Maggie soon arrived back where Jet was out of breath and exhausted, to find Kateo who had already been there for a few minutes being a faster runner. "What was that", he asked. What was what? Jet asked wining in his confusion. Kateo stared at him for a second like what you would see when you first see Lupa and she is trying to talk to you. That is freaky. I thought Lions only live in the golden lands. Maggie figured that he was talking about the savanna in Africa where regular lions usually dwell. "That was the Nemean Lion. It's in the greek myths where Hercules defeated it and took its coat which is impenetrable. Percy Jackson defeated it, but I guess it is back now, maybe escaped through the doors of death when Gaea opened them". Kateo nodded as if he understood, "Velen told us about that war and right now we need to get out of here as fast as possible". "NO, no more running please. I can't run any farther", Maggie moaned, her exhausted legs giving out on her and let her fall to the ground. Worry washed over her and she felt like she would panic, then she spotted it, in the shadows there was a wisp of shadow that danced like a flame growing higher with her panic. Oh no, not these. As quickly as possible she let her mind drain and the small black flame went out. It had been so long since she last saw the black flame, but she swore to keep it a secret in case she couldn't control it.
I can do it, Jet's mind interacted with hers. "Huh… Sorry I wasn't listening". "Jet just said that he would volunteer to carry us for as far as he can run, but i don't know if he can carry two". The black wolf snorted and sat up like he was a well trained royal dog. I can carry two. I already carry Kateo and I sometimes forget he is on my back. Maggie giggled and Kateo's cheeks flushed a little. "Alright. Come on", and with that they jumped on Jet's back and the wolf bolted through the trees, faster than any horse in the world.
After a few hours, the sun sank below the horizon, dragging the purple and blue shadow of night behind it. Jet ran tirelessly through the forest, jumping over huge boulders and weaving through the trees as if he were a sleek, graceful, dragon. Even though he was moving fast, it felt like Maggie was just riding in a convertible car, driving smoothly along a highway. Her eyes began to droop and her head lolled to the side once in a while, but she would snap back to attention. Kateo, had his hood up and his mask on, giving him that silent and mysterious look as if he were just a japanese spirit. The black fur that covered most of him was wrapped around him, blocking out the wind and keeping it from flapping around in Maggie's face.
The fifth time she nodded off, she snapped back to see Kateo's wolf like mask staring at her. He carefully lifted it a little so she could get a good projection of his voice, "You can go to sleep if you want". Maggie didn't want to go to sleep. She wanted to help in any way she could, she was supposed to protect Kateo, not the other way around. Although she wanted to stay awake, her eyes decided otherwise and they closed and she instantly fell asleep, resting her head on Kateo's back.
Maggie almost had a dreamless night, but almost. A dream faded into view. She was back in Camp Half Blood near the dining pavilion. The tables were crowded with newly arrived campers who chatted and laughed at the tables. The sun was low in the sky and small children who were done with their meals goofed off and cartwheeled in the grass. Two bear cubs wrestled each other in the middle while an older bear with golden fur watched over them while holding a tiny, deeply tanned baby in his arms. The baby had a mess of brown curly hair and a little dress with tiny elephants printed all over it. Maggie knew instantly that they were the Zhangs, Joe the oldest, the twins Mabel and Harry, the youngest Beatrice, and another on the way. Maggie knew them, sometimes having to babysit them for Mary Anne when she wasn't up to it. They were horrible children except their older brother who acted as mature as an adult, but he was always too serious.
Suddenly the grass was flooded with a mysterious black liquid boiled around them. The cubs bleated and ran to their older brother who had transformed into a lion in surprise. The children stopped playing and the younger ones ran to their parents who looked and pointed. The cub's father turned into a giant eagle and soared down to protect his children while the pool continued to bubble and a dark shape arose from the pool. The thing rose until it looked like a person on all fours, then the black goop flowed off the thing, revealing a woman with blonde hair. She gasped for air and crawled away from the black stuff in horror. Behind her another figure rose from the muck and stood tall, letting the black stuff roll off and fall deep into the earth. It was a boy Maggie's age with brown hair and a big nose. He smiled and sucked in a noseful of air. "Here we are Mother". A man walked out of the crowd, an adult son of Hermes. "Velen? Is that you". The woman nodded, staring at the man in disbelief. "How did your little trip go.
Did you consult the 'forest spirit' and find the forest of turd"? The rest of the cabin and a few others joined in. Velen's head drooped and a tear trickled down her cheek. A man Maggie recognized from the Ares cabin walked up and punched the Hermes guy in the face. The guy had a round head and huge, meaty fists that were good with a sword. "Dean"? Velen stared up at him with tears in her eyes. He smiled at her and took her in his arms where she buried her face in his chest.
He leaned his head over to her ear and whispered, "Did you get there"? Velen nodded in his shoulder. "That means…" Velen nodded again. Dean threw his head back and laughed a hearty laughter that made Velen jump in surprise, "I can already see the look on Jackson's face".
Suddenly the black goop boiled again and the boy who came out of the goop, who was staring at the conversing adults. His face filled with terror. A long spike burst from it, then a head. The goop grew into a giant, haron shaped creature thrashed. The goop fell off of white feathers and sure enough, there was a giant haron underneath all of the black stuff. She screached and flapped her wings in panic, splashing rain drops all over everyone nearby. Clouds grew dark in the sky, even in camp, and each beat of her wings created a roar of thunder or a crack of lightning. WHY YOU LITTLE BRAT, the bird screeched, staring down at the goop kid. Velen yelped in terror and Dean pulled out a big celestial bronze ax. The crowd backed away in terror, Frank and Hazel shielding their children from the sight. I SHOULD STRIKE YOU DOWN FOR A DEED LIKE THIS. First of all disobeying our orders, attacking the guardians of the forest, GETTING GOOP ALL OVER MY FEATHERS. THIS IS HOW YOU TREAT THE GODS THAT GAVE YOU HOSPITALITY. LETTING YOU LIVE IN OUR LANDS AND STAY WITH YOUR MOTHER WHO HAS EARNED HER WAY INTO OUR LANDS. AN OLD MAN SACRIFICED HIMSELF SO YOU MAY LIVE AND NOW LOOK AT WHAT YOU HAVE DONE. DISGRACEFUL. Kateo would have never done this.
The boy rolled his eyes and yelled at the bird, "THIS IS WHY I DID THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE. QUIT COMPARING ME TO KATEO. I CAN'T READ, I CAN'T SAVE THE FOREST EVERY DAY, I CAN'T CLIMB MOUNTAINS LIKE HE CAN. I AM NOT KATEO AND I DON'T WANT TO BE KATEO". The heron looked shocked and Maggie could see Dean looking at Velen with an expression that Maggie usually got from her mother along with a, "What did you do"? "I'll explain later", Velen said in a worried tone. "WHAT IS GOING ON HERE"? Chiron yelled and trotted into the scene, Percy and Annabeth by his side. "You two, round everyone up and get them into their cabins". They both nodded and spread out to lead the demigods away, though they wouldn't listen. They wanted to see how it all played out and if this "Kateo" character was the real Kateo Jackson. Ah Chiron, haven't seen you in a while. How are you? Trained any humans that are nice and not a mess like that one with the lion's skin. Seriously the lion was just minding his own business. He was like me, not wanting to be beaten to death by a worthless human when you have done nothing. Chiron kept his calm even though Maggie spotted a twinkle of annoyance. "Imaki, it is a delight to have someone so ancient to come to our camp". "Imaki? Who is that", Percy asked, now becoming interested. "The mighty haron of the sky. She existed long before the titans or even humans". The bird folded her wings and puffed out her chest dignantly. Seriously Chiron you don't teach your students about the nature gods. They should fear us more than the titans and giants, we can take back the planet at any time if we like, but only on the forest spirit's command. "The nature gods have no reason to harm us. The nature spirits let us be here and wasn't this once a very powerful place for some very powerful gods. Now they have abandon it and are too weak to get it back". Annabeth raised an eyebrow, "How can gods be weak"? Chiron looked grim, "You must understand Annabeth, some gods aren't immortal and they prefer the traditional cycle".
Unfortunately this little human didn't mess with the right immortals. Imaki screeched and tried to crush Velen's son under her mighty black talons, but the boy scooted out of her way and ran behind Chiron.
Gaaah! Where is Kateo when you need him? The bird fluttered and shrieked in anger, almost crushing a group of sytrs who had luckily been saved by Chris Rodriguez. Annabeth's eyes grew wide and Percy looked a little confused, eyes darting from the bird to his wife, then back at the bird. Chiron seemed to understand Percy's confusion, "Who is this Kateo you are talking about". Imaki made a face at Chiron and fluffed her feathers angrily. He is Moro's human-cub-thing. I don't know, he is too loyal to be entirely human and I really wish this little brat didn't send him to no one knows where in the world so I can tell him to shoot the thing's head off. I know he can do it, he has the aim and the power, I have seen him do it before. It would make this so much easier and I wouldn't have to waste my energy thinking about this situation.
Percy and Annabeth looked more confused then a parentless toddler that didn't know what language you were speaking. "Percy", Velen gasped and she stumbled to her feet, "Your son. He's alive". Annabeth's legs gave out on her and she needed some nice guy from the Athena cabin to catch her before she fainted. Percy just stood there, looking like Kateo when Maggie messed up his hair. "H-how"? "I took him to the forest spirit after the sacrificing ceremony and he was brought back to life that way. I wanted to tell you, but I couldn't communicate with anyone beyond the place where I stayed. I am really sorry". Percy just stared into the distance as if reality had shattered into a million pieced (probably again) and Percy was experiencing a millenia of it all at once. Chuck the young satyr trotted up and waved his hand in front of Percy's face, then poked his nose, nothing happened.
So this human sired Kateo, Imaki said and leaned down to look at Percy who would probably not notice if the Hermes cabin was painting his face yellow with purple polka dots while singing "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" over and over again. "Kateo… H-he's alive"? Of course he's alive. What in the planet can kill that boy, or even catch him. I have no idea how this brat got him and Jet, but he must've had a seriously elaborate plan to get a hold of him. A demon couldn't kill that human. Percy turned on his heels and walked into the forest with a look on his face as if the world was upside down.
Ok, I finally have this chapter done. I tell you, I have been going this over in my sleep on the way it would play out. (yawns) Anyway, please review if you like this story, it is good for a writer to know if someone likes her writing and I like to know what I am doing wrong if you don't. I always accept new ideas on what might happen and characters, I know you all have great imaginations and I would like to know if I can do more to feed your imagination. Thanks for reading this far and keep dreaming my friends.