Out beyond the south of Berk, Gobber and Bucket ride along the deep aquamarine waves in a fishing boat.
Bucket's usual fishing partner, Mulch, had fallen ill the previous day. Despite feeling ill, he had continued to work until he passed out exhaustion one late afternoon, and he had been taken back to Gothi, the Village Elder. She gave him some foul smelling goop that he was to drink it when he awoke and declared he would be bedridden for the next few days.
To make up for the sailor being out of action, Gobber stepped in to help, which Bucket had gladly accepted.
As they sailed away from Berk Bucket dropped a long rope in the water behind them with a small cage on the end. The cage was one of Gobber's inventions, a weave of steel wires to allow for fish or crustaceans to push into the cage, but not for them to be able to back out again.
The last few trips out to the South of Berk had come up nearly empty, and many before those had rather low hauls. Bucket had decided they were still to come out this way however for at least one more attempt, before they would move on more easternly.
It wasn't too long until they had Berk disappearing behind them and another island coming out of the haze in front of them.
"Why d'ya think that island's called Quake's Curve?" Gobber calls over to Bucket questioningly.
"Cause some fella felt some ground tremors 'round here, and the island's a large crescent- moon like shape." Bucket answers matter of factly while busying himself untangling nets.
"Y'know, that makes sense now yer say it" Gobber quietly admits as he wanders over to the prow.
He leans on the rail beside the figurehead and watches as the water ripples and bubbles slightly before a Seashocker fin emerges from the sea, cruising along.
Seashocker's will rarely attack a boat, and are more likely to go after smaller prey in the water it can stun with it's electrical blast, so Gobber isn't concerned as it drifts by.
Suddenly however, it darts off with extreme speed, leaping up then diving under the water.
Gobber's intrigue soon turns to horror as a colossal creature breaks the surface, smoothly gliding in and out of the water with barely a sound. What looked to be the creature's tail or body was covered with layers of smooth, dark green scales, and was easily as thick as the hull of the ship the two Vikings were standing upon. The head never surfaced, only one coil of scaled hide visible before it sunk back beneath the murky, teal sea.
Gobber stumbled backwards, stunned for words before yelling "JORMUNGANDR!"
Bucket runs over at his cry and scans the sea and skies around them but they are completely clear.
"What d'ya mean?"
"For the love of Odin, Bucket! D'you have any braincells left in that tin can? The world serpent was right there!"
Bucket's eyebrows furrowed and he looked around the boat once more, seeing nothing but tranquil seas.
"That was uncalled for." he says, one hand unconsciously going up to the metal sides of his bucket.
Gobber just mutters something and crawls forward to peek over the bow again.
"You know you need to drink, 'nough fresh water when you're out here, right Gobber?"
"What?" Gobber says confused, his gaze still stuck on the sea around them.
"You're dehydrated and seeing thin's. I expected better of you Gobber." Bucket chides.\
"Am not!" Gobber retorts. "It was broader than a house, scales a deeper green than the depths of the oceans and quieter than the whispering wind.."
"Wow." Bucket says sarcastically before grabbing the back of Gobber's grease stained tunic and dragging him over to the centre of the vessel, beside the hatch that leads below deck. After dumping Gobber there he heads over to the Stern and grabs the large wooden tiller, turning them around to head home, with nothing to show for their endeavour, not even a single crustacean in the Gobber made cage Bucket had cast before.
But little did they know, the enormous creature swam almost half a mile below them at that very moment. It was heading back towards it's island, the Seashocker it had been hunting slowly working it's way through the beast's stomach.
A/N:
Just want to make a mention of the fact that the HTTYD game, School of Dragons (SoD) is closing its servers and will be gone on June 30th. This game was a great inspiration of mine to get back into the franchise a few years ago (Not to mention a game I played frequently in COVID Lockdowns/ Quarantine) and I will remember it fondly, as I am sure many who played it will.
Rest In Peace and in all of your glitchy glory SoD