Zephyr closed her eyes and raised out her hand, just as she had done many years ago, though feeling a little less confident without her family by her side. She let out a sigh of relief as the Night Fury placed his nose against her palm.
"Hey, Bud." She smiled, giving him a good old scratch under the chin, which he still seemed to enjoy in his old age. "We don't have a lot of time." Toothless sensed her worry and finally realized what she was doing there. He let out a roar as the Light Fury and their children all joined them on the ship. One of the Night Lights darted straight towards her, circling her in excitement before scooping her onto her back. "Woah, you're a little Dart, aren't you?" She let out a warble of agreement. Toothless disappeared into the great waterfall for a minute or two before returning with a certain Deadly Nadder. Stormfly and Zephyr shared a knowing nod before they all took to the skies.
***
"Hey..." Zephyr spoke softly as she poked her head into her parent's bedroom door.
"Zeph!" Nuff raced to hug her. "Did you find them?" He whispered. She nodded. He let out a sigh.
"How are they doing?" She wondered as the hug broke apart.
"I think you got back just in time."
Zeph made her way towards her parent's bed. They both smiled up at her.
"You're back." Hiccup noticed.
"Where did you go?" Astrid rasped. Zephyr smiled from ear to ear.
"Just to visit some old friends." She nodded to her brother who opened the door to allow the dragons to all storm into the room.
"Toothless!"
"Stormfly!"
They both gasped. The dragons nuzzled their former riders.
"The Hidden World. That's where you've been?" Hiccup questioned his daughter. She nodded.
"I just thought they should be here when-" She hesitated, taking a sharp intake of breath. The Night light that had flown her back nuzzled at her side in an attempt to calm her. "Thanks, Dart."
***
The dragons stayed for days, never once leaving the Haddocks side. Zeph however, still had chiefing duties to tend to until she heard her brother's horn sounding from across town. The auburn-haired female had never moved so fast. She raced back to her hut to find Toothless and Stormfly wrapped around the bed, resting their heads on their rider's laps, whining softly. The Light Fury was wrapped around Toothless, supportively, while the Night Lights snuggled with Stormfly to comfort her. Zephyr instinctively took a hold of her brother's hand as her father's words echoed in her mind.
With love comes loss. It's part of the deal. Sometimes it hurts, but, in the end, it's all worth it. There's no greater gift than love.
They both advanced and climbed into the bed, laying between their parents. Zephyr by Hiccup. And Nuffink by Astrid.
"Mom... Dad..." Zeph exhaled.
"Yeah?" They rasped.
"Say Hi to Grandma and Grandpa for us." The younger Haddock both requested.
They turned towards each other and Astrid and Hiccup joined hands around their children as they drifted to sleep.
***
