'With new territories comes new dangers'

They had boarded the plane with no time to spare given Tanya's somewhat hasty planning and the slight delay they had finding the platform. The three had not managed to get seats close by leaving them scattered through the plane. Estelle found herself next to another family much like herself. A teenage girl cradled a book on her lap as she sat next to her mother and baby sibling, probably a boy based off the blue tinged clothes. Estelle's hand reached for the small carry-on bag she'd thrown together. Her hand blindly reached in and grasped the harmonica and her fingers brushed against the intricate carving on the polished wood surface of it. The instrument had no purpose except offering her a small sense of comfort as she stared up the aisle to her mother's seat.

Tanya had found herself stuck between two older women, one of them persistently did and undid a crochet knot in the fuzzy scarf she was attempting at while the other was scribbling away at sudoku. Tanya's focus was directed at her phone as her typing speed mirrored her anxious expression. Perhaps she was regretting the incident at home but she herself wasn't sure how to explain. Not even which god to talk about. She pressed send and watched as the slow plane WIFI do its job. Her gaze flickered up briefly to look at Estelle, and further down the aisle, Henry.

Henry had gotten the better end of the deal as he sat next to two Curetes, both of whom were decked out completely in tourist merch. He only vaguely recalled the tale on how the attendants of Rhea helped safeguard baby Zeus. Curie, the more serious one, was dressed in some acid-washed jeans and had on a few pairs of jumpers layered underneath his jacket while Bant wore a graphic tee with the letters 'PARIS' printed over a depiction of the Eiffel tower. Both of them sported a tan- or they naturally had a bronze skin tone- and an assortment of badges similar to those you'd find on boy scouts. The friendlier of the two had taken to sharing their journey across the world.

"We must pay young Dionysus a visit," Bant chattered on as Curie added a stamp to his scrapbook. "My brother and I have been finding the greatest of creations by humans. Did you know they keep adding different sounds to drums."

"We think we might add it to our choreography," Curie joined the conversation.

Bant frowned, "That was a secret- but yes, we have formulated the best for the young god"

Henry wondered, for the umpteenth time, if he should warn them that Dionysus was not so young anymore but decided against it. Henry was brought to attention when the two stared at him in question. He'd missed part of the conversation. "Sorry, did you say something?"

"What is the purpose of your travel, Satyr?" Curie asked his tone almost sinister

"Just," he gave a (un)convincing smile, "camp?"

"Ah yes," Bant nodded as if this made all the sense in the world, "the punishment from a millennia ago, tad bit unnecessary but who are we to judge, right?" he ended it with a humorous chuckle

"Personally we enjoy the beverage in comparison to the fizzy 'soda', it's very lackluster and almost always gives us a stomachache"

"By we he means himself," Bant corrected. He leaned a bit closer to Henry, "you know his kind, too alcoholic for my taste"

"Right," Henry gave an awkward smile and changed the topic, "what about the other Curetes? or is it just you guys..?"

"Just us, the rest are still reforming after some demigods used us as targets"

"They had weird uniforms, purple and all", Curie tapped a vibrant purple scrap of cloth he'd pasted in his scrapbook.

"It's a fashion statement," Bant shook his head at his brother

Curie looked to Henry as if that was most absurd statement he'd heard and repeated, "fashion statement"

The two brothers' voices hushed as they rapidly discussed something in Greek. Henry didn't bother to listen as he helped himself to a bottlecap Bant had offered him.

"Little satyr," Curie started, "We must exchange numbers for when me and my siblings visit the young Dionysus"

Bant clarified, "We need an insider for the surprise party"

"Right," Henry swallowed the bottle-cap, "I don't own one"

Curie gave a pointed look at Bant and told him why he acted like he was in the wrong generation before scribbling a number on a piece of scrap paper. "Keep this so you know it is us calling with goodwill"

Henry gingerly accepted the number, intending to snack on the paper if he ever needed, "thanks. I'll treasure it"

"I told you he was a nice one-" Bant turned to talk to Curie and forgot about Henry for the remainder of the conversation. The next time Henry jolted awake was to the announcement saying they'd landed in New York. Tanya had got up from her seat next to the older women as soon as she could and she was coming towards Henry's seating with Estelle in tow.

The two Curetes were busy with their baggage and Henry bid them a fleeting good-bye and departed the plane.

"We'll take the subway to Penn station and go to Long Island from there," Tanya clarified the details to Estelle as she rifled through a tattered notebook in her hands. "Do you two want to grab a bite?"

"Yeah," the blonde leaned tiredly against her mother, "anything would help"

"I had a snack on the way"

Estelle pouted, "unfair. I had to be stuck with the crying baby"

Tanya cast a teasing look, "I didn't think you'd notice with how you slept". Estelle gave a muted grumble as she was handed a bagel with cream cheese. Tanya handed a similar one to Henry and the journey began once more.

"Are there lots of monsters?" Estelle began the conversation, the only evidence of her bagel being the scattered crumbs she brushed off

"Obviously," Henry said

"Are there a lot of monsters here?" she specified. Her gaze shifted around the train pausing slightly when she looked towards Henry and his tiny goat horns. It was almost like she was asking if he was the monster.

Henry shrugged off the implication, "who knows. Theoretically there should be more monsters here seeing that the flame of western civilization centers around here"

Estelle gave a laugh, "who said that? If these gods are Greek like you said shouldn't they be in like.. Greece?"

"They're gods. The should and shouldn't of most things don't apply", he offered a vague explanation. There was a pause, "you don't have to be scared of monsters too much. It's unlikely you're a kid of the big three"

"Big three? Zeus, Hade-"

"It's better to not say their names since that's like invoking their spirit. And they generally don't like it"

"Uh huh?" she said slowly, "and this demigod thing," Estelle lowered her voice, "who's my dad even supposed to be?"

"You would have to be claimed for us to know about that," they'd shifted to the final train ride as they conversed, "claiming would basically mean your dad sending you a heavenly message in the form of a glowing sign above your head"

"And there's a guarantee right?" Estelle asked with renewed vigor, almost as if she wanted to know now, "when I get there I'll be claimed"

Henry's word's died in his mouth as he recalled the unclaimed demigods in the Hermes cabin, "you could say that"

"Henry," Estelle's voice was almost eerie, "you're sure that the subway doesn't have monsters right?" It was like a switch was flipped in Henry's brain. The carriage started smelling monster-y, for the lack of a better word. It was an acrid smell, similar to when he sensed the Vrykolakas. Estelle's voice continued, "like that one behind you. A few rows behi- don't turn around to stare!"

Henry made eye contact with an insanely beautiful woman. She looked like the naiads at camp but more ... ethereal. It was clear that some heads were turned but the biggest indicator that something was off was probably the blank look plastered on their faces. That and the sudden comment a little kid made, "Daddy look, snakies!"

"Come on, please" he hesitatingly added pulling Estelle to her feet. A startled Tanya looked up from her call to Dylan as she mouthed a 'what's wrong'

"It's a Dra-"

"Oh!" came Estelle's strangled cry as she jumped towards the closed subway doors as she tried to get away from a snaking tendril. It was a Scythian Dracaena. The door opened as they came to another station and without a thought in mind the three of them exited. The Dracaena followed the three, her eyes focused towards Estelle. They bounded out the station, Tanya's phone call long forgotten with her phone tucked into her bag. A hiss resounded as the train doors closed trapping a part of the Dracaena's snake leg.

A roar followed as the Estelle snagged her foot on a stair the shoe slipping off and smacking the Dracaena in the face. Tanya pushed her and Henry in an opposite direction as she tried to distract the monster.

"Yoo hoo, over here you overgrown lizard," a sharp whistle followed. The Dracaena considered for a split second and rounded Tanya

"This way," the demigod and Satyr ran through the crowded street. Estelle's bright pink sock earned a few glances as they chanced upon some small lake.

"Where's mom?" Estelle was panicked as she looked around

"She wanted you to get away," Henry tried to comfort only for her to slap his hand away as she mindlessly tried to inch back to the station to find her mother. The sock had turned an odd brown shade of brown but she barely noticed the absence of footwear.

"That's dangerou-"

"Pesky mortal," and the Dracaena was standing infront of them again with her weird slippering-walking routine

Biting back a scream Estelle pulled off her bag as she searched for anything to throw at the thing. Henry had pulled a panpipe and was anxiously playing a tune.

"Shut up and sleep!" he yelled as another string of notes burst forth and a few mangled roots wrapped around the Dracaena's legs. The snake limbs slapped at the over growth and she slithered forward, a part of her right leg horribly chopped off from the train-doors.

An uninjured snake leg swept towards Henry and smacked him in the chest, "stupid satyr," then the thing hissed at Estelle. Almost delirious with fear she picked the wooden harmonica out of her bag and held it in front of her defensively.

"Don't come closer"

The Dracaena laughed, "oh dear, don't tell me you'll start playing a death march," the serpent woman cackled and slid forward. Her gait was awkward but the muddy grass near the lake helped her. It was a stupid decision and, stupid or not, a decision was what Estelle needed.

"Ju-just come closer and see!" she yelled spurring on the reptilian creature and Henry shook the tufts of grass off his hair vigorously. Scratch that, he was telling her to stop and not make a stupid move. The Dracaena lunged at Estelle and she smacked the thing in between its brows as her sharp fingers scratched past Estelle's throat. The harmonica bounced off her forehead with a dull twang. Praying to whatever god would listen she kicked the back of the Dracaena and pushed the monster into the lake. She wasted no time grabbing her bag and dragging Henry away, his hooves visible where the shoes had fallen off. The Dracaena reached out only to be pulled down by some vine as the satyr and demigod ran away once more, this time in the opposite direction.

The two stopped to catch their breath again only when the sight of the lake disappeared.

"Do you think she'll be back?"

Henry looked around, "I don't smell her anymore"

"Smell? Wha-" Estelle gasped, "we have to find mom. Do you have a phone or something. Anything. Please"

Henry shook his head helplessly and for the first time that day he wasn't sure what to do. "We could try to get to camp and then..."

"Don't be stupid!," yelled Estelle. He lifted his gaze to look at her with tears in her eyes, "you can't expect to continue through with this. Without an adult. Where even is this camp, do you even know?"

"Obviously!" he was shouting before he knew it too. Maybe the stress of the day was getting to the both of them. "Listen ok," he took a deep breath, "let's... let's wait for your mom for a few minutes. Then we'll stop someone and see if we can have a call, okay?"

Estelle took a shuddering breath, "okay"

They rested against a bookstore. Henry was jittery the entire time glancing inside the tinted glass as well as around them. Estelle was clutching her carry-on bag tightly, softly humming a tune as she scanned the faces of passersby, getting more and more discouraged as the time passed. The time ticked on aimlessly before Estelle shifted in shock. She dropped the bag and rushed into the crowd before Henry could hold her back, "Mom!"

Tanya appeared next to a Hispanic couple whom she thanked profusely and quickly grabbed Estelle crushing her into a hug. A twinge of jealousy crept into Henry as he remembered his mom, rather the last time he saw her a few years ago. He blinked the thought away and joined the two, Estelle's bag now slung across his back, "Mrs. Cruz!"

"Henry," she smiled at him, her expression one of momentary guilt as she realized she'd completely neglected him. Quick to rectify the error she released Estelle and checked to see if he was hurt, tutting occasionally when her fingers brushed against a small scratch on his face. "I'm sorry I left you two like that. I thought I could at least try to distract the... Dracaena?"

"The what?" Estelle asked, finally finding a name for the monster

"Scythian Dracaena probably," Henry maneuvered himself away from Tanya as she pulled Estelle against her. Her fingers clenched against the blonde girl's flannel jacket. "Also," he cleared his throat, "we're still a couple miles away from camp"

15 minutes after the declaration the three were in the back of yet another taxi, minutes away from camp. Estelle was still sporting her shoeless look and the entire taxi smelt of grass, courtesy of the gifts they'd gotten from the Dracaena. They hadn't spoken for the entire ride save for an occasional hum from Estelle as she mentally mused what to ask. Tanya had taken a few calls on the way, mostly to reassure Dylan and inquire about Hela's situation. Every call ended with a meaningless sorry as she promised she'd explain. Someday. When they stepped out of the taxi the smell of strawberry's greeted them.

"Home sweet home," Henry breathed in the air as he pointed to a sign saying 'Delphini Strawberry Service'

Estelle looked up the hill to the almost invisible arch saying 'Camp Half-Blood'. "That's the place right?" she pointed at the sign, her eyes widening as it seemed to disappear into this air. The mist, she recalled some of the tidbits Henry had shared on the way. Tanya waited near the taxi unsure if she was to just dump her child in the middle of no where and leave. The driver eyes her weirdly as she watched Henry wave animatedly at the crest of the hill. She blinked focusing very hard to stare at the sign as the letters rearranged to spell out the camp name. When she cast her attention back to the kids, they were scaling the hill to the crest of it. It looked like they were disappearing into the strawberry fields before the top of the hill swallowed them whole. The only sign that perhaps they had gotten in safely was the figure in a wheelchair who she saw for a brief second and the immediate call she recieved from an unknown number.

"Mom!" Estelle greeted her from the other side, "I'm in safe. They don't let us use phones but they made an exception for you. This is Mr." her voice was distorted for a moment as she asked for the owners name, "It's Mr. Chiron's phone. He said he'll call you if anything goes wrong"

"Do you want me to stay?" Tanya's voice didn't betray the sadness she felt seeing Estelle disappear into the camp

"It's alright. I have Henry for a friendly face and I think if I beg hard enough I can call you again. You can go"

"Okay dear," her tone turned tender. "Give me a call when you need. I'll talk to you later about the arrangement. Love you"

"Love you too!" and the call hung up. She looked at her phone log and brushed a stray strand out of her face with a sigh. She got back in the taxi already booking her return ticket. Her phone timed out and her gaze turned sad at her lock screen. The family of four grinned back reminding her of the issue she'd abandoned at home. She'd tell him, she decided. Soon.