winced. 'Yeah, those. I know about them. I nearly killed Hiccup last full-moon. I can't control them.'
'You are young. It will not always be this way, young one. As we grow, the fierceness of the change goes away, and we grow used to our full-moon forms. The instinct to kill is not as strong.'
'So you can control yourselves during the full-moon?' Akey asked, amazed.
'Our changing is a natural part of life. It is a sign of our blood, and where we come from. It is not meant to hurt us. It is just very strong when we are younger.' Tar answered.
'Are you... like um...' Hiccup tried to get his dragonese together. '...Like Fangless- I mean... Nighfur...?'
'We share a connection with the great Nighfur.' Kemat answered. 'Parts of us are similar, like a lake is similar to a river. Both of us have similarities that run deep. However, we are not the same.'
'I figured.' Hiccup answered.
'So why is it hard to get the scales, then?' Akey asked. 'Just ask someone to give you a few, and boom. There you go.'
'It is not that simple.' Kemat said. 'Although, the scales may be the easiest of the three ingredients to cure your friend, we have something we do every full-moon that cannot be interrupted. Newer ones get taken out for a flight, and the older ones must spend their time curing the young's hard and powerful instincts. It is something that must be done, all of us participate. We'd need to find another who could give you their scales.'
'Why not you?' Akey asked. Tar tensed at that.
Kemat sighed deeply. 'Not I, young one. As much as I want to aid your friend, I cannot.'
'Why not?' Akey asked, confused. 'You have scales too, right?'
'Not anymore.' Kemat sniffed. 'I do not change.' He said it sadly and wistfully.
'Why?' Akey replied.
'At a certain age, we lose our changing.' Kemat said stiffly.
Akey sensed that he shouldn't press anymore. He nodded respectfully. Kemat shifted in the darkness again.
'Tar, begin getting the young one's venom. Next full-moon, we will get the scales.'
'Wait, but... we need the scales before then!' Akey said. 'Hiccup probably only has less than a moon to live!'
'A shame.' Tar said after a moment. 'But none of us will moon-change before then.'
A feeling of dread slipped into Hiccup. Akey whimpered softly and pressed to his friend.
'Don't you have some scales lying around or something? Or do they need to be fresh?' Akey asked, desperation creeping into his voice.
'Not necessarily, but after we have those two ingredients, we still one more. And that requires a new-moon. It'll be a while before that. And no, we reuse any scales we happen to shed during full-moon. We have none.' Kemat stated.
'Oh, great.' Akey mumbled.
'We will just have to do as much as we can until the next full-moon, and then hope your friend lasts long enough that we can save him.'
'But he'll be dead before the next full-moon.' Akey said miserably.
'Then there's nothing we can do.'
Hiccup relayed the information to Fishlegs, and told him to go tell the others who were still standing by. Fishlegs nodded and moved back the way he came, until Meatlug saw him and he got on her and joined the others.
"Well?" Astrid insisted.
"They have a way to make a cure, but there's a specific way to make it and they won't get it in time." Fishlegs said. "Hiccup says he and Toothless are going to spend his last time here, he wants to learn about their culture. Akey is obviously going to move in with them. Hiccup ordered us to go back to the Edge, tell his father what's going to happen, not to go find him, and not tell Stoick where they are."
Astrid stared ahead for a while. Her fists were balled up, and she pressed against Stormfly, who gently nudged her with a soft squawk. How could Hiccup do this to her? He was planning on disappearing with a bunch of dragon people for the last moon of his life instead of being with her? Why? She couldn't understand. But he had given her some orders. Important ones.
"C'mon, let's go tell the chief." She said curtly, climbing up on her dragon.
Tar motioned to the first large hut. It was right next to the entrance to the clearing, and looked pretty cozy.
'This is where our strongest ones, our warriors, our fighters rest. They fight to defend us from everything from hostile wingless, to dragon threats, to mountain lions and forest fires. They hunt for food to feed us as well.' He turned and began to move to the next hut. Hiccup and Akey followed, with Toothless close behind. He was absolutely refusing to leave Hiccup for even a second, even though the tour wasn't going to be anywhere outside the camp.
'This is the young's den.' Tar waved at a smaller hut, weaved with some thorns among the leaves and vines. 'They are training to become warriors, but haven't mastered their instincts yet.' He moved past a couple of tussling youngsters who didn't stop even when Toothless stopped for a moment to watch them. They tumbled around on the ground in a tangle, growling. Hiccup watched them, amused. Toothless snorted.
'Youngsters.' the Night Fury scooted aside as they tumbled past him.
Tar nodded, then moved along to the next hut. It was next to Kemat's den, and it was tightly weaved with thorns and thistles. Whatever was in there was worth a lot of extra protection. Hiccup peered inside, but it was too dim inside without adjusting his eyes.
'This is the nursery.' Tar stated. 'This is where all our females raise the hatchlings until they're old enough to train. The ones that are expecting also stay in here.' Akey looked slightly more alert at this point. Ever since Kemat had said there was nothing they could do for Hiccup, he had been in an unresponsive and somewhat depressed state, but at Tar's words he perked up and stared curiously.
'Do you lay eggs?' He asked. 'Because you call them hatchlings, so I would assume...'
'Well, the females do, yes.' Tar nodded. He smiled slightly, and ducked partway into the den. 'Hello, is it okay if these ones come inside for a moment and see the little ones? They mean no harm.' After a moment, he popped his head back out. 'Akey, Hiccup, you two can go in and look, but be careful, a mother's instinct is strong. Don't get them mad.' Hiccup nodded.
"You want to go first, Akey?" He nudged the boy slightly. Akey hesitated, and then nodded, crawling through the narrow opening and inside the dim hut. Once his eyes adjusted, he saw three females inside, nested among moss and feathers and other soft things. It was warm and comforting inside. He approached slowly and hesitantly, trying not to upset the mothers. They were watching him, and they were wary, but they also had a warmth in their eyes. One spoke.
'Hello, little young, it is alright. You want to see the hatchlings, yes?' She said kindly, giving Akey a warm smile. 'I am Feari, this is Easa, and over there is Teani.'
Akey smiled, and tried to remember the names he had just heard. 'I'm Akey. Is it alright if I...'
Feari nodded. She glanced down in the nest she was lying in and Akey followed her gaze, moving forward so he could see. Curled up inside were three tiny little hatchlings, and to Akey's surprise, they had their dragon features, wings, tails. They were asleep, their chests rising and falling. He felt a rush of happiness. He had been like this once. But where had he come from? And how had he been separated from the rest of the Nighli?
'Is it okay if I touch one?' Akey whispered. Feari tensed slightly, but then nodded.
'Be gentle.' She warned.
Akey nodded, and moved a hand ever so slowly down toward the hatchling.
'Why do they have wings and tails?' He asked quietly as he reached down and put a slightly trembling finger on the closest one's tiny tail. Its head could easily have fit in his hand.
'That's the way they are born.' Feari murmured. Akey nodded and gently pulled his hand away. One of the hatchlings lifted its head and gave a squeak, fumbling blindly to its paws. It woke the other two, which caused them all to begin crawling around and tripping over each other. Akey smiled as one stumbled out of the nest at his feet. It opened a clouded green eye and stared up at him, squinting. He realized that the hatchling was opening its eyes for what must have been the first time. The precious little thing opened the other eye and stared up at Akey for a long time, blinking.
'Hello.' Akey said softly.
'He-lli?' The hatchling parroted back. Akey smiled broadly. He gently nudged the hatchling back into the nest, where it turned and saw its mother. It squeaked happily and moved toward her. Akey turned away from Feari to Easa and Teani.
'Hi.' He waved nervously. Neither of the females had said anything to him yet. Teani smiled and waved back.
'Hello! I heard about you from the elders. They say you have a Nighfur with you, but gosh, I never even thought they were more than old tales for hatchlings. You must have been so brave, growing up without your tribe! Poor little one, I'd have taken care of you if it were up to me! I'd raise you with my own!' Teani said excitedly. 'Of course, they aren't out yet, and you're way older then them and it's my first time, so I have no experience, but you can bet I'd be the best mother I could to you-'
Teani yelped when Easa gave her a light cuff on the head.
'C'mon, you're rattling off again.' Easa turned to Akey. 'She tends to run on, don't she?' Akey smiled nervously and giggled slightly. 'She's new to this whole mothering business, you'll have to excuse her. Nothing ever wears her out. She's an endless fountain of words.' Easa chuckled softly. 'Always has something to say.'
'I'm right here, Easa, and that hurt! And sure, I talk, but not that much, don't exaggerate!' Teani said, sitting up. Akey saw that her belly was stretched out with babies she was carrying. He couldn't help but stare at the sight, amazed. Teani noticed and smiled. 'Hey, it's okay, it doesn't hurt so much. Only when I stand up, and I don't do that as much since it won't be long until they're born and y'know, I can't wait to see them, they'll be beautiful! I know I'll have to wait another few moons for them to hatch, but it'll be worth it!'
Akey nodded. 'I'm sure it will.' He turned back to Easa. 'So, what about you?'
'Come and see, then.' Easa replied. Akey nodded and scooted closer. In Easa's nest was one black egg. It had some fur wrapped around it to keep it warm. 'I know it isn't much, but I'm not as young as I used to be.' Easa smiled at the egg and rubbed it with a hand. 'It'll be my last one.'
Akey nodded slowly. 'I-I see. Well, I think it's beautiful.' Easa smiled proudly.
'Thank you, little one. But enough about us, what about you?' Easa asked. Akey cocked his head to one side.
'What do you mean?'
Teani grinned. 'Where do you come from? We've never heard of a Nighli growing up so far from home!'
Feari nodded slowly. 'Your parents could have been wanderers, or your egg stolen in the night. But we want to know how you survived.'
Akey shuffled uncomfortably and tried to relax under their gazes.
'I... I just did what I had to, I guess. It wasn't easy.' He mumbled. 'I had a lot of near deaths and stuff, but...' He looked back into his past. The first thing he could remember was what he remembered as a banishment. The first people to look after him just blurry memories and shadowy faces. Perhaps he was a pet, he couldn't remember. He hadn't known if he had done something wrong, or what it was, but he had suddenly been abandoned.
He remembered staring out of a dark alleyway into a busy street, huge hulking hairy Vikings wandering around, laughing in large crowds, smelling of sour things and cooked meat, fire and blood. He had wandered into the street. Where were his parents? Did anyone know he was even there? He had stumbled into people and been tripped on and suddenly he was kicked into a corner, and he scrambled to a hiding place.
He had stared out, scared, trembling, whimpering, as the sun set and it started raining. He had huddled, hungry and alone in a tipped over and empty mead barrel. He had fought cats for their food, huddled in pain during full-moons, trying to ignore those powerful instincts to roam and kill and burn. He had stolen apples, and fish, and cheese just so he could survive another day. He had dodged thrown objects, knives, had tried to understand why people hated him and insulted him and called him a monster and a freak.
He had stared into a puddle after rainfall, staring at his reflection, at the horrible creature that stared back. He had snarled at himself, hating himself, wishing he was normal. He had cried himself to sleep on many nights, rubbing his wounds and scratches.
He remembered finding someone who had cared. A kind girl, a baker's daughter who had kept him in her back alleyway and gave him scraps of food and let him sneak into the back storage room to sleep in a warm place. She had treated him like a stray dog, because she had no reason to think he was any smarter than one, but he didn't care. He let himself enjoy the warm bread and the meat scraps given to him. He remembered the pain of being thrown out by her father, fear and horror in the man's voice as he swore at him and told his daughter never to go near that- that- monster.
He remembered witnessing the horror of seeing someone blood-changed by him. Watching the person who had liked him once, had given him kindness, suddenly changed, yelling at him, what did you do to me I trusted you! Watching them go mad with anger and grief and then-
He remembered telling himself that he'd never get close to anyone.
He roamed from island to island, sneaking on boats, flying during the full-moon, once he learned how.
He was nearly killed from time to time.
A few kind dragons would let him stay with them every once in a while, but he had to leave before he hurt them.
He hurt more people than he had wanted. He hated himself, every fiber of his being, for what he was and what he had done. He couldn't understand why this was him, why this was happening.
He hadn't realized that he had been crying that whole time, but once the memories faded and he found himself back with the three mothers, he found himself shaking and crying, and tried to stop. He hadn't delved that deep into his horrible memories in a long time. He tried to shrink smaller, wishing he would sink into the ground or disappear. Easa, Teani, and Feari were watching him with deep sorrow and love and pity mingled with confusion and he didn't want any of it. He didn't deserve it. He turned and blundered blindly toward the entrance and ran into someone within a few paces.
"Akey?" Akey tried to get past whoever he had bumped into and felt something stopping him. He tried to fight it, and memories, taunting and gripping, came back into his mind with a vengeance. They wanted him to suffer.
"You little freak!"
"Monster!"
"Get out of here!"
"Don't touch me, creature!"
"What is it? Some sort of cursed thing?"
"Hey, bring that back, thief!"
"Kill it! Oh Thor, KILL IT!"
"Help! Someone help!"
He fought and wriggled and tried desperately to get free, but something was gripping him tightly. The shadows pressed tighter and tighter on his mind, and he felt close to passing out, he couldn't breathe, he couldn't move!
WHY?
WHY ME?
PLEASE!
MAKE IT STOP!
He gave up, collapsing to whatever fate was next. He found himself being hugged gently, a pair of big paws holding him close to a chest, his sobs being absorbed by a loving presence. He must have stayed that way for hours, letting the hug calm him down. He opened his eyes and turned to whoever was there. Green dragon eyes met his. Auburn hair draped over a sharp face, a square jaw, thick eyebrows. A kind smile. A slight scar on the chin. Bunches of freckles. Black ears. Hiccup. Relief flooded him so much he collapsed into the arms again.
'Sorry.' He mumbled. 'I must have looked stupid. I completely lost it, I'm so sorry.'
"Don't apologize." Hiccup said kindly, his breath stirring Akey's black messy hair. "It's alright now. Just rest."
Akey glanced around. He was surprised to see that they weren't outside the nursery. They were in another hut, and a dim orange light was filtering through the leaves and branches. Toothless was curled outside, his head peeking inside. His eyes were on Akey, an understanding in them. Toothless had some idea of what had caused Akey's breakdown. The Night Fury found himself concerned for the boy and all the feelings of resentment he had for Akey were gone. He gave Akey a small nod and let his head sink down onto the ground. Akey caught it and sighed slightly. He looked back up at Hiccup, who was watching him with a patience.
'So... how long has it been?' He mumbled.
"A few hours." Hiccup answered. "You gotta be hungry. Want me to go get you something?"
Akey shook his head and pressed closer to Hiccup. The last thing he wanted was for the teen to leave. He felt a selfish sense of need for Hiccup to be there. He felt a sense of peace, curled up next to Hiccup's chest. Hiccup smiled in understanding and wrapped a wing around Akey.
It could wait.
