C9: The Unknown
xxx Current Location Unknown xxx
Chirping was the first thing she heard as she woke up. The morning had come earlier then she had rememebered Olympus having. She rolled over away from the sunshine that had been blinding her in the face. Opening her eyes, Aphrodite quickly realised she wasn't in Artemis' forest anymore. Instead of the oaks and maples that had surrounded her when she feel asleep. Now she was surrounded by thick tall redwood giants. On the ground level varies ferns and shrubs were everwhere. No sight of any path meant this place was extremely remote.
'How did I get here?' The beauty goddess pondered to herself as she continued to move around. After talking with Artemis and Hera on Ares' action towards her she had been able to finally calm herself down. Her current unblemished dress had been a sign of that. Afterwards when Hera had declared it was time to return to the council chamber. Dite had asked to stay there with her giant protector. Only one option came to her mind as to how she got here.
"Zeus that egotistical piece of..." She mumbled to herself. He must of raged at the mere sight of her 'perfect son' being injuried by a beast. Sending him, and herself since she was sleeping on him, to where ever they are now. Oh she was going to fully rake Zeus over the coals when she got back to Olympus. King or not, you never punished that hero of a maiden's virtue about to be stolen! To rub it further into his face she would bring the animal with her when she punished both of those stupid men.
She quickly returned to the still sleeping animal. Placing her left hand on his thick leathery shoulder. She gently gripped his skin. Raising her right hand she snapped her fingers to teleport them both back. Only nothing happened, no golden light or anything. She was still surrounded by the new landscape. She tried again, a third time and even a forth. Nothing happened. They were still in this area. Panic started to grip her. Her powers had never failed her before. Why couldn't she leave this place?
Snapping her fingers she started to test her other powers by chaging the color of her dress. The long pink robes flow as if the wind had them. In an instant the pink colors were replaced in an emerald floral green. Showing she had her normal reality altering powers. But she couldn't teleport out of here. With that in mind she could resonably assume that the power's domain was still connected. To test she turned to the direction she could feel the aura of Olympus.
"Zeus! As the Goddess of Beauty, Love, Desire, Passion, Sexuality and Pleasure I hearby curse you! Never shall any woman look at you with the eys of lust or passion. Never shall any woman immortal or mortal look at you with anything then less hate and disgust. You shall never be aroused in the presence of women either. And if you try to go to men for release. You shall never be on top. I swear that on the River Styx I shall not change this decree for at least the next five hundred years!" The few clouds in the sky rumbled in acknowlegdement of her oath. This brought a hint of sadistic glee to the Love Goddess. Now even if he threatened her, She couldn't reverse this punishment. Forcing him to endure the karma of his heat headedness and stupidity.
A large snort behind her behind rememinded her she wasn't alone. Craning her head over her left shoulder she came face to face with a large burning orange eye. Her shouting had awoken her protector. The animal let out a yawn as it rocked back. Stretching its forelimbs like a dog would. Followed with a pushup the beast lifted itself to a full standing position. Now it started to take a notice of its own surroundings. Deep breath through the animal's nostrils could be heard as the head turned from side to side. Those large eyes gathering in every detail.
Aphordite's nervousness started to gather yet again. She realised that the calming aura that Atremis' Forest produced for its occupants no longer existed. This animal could now attack her instead of protecting her. What where her options? She could run, but the dinosaur would easily chase her down. Hiding would never work, on account that according to Atermis, the animal could sense those around it without ever seeing them. Suddenly she was hit with an idea. It was cunning, so cunning you could pin a tail on it and call it a fox. It was also so crazy, so ludacris, it might just work.
As quietly as she could she approached the animal. It didn't take long since the animal had only taken a single step to turn around as it scoped the surroundings out. She reached out with both hands towards the animal's ankle. Touching it she noted the thick and rough texture. With a flex of her magical might she began her plan. The animal was quick to react, bending its thick neck to look down at her. Its head started to make its way towards her. She didn't know what it would do. Plus she couldn't focus on it. She had to finish her plan. So she closed her eyes and pumped up her magic infusion into the animal. Hoping she wouldn't die.
The hot breath rolling along her face was a good sign. The animal hadn't bitten her. Daring to squeeze an eye open, Aphordite looked to see what her fate would be. The animal's nose was positioned right before her. Its nostril flaring with a repeated breathing motion. Both eyes stared at her while she remained glued to the animal's leg. Tentatively she moved her left hand towards the massive snout before her. Its skin was similar to the leg. The thick leathery hide was quite warm under her hand.
"Can you understand me now?" She asked timidly. Her idea had been use her reality powers to alter the animal's mind. While she had used this power to breathe life into inanimate objects. The creation of her many children or even everyday items from thin air. She had never used this power on an already living being. Dite wasn't sure what would happen, or the full effects if this worked. It was quite possible this could fail completely and would soon attacked.
The animal's eyes were glazed over as he looked at her. The effects of pumping her power into the his brain were still working their magic. Deciding to error on the side of caution, Dite removed herself from touching the animal. Moving over to hide behind one of the nearby redwood trees. She peered around the massive trunk at the animal. It still remained motionless in this early morning sun. Its silverish white skin almost producing a shimmer look to the beast.
A sudden squeaky grunt from behind caused the woman to nearly jump out of her skin. Quickly turning on her heal she gazed in all directions. Looking for the direction on the sound. The squeak sounded off again. It was soon followed by another, then another. Whatever was out there wasn't alone. Dite quickly spotted a few of the low laying ferns begin to wiggle and shake as the noise makers moved through the undergrowth.
The Love Goddess moved closer to the noisey animals. Her curiousity overriding her minor fear. Certainly nothing this small would be a danger to her. She kept following the shaking fern line. The grunt and squeaks continuing on as the animals kept walking. It was approaching as small sun filled clearing. Patches on short grass swept both sides of a gentle creek. It was quite a peaceful little setting. Aphrodite hung back behind another tree. Waiting to see what these little noise makers are.
Dite was speechless. The group of nine animals were tiny compared to the dinosaur she had been teleported here with. Maybe a meter in length at the most. The bodies were light green with brown tiger striped down the back, tail and forelimbs. A small frill covered the the back of their necks. Leading down into a beak at the end of the mouth. Three were different with bright red spots over the eyes and back.
The little animals lined up at the creek. Taking turns at drinking from the water while one of the red backs kept its head up. Looking from side to side. Its little eys darting all over the nearby landscape. Only when another red back started doing the same did the first start to drink as well.
Dite watched the little dinosaurs with elation. It was such a simple but peaceful display of nature. Something she rarely saw anymore while wandering the world. Most mortal never took the time to enjoy their surroundings. Just push on onto the next destination. She to was guilty of that. Especially with her fake illusion of being an easy woman. She had become so numb to her surroundings that she rarely enjoyed being anywhere. Now though, she joy in just watching these little animals drinks from the creek.
It was not to last however. After a few more moments a new sound was heard. It was low. At first, one could be forgiven that it was just nothing but a figment of your imagination. But then she heard again. So did the little animal that was looking around. The animal seemd to look around faster the more the sound was heard. As the sound became more frequent, it sent out a loud swuaking cry. The rest of the little herd quickly began to run off. Dashing back into the ferns and brush.
Dite began looking around. The sound was getting closer, deeper. It started to sound like a drum. She could even feel it through the ground. Looking around she discoverd a hollow in one of redwoods nearby. It looked large enough to fit and easy enough to climb up into it. With the drumming getting closer. The woman scrambled into the hollow. Backing into it, she felt the wood slightly squish under her body. She hoped she wasn't hiding in anything bad. Tucking herself in, Aphrodite remained as quiet as she could.
The drumming sound revealed the great white beast that she had been sent here with. The deep drumming the result of its bulk walking on two legs. From her vantage point, Dite could see the animals thick leathery skin. The muscles stretching and bulging as it moved. Its great head moving from side to side. Those large orange eyes looking everywhere it could it seemed. The sliverish white hide looked quite beautiful in the early morning sun.
The animal lowered the front half of its body towards the little creek. Its strong forearms supoorting the weight of the head, neck and shoulders. Dite noticed the animal didn't hold its hand plam open like a person would when in a similar postion. No, the animal instead rested on its knuckles. Keeping the long sickle claws out of the dirt and mud. Most likely because laying it open-handed would bend the fingers back painfully.
Looking up from the beast's hands her gaze drift over the the animal's head. The first thing anyone would be drawn to would be those large orange eyes. They were such a sharp contrast to the rest of the animal's color, like fire in snow. As she continued to watch she noticed something else, a pit. The pit was in between the eye and the nostril. Just lower so it wouldn't effect eyesight. What could that be, she wondered to herself.
After finishing its drink the animal raised itself back onto its hind legs. Looking around it began to make little cackling sounds. Similar to a dolphin's, only many times larger. The sounds were vastly different then the growls and roars the animal presented to Ares when they had their brief interaction. Could the animal be calling out? But why? According to Athena this animal was most likely the only one of its kind. Due to it being manufactured by the mortals. So why was it giving off calls like it that?
Then it hit her. The animal was calling for her. Even though it had been a few minutes, she had temporarily forgotten the idea she had tried on the animal. She was hoping, with her abilty to slightly bend reality, that she could install the ability to understand mortal words into the animal. Had her idea worked? Only one way to find out. She took a deep breath, and pushed herself out of the tree.
Her feet landed with a heavy thud and crack of branch that laid under the shrub. Dite stood dead still as the massive head of the animal swung around. Its bright red eyes gazing at her. Eyes lit up in minor recognition when its eyes locked onto hers. In only three steps the animal was upon her, snout to face. Next she could hear heavy snorting. The animal was sniffing her, taking in her scent. She closed her eyes. While a goddess would reform after a short time. The pain of death was something she didn't want to experiance.
Fortunately she wouldn't have to. She realized her plan had work when the animal clicked again. Giving her a gentle nudge with its nose, the animal gave a call to her.
"Can you hear me?" She asked. While friendly was good. Being able to speak to it would increase her chances of getting out of here.
The animal looked at her for a few moments. As if to think about what she said. The animal nodded and Aphordite smiled. Unable to contain herself, she leapt onto the beast snout. Doing her best to hug the animal. Now that she had herself a friend and protector. She could focus on getting out of here.