Chapter 15, this one was a quick one to knock out. From now on, the storyline will be mixed with lots of the events from the actual Percy Jackson books, so nerds like me be on your toes to spot all the references. I'm really excited about the next chapters (got some surprises coming up), so lets see if any of you can guess what will happen next. Let me know how you like this one!

Responding to me8706's (dope name) review: Really liking this story, no idea how it'll turn out but will be eagerly awaiting more. Thanks for the support, always nice to hear positive comments as well. I'm glad to see your enjoying it, stay posted for the next upload!

July 2006

Percy

Percy jogged through the forest, his feet barely making sound as they touched the floor. He was currently tracking a large group of cynocephali that had been tormenting mortals near Seattle, close to the border with Canada. He would track them more effectively as a wolf, but sometimes he liked to stay as a human for a few days. He found both forms came just as naturally to him, but they both came with slight personality changes. Not enough to say that Percy was a different person as a wolf than as a human, but his character did change slightly. As a wolf, he felt more animalistic, and while still rooted in his human values, he didn't feel that empathetic or sorry for anyone who didn't show strength. As a human, he was more compassionate, but that also meant he was slower to make decisions and less pragmatic, which could very easily compromise a mission. When he spent an extended amount of time as one, he found the specific traits tended to stick with him after he changed back, so he tried to spend as much time as a human than as a wolf.

He slowed down next to a tree, where a large bush had been flattened. Percy didn't need his wolf senses to know that the cynocephali had gone through here, probably a horde of them. They had a very typical smell, very much similar to a big angry dog. They differed from dogs in that he could detect a twinge of typical human emotions like jealously and guilt. However, Percy had become so accustomed to their scent that he was able to recognise it immediately. He'd gotten much better with his powers over the years, and could accurately pinpoint different emotions across very large distances. His ability to influence others, however, had been the most notable improvement. Being able to scare and guide a group of monsters with a thought had made his job extremely easy. Although his powers were especially adept to fear, he'd been experimenting with other emotions, such as confidence and security. Extended mastery over his gifts was a good thing, but Percy also was conscious enough to control himself. He had tended to pick up emotions unconsciously, and modify them to fit his needs without really thinking about it. In the wild, as a wolf, this made perfect sense. He was pragmatic and cold, and so did what needed to be done when on a mission. However, when dealing with humans, he was much more careful with keeping his mind reeled in.

With a solid scent to follow, he extended his hand and summoned his weapon. Percy had learned much over the years in the wild, but he'd never gotten the chance to ask what kept his knife hidden. When he reached with his hand, it felt cold, almost like it had entered another dimension. It felt like reaching through a cupboard full of clothes, pushing them aside with his arm as he looked for his knife. Once he found the hilt, the weapon would materialise out of thin air. It had to be some special kind of enchantment his father had placed on the weapon, because he'd never seen anything like it. The silver blade gleamed in the moonlight, its curved edge as razor sharp as he'd ever seen it. With his weapon in his hand, Percy began to sprint forwards.

Hunting in the night was his favourite. As a human, he was a fraction of what he could offer as a wolf, but still way more than a group of cynocephali could handle. This particular one was around seventy strong, with their numbers having decreased considerably in the last week. They were fast creatures, with around a ten-kilometre headstart, but Percy could make that distance up in no time. He loved running down prey, experiencing the thrill of the hunt. This could be seen by others as cruel or heartless, but this particular group had looted and pillaged, even killed a few mortals in the last weeks. Percy assumed they were the last of the groups that had been gathering to receive the cache of weapons from Trey Mitchell, the traitor son of Mercury. Last Percy had heard of him, both the legion and the Senate had sentenced him to death. Personally, Percy viewed this as an easy way out. He rested assured that worse punishment expected him once the execution was over. He remembered the emotional goodbyes he'd exchanged with Jason and Leila. Once they reached the edge of the Oakland Hills, he'd let them bring their bounty into Camp Jupiter by themselves. Percy had gone back to camp twice since then, catching up with both of the demigods. Jason had become a sensation, and quickly rising to be the golden boy of the camp, as would be expected from a son of Jupiter. Percy had little doubt he would be named praetor before his tenure in the legion was over. He loved the energetic little kid, but his visits to Leila were his favourites. They would talk well into the night, often meaning she had to sneak back into the barracks to avoid getting caught. Percy was a welcome sight at Camp Jupiter, but the officers still would not tolerate him breaching the rules. She'd been named optio of the Fourth Cohort when the rank had been reinstated, the same with Jason in the Fifth. This meant they were second in command of their respective cohorts, so they had to show some regard for the rules.

Their arrival after their mission had caused quite a stir. Not just because of the capture of the traitor, but because of the news Jason then shared with the officers. His dream had been quite the revelation, and even though Percy had suspected it, this had helped him confirm his fears. Saturn, in some form, had managed to form a conciousness, and this had been his first attempt at rebuilding his strength. Percy knew they could only delay it, and a war was most likely on the horizon. This was why keeping monster population low was a priority; the gods and their children needed time to prepare. News on this issue had only gotten worse. Percy had learned a few weeks ago about the emergence of a new child of the Big Three, this time a Greek son of Poseidon. The boy, accompanied by Annabeth and Grover, had led a quest to the Underworld to recover Zeus' master bolt, and apparently, his mother as well. Percy had to admit he was quite impressed with him, and was excited to meet him on his next stop to Camp Half-Blood, which he planned to be soon. It turned out to have been Luke Castellan, Hermes' son, who had stolen the bolt from the throne room back in December. However, the mastermind behind the plot had been Kronos, who managed to twist his way into the minds of Luke as he had done with Trey Mitchell as Saturn. Greek or Roman, the returning Titan King was a problem for everyone, one which they all had to start preparing for. This started with ridding the world of monsters.

Percy closed in on the pack of cynocephali. He could hear their footsteps, their laboured breathing, their sharp barks of alarm to one another. They were scared, and deservedly so. The first figures came into view, and Percy did not hesitate. His knife cut through them like they were made of paper, every strike a killing one. Although this was a long-deserved fate, Percy felt no need to make them suffer unnecessarily. Most were too focused on getting away to form any kind of effective ranks, so it was almost laughably easy. The ones that did form up into small groups Percy picked off quickly. A dog head meant dog eyes, which meant they could see reasonably well in the dark, but Percy was too nimble and fast for any of them. It felt good to fight as a human again, and wielding his father's knife made him somehow feel closer to him. Percy hadn't seen Phobos in a while, and he hoped to do so soon.

The cynocephali started to thin out as Percy worked through their ranks. After having chased them down at full speed for a while, Percy didn't feel that tired. In fact, he still felt pretty fresh, maybe starting to notice a slight burn in his shoulders. He ducked under a clumsy strike from a large axe, swiftly decapitating the wielder a second later. He picked up the axe and threw it at an escaping monster, catching him right between the shoulder blades. He twirled and stabbed another through the heart, before evading and attack and slashing his attackers throat. This continued on for a while, until the last of the cynocephali fell to his blade, which was by now covered in monster dust. However, he could hear another one, its footsteps getting fainter as it tried its best to get away from him. Percy could smell the sheer terror on him. When killed, monsters tend to regenerate in a relatively short time, so most are angry and vengeful to the very end. They know they'll come back, so death is little more than an annoyance. Cynocephali, on the other hand, have a dog-like brain. This makes them vicious, but also means they inherit the short-term memory of their canine relatives. Due to this, they often don't remember Tartarus, or the previous times they've reformed. They, unlike many others, feel the natural fear of death to its fullest extent.

Percy set after the last one catching up to him quickly. Just as he was about to strike it down, he felt pity for the thing. Instead, he tripped him up by the ankle, and it face-planted into the forest floor. Quick as a flash, Percy pressed the edge of Percy knife to its throat, and it went still as a corpse. Percy locked eyes with it, and he could just about sense a small humanity in them.

'Do you understand me?'

After a brief moment, the monster nodded slightly.

Percy breathed out. 'Good. I have killed the rest of your pack. You put mortals and demigods in danger, and you plotted with Saturn to attack the demigods.'

Percy saw recognition in the monsters eyes. It had understood him, but he showed no remorse or guilt.

'I've decided not to kill you. Go north, beyond the border. Stay there. If you attempt to come back, or hurt anyone else, I won't let you off this easily. Understand?'

The monster nodded its head quickly, its ears drooping. Percy knew he was just trying to appeal to him, and he probably wouldn't remember this conversation by the time he came back across the border with a new pack. However, one cynocephalus was not likely to cause damage on its own, and Percy didn't have the heart to finish him off.

'Go! Don't come back!'

Percy put his knife away, and the monster quickly scurried up and left. Percy could hear it running north, his strained pants meaning that, for now, he was following what he'd told him. It had been a busy few months since his quest with Jason and Leila, and it was only bound to get busier. Percy wanted to go to Camp Half-Blood; he'd spent too much time on the west coast. Sure, he'd miss visiting Camp Jupiter, but he would see them soon enough. Percy also couldn't forget the favour he owed to a certain suspicious goddess of violence. He hadn't heard anything from her since Sacramento, but Percy wasn't foolish enough to think she wouldn't call in her favour. Sooner or later, she would be back, and probably force him into doing something he would regret.

So yeah, this one was a different style than the last few. Its was shorter, but also more retrospective, with little dialogue and little action. I actually really enjoyed writing it, probably just the weirdo in me that gets excited about diving deeper into fictional worlds. I also like it because it serves as a break from constant action, and shows where we are in the storyline with regards to the original events from the books. While I do hope you enjoy this stuff, I think its important to dive deeper into Percy's mind every once in a while. Let me know if you did enjoy it, and stay alert for the next upload!