The Great Endeavor - A Tuffnut Love Story (HTTYD/RTTE)

12. Woah To The Great Endeavor

The group of seven walked on for a while longer. But Fishlegs stopped as he was examining the walls. "Hey, wait a second," he called to those who'd walked ahead, "there's writing here!"

Tuffnut rushed over. "Oh! Let me see," he pushed Fishlegs out of the way and squinted at the slightly glowing text. "Hm...the Great Endeavor? Hey, it says your name," he exclaimed, looking to Endeavor with a grin.

"..I know," Endeavor spoke hesitantly.

Astrid stepped up curiously and read aloud, "'how right the wrong can be, when the wrong is strong as thee. Woah To The Great Endeavor.'"

"What is it, a riddle?" Hiccup asked in confusion, "why write a riddle down here."

Endeavor sighed, putting her hands on her hips. "Who knows...it was there when I first found this place," she responded.

"You mean, you didn't write that?" Snotlout asked.

"That's right," Endeavor agreed. She then quickly changed the subject and began to walk. "Come on, we have things to do if you want to get out of here."

This was one of those rare times that Tuffnut caught something no one else seemed to. Why was Endeavor's name engraved in the island? He was about to bring it up, but was interrupted by a rumbling in the ground. It was so violent that he almost fell over. Soon followed by the rumble was a chilling roar through the tunnels.

Endeavor looked toward the noise almost as if it were more of an annoyance than a danger. "Well, this is gonna ruin my whole day," she grunted before yelling to the riders, "RUN!"

Everyone zoomed away from the nearing growls. It wasn't long before they reached the end of their tunnel, leading back to the jungle. It didn't make sense, since they had been so far beneath this island, but the riders were beginning to get used to the unexpectedness, the 'hole in reality' that Endeavor had explained. They all raced through the thick greenery, barely able to see each other.

"Hiccup?" Astrid yelled in a slight panic.

"I'm right here," Hiccup responded, reaching toward her voice. When he felt her arm, he grabbed on. "Everyone, hold hands! We don't want to get split up again."

Endeavor was about to object, saying that it wasn't necessary, but she was already being pulled through the woods by the hand that had grabbed hers. Soon, they were back by the large lake and in the safety of the openess. Everyone but Endeavor was out of breath. And finally, she got to see the owner of the hand that still held hers tightly.

"Are you..okay?" Tuffnut heaved through breaths as he released Endeavor's hand.

She was shocked that he was asking her this, when she was obviously in the best condition of them all right then. "I'm fine, don't worry," she responded, scrunching her eyebrows in concern, "are you?"

"You kidding?" Tuff let out a short laugh, still trying to catch his breath, "that was awesome!"

A crooked grin accumulated on Endeavor's lips, that turned into a light-hearted laugh. "I'm glad someone thinks so," she admitted.

"What was that?" Snotlout questioned, "you said only the most civilized monsters go in the tunnels!"

Endeavor gave him an amused grin. "For a monster," she began, "that is civilized." She let her gaze wash over the exhausted dragon riders and made a decision, "alright, let's rest for a while."

• • •

When the moon took over the sky, Hiccup made a fire while the others began to get comfortable in the sand. Astrid was peeling off the last bits of dead skin that she'd moulted, thankfully revealing normal skin underneath. Snotlout was already asleep and snoring loudly. Fishlegs had an assortment of natural objects he'd found to study. And Ruffnut was re-braiding her hair.

Tuff noticed that Endeavor sat further from them this night. He found her many yards away, leaning up against a boulder in the rockier part of the beach. As he made his way over to her, he recalled what he'd been meaning to ask. When he sat beside her, there were no greetings. Tuffnut looked down awkwardly and questioned her, "so...why was your name down in those tunnels?"

Endeavor raised an eyebrow at him, not having expected the question. Slowly combing her hair with her fingers, she smiled slyly and responded, "it wasn't, really. Or, it was but--" she cut herself off, trying to find the right words to explain. "I mean, I didn't always go by Endeavor," she settled on saying.

She sighed and looked down at Tuffnut's fidgeting hands. "My first years here were as chaotic as everyones'...until I found the Beneath. And when I saw that writing..I took it as a sign," she explained, "a sign of the island paying me respect. Because it was after that moment that I became such an acception to the rules here." She smirked a bit in memory, "I know it meant endeavor as in a great journey, but..it just sounded nice, like the kind of name a hero would have; the Great Endeavor."