Chapter Three: Gobber's Tales
The ship sank before anyone could drag it to shore for repairs. Ruffnut stared at it hopelessly.
"Ugh!" she moaned. "Now we're stuck in the middle of nowhere! And no one even knows where we are!" Astrid was seriously kicking herself now and the looks her boyfriend/fiancé was giving her wasn't helping.
"Except the Boneknapper," Fishlegs corrected, holding up a bone. "Legend says its roar is..."
"Hey!" Snotlout snapped. "You know what legend also says? 'Stop talking'!"
"Okay, just hold on!" Fishlegs retorted. Thankfully, Gobber intervened before the fight got worse.
"No need to panic, kids!" he called. "I've been shipwrecked many times."
"Oh!" Astrid groaned. Knowing her mentor, any shipwreck advice would be next to useless, not that she ever let him know that. "That's...comforting."
"You never forget your first shipwreck," Gobber sighed happily, sitting down.
I was stranded on an island with only my broom. It was a very small island – it was no wonder the Boneknapper found me again. He never forgave me for taking that treasure. There was another island – my only escape – but I was surrounded by bloodthirsty Hammerhead sharks! I only had one chance. So I ran across the shark-infested waters.
"Take that! Watch it! Make way, Sharky! Someone forgot to brush!"
I didn't think I was going to make it! But then, from the depths of the ocean leapt forth a giant Hammerhead whale!
"Whoa!" Fishlegs blinked. Astrid and Hiccup were in front of him and their faces were less than believing. "And the Hammerhead whale ate the Boneknapper?" Astrid resisted the temptation to roll her eyes – it was Fishlegs who should be Gobber's apprentice, not her.
"Almost," Gobber replied. "But he got away. Years later, the dragon hunted me down again and chased me into the jungle."
All I had was my trusty egg-beater. I carved through that thick jungle bush as fast as a jungle cat. Still, the Boneknapper was right behind.
"Oh – ophellias!"
I ran up the side of a volcano and courageously leapt across the firey crater! Then, deep within the burning volcano, burst forth a giant Hammerhead yak!
"Okay, wait a minute," Tuffnut groaned. "Now you're saying a giant Hammerhead yak leapt out of the firey volcano and ate the Boneknapper?" he added, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"You would've thought so, wouldn't you?" Gobber snorted. "But the dragon got away again! I knew that bony scoundrel would keep coming after me!"
So, I set up a gauntlet of traps and waited for the beast. And when he was ready, he charged! And then I ran like the wind. But the traps failed! Then, captured, I did what any brave Viking would do.
"HELP!"
The gods must have heard my prayers – it was Thor! He tossed a mighty thunderbolt...
"Oh! You missed!"
"Wait for it..."
Then, from the centre of the Earth blasted forth the Hammerhead yak riding the Hammerhead whale!
"Deploy the yak!"
"Yes! Ooo – my back!"
Gobber finished his tale – the teens were silent for about five seconds.
"Whoa!" Fishlegs blinked in awe. "The whale saluted you?" The other teens stared at him as if he was crazy.
"Can you believe it?" Gobber grinned. "But the Boneknapper got away again!"
Now things were just getting out of hand.