Chapter 25
Nico POV
MATE! Mate is screaming, and shaking. I don't know what happened? I let loose a warbled bleat of fear. He's collapsed and it takes all my strength to stop him from smashing face first into the ground, brother is scared, his feathers severely ruffled. I stroke mates pale skin, his big eyes stare past me at something I can't see, and IM SCARED.
The glowy ones come closer to us and I rumble out a warning, must protect mate, but even that does nothing, and the yellow one touches mate, a panic in his eyes an unknown adversary coming back to haunt him, a language I can't understand pours from his throat and imscared imscared imscared... Only mate could understand and he's not responding! Whimpers and horrible gurgling choking noises pour from mates lips and I can't do anything. He thrashes and his fins flop in the mud, streaking his scales with dark undertones that stood out starkly against his skin. He's shaking and crying and still thrashing so hard he almost looks like he's seizing.
The yellow one is joined by the white one, the yellow one is asking me questions but I can't understand, I just want mate safe! He pulls mate from my arms, I screech and reach for him, but a steady hand on my shoulder stops me, I look back and a man in black is kneeling next to me, shaking his head, I can hear brother squawk and see another man with black hair and the same sea green eyes as mate. He looks frantic, and scared too. He has brother, and is trying to say something too. Yellow scoops up mate, who flails and panicked cries pour from him as he tries to get away, and carries him, we all run after him, well more like stumbled in our case, we end up at a lake, or some big body of water.
Yellow slowly lowers mate into the water and more fish people or water people? Come and help, using gentle hands to lower him into the waves, keeping his face above the water. His tail and fins are creating mini whirlpools as he continues his attempts at escape. The green eyed man walks into the water too and the water people croon strange things to him, he nods and a pretty blue light surrounds mate. So bright I have to squint, but I feel fear leap into my throat when suddenly mate stops moving entirely.
No, no, no, no, no, NO! I leap into the water and all the water people scurry away as I thrash my way towards him, it's decidedly much deeper than I thought it would be, three quarters of the way to him I realize, I cannot swim. A strangled cry rips free from my throat as i'm suddenly underwater. Fear, that's what I feel. Water pulling me in every direction, threatening to pour into my lungs. I can't BREATHE! I'm drowning, drowning with mate so close and scared and I can't get to him! I flail my arms but I can't remember which way was up, it's so scary, my lungs are screaming. Then hands grabbing me pulling, I thrash, no no I want mate! Then water swirls around me and there! Mate swims towards me his tails moving with a deadly grace, but his eyes were wide and frantic.
"Hold on!" He yells, as he makes sweeping gestures with his hands and suddenly the water drags away from my face and I cough up water and cling to mates arms.
"Are you ok?!" He grabs my head, HORNS, I shudder as a zing shoots down my spine and release a keen I wasn't aware I was capable of. He blushes and apologizes changing his hold to the sides of my face, which was burning hotter than brothers fire i'm sure. The water swirls around us in a little whirlpool with so many bubbles I can't see outside of it, I released another frightened whimper, we're still underwater, I don't want to drown again! He smiles reassuringly and I notice it's small and cracked and shaking and so so fake. All of him's shaking actually. His whole body vibrates with tension and his eyes look so haunted, like shattered glass. I reach up slowly and touch his face, and he flinches violently, releasing a shuddering gasp and his grip tightens on my face.
"Hey, hey look at me, ok? Only me?" He tilts his head back and fear is clear in his beautiful eyes. Gently I pull him forward until our foreheads rest together, and start humming a lullaby I remembered from long ago, one that eased my fears as much as I hope they do for him... I think my sister, Bianca was her name, sang it to me. A memory of gentle hands carding through my hair and soft kisses on my forehead, words in a language I didn't understand but, knew.
It worked, surprisingly enough, he relaxed in my hold and calmed his breathing in the four minutes it took me to hum the song. He was still trembling but not nearly as violently. His fins look so pretty under the water, more see through and rippled with the currents. His hair swayed gently like it was still in the waves, and his scales looked brighter than before. My careful grip on his face moves to slowly hug him, giving all the time in the world for him to pull away, he tensed but relaxed just as quickly, I kept my hold loose. A rumbling echoed around us, and it took me a second to realize it was coming from mate, from deep in his chest, my forehead pressed against the thrum. Was he... purring? That's the closest I can think to describe the sound, a rumbling happy sound that echoed in the space around us.
A lot of time passed like that I think.
I just know the next time we opened our eyes, Mate had stopped almost all of his shaking, and I was breathing slowly, our hearts slowed in were both still scared but less so. I brought my eyes to his, we both didn't want to go back, that much was clear, but they had brother, and we would NOT leave him. He eventually nodded and wrapped his arms around me, slowly and carefully, like one wrong move and he'd kill me. Then he waved his powerful tail and we went to the surface.
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Leo POV
When brother started to scream, it sparked a memory. A flash of him, face streaked with tears, terror in his glassy eyes, heaving for air as he woke from a nightmare. Another part of me knew, there should be scars, lots of them, but I couldn't see any on brothers tail or arms, something told me, stomach, back, chest, sides, HIPS. But, really, why would I think that? Another choked gurgle torn me from my thoughts and I can see the yellow one touching brother. As he scooped him up I feel flames lick my fingers, no one touches brother, but then there's a hand on my shoulder and i'm so surprised I let out a frightened squawk.
I turn and a man with wavy black hair, sea green eyes, same as brothers, and I can't help but stare because really. The man would be gorgeous if it weren't for the pallor and dark rings around his eyes, he looked a little too much like an older brother. Movement out of the corner of my eye and I turn to see yellow carrying brother away, an unknown fear of being separated gripped me and I lunged after him out of the lookalikes grip. Stumbling on my new legs my wings flapped as they tried to help me balance, by the time I caught up with them, brother ram jumped into the water and started splashing his way towards brother blue.
Too late I called out a terrified warning of water being deep and I rushed to the waters edge as black went under, a man next to me gasped and surged forward, but silver held him back, more tongue and teeth and I couldn't understand even if I tried. Crying I screeched and wailed as I called to brother blue to HELP HIM because I couldn't get to him and he was going to DROWN! Some of the water people went after him but came back just as fast high pitched warbles and flailing arms and then sudden life poured into blue and his eyes snapped open and he turned to look at me, life ending terror was all I could see in his toxic green eyes before he glanced at the water and dove.
An instant whirlpool started around them and as I try to get closer more hands and sounds, so many I couldn't take it, I sat and cried, a small ring of fire around me warding off offending hands. I am so so so scared, what if blue didn't get there in time? What if they both drown? What if i'm left alone, where I can't understand anyone and no one can understand me and and and, more sobs wrack my wiry form.
I don't know how long I sat there, long enough that my circle burned any grass within five feet of me. The people tried to talk to me, i'm sure, but the noises they made just made me feel more alone, more afraid of what could happen without my brothers. What would I do? Suddenly a large form moved through my flames and curled up around me, Ms.O'Leary my mind supplied.
.
I have to keep running, blood smeared my face and dripped into my eye, i swiped it away, angry slurs were shouted behind me, I stumbled on the wooded path back towards the city, I will not die here! I pushed myself up, arms shaking, I haven't eaten much these past few weeks, but a large calloused hand wraps around my arm yanking me up, I can feel something in it give and cry out in pain.
"Oh shut up, I didn't hurt ya, c'mon let's go, honestly where did you think you were gonna go anyways? Back to the orphanage? Pff like they'll take a troubled snot nosed brat like you back. Good riddance I'd bet, I know they sure as hell didn't do a very thorough check on me, that's for sure." A greasy grin and wandering eyes much too bright for the dark.
"Now, where were we? Ah, yes, target practice." I flinch as i'm dragged back through the woods by my dislocated shoulder, I don't want to do target practice anymore, they miss, on purpose my brain hissed. A howl echoed in the trees and he barely slows to acknowledge it, I'm getting more and more lightheaded and stumble again.
"What're you doing?! This ain't no time for a rest! Get UP!" He janks me to my feet again and I whimper.
Then the ground shakes.
Boom Boom Boom Boom coming closer so loud I can feel the vibrations through my feet and can see the branches shake.
"What the hell-"
"Hound. Hellhound actually, good guess, not many mortals get it." A voice replies, soft but cold, and young? Then a huge ass MONSTER DOG plows my asshole foster dad over and drags him off screaming, I think that's the last I ever saw him. Then silver and black and blue and BLUE and I'm so dizzy that when I collapse the blue catches me and all I can see is the same fear reflected back at me.
.
Ms.O'Leary cuddles closer letting me lean against her and I know she'll protect me, just like she did before. I run my shaking fingers through her fur and she rumbles softly, a warm and reassuring sound. I fold my new appendages around me, already dry from the heat of my flames. A gentle hand on my shoulder and I flinch, curling up closer to her, why didn't she stop them?
I turn and there's a man with a pale face, his scraggly beard slightly burnt and smoking his long brown hair tied back in a ponytail and wearing coveralls covered in grease, burns, and metal shavings, he had thick corded arms and warm chocolate eyes. He also appeared to not be affected by my fire. A splash interrupts me before I can even open my mouth, and instantly i'm on my feet, with help from Ms.O'Leary, and looking towards the water. THERE! Blue and black break the surface and I let out a happy trill, both look to me and I can see the relief on their faces, blue swims them closer to the water's edge and I help them out, blue seems to be able to stand better and we help him onto land.
"Are you alright?" I ask them, fear still rushing in my veins making my feathers shake.
"We will be." Black murmurs, holding blues hand, and I reach for the other one, he only flinched a little. I smile at him and he relaxes more, twining our fingers together. The horse man suddenly was in front of us and blue stumbled back, black and I stepping in front of him. He raised his hands slowly, placating. And soft nickers and neighs poured from his mouth. We look to blue, who's staring at the ground tense, but nods sharply.
"H-he's going to take us t-to the b-big house now." He whispered. We nod and Ms.O'Leary comes up to blue and nuzzles him, and I watch the wonder and love break across his face, his hands instantly going to her snout and strokes her face, she rumbles and he nods, turning she lays down and blue awkwardly pulls himself onto her back. Black and I went on either side and together made our way to this 'Big House'.
AN: Ooooook.
So, this took awhile. Sorry I had real bad writers block. But hopefully we'll be moving on now, back to the plot and less torture for poor Percy, lol my poor baby. A couple POV for you guys. A new character hmmmm? I'm sure you know who he is but still. I'm trying, also I found a head canonfor Aphrodite that I might put into play, not sure yet tho. Plus, a little backstory on Leo! Anyways as always thank you for your continued support and ideas guys, really it makes it worth it.
See you guys soon,
Love Wolf