Chapter 9-Sentry

Recap: My breath became shallow as I neared the top of the hill. I heard voices, lots of voices. Voices that seemed happy, had I reached someplace where someone might help me? But the voices soon stopped as my body once again collapsed to the ground.

I woke up abruptly yelling. Something large was removed from my arm and the pain was sharp and precise. I was breathing heavily and frantically looking around as if I would see something. The hole in my arm was leaking blood, and the pain made tears appear in my eyes.

"Please, calm down, calm down. I'm sorry if that hurt, but it had to come out. Stop moving; you're only spreading the poison. You need to relax, so I can stitch you up," a female's voice was speaking to me and I slowly listened. I again fainted, but this time in a warm area where apparently someone was taking care of me. I barely felt the pinches of needles going through my skin; I was numb and falling asleep.

I turned my head to the side opening my eyes softly. My body didn't feel much, but I knew I was sitting. It must've been day; I could feel the suns warm rays on my cheek. And I could smell strawberries in the moist air. My eyes slowly fluttered open, and I looked ahead sensing people near.

"You're awake," it was the voice of Percy who sounded relieved to have my eyes open.

"You're alive!" it was the voice of Grover who was shocked that I was still breathing. They were both here. But where was here? "Here, drink this," I had lifted my right hand but a pain shot up and down it. I cringed as I was forced to stop abruptly by the pain. "Easy, easy. You're still injured, here," he put the straw to my lips, and I grabbed the glass with my left hand. Even so, it felt extremely heavy, but it was worth it. The drink had tasted like…peppermints. My mother's candy canes on Christmas day. At first I questioned the contents, but eventually I drank all of it. It was as if it was the real thing. "What's it taste like?" he asked taking the glass from me.

"Like… like candy canes,"

"Are you feeling better?" I nodded as my limbs got feeling in them,

"I…don't understand. Where are we? Are we back at school?"

"On the contrary Miss Lorelei," said a voice approaching

"Mr. Brunner?"

"Please, that's more of an alias. Call me Chiron,"

"Chiron…," I heard four taps on the ground coming from Chiron. "Mr. Bru-- I mean Chiron what… are you?" he laughed, as he walked closer, but where his two feet would've been were four hooves.

"I am a Centaur," I was in shock

"And I'm a satyr," Grover added.

"Is that why your feet look like that?" It sounded really mean, but I didn't mean it like that. I quickly corrected myself "I mean-,"

"Yea, they're hooves." he chuckled. I nodded, trying to grasp what was happening. My voice was weak, and I could feel my muscles relaxing. The sense of energy I had was depleting quickly. Grover saw this "Try not to talk too much if it makes you tired," I didn't want to show how exhausted I was.

"You're a lucky child, to take on a python and survive. Oh, yes Grover where's Annabeth?"

"I'm right here Chiron." a girl with blonde hair and piercing gray eyes walked up to me "I see you're awake," she directed to me. I was too tired to respond.

"Annabeth do you still have the fang of the python?" she nodded and placed it on my lap

"You're foolish to take on a python," she said to me. In her voice was a hint of jealousy, though I don't know why she'd be jealous. "You nearly died, and the poison-,"

"That'd be all Annabeth, thank you." Chiron said sternly to her. She turned and ran away. I wanted her to stay so I could reply with 'It's not like I got a piccolo and tried to charm the snake! Oh hello to you too by the way,' Chiron looked at the snake fang on my lap. "Annabeth took care of you,"

"She did the same for me," Percy said.

"What do you mean? What happened Percy? You're alright aren't you?"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," he said laughing "You're the one we should worry about, I'm fine."

"Percy took on a minotaur. He has his horn to prove it. He saved my life too. It seems the two new half bloods have a memento to mark themselves." Grover said.

"You defeated a minotaur!" I said in a soft yell.

"That's nothing compared to a 60 foot snake!" I stood up but my limbs gave out and I fell into the arms of Chiron. He set me back down into the chair, and placed the fang that fumbled to the ground back on my lap.

"You need your rest Lorelei. Don't try to move so much, it's not good for your health. Percy, Grover you go on." Chiron stayed behind to say something important to me.

"The venom's still in me isn't it?" I asked stroking the fang with the back of my hand. Chiron looked paralyzed by my question.