[He can understand Jack not trusting Pitchiner - the older Lord just gave off the wrong vibe, rubbed him the wrong way, especially given how many times he tried to arrange a marriage between the king and his daughter. Luckily Emily Jane wasn't interested in him and was far more vocal than she should've been for an aristocratic lady...then again, many of the aristocrats on their side were. Maybe he thought a panther would pursuade him to his side.

But looking at the big cat's eyes, Hiccup wanted nothing less than to strip Pitchiner of his powers and send him somewhere backwater like he threatened to do to Jack's father. Honestly, he had the ability to do it as the king, but he mentally made a note to pass a law against capturing or owning wilder animals than what were already domesticated when they got home. Despite Jack's feelings about the cat, he felt like it hadn't been trained to kill him or cause him harm, and despite the broken look in its eyes, there was a fiery disposition about it.

Hiccup reaches out to run his fingers over the panther's head again, watching the way it butted up eagerly into the petting after it flinched away at first. A loud purr rumbled through the room, and the king sighed a little before turning to his husband to nod with a sad smile.]

Alright, but we're not calling security. I'll take him to a spare room and give him some food. Pitchiner starved the poor thing. Destroying it just because Pitchiner trained it isn't right.