Arrivals
Hiccup walked from his parents' barn after a brief visit to check on Sky-Dancer at the end of a long day. She was doing what she did a lot of now: sleeping. It was far more laborious for her to get around now at over eleven months in. Though, the same was getting to be true for Moonbeam at about ten months. It was a lot to think about, and one of them always needed rest, something to eat or drink, or more rest.
The truth that he was going to become an uncle and get a new brother or sister basically at the same time was a strange but very good one.
He paused and stared out over the slope and the golden plains, savoring a moment of peace and relaxation in the afternoon wind.
Life was calm and peaceful. There was ample work available for the Furies, and he kept himself busy in the forge since something always had to be fixed or forged for the people in Edoras and the surrounding villages. He also oversaw some of the pack's missions to assist Gondor in regular labor and fishing, all so the pack could earn additional food supplies. Further, the practical advantages of having dragons help in labor and fishing also reminded people of the benefit to both sides from cooperation.
He, Toothless, and Moonbeam had flown several times on missions throughout Gondor to meet with villages and promote the peace. At least, they had done so before she stopped wanting to fly long flights.
In that time, Flame-In-The-Night, Snowfall, Starlight, Wind-Biter, and their children had taken up more lasting residence in the Glittering Caves, though the Furies were also present in Edoras several times each week to meet the rest of the pack and the humans whom they knew. Dreamcatcher was also staying in the Caves where she could be away from as much stress as possible. Everyone agreed that was in her best interest.
The Alphas regularly flew to Tolfalas and reported that all was well there; the fishing was abundant and there had not been any incidents with humans. The island and the rest of the pack was in regular contact every month.
Everything was going well.
He continued on to Toothless's and Moonbeam's barn, and he peeked inside. She was sound asleep, her head on her paws, while Toothless, awake and resting his chin on her neck, lay a wing over her back. Toothless glanced up at him after he silently cracked the door open.
"All good?" he whispered.
"Yes," Toothless whispered back.
"Need anything?"
"No."
He nodded, closed the door, and returned to his own house. Once there, he looked around at the open skies and wondered for a moment at why they were so empty.
Two pairs and their three cubs were living in the Glittering Caves more, Snowflame and Windripper were in Ithilien, and two of the four pairs still in Edoras were resting in their barns. The pack was spreading out, slowly but surely. That was good, but it was also a little worrying because it meant that there were fewer in one place to protect each other.
Not that they needed protecting from anything now.
He strolled inside, kicked off his shoes, and massaged his leg as it ached slightly.
"Stupid leg," he grumbled.
"It's not the only stupid thing about you," Adney answered.
"Where is this coming from?" he wrung his hands in alarm.
She rolled herself out of bed and faced him.
"From your dearly beloved wife whom you abandoned to work the entire afternoon in the forge by herself!"
"Whoa, hold on. You told me to go take care of other stuff this afternoon," he protested.
"That was a test to see if you'd come back."
He frowned and crossed his arms, unsure where this was coming from.
"Hey, Breath-Of-Sky showed up with his saddle and demanded that I check it out, so I had to. You wouldn't want your brother getting hurt because of something stupid like a frayed line, now would you?"
Breath-Of-Sky and Wynfryth, Adney's brother, had become good friends because of how much more Wynfryth was around to visit his sister. Breath-Of-Sky and Wynfryth were already accomplished at flying, naturally without any saddles except on special occasions. Mystery also had a couple young girls whom she liked to spend time with and had even taken on gentle flights around Edoras. She was just large enough to be able to safely do that.
Adney shrugged.
"Alright, that's a fair reason. I was thinking..."
"That's dangerous," he smirked.
She rolled her eyes.
"I was thinking about something our house is lacking. Call it a... project for you."
"For me? Is this a honey-do-list?"
"In a way, but it's not really something only you can do."
"Okay, what is it?"
She sat down on the bed and looked away from him.
"Well, our house could use more furniture."
They already had a couple chests of each other's belongings, a bed, a couple bookshelves for drawings, scrolls, and schematics, a table in the main room, and chairs. What else was missing?
"It sure could. What are we missing?" he asked.
"How about a crib?" she whispered.
A crib? Why would they need...
He took a breath and sat down beside her.
"Oh. Yeah, it's been a while since we talked about that. Do you think we're ready?"
"Do you think we're not?" she countered.
"No, not that. I just, you know how I and Toothless go to Gondor for a while? I doubt that will stop any time soon."
She shoved his shoulder and kissed him.
"I can take care of myself and someone else... for a week or so if I must. You needing to leave for a while isn't a problem."
"You're sure about that?"
"I knew I was getting into that when I married you, so yes... I'm sure."
He slung an arm over her shoulder to hold her close.
"Well, in that case, how about this: I want to be able to help Sky-Dancer and Moonbeam with their cubs when they're here. Those two will be a real handful for sure. There's also nothing wrong with wanting some time just you and me without any permanent distractions."
"True."
"So, we start trying for real next year, but if it happens this year, then what a pleasant surprise. No rushing to forge a great sword, after all. What do you think?"
She held his hand and wove their fingers together while leaning against his shoulder.
"Alright. Sounds like a plan. I hope you don't have any other plans for this evening," she said.
"Nothing. Why do you ask?"
She grinned.
"Because I'm not letting you leave."
He kissed her.
"You think I'd want to leave?" he whispered.
Toothless and Breath-Of-Sky winced at the yelp of pain from within the barn-den. His dam's birthing-need came very suddenly in the afternoon. Hiccup had immediately gotten Haerfara to be there with him for this. No one else from the pack was here right now, so this birthing would not have the same comfort that Lightning's had. But all of his dam's family was here, so they would be enough comfort for her.
Toothless started pacing before the barn-den, the worry in his soul-fire growing greater than it had with Lightning. This was his own dam who was hurting!
There was a long silence from within the den. He glared at the door of the den, his tail twitching as he wondered what was happening inside.
Then the door to the den opened. Haerfara strode away on her own while Hiccup waved to him and Breath-Of-Sky. They both slowly and nervously approached the open door and then peered inside. All that he saw was the healthy, mewling cub sheltered under dam's tailfins at her side. The shape of the small cub's head and body was all he needed to know to be sure what it was without even scenting the cub.
He had a sister now.
Breath-Of-Sky heavily knocked into his shoulder, tail swaying in eagerness.
"Burning-Star, Breath-Of-Sky, you have a sister!" Far-Flight purred.
"Does she have a name?" he hummed without looking away from her.
Dam was still too weak to answer. She would probably go to sleep without moving from there. Let her do that since she needed and deserved all the rest she wanted.
"Yes, we wanted to name her for the better future that is burning to life here. She is Kindled-Dream."
Kindled-Dream, my cub-sister. Good name! Hmm, Moonbeam and I should talk about names soon.
Hiccup stepped over to stand between him and Breath-Of-Sky, a paw on their necks as he also stared toward Kindled-Dream.
"That was not so bad. Very quick and no problems," Hiccup whispered.
"Good. I do not want to think about dam hurting," he whispered back.
"Yeah, me neither. Only one more of these to go for a while," Hiccup mused.
Hiccup glanced at his furs and frowned at them.
"Think you can carry me to the river for a bath? I need one."
"Yes, I will."
Hiccup nodded.
"Thanks. Oh, one more thing. We're sure that the Athelas tea helps a lot with the pain too. I'll let everyone know about that."
He purred in approval. This was very good news that the dams would feel less pain in these important events in the future.
Moonbeam will be glad to hear this.
Hiccup sat in the straw in his parents' barn while waiting for them to return. They could take as long as they wanted to eat and drink; he was entirely content to remain propped up against the barn's wall.
He was busy holding his one month old sister, Kindled-Dream, as she was asleep, curled up in his lap. He had a hand on her purring neck, and her tail was wrapped around his other arm.
Her birth had been easier than he expected; at least it was easier by comparison to Lightning's birth-giving. But it also made sense that a third birth would be easier than a first time. He thought it made sense, anyway; he only had an idea what it must be like through what he saw and heard or was related to him.
That Sky-Dancer had a lot of Athelas tea to drink helped to numb the pain, which was news the entire pack, the females especially, had been very grateful to hear about. Haerfara had also been present, though she let him do more of the work that time. It hadn't been as awkward as he thought it would be to help deliver his own sister.
Kindled-Dream shuffled on his lap, rolling her head slightly as she woke up. Her pale green eyes blinked rapidly as she looked up at him and pawed at his lap.
He touched her nose with a finger.
"Look at you, sis. You're up. You're not going to relieve yourself now, are you?"
It had already happened a couple times while he watched her in the last week, but it had to be taken in stride. She was a baby after all, and babies did that.
She yawned, blinked, and closed her eyes again after she lay her head on her paws while faintly purring. She swiftly seemed to fall asleep again.
Cubs did a lot of sleeping for the first few months after being born, which both he and his parents were happy about.
He hummed until she fell asleep again.
Motion outside the barn got his attention as Breath-Of-Sky stuck his nose into the barn.
"Is she sleeping?"
"Yes."
"Good. She should sleep much so she can grow big. Then I can play with her."
Hiccup chuckled.
"We both will."
Breath-Of-Sky pulled back outside and lay down there.
Far-Flight and Sky-Dancer eventually returned and slipped inside the den while purring profusely.
"She's asleep."
Sky-Dancer lay down and lifted a wing, so he carefully lifted Kindled-Dream and set her in the warm tent. Sky-Dancer curled up around her and started humming a soothing lullaby. Far-Flight, carrying a strip of pork in his jaws, nudged his head while purring in appreciation.
He got up and stood at the door to the barn so that he could listen to that lullaby that had no words and yet conveyed comfort, presence, and love.
Then he returned to his own house and slipped inside. The house was empty since Adney was over at her father's house for a visit. He grabbed the letter from Frodo and took it up to the Hall to read. He entered, placed a chair before the crackling fireplace which doubled as a rack for cooking, sat down, and unfolded the letter.
'My friend, I wish you and yours the very best.
You will be pleased to hear that Sam and Rosie are finally married. Yes, he found the courage to ask her, and she accepted, though that is a surprise to no one except Sam. She apparently had been waiting for him to ask for a while, several years even. Even better, they have moved into Bag-end. As you can imagine, there is enough room here under the hill for as large a family as they would like. Should you and Toothless ever decide to visit, you might need to find other accommodations for him until I can get another place put up. His barn is presently being used by a pony named Bill. Sam took a liking to the pony and took him off the hands of a very strange fellow Gandalf led us to meet outside of Bree. Sam might be in the running for Mayor after Whitfoot retires.
Merry and Pippin are moving up in the world. Being true knights and soldiers of distant kingdoms of Men with all the livery thereof definitely helped them out. They are still as silly as ever in some ways, but they are far more serious. Their adventure and the scouring of the Shire definitely did that. They had to fight and kill, and they did. Maybe that is what Gandalf meant when he said that we had to settle our affairs ourselves and that doing so is what we had been trained for. We had grown up and become stronger on the journey such that we had no more need of his help. Maybe they have grown stronger, but I would not say that about all of us.
I tried to prevent as much death as possible. We Hobbits can become very fierce when our gardens, pipeweed, and lives are threatened, as I am sure you can imagine. But that Saruman himself should have fallen on the steps of Bag-end itself, and that even the Shire was harmed, after the war no less, reminded us all how dangerous the world is. Nowhere is truly safe from all harm.
At least Sam's gift has bloomed. Think about that if you can, where the Party Tree once stood there will be a Mallorn, probably the only one not in Lorien.
I think that I have become the next Bilbo. I find that I much prefer the quiet life, more than ever now. There are some times during the year when I must do nothing but rest and endure. My friends say that the end of the Quest was like waking up from a dream now that normal life has started. I would not say that. I feel like I am falling asleep again, which is more proof that I am like Bilbo.
Maybe everything will heal with more time and rest. Maybe everything sad will come untrue. I can hope, even if I begin to understand in my heart the truth.
How fares the pack? How are Toothless and Moonbeam? Your adoptive parents also? They are expecting, from what I remember. I hope that I get a chance to see their cubs eventually. I plan to put up another barn for any unexpected guests who might show up.
Do feel free to write when you can find the time. I hope that you remember your letters well enough to write.
The Road goes ever on and on.
Until we meet again,
Your friend,
F. Baggins
Then, the letter finished, he folded it away, stowed it in a pocket, and stared into the fire, lost in his thoughts.
That news that the Shire itself had been attacked in a last act of malice by Saruman had been terrible. He didn't even want to think about the number of trees that had been cut down for no purpose other than spite. But it was at least a conflict that was over quickly and had not involved too much death. Still, the account reminded him of a terrible truth which he had learned but tried to avoid thinking about.
War left scars.
He stared into the fire, hearing nothing except its crackling as the gloom crept closer to his heart.
Wing-Of-Ice was as playful as ever with his daughter Nightfall. The grounded Fury always volunteered to help out around Edoras, but there was not always much work that he could consistently help with. Farm work only happened at certain times in the year. He could not even watch the cubs entirely on his own because they could, in a defiant streak, just fly away from him. The Fury was frequently seen staring up at the clouds and not moving at all.
Tail-Hunter had taken to Storm-Chaser as a dear sister and to Starlight and Wind-Biter as her new parents. However, she was less playful than he remembered her before her life was turned upside down: before her father and mother were both lost in different ways. Her new parents now had to encourage her to play when she was around Edoras with her family. They had also confided in him that she would occasionally become more distant from them for no apparent reason.
His leg was not much of a problem anymore. He had adjusted the prosthetic enough to fit his needs that he barely noticed it anymore unless he was on his feet all day.
He and Toothless didn't do much flying for fun. Not now that family obligations had them on the ground, tending to loved ones, and with life about to become far busier. The flying they had done before being grounded out of the need to tend to family had also been frustrating and discouraging.
Unlike in their meetings with the people of Rohan, the villages throughout Gondor were far more suspicious. That reluctance was certainly a combination of them not all having seen the dragons fly to Gondor's aid and the stories related about how dragons had attacked Minas Tirith, killed scores, and, in part, rendered the city unlivable.
He and Toothless had met burn victims and both children and widows who had wept, shouted, and cursed at them. Those meetings left them both so troubled that they had both shed tears on their own after the worst of those meetings. Some villages were more open to the Furies, and none of the encounters had turned to any true violence. That several of the Furies had started assisting in the rebuilding by carrying rocks and lumber definitely helped those who were working on Minas Tirith and Osgiliath to see the Furies as allies.
But it was apparent that healing would take many years. It would happen, definitely, hopefully, but it was not going to happen quickly.
Ugh, maybe we should take more time for ourselves. Sneak a flight every now and then. We probably should.
He inhaled, got to his feet, and retrieved some beef jerky and a bucket of water to take to Moonbeam. Surprisingly, she was awake and staring out across the plains from just inside the barn when he got there. Toothless was also resting with her.
"Hungry? Thirsty?"
"A little," she whispered without moving.
He went over to her, handed her the jerky, and set the bucket of water before her to lap at. He waited until she finished drinking.
"May I check?"
She shuffled in place, exposing her belly. Remembering his training, he felt her lower belly until he was sure that nothing had changed.
"Same as before. Good position."
"Good. The cub was kicking earlier," she said.
"Well, that means it wants out," he grinned.
"I also want this cub out," she grumbled and lay her head in the straw.
"When the time is right."
"I wish that time was already flown..."
He stepped away and checked the table of supplies already stowed there.
Clean blankets, sharp knife, rope, cloth, extra Athelas for pain, candles in case it happens at night, yeah, I think we've got everything we could need.
Satisfied, he knelt at her head and rubbed under her chin until she purred.
"You'll be fine. Don't you worry about that. You were there for me and Burning-Star when we needed you. Now we're here for you."
Toothless paced outside his den, his tail thrashing as he grumbled to himself. He had already worn a rut in the dirt where he had been walking back and forth.
He was so nervous and chilled. What if something bad happened? What if something went wrong?
His parents had said that a first birth was the most dangerous.
But Hiccup is here for this! He will help if anything bad happens. Nothing will go wrong!
He looked up to the rolling clouds high above in the evening sky. Those clouds had a beckoning call. He very much wanted to go flying to escape the worry and chill in his soul-fire. Flight almost always restored that warmth.
But he had to stay on the ground for Moonbeam. She only got up to eat, drink, or relieve herself now. Her time could come any wingbeat without warning. He very much wanted to see his cub!
Then he realized where he could find more warmth and comfort right now.
I should have done this already today! I did yesterday!
He flew to his paws and dashed across the ridge until he settled down outside his sire's and dam's den. They were both home, as was usual for the evenings, so he stepped partly inside the den.
"Burning-Star, what is twisting your tail?" Far-Flight hummed.
"Everything. Where are Breath-Of-Sky and Mystery?"
"They are flying with their friends. They said something about exploring talking-Beacon-fires in the mountains."
He sat down on his rear and gazed with warmth in his soul-fire at his dam and, even more, at his cub-sister asleep at her chest.
She was a normal Night Fury cub, not too big or small or with any odd color now, and that was very good. She was healthy and well, though he wished that she was big enough and strong enough to play. That would not be true until she had more months of growing and after she learned more control of herself. Further, she would not have any words until around two years. It was still important to talk to her now so that she could start learning by hearing.
Just as he would need to do much for his own cub.
He sighed and hung his head, pawing at the straw on the ground.
"Son?" Far-Flight hummed.
"Sire, I am chilled by being a sire. I do not know what to do. What if I make mistakes?"
"We all do. I once dropped you on your head."
Sky-Dancer snorted.
"That was also your fault. You were trying to eat your sire's ears."
"Sorry," he warbled.
Far-Flight huffed again, got to his paws, and padded over to him.
"Do not think too much about being a sire. Thinking too much stops the doing. Just be there to nuzzle, lick, comfort, clean, talk to, teach, and discipline the cub. Everything else will happen. Being there is most of what is needed."
That seems so simple and so hard to fly. It must be harder than that.
Sky-Dancer hummed from where she lay with her paws around Kindled-Dream. She glanced at Far-Flight before saying what was on her mind.
"Your sire and I were wondering why you always wear your light-rock pendant now. Will you tell us?"
He winced and solemnly warbled at the bad memory. Then he glanced at his sire and dam; they were both innocently wondering and were probably concerned about him.
"You know that I have some... twisted wants in my soul-fire, true?"
"Yes, true. But you are strong against the twisted-thoughts and the rotted-wants," Far-Flight countered.
"Not as strong as I wish. The last time that I saw gold was very twisting and chilling to my soul-fire."
He lifted a paw and nudged the pendant. Here, in the dimmer light of the den, they could see the faint light the pendant glowed with.
"This helps keep me safer from the twisted-thoughts and bad wants. I do not know how, but it does."
Sire and dam glanced at each other with wary hums and flattened ears.
"That is good of you to know when you need help," Far-Flight said.
"Seeing the light also helps me not worry as much for Moonbeam," he added.
Sky-Dancer chuffed.
"That is good for you, but you should be there as much as you can for her now. The life-mate being with the dam before she births is very warming to her soul-fire. It also makes her feel safer. Go to her," she said.
He got to his paws and backed out of the den, knowing fully that she was correct.
"I will."
He dashed back for his den, rolling his neck slightly as he ran. All this waiting and worrying was making him tired and not very happy.
Hunts-In-Deep-Waters was the same when Lightning was like this.
He sighed as he settled down and calmly walked back into his den. He lay down with a wing over Moonbeam as she dozed.
Please let this be over soon.
Toothless was pacing outside his den, as he always did now, when Flame-In-The-Night and Snowfall glided in, touched town, and pranced toward him.
His sire, dam, brothers, and Mystery were so close to his soul-fire that they could approach his den without him worrying at all. They were blood-kin. But these two, yes, they were the Alpha pair, and he should not be worried, but they should not be here now! Danger! He had to prote...
He winced and shook his head.
They are not a threat. Twisted thinking!
Snowfall padded forward until she stood before him.
"How is she?" she warbled.
He looked to the den and purred softly.
"Sleeping much, as she always does now."
"Good. Will the cub be out soon?"
"She thinks so, and Hiccup thinks so."
She hummed at that.
"All in the pack who are not at the island are here in Edoras now. We will stay until the cub is out."
"You have our thanks."
She bounded back to Flame-In-The-Night, and the pair departed for the pack's slope.
He resumed the pacing while trying to not think about what could go wrong. What if Night Furies and Light Furies could not make good cubs together? But no, he had already been told that theirs was a good type of pairing. What if...
A packmate flew low above his den as the Fury spun for the slope. His narrowed eyes followed the packmate until it was safely far away from...
He collapsed on his belly and let out a sigh after he closed his eyes.
Twisted thinking!
Toothless winced and whined as Moonbeam yelped and shivered in pain. She was lying on her back in their barn-den, and he sat by her shoulder, nuzzling her head and purring deeply to comfort her. Hiccup and Haerfara were doing... he did not know or care much.
The Athelas pain-helping water-tea did help her, but not entirely. Neither had the water-tea helped speed this birthing faster. She had been in pain since before the sun flew into the sky.
"Bite! Bite! Need to... bite!" she growled.
"Almost there!" Hiccup shouted.
Bite... bite... great skies... what can she bite?
He immediately held out a foreleg before her muzzle. So what if he lost the leg? As long as it helped her get through this anyway!
"Bite this!" he barked.
She clamped her, thankfully toothless, jaws on his foreleg and bit hard until he felt the strong pinch. He wanted to growl in pain with how that hurt and how she hurt from this. This was very much his fault! Well, it was also her fault and the fault of the cub, but right now he was the only one at fault, as she had shouted several times in her pain and twisted-thinking.
She closed her eyes, shuddered, and whined worse than she had before. He could not know how long that lasted, knowing only that his dear life-mate was in great pain. His purring hopefully helped her think less about the pain.
But there was the constant and warming humming from outside their den in the mid-morning light. It was a warm sound filled with comfort, presence, and strength. Part of the pack was outside to give comfort to them both.
She let go of his foreleg and let her white head fall back in the straw; she was heaving for breath and whining softly while her eyes were closed.
He bent down to nuzzle her neck and purr without any words, again without any awareness of time. He would stay there as long as she needed.
Hiccup eventually stumbled toward him while holding furs in his arms. Hiccup looked very bloody, and his front furs were soaked red.
Great skies!
"Hiccup!" he barked in alarm.
"Here! Moonbeam, don't move!"
Hiccup set the furs down before him and Moonbeam. The wiggling furs. Where Hiccup went and what he started doing, he did not know or care. Haerfara was helping with all of that.
All he cared about was the tiny nose poking out of the furs.
Very gently, nervous, and afraid, he bent down and nosed at the furs, pulling them away until he saw what was hidden.
His cub, covered in birth-water and some blood. Its twitching eyes were closed, paws were slowly and awkwardly swatting at its face, and its tail was slowly rolling from side to side.
She was so small and precious.
Purring and with a warm flame burning in his soul-fire, he started licking her clean until he saw her amazing color-shapes on her hide. A white patch with rays like a star was on her dark forehead, and her back, legs, paws, and tail had spots and swirls of different shades of light and dark.
She was a Dawn Fury.
His dear daughter.
He heard Moonbeam's soft humming and purring as her pain appeared to have faded. With a soft wince, she rolled her head and crooned at the cub. He carefully tugged the furs and pulled both furs and cub over before her nose.
The cub, her eyes still closed, mewled for attention, which both he and she gladly gave her through crooning, nudging, and licks, which also helped clean her.
Hiccup eventually came forward and crouched down beside them, putting a paw on his shoulder as he looked to Moonbeam with worry in his eyes.
"You'll be fine, but stay here and take it easy. You are not doing anything except resting and drinking lots of water. Got it?"
"Yes, I will sleep much now," she wearily sighed and closed her eyes.
Hiccup stroked her neck and head with a paw while she faintly purred and eventually fell asleep.
Haerfara shuffled to them while holding everything else: other furs, the bucket, and various supplies.
"Well done, young man. I will see myself out."
"Thank you, Elder."
Haerfara looked amused and left the den.
Hiccup again knelt beside them.
"What is the cub, male or female? I didn't... check for that," Hiccup whispered.
"Female. Her name is Morning-Star," he hummed.
"Morning-Star," Hiccup breathed.
"We agreed on that before. Her head color is even better for that name."
They glanced at the shape like a star on her head.
"Yeah, it is. I'll give everyone the news soon."
Hiccup then frowned.
"I meant what I said. Moonbeam needs to rest. She'll also need lots of water. I'll bring that for her. That was not easy."
"Then she will rest. We are not going anywhere."
Hiccup frowned, more worried inside than he wanted to let on, as he knelt at her side. The newborn was fine; there was no doubt about that. Morning-Star had whined and kicked with strength, and she was now soundly asleep by her mother's neck. The cub was fine.
But Moonbeam had apparently had problems at first. Maybe it was a first time problem only, but Lightning hadn't been that bad.
His thoughts drifted to what he had learned from the pack while up in the Waste. Fury females sometimes had problems in this part of life, just as Moonbeam had just needed help.
Paws were not as useful as were hands and tools at helping with such natural problems.
He didn't want to think about what might have happened without that help. It was possible that the outcome would have been the same, but there was no way to know for sure. Further, there was no more reason to dwell on it.
There was nothing more that he could do for her now except provide a little more comfort, security and rest, and water and food, all of which he would gladly do.
Satisfied, he got up and stood at Toothless's shoulder. Toothless hummed softly with fallen ears and then nudged his shoulder.
"I will stay here with her and the cub. You can tell the pack and our kin," Toothless whispered.
"Yeah, I'll come back here after that to help watch for her."
He left the barn and went outside to greet the everyone present. Unsurprisingly, they were almost all gathered a short distance away, although Far-Flight, Breath-Of-Sky, and Mystery were much closer and eagerly awaiting news, though they also looked worried. Flame-In-The-Night and Snowfall bounded forward.
"What happened? Haerfara said nothing!" Far-Flight warily barked.
"That was a long birthing," Snowfall warbled.
"They are well. Moonbeam is sleeping. The cub, Morning-Star, is a female."
Flame-In-The-Night and Snowfall roared softly with joy.
"The pack has a dawn wing!" Snowfall shouted.
They all roared together with a joyful cry that pierced the mid-morning air. Then, once the news and details had filtered through everyone else present, the other Furies started flying off to return to their work, to fly freely, or to return to the Glittering Caves. Not everyone had been present, due to their duties or long flights, but they would all hear the good news within a day or two, or slightly longer for those on Tolfalas.
Hiccup then stood between Breath-Of-Sky, Far-Flight, and Mystery.
"Let's go see her, shall we?"
"Yes!" "Yes!" "My sister-dam is a dam now... weird."
None of them entered the barn itself since the occupied barn was too small for any of them. They remained outside, purring as they stared within.
Morning-Star was still visible, curled up against Moonbeam's neck, while Toothless lay behind her far side with a wing over her back.
There was still so much to do for them, mostly change the straw for them so that they could actually live in the barn. But there was time for that later.
He felt the exhaustion catch up to him in that moment; he had been tending to her since before the dawn, ironically. But it had totally been worth it. His brother's daughter and mate were safe and would be well. That was what mattered.
He rolled his eyes and held a palm to his brow in awe and wonder at the truth.
I'm an uncle... oh Valar.
"Well, I'm going to give Adney the good news. I'll be back before too long."
He left them to tend to Toothless and Moonbeam, and he returned to his house.
Adney stood in the doorway, her hands on her hips as she stared at him in alarm.
"Tell me that they are okay!" she shouted.
Huh... oh yeah, I don't look too good. Definitely need a bath.
"Yeah, they're fine. It was just hard. Moonbeam is going to be fine with rest, and Morning-Star, a girl, is well."
Adney sighed in relief.
"Good! Good..."
He frowned.
"I'd give you a hug, but I should get cleaned up first."
"Yes, you should. Can I do anything to help?" she chuckled.
"Maybe take them a bucket of water. She needs some."
"Will do."
He grabbed a change of clothes and then left for the bath-house while Adney carried a bucket back after having filled it.
Glad that's over with.
With Moonbeam's situation taken care of, there were no other sources of danger to any of the Furies. He breathed a sigh of relief that all the drama was out of the way.
Toothless whined as the clouds swirled around him and as dark wings spun in the darkness. Cold voices shrieked from the shadows. Spinning in place, growling at the circling shadows, and afraid of this hunt, he felt so alone. There was no help for him now in the void.
All light had faded. There was nothing else.
'I will break you.'
What was the voice? There were no others in the sky with him now. Or were there?
The dark wings spinning around him in the clouds were familiar. He had met this thing before. He knew what and who it was, but why was it in the sky instead of under the ground on a hoard?
"Come out!" he roared while hovering in place.
The shadow-Toothless flew out from the cloud and hovered before him. But that other Toothless was carrying a rider which was wearing black robes, had a crown, had flaming eyes, and held a dagger, a Morgul Blade, in a paw.
Impossible.
"You are dead!"
'You will never be free. I gave you the chance, lost one.'
The dagger flew at him and buried itself in his neck.
He awoke on a massive hoard of gold, so much gold of his own, and the bones of those who would take his gold and he would share with no one, not even a single coin would he part with, because he was great and no one else deserved any of it and he was the greatest of calamities and was that truly him or was there someone else and was there any light in the world or was all darkness...
"Hiccup, wake up! Burning-Star is sick!" Far-Flight cried in alarm from outside.
Ugh, great. What timing...
He checked that Adney was still asleep. He got out of bed and got dressed. Then he flung open the door and ran outside, seeing his nervous father pacing there.
"Alright, let's go!"
They ran next door and went inside. Toothless was lying on his side and looking very miserable. It appeared that he had lost a recent meal.
Moonbeam, Morning-Star asleep on the straw at her side, lay her chin on his head as she rested with him.
"Brother?"
Toothless moaned and shifted without looking over at him.
"What's wrong?" he asked Moonbeam.
"His dreams have been bad, and now his neck-hurt hurts some," she whined.
Wait, his neck wound hurts now? But it healed.
What she said sounded ominous. The visible wound didn't look irritated at all now. But the same was true of his own leg; the stump occasionally hurt a little even though it was never swollen anymore. That was normal for old injuries.
"Know anything else?" he whispered.
Moonbeam lifted her head and stared at him.
"He said that the hurt started hurting after a dream about the shadow-life-Nazgul," she whispered.
He blinked in shock. This did not sound normal. Those things were gone now: faded into the nothingness that Sauron had fallen into. They had no power or being anymore.
Well, this is definitely not just a bad meal.
"I'll make some tea for him."
"Will that help?"
"I heard that Athelas tea can help with... whatever it is that the Nazgul do. Yes, it can only help him."
She nodded.
"Please do. I will wake him when you come back."
He ran to his house, grabbed his supply of dried Athelas, and ran for the Hall.
As he suspected, the Athelas tea looked like it would help Toothless feel better, even before he drank anything.
"That... smells... good," Toothless mumbled and started lapping at the tea in the bucket.
Please help him... please help him.
Toothless finished drinking, lay down, and swiftly went to sleep.
Hiccup watched him as he fell asleep, apparently in peace. Then he went over to Moonbeam and held little Morning-Star in his arms. The cub slept on, undisturbed by being held.
"That helped," he whispered.
"Yes, it looks like it did. Thank you," Moonbeam purred and nuzzled his belly.
"How long has he been like this?"
"Two nights. We thought it was bad meat the first night."
He frowned at Toothless while stroking Morning-Star's purring neck. Something was wrong with the situation. This was not a normal sickness. Fortunately, he knew who to talk to.
He gently placed Morning-Star, still sound asleep, at Moonbeam's side.
"I'll be back."
He stepped outside to meet his nervous and pacing father. Far-Flight could take a message for him.
"Father, Burning-Star is a little better now, but he is still sick. Can you fly to Rivendell and take a message for me?" he asked.
"I could, but I should not leave Sky-Dancer."
"Okay, another from the pack could fly there instead. Maybe tell one of the Alphas?"
Far-Flight purred and nodded.
"I will fly to our caves and bring Flame-In-The-Night or Snowfall here to get your message."
"Sounds good."
Far-Flight bounded over to his barn, whispered with Sky-Dancer, and took flight, swiftly vanishing into the west.
Toothless did not leave his barn for a full week except when absolutely necessary. While awake, he weakly lay there in the straw while holding his pendant with a paw. His sleep was disturbed by bad dreams and was not very restful.
Hiccup, Moonbeam, Far-Flight, and Sky-Dancer took turns resting with him while he recovered. None of them knew what was doing this to him, but Hiccup had a suspicion based on something he had heard before. He hoped that he was wrong.
Flame-In-The-Night had flown off to take a message to Elrond in Rivendell. The Alpha had returned several days later with the news that Elrond would come and visit Edoras again in a few weeks by horseback.
Hiccup stared off into the northwest, hoping that Elrond arrived sooner rather than later. If anyone could do anything to help Toothless, the Elf-Lord would be the person to do so, especially since he was skilled in healing and had tended Frodo's Nazgul stab wound.
"Wait, that's really good news, but, what?" Hiccup wondered at the suddenness of this news.
Toothless bounced on his paws while purring and stretching everything.
"I feel good! Yes, I am weak, but the rot is gone!"
"Are you sure? You really didn't look good just yesterday."
"Yes, I am sure. The bad dreams are gone, and my neck does not hurt."
He stepped over to Toothless, held his neck, and inspected the healed wound. It looked the same as always.
"Do you have any idea what happened?"
Toothless huffed and stared down at his paws.
"I... remember some of the dreams. I saw the Witch-king... hurting me, as if his rotted soul-fire is not gone now."
"But he is gone. Eowyn, Merry, and Snowflame destroyed him."
"True, but I am just glad to be well again!"
Toothless then spun in place.
"My dear mate, we should go now to my sire and dam! The cubs should meet and play!"
Moonbeam emerged from the den while carrying Morning-Star by her tail. The cub was very pleased at being so carried by the tail. Then she dropped Morning-Star on Toothless's head. Toothless, looking very smug, pranced off toward his parents' barn while Moonbeam and Hiccup followed after him.
"Did that just happen?"
"Yes," she purred, "he woke up this morning and was well. He had no bad dreams or hurting."
"But why now after a week of whatever that was?"
She whined and nudged his shoulder.
"I do not want to ask why. I only care that he is well now."
Fair enough. Doesn't really help figure out what happened though.
Toothless arrived at his parents' barn, and then cried out to them. Far-Flight stuck his nose out in surprise.
"Sire, I am well! The cubs should play!" Toothless shouted.
"Burning-Star... yes, they should!"
Toothless let Morning-Star down onto the ground while Sky-Dancer nudged Kindled-Flame forward. The two cubs saw each other and crouched low, tails twitching as they sniffed at each other. Then the cubs growled very softly and started playing. Sky-Dancer and Moonbeam stayed very close, following the two cubs as they rolled together in a very endearing fight. It was not much of a fight since they were so young still.
Sky-Dancer stood beside Toothless and nuzzled him.
"You truly feel well now?" Far-Flight asked.
"Yes, sire, I do. The hurting is gone," Toothless answered.
"Good, my cub," Sky-Dancer hummed.
Hiccup listened as the family kept talking, Far-Flight and Sky-Dancer asking many questions of Toothless. They were probably very curious what had happened and how he had gotten better so quickly. He felt similarly, wondering how Toothless had felt better so suddenly, not that he was going to complain about it.
Several horseback Elves rode up to the gates of Edoras. The guards let them inside without question.
Hiccup followed King Eomer, Theoden, and company to greet the Elves.
"Greetings, good Elves! May I welcome you to Edoras," Eomer bowed to them.
Lord Elrond, looking as solemn and regal as ever, inclined his head in respect.
"Well met, Eomer Eadig. May your reign be long and prosperous for Rohan in these days of peace."
"What business brings one so great as you to Edoras, my Lord?" Eomer asked.
"I was summoned here to aid in a matter concerning one of the dragons. Would you please provide my companions here with food and rest after our long journey?"
"It shall be done."
Elrond then turned to Hiccup.
"Master Haddock, shall we?"
"Yes, sir. This way."
He led Elrond through Edoras.
"Several congratulations are in order, Master Haddock," Elrond said.
"Yes, I have a sister, Kindled-Dream, and Toothless has a daughter, Morning-Star."
Elrond gave one of his very rare smiles, though even it was touched with some solemnity.
"Very good. The time after the war has always been when the survivors better appreciate life and stop taking it for granted. They remember the importance of family. What of yourself and your beloved?"
"We are taking our time on that. There's no rush. How is Bilbo?"
"He grows older and weaker, as we all knew would happen without the Ring. There is only one more journey for him."
Elrond left it at that, not elaborating further.
He and Elrond arrived at Toothless's and Moonbeam's barn just as Toothless returned with a fish. Toothless landed, gave the fish to Moonbeam and Morning-Star within the barn, and then returned to them as they walked away from the barn.
"Lord Elrond, you came," Toothless bent his head slightly.
"Yes, Master Burning-Star, I received a special summons. I was told that you were pained by a particularly fell wound received in battle."
Toothless grumbled.
"I was hit over Minas Tirith in the fighting. One of the Nazgul darts hit me in the neck. The Witch-king, specifically."
"Please show me," Elrond instructed him.
Toothless did so, stretching and showing his neck where the hide and skin had been pierced and torn. Elrond frowned while running a hand over the healed injury. There was now a ring visible on one of his fingers.
"It was a dart from the Nazgul? How was this treated?"
"Gandalf and Aragorn were there to help the hurt and get any rot out of it. But I do not know if they got all the rot out."
"Why not?"
"Because I have had dreams of the Witch-king and of gold. My pendant helps me not be very twisted and tempted, but I still hurt much when the hurting starts."
Elrond stepped back, put his hands behind his back, and stared into the distance.
"You are not wrong. The devices of the Enemy, such as Morgul Blades, black darts, and the like can leave poisons in the victim even if the wound heals."
Hiccup and Toothless shared a wary glance, not knowing the importance of this.
"Sir, what does that mean for him?" Hiccup asked.
"How long has it been since you were hit?" Elrond asked.
"About one year and a month."
"Yes, that is appropriate. I suspect that a piece of the Witch-king's foul craft harmed you such that you will always feel some pain, possibly on every anniversary of when it happened."
Toothless hung his head and stared at his paws.
"Will it get worse over time?" Hiccup whispered, deeply worried.
"I doubt that it would. Gandalf and Aragorn could not fully treat it on their own, but they did far more than any other common healers could have done. Against such wounds, even my healing craft is imperfect. Your pendant might help with the most torturous part of that ailment, of that curse."
Toothless looked up and purred.
"True, it has helped me not hurt much."
Elrond nodded.
"Master Haddock, you might consider making a cure of Athelas, for that plant is very potent against many pains and certain poisons of the Enemy."
Despite everything, Hiccup smirked.
"We actually figured that out ourselves. I've made Athelas tea to help Sky-Dancer and Moonbeam through giving birth. It helped them not hurt so much in that."
"Very clever. Several of the virtues of Athelas are that it helps with poisons, touches of the undead, and pain. Your leg does not pain you, does it?"
Hiccup shrugged.
"It does a little, but I never think about it except as an excuse to sneak out of the forge a little early."
Elrond gave another of his wry and faint grins while his robes fluttered in the wind. The proud Elf stood relaxed now instead of the worried he had long been.
"Sir, is that Vilya?" Hiccup nodded at the ring on his hand.
Elrond held up his hand, showing off the ring.
"It is indeed. The ring of air. One of the Three Elven rings of power. Gandalf has Narya, as you know, and Galadriel has Nenya. We all wear them openly now."
"Why now?" Toothless asked.
Elrond crossed his arms and stared into the distance.
"Because the Enemy is gone now, save for perhaps a few of his servants hidden throughout the world. These rings also have no great power anymore."
Hiccup wondered about that and what it meant that the magic rings lost power. Probably not much since they were used to fight in a war that was over and won.
He also wondered what he had learned about Toothless's wound. The explanation made it sound like Toothless bore a curse that would pain him slightly from now on. It could have been far worse, and something like this condition was easily manageable with care, the Lorien pendant, and Athelas.
"Sir, while you are here, do you want to meet the cubs? My parents and Moonbeam would surely let you meet the newborns," he proposed.
Elrond smiled freely at that suggestion.
"I would indeed. Please lead the way."