Due to his time spent in the wild Ryker had developed an innate ability to recognize various animal calls and their meanings. In fact his ability to recognize and understand these sounds was so developed that he could tell how old the animal was, its gender, and how far the beast was without straining his ears at all. But even if Ryker's hearing was not so extraordinary he still would have had no issue recognizing the voice that tentatively called out to him as he leaned against a tree, staring into the darkness of the woods.

"Ryker?" Silver asked, her voice comforting and familiar. "What are you doing?

"Thinking." He said quietly, his voice barely more than a whisper. He was not concerned with her not hearing him, he was fairly certain that her hearing was better than even his. "It's been a while. Where have you been?"

"Flying." She was closer now, standing only a few feet behind him. "After being… After being prisoner for so long I needed to fly and clear my head."

"Makes sense." Ryker straightened, wincing slightly as his wound tinged in his chest. Will had been pleased with its healing progress, but he still was adamant that Ryker could not do anything overly strenuous. Thus far Ryker had not had a reason to go against his doctor's wishes, but if he had to he would without hesitation. Will was undoubtedly aware of this and had taken measures to prevent this from coming to pass. Ryker did not go anywhere without someone going with him, moreover someone who was capable in a fight. "Since you are back does that mean that your head is clear?"

"As clear as it can be." He heard the shudder in her voice and he turned around to see her with a far off look in her eyes. "I don't think any of us can ever really forget what happened to us down there."

"You went through a lot." Ryker offered, giving an attempt at a consoling tone. Unfortunately it came off as the same voice he took when he was going to give an injured animal its death blow.

Evidently taking this tone as some sort of insult Silver straightened abruptly and met his gaze, a fierce look in her eyes. "So did you." She reminded him harshly. "Since you are talking to me does that mean you are done thinking?"

"For now." Ryker muttered, his gaze just as fierce as hers. "Did you come here to reminisce or did you have some goal in mind?"

"Well apparently those three can't be trusted to bring you to the party, so I came to bring you myself." Silver snapped back.

"Yeah, probably not the best idea for you to send Percy." Ryker said, a snarl creeping onto his face. "You know, on account of the fact that I killed his beloved Annabeth. Next time thinking it through might be a little helpful."

"Oh, you brought her back." Silver said dismissively, one hand resting dangerously on her hip. "He shouldn't have been so overdramatic. Everyone you killed you brought back."

"Except for Grover." Ryker pointed out.

"Satyrs reincarnate." Silver pointed at him with the hand that was not on her hip, the folds of her silver and forest green dress shifting under her hand. "Now. We can argue about that later. But right now there is a fantastic party back at the camp and I wore a dress. Do you have any idea what that means?"

"No, but I have a strange feeling the answer is coming shortly."

"That means that you are going to come to said party with me."

"As I said." Ryker sighed and rolled his eyes. "I never said I wouldn't-."

"Damn right you didn't." Silver said firmly, stalking forward and seizing his hand in her own before pulling him off in the direction of the camp. It took him a moment to reclaim his balance, but she did not slow even for that. "You are going to come to this party, dance, and have a great time."

"Dancing?" Ryker asked, horrified. He had seen the nymphs and dryads dance many times, and the prospect had never appealed to him. Too much twisting and turning and jumping. It was a terrible waste of energy and, from everything he had seen, served no other purpose other than to wear oneself out.

"Yes." There was a gleam in Silver's eye as she glanced over to him that gave even Ryker pause to argue with. "And you will like it."

He might have been given some pause, but argue Ryker did nonetheless. "I may dance but I will not like it." He said resolutely, raising his chin defiantly. They had just reached the edge of the camp, the guards nodding to Silver and looking at Ryker with something resembling awe. "What is with all that light? And why are there so many colors?"

"Party." Silver reminded him. It seemed as though that explained everything and, after Ryker remained quiet, she turned to face him with an eyebrow raised. "You have been to a party before, right?"

Ryker considered that question for a long moment before offering, "I went to one of those banquet-things at Camp Half-Blood. Does that count?"

"You mean… dinner?" Silver pinched the bridge of her nose with two fingers and closed her eyes. She took several deep breaths before opening her eyes and staring at Ryker with a mischievous light in her eyes. "Okay. This might actually be kind of fun."

"Oh, I think that much is a given." Leo called, evidently having overheard Silver's words. "This place is popping! Thanatos is dancing! Reyna is dancing! Zeus even let Dionysus drink and now, don't ask me how, but now him and Bacchus are in a wine drinking contest."

"I thought that Bacchus was the Roman aspect of-." Ryker's voice cut off as his foot was nearly impaled by the sharp heel of Silver's shoe. He bit off his sound of pain and painted a grim smile on his face.

"Like I said man, don't ask." Leo advised. He threw an arm around Ryker's shoulder and led him down the hill towards where dozens of partygoers were milling about. To Ryker's surprise he saw just as many gods and goddesses as demigods. "Now, let's see here. Where is she?"

"Where is who?" Ryker asked suspiciously, immediately thinking to Victoria and her vendetta against him. Or for him. Regardless.

But apparently Leo had spied his target as he grinned and waved at the mass of people. Ryker mentally steeled himself, as well as physically, for whatever or whoever would be coming for him but unfortunately he could not have prepared himself for what came for him. She was wearing a puffy black and pink dress and a sparkling tiara, both of which were in sharp contrast to the man in the dark suit with equally black wings spreading from his back. "Cloe?" Ryker managed just before the small demigod plowed into him with enough force to knock the infirm demigod off of his feet and onto his butt.

"Ryker!" She squealed, her arms squeezing him tight enough for his wound to throb painfully. Her face was buried in his vest and he was not certain whether she was laughing or sobbing. "I missed you! Where did you go? You said you would come back and you didn't! You promised!"

Completely at a loss, Ryker looked to Leo and Silver for some help but both of them seemed to have disappeared into the party. "Erm, I'm sorry?" He told her, patting her on the back awkwardly. "I really did mean to come back, but things… happened."

"Like when you died?" She asked, looking up at him with an intensity that a child of her age should not possess. "I felt it when you died! I was so scared!"

"Well, that certainly answers that question." Thanatos said gravely, striding up to the two demigods and raising his chin. "I have been going over the problem of you in my mind for days and nights ever since you managed to escape the River. Sheer willpower alone would not allow you to escape the curse, nor would any outside assistance. Anyone who tried to assist you would simply be dragged in as well, god or goddess. Titan or Giant."

Cloe stood up and went to Thanatos's side, hugging his leg. Ryker struggled to get to his feet when a pale hand was suddenly presented in front of his face. He looked up and saw that the hand belonged to the god of death himself. Ryker, warily, accepted the hand and Thanatos assisted him in getting to his feet. "So what was the answer then?" Ryker asked, curious in spite of himself. The question of how he had escaped the river had bothered him as well. In their planning Orion had warned him that no amount of willpower or stubbornness would let him escape and that he would have to figure out some other way to escape, should he be sentenced to the Acheron. "How did I escape?"

"Why my daughter of course." Thanatos looked down at Cloe with a slight smile on his face. It was odd to see an expression of joy on the normally impassive god's face. "If I am not mistaken, you made her a promise some time ago?"

"Uh, yeah." Ryker frowned, recalling the 'pinky promise' as Cloe had referred to it. "She made me promise to come back."

"And there is your answer." Thanatos said simply. "While to a much lesser extent, my children do have my same power over the dead and thus the River Acheron. Your promise to her was enough to at least partially subdue the curse that keeps the souls in the River. It is no small thing to say that you are here right now because of your kindness to Cloe."

"And that does not bother you at all?" Ryker asked, his eyes narrowing slightly. "That your daughter was kind of the cause of all of these demigods coming back to life?"

Thanatos regarded Ryker thoughtfully for a few moments, his hand on Cloe's head absentmindedly stroking her hair. "I think that you may have the wrong idea about me." He said finally. With his free hand he made a circle gesture with one finger. "All of you in fact. It is true that I did petition Hades to allow me to return the souls you freed from Elysium back to their place. But I only did that as it is my job to keep them there. I took no pleasure in doing so and, I must admit, I was quite glad when Hades denied my request. You see, Ryker, I may be the god of death but I am also a parent. Just like many of the other gods and goddesses here. I might not act like it all the time but I care very deeply for my daughter."

"So you aren't upset at all that I freed them." Ryker surmised. "You are happy that there are more people to protect your daughter."

"I try to avoid having children." Thanatos nodded, gazing down at his daughter. "Because having to watch them die, and to be the one to reap their souls, that is among the most painful things I have ever had to do. So my daughter, and my son wherever he is, are both very precious to me. I am grateful to you, son of Cybele, for saving her."

Without another word Thanatos swept away, leading Cloe by the hand and back onto the dancefloor just as a particularly upbeat song began to play. Now without a purpose Ryker turned around in a circle, his eyes searching desperately for someone he recognized. Unfortunately the first person he saw, in fact the only person he saw the he recognized, had just seen him as well. Where do they go when I actually want them around? Ryker thought miserably as Victoria picked her way through the throng of people, a wicked smile on her face and what looked suspiciously like an iron collar in her hand.

Forgive me, my readers. I have been indisposed of late and my writing has suffered accordingly. That is to say, I have not had a chance to. I sincerely hope that I will be able to update with somewhat more frequency, but at this time I cannot be sure. Once a week at least. Worry not, Prophecy is far from over.

Cheers, Hallowed