Hey guys! MUA HA HA! (Sorry 'bout that... I'm having an over caffinated day today)
Thanks again to my reviewers! I am back for yet another chapter! Yay!
Disclaimer: Again, I don't own PJO yet. I will somehow manage to do so in the next few years but for now, it belongs to Rick Riordan. :(
"Layla? Hello?" I watch as a small hand passes in front of my vision.
"Y-yeah. I'm fine," I answer, my voice cracking slightly.
What was that? I had practically blacked out for a moment. Never, not once, has a memory had that large of an effect on me and never have I had an actual visual memory. I haven't seen my brothers face since he disappeared nearly ten years ago.
"You, like, blacked out! I was totally freaked! What happened?" asks the worried voice belonging to the boy beside me.
"Nothing, I'm fine. Eat your ice-cream, we've got to go soon," I answer rapidly, attempting to cover the worried look that's currently crossing my face.
"Uh, okay," the boy says cautiously, turning back to the half melted, last scoop of ice-cream sitting before him.
Once he's done, we return to the hippaelctryon. The beast neighs and I notice it's shivering. When I step closer to it I see the gash.
On its front right leg, just above the knee-like joint, is a huge red gash. The animal whimpers as I carefully touch the skin surrounding it. I attempt to calm him by whispering in his ear, but it's no use. Whatever cut the animal also scared it out of its wits.
"Calm down and I'll fix it," I whisper calmly to it.
I pull out my water bottle and what little gauze I have left. The animal whimpers as I pour the last of my water onto the cut. I bandage it hastily, not knowing exactly what I'm doing.
"Can you still fly?" I ask him.
He gives me a small nod and a forced neigh that sounds slightly like a whimper.
"Are you sure? Because if you're not up to it―"
I'm cut off by a loud and a lot more convincing neigh. Although I'm not entirely convinced of the animal's health, I mount it, taking Marcus' hand and dragging him up as well.
"We should name him, you know?" Marcus says to me, just as the hippaelctryon starts to lift off the ground.
"What do you want to name it?" I ask, knowing that I am completely dead of creativity in this field.
"How about Alae? It means 'wings' in Latin," He explains.
"And you know this because..."
"Don't ask, it's a long story."
We fly off and I feel Alae's wings flapping beneath my feet. That look of pure joy returns to Marcus' face, although this time, only for a moment. He notices the strange look on my face.
I've caught onto something, some sort of strange signal. We have to land. I don't know why, I just know that we do.
"I need you to land," I whisper to Alae.
The animal lands swiftly and I notice something to our left.
A huge mob.
Yeah, again, that's pretty short... The next chapter'll be short too... Sorry!