Astrid Strider Daughter of Apollo

Sirens and Fire

   We had flown in to the sirens and I had already given everyone some earplugs, we had tied ourselves to our pegasi, and yes. I even put earplugs in the pegasi's ears. Can't take any risks. We made sure everyone was ready before we went. Asha was asleep and we still put some in her ears, Leo was wide awake and the sun was beginning to set. Tobias had his shield ready like I had my bow and arrows. Dakota was even propped up on his own pegasus. Tied, sitting up, and earplugged.

"NO JUMPING OFF!" I yelled to the others who seemed to have gotten the message. Nico had his sword ready and seemed pretty serious. He met my eye and then started laughing. "WHAT?" I demanded flying in close to him and yelled loud enough for him to hear as we flew. "JUST THINKING ABOUT OUR OCTAVIAN CONVERSATION." He yelled back. I thought about what he had said. He made that strangling noise and had said if Octavian were alive, he'd have been strangling him.

I mean, yeah, I can understand why. Besides the fact that he had destroyed my wolf pillow-pet -I missed Arctic so bad... ;-; - He did slash my calf. We were fighting and it became intense, and it turned into a sword and sword battle. I managed to give him some good wounds. But my calf... Dang. It was one of the reasons I always wore jeans.

We stayed side by side until I looked in Leo and Asha's general direction. Leo was undoing the straps on his waist and had a crazed look on his eyes. His earplugs were even gone! "LEO!" I shouted. Too late. He leaped off the side of Copper and fell to the water. Asha seemed to have gotten to her senses and woke up. She still had her arms around Leo so they were both falling. "WHAT HAPPENED?!?" She screamed, and they disappeared in the water. Unfortunately, Tobias hadn't seen them fall, so it was up to me and Nico to save them. Asha surfaced sputtering water and Leo had already taken off to the island where the sirens were.

"GET ASHA, I'LL GET LEO." I said to Nico and he nodded. Copper was still flying passenger-less, and Tobias was still leading the way away from the island. I made a nosedive -once again- after Leo.

Dang he can swim fast! He was already almost to the shores of the island and there was almost nothing I could do. I threw a flame ball the size of a basketball at a Palm tree and it fell over blocking his path. He could still go through, I'm sure, so I didn't have much time. I swooped by picking up a coconut and lit it on fire, and threw it in front of Leo. He turned his attention to it. All of this fire was draining me. I was getting weaker and weaker with each coconut I lit and threw. I used the last of my strength and plucked Leo up. I flew up with the others and handed him off to Tobias who just figured out what had happened.

I looked at Asha shivering in a blanket we had packed on Copper, Nico was surprisingly dry, and Leo seemed to still be trying to get away. Last thing I saw was Tobias rolling his eyes and knocking Leo out before I passed out....

I woke up slowly with the taste of Nectar in my mouth. I tried to sit up but my head felt like it had exploded. I opened my eyes and looked around. My head was laying in Nico's lap, Dakota was sleeping, Tobias was talking with Leo and Asha, and Nico gave me another sip of Nectar. "Where are we...?" I mumbled accepting it. "In a cave.... But I don't know where. Tobias didn't know either, but at least we found land. The pegasi just passed out just as quick as you did. Are you alright?" I took in everything.

"Um, I think I'm just drained... Too much fire coconuts..." I smiled weakly. He returned it and kissed my forehead. Asha came over and thanked the gods quietly. "Are you okay Astrid? Leo says he only remembers seeing so much fire. He didn't even make it! Was it you?" I looked at her and nodded. Leo and Tobias came over as well. "I did. But it was draining..." I said.

Asha fed me some Ambrosia but reminded me not so much. I just realized I was starving. "Leo, are you alright?" I asked. I wanted to ask that first instead of just blurting out, "Leo, could you make some food?" He scratched the back of his neck smiling awkwardly. "Yeah... Sorry 'bout that..." I shrugged, "It's okay, what made you want to go so badly?" I asked softly. His face fell. "I.... I saw my...... My mom..." He said hoarsely. I furrowed my eyebrows. "I'm sorry..." He shook his head, "It's fine. Tobias ev-" My brother shot him a glare and Leo lost his voice. I wondered what that was about...

Nico cleared his throat, "Think you could make some food from your magical belt?" Leo smiled, "Chef Leo, at your service!" He went to work. Soon, Leo had made some awesome broccoli soup, and how? I do not know.

The soup was warm and delicious. Cheesy and the broccoli was cooked just right. "Wow, Leo, seriously, open up a food cart. Jason suggested it, and now I am. Do it!" I laughed. My headache had finally cleared away and I was sitting with Nico in a blanket, finishing my third bowel.

We had given the pegasi some good food and they sat calmly outside grazing in the moonlight. It looked like we were on a hill, and more hills...slopes... Whatever you want to call it, were off in the distance. The moon shone brightly on the grass.

Tobias finished his fifth bowel and yawned. Asha sat against Leo's arms. And Dakota was smiling and laughing along with us with a bowel in his hands. Though he couldn't see, he seemed to be having a good time. I turned to Leo remembering my question. "Leo, there's this girl in your cabin. She had brown hair and brown eyes, and a scar under her eye. Do you know who she is?" He looked up from his soup. "Um... I think that's Jane. She came here last year, remember? Violent, friends with Violet from your cabin. For some reason, she's mute. Either by choice or some thing else, I don't know. She doesn't speak at all and when she gets hurt, she only wrenches her face in pain and let out a huge breath through her nose. She's strange..."

I narrowed my eyes. "I fought her in Capture the Flag and she was just staring me in the eyes with hatred. Do you know why?" Leo took another sip. "She's jealous of you. Well, you and Nico, and Me and Asha. She doesn't have a boyfriend, and every one avoids her. It's probably because she hangs out with Violet so much. Remember when people called her Violent Violet?" He chuckled. I smiled remembering that time. She had gotten so angry, she had screamed and yelled so much that she lost her voice for a week! She has some anger issues, but I could understand how she felt.

Soon, we got ready for bed. Asha and Leo together, Tobias by himself, Dakota stuck with Thunder who for some reason stayed near the cave entrance, and Nico and I together.

"Goodnight." Asha yawned.

"Night." Dakota said.

"Sleep tight." Leo mumbled sleepily.

"Don't let the cave bugs bite!" Tobias said. We all laughed.

"Sweet dreams," I whispered.

"Are made of screams." Nico chuckled. Everyone giggled.