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{ ☀️ } · sweet reunions. . ݁ ٬٬ ࣪
"MY GODS! She told me you were dead!" Thalia gripped Jason's face and seemed to be examining everything about it. "Thank Artemis, it is you. That little scar on your lip ─ you tried to eat a stapler when you were two!"
Leo laughed. "Seriously?"
Hedge nodded like he approved of Jason's taste. "Staplers ─ excellent source of iron."
"W-wait," Jason stammered. "Who told you I was dead? What happened?"
At the cave entrance, one of the white wolves barked. Thalia looked back at the wolf and nodded, but she kept her hands on Jason's face, like she was afraid he might vanish. "My wolf is telling me I don't have much time, and she's right. But we have to talk. Let's sit."
Piper did better than that. She collapsed. She would've cracked her head on the cave floor if Hedge hadn't caught her. Thalia rushed over. "What's wrong with her? Ah ─ never mind. I see. Hypothermia." she frowned at the satyr. "Don't you know nature healing?"
Hedge scoffed. "Why do you think she looks this good? Can't you smell the Gatorade?"
"Don't mind Hedge," Madeline said, coming towards Piper and placed her hand over her shoulder, "Fiona here? I would really love to talk to her."
Thalia nodded. "Yeah, she's probably in the tent. . . I wish we could catch up and all, but, you know."
"No, I get it." smiled Madeline, "Come on , Hedge. See you, Thals!"
"It's cold out there!" Hedge said. "I'll freeze my horns off."
But Leo knew when they weren't wanted. "Come on, Hedge. These two need time to talk."
"Humph. Fine," the satyr muttered. "Didn't even get to brain anybody."
Hedge and Madeline carried Piper toward the entrance. Leo was about to follow when Jason called, "Actually, man, could you, um, stick around?"
Leo saw something in Jason's eyes he didn't expect: Jason was asking for support. He wanted somebody else there. He was scared.
Leo grinned. "Sticking around is my specialty."
"Fiona!"
"Maddy!"
Hedge and Madeline settled Piper down before the two girls met each other in a hug. Fiona was good few inches taller than her with light brown hair that fell a bit over her shoulders, sitting in layers, chocolate brown eyes that, despite being in the wild, always were decorated with colorful eyeliner ─ today it was ice blue ─ and dressed in silver parka like the rest of the hunters.
