I'm not sure what the updating issue was over the last few days, but I think we're back on track now! I'll be posting a chapter here and the Tyrant's Tomb (Again) today, back to regular posting tomorrow (as long as the website doesn't crash again)


"-don't know what you're saying, I don't speak horse-chicken!" Arnie hissed. An indignant huff and he 'ohoho'd a laugh. "Right, that's it. You and me, Cluck, let's go. Put 'em up. Ow, ow! No biting! I helped save your eggs, you can't bite me!" There was a humoured wicker. Arnie grumbled to himself. "I better be godfather or I'll eat them myself. Ah, no biting, no biting!"

"Ugh." Louisa said.

"Hey! Hey, she's awake! Let go of my sleeve." Louisa opened her eyes to see him pry his sleeve free from Cluck's teeth. The mare snorted, thoroughly amused. They were in a nest, big enough for a horse-chicken, made of branches cushioned with bright yellow and red feathers. Cluck had her wing tucked over her eggs. Arnie dusted himself down, scooting forward on his butt until he sat cross-legged beside Louisa. "Morning." He grinned. "About time you woke up. I nearly ate your breakfast too." Louisa blinked at him. His expression softened. "You feeling OK?"

Louisa didn't answer. She didn't want to. Arnie helped her sit up, offering her a bottle of water. Cluck playfully snuffled at her hair.

Thank you for your help. She said. She moved her wing a little, indicating her brood with a nod of her head. They are well, she assured, thanks to you and your friend. Louisa nodded detachedly, sipping carefully at her drink. Her watch was on her wrist.

Arnie put the back of his hand to her forehead. Louisa froze.

"What are you doing?"

"Mom did this when I was ill."

"I'm not ill." Louisa pushed his hand away. He frowned at her, unconvinced and concerned. Louisa squished the bottle in her hands, listening to the plastic crinkling in and out under her fingers.

"It's the snake-women, isn't it?" Louisa nodded numbly. "What happened?"

"They… wanted to eat me. Um… I- I ki-killed them 'n'… but… not… didn't kill Two. And… and she trained me. With… my sword." Louisa sniffed, vision clouding over as fresh tears welled. "I said I was sorry. I didn't… I didn't want to fight yesterday and… and…" Arnie lay a hand on her shoulder. Cluck nuzzled her cheek. "I'm… I'm sorry." Louisa croaked. Arnie gave her a sad smile.

"It's alright, Lou."

"It's not. Could've… could've lost eggs and… and you… and…"

"Lou." Arnie shook her gently. "We had to get the eggs back. Cluck asked to help and we did. Those snake-ladies would have eaten those eggs. That'd- that'd be three less horse-chickens." Cluck bit at him again, but he was quicker, throwing himself backwards to the side of the nest, karate hands at the ready. They stared at each other for a moment, gouging what the other's play was.

Arnie kept an eye on the mare, but he talked to Louisa. "You stepped up when we needed you. I know you didn't want that to happen, but if not for you, we would have been snake food." He pulled his gaze from Cluck, focusing on Louisa. "Mom always said there's a right and a wrong for everyone. Each side causes their own problems, but she always told me to do what was right. Saving those eggs," he pointed in case Louisa didn't know which eggs he was talking about, "was the right thing to do. The monsters will be back. They always come back. Baby horse-chickens? Not so much." He reached for his pack, rummaging through it for a moment. "Here." He threw her the packet of cookies. "Breakfast."


Cluck let them rest up for the remainder of the morning, Louisa translating insults for her. She had to reassure Arnie that all insults were from Cluck and that she would never say anything as horrible as 'you're a rat-footed, eagle-faced, mud-brained dimwit in dire need of a haircut and a wardrobe upgrade'. Louisa argued she would come up with something more simple- idiot, for one. Smelly, for another. Arnie wasn't impressed.

Then they were off, setting out under the midday sun. The trip back took much longer on foot than it did on horse-chicken, but they weren't going to ask Cluck to leave her eggs any time soon.

"You feeling better?"

"A bit."

"See?" Arnie nodded wisely. "Cookies are the best medicine."

"If you say so."

"I do say so, yes." He stuck his tongue out. Louisa smiled weakly. She had eaten half the packet without realising, sheepishly handing the rest back to him. If he minded, he didn't say. "So, what's today's plan then, horse girl? Should we fight a tree? Not done that for a while."

"Shush." She urged, slugging him in the arm. "Let's just find a way to Camp."

"OK." He grinned lopsidedly. "Race you to the road." He shoved her in the chest, sending her sprawling in the mud, and sprinted off, laughing wickedly. "That's payback!" He called over his shoulder. Louisa clawed at and slipped on the mud. He was a third of the way to the road by the time she pulled herself free.

He won, for a change, something which he was very pleased about. He danced her victory dance right back at her, blowing raspberries and singing 'na-na-na-na-na, too slow!' Louisa scooped a handful of mud from her coat and smeared it slowly and pointedly on his face, from his forehead, over his nose and then all around his cheeks. He had freeze-framed mid-dance, squeezing his eyes shut, brow furrowed. When she wiped the last of the mud off on his coat, he opened his eyes and frowned at her. "Someone's a sore loser." He remarked.

"You cheated."

"I would never."

"Never say you cheated, that is."

"Well, yeah." He shrugged a shoulder, dragging his sleeve over his face. "But still. I would never." Louisa hummed dubiously. Arnie smiled. He bowed, flourishing a hand before him. "After you, sore loser." She began walking. He bounced after her, swinging an arm around her shoulders. "I hope they have cookies at Camp. Lots of cookies." Louisa nodded in agreement, watching him cautiously from the corner of her eye. Arnie tipped his head towards her, grinning slyly.

"Don't."

He did. He squashed his cheek on her shoulder and plastered her with mud. "I hate you."

"No, you don't."

"Startin' to."

"No, you're not."

"Mmph."


"OK, so, again, Jupiter is the king. Like, the big boss of all the gods."

"With lightning?"

"Yes. Lots of lightning. He's the god of the skies and lightning and stuff. Who's Minerva?"

"Um…" Louisa winced, struggling to call the knowledge up. "She… has an owl?"

"No. I mean, yes, they are her animal, but no. She's the goddess of crafts. Weaving and all that." Louisa rubbed at her temples, as if that would keep the information in. "OK, what does Pluto do?"

"Dead."

"Yes. But not death."

"Eh, what?"

"Pluto is the god of the dead, not of death. Mom said it's a big difference and he gets upset if you don't notice it. He's… um… yeah, he's also the god of, like, all the jewels and stuff in the earth. You know, like rubies and gold and stuff like that."

"Oh." Louisa nodded. "Who's… who's the god of death then?"

"Thanatos."

"How'd you remember all these?"

"Bedtime stories." He shrugged a shoulder. "Thanatos is basically the Roman Grim Reaper." Louisa blinked at him. "He collects the souls of the dying. You don't know the Grim Reaper?" She shook her head. "Huh." Arnie said. "'Kay. Yeah, he goes and picks up the souls. Then… Underworldy stuff." He flailed his hands at the ground as if that explained everything. He hopped up onto a fallen tree, spreading his arms as he walked along it. "If you think about it, our family tree is super weird." Louisa looked up at him, offering a silent question. "Well, your dad is my dad's uncle, if I remember right."

"So what does that make us then?"

"I dunno. Cousins?" He jumped down, straightening his coat. "Mom was an only kid too. I don't have any cousins on the mortal side." He glanced at her, biting his lower lip in thought. "Do you… know anything about your mortal family?"

"No." Louisa said glumly.

"Ah, well." Arnie tried for a smile. "Can't be all that." From one of his pockets, he pulled a packet of marshmallows. "How many do you think I can fit in my mouth?"

"Won't be enough to shut you up."

"Oh. Oh. Like that, huh? Well," he snapped the packet open, turning his nose up at her, "you ain't getting none!" He blew a raspberry, shoving an overflowing handful of sweets in his mouth with a loud, "NOM!" She watched him for a moment, his cheeks bulging, eyes cross-eyed. He snorted at her, and that was his downfall. He inhaled marshmallow the wrong way.

"Idiot!" She chided, smacking him on the back. Arnie hacked and coughed, a big chunk of partially-chewed marshmallows slobbered together flopping to the floor. "Ew, that's so gross." Louisa laughed. Arnie wheezed, still coughing. "Here, dumb-dumb." She passed him a water bottle from his pack. "What would you do without me?"

"Choke on marshmallows, apparently." He replied, voice hoarse, eyes watery. Louisa just nodded knowingly.

"Don't drink all my water."

"It's my water!"

"It's mine!"

"Bleeeeeehhhh, see, I licked it! Now it's mine!"

"Yeah?"

"Yeah!"

"Yeah?"

"Yeah!"

"Alright, that's it. Fight me."

"I will!"

"Will you?"

"Yeah!"

"C'mon then!"

"Nooooo, you're actually quite scary, go away!"