The Sun Without Stars Solangelo

The Hunter

Nico's POV

Nico broke down.

He was at a loss. Something in him knew that he was different, but there was no way that the camp's borders saw him as a foreign being and rejected him from entering. It only ever kept out monsters and mortals, and he was neither.

Even your "home" knows you don't belong there!

Now imagine how Will would feel if he saw your face here.

He'd be sickened... he's probably already moved on!

Tears streamed violently down his face, stubbornly facing the camp. 

"Stupid tree. LET ME IN!"

Nico tried four more times, the boundary burning his body, causing the remnants of his shirt to simmer like an electric fence.

Long story short: the tree did not let him in.

Finally, his breathing settled, his breath visible in the cold air.

He ran.

It's all you know how to do.

It wasn't long before he was at the foot of the hill, dodging trees wildly and tripping over the packed snow. His eyes were so blurred and his head was so light he thought he might pass out. The running had ripped open his wounds, blood forming a path behind him like injured prey.

Still fleeing blindly, he hit something hard. It couldn't have been a tree because it seemed to fall over with him.

"Oof..." There was bustling around him

.

 "...Nico?"

Oh no.

Nico knew that voice.

While the voice of the girl was kind and he could feel the heat from her fur coat, everything in him was asking the gods, "Why her?"

Reyna lifted herself and swiped the fur from her back where she'd fallen. Hunters flanked each side of Nico, bows at the ready. She quickly waved her hand in a stop motion.

"Lower your weapons. I know him," she reassured. "Nico, why are you here? And... what happened to you?" She grabbed his arm and hoisted him up, leveling her face to his.

Everything felt heavy, his head lolled to the side, catching a glimpse of the worry on her expression. Her breathing quickened as she analyzed his state and she pulled his arm over her shoulder, beckoning to another girl to grab his other.

He felt the blood rush to his brain and everything went dark, the only thing he could do was hear portions of her speaking to him in a hushed tone.

Had the punch given him a concussion, or was the loss of blood finally getting to him?

"Nico, don't worry. We'll get you to camp. Just hang in there. We're out of supplies but we're so close. How are you feeling?"

Like crap.

He knew that she saw the massive trail of blood and the parts of his body that had been ripped to shreds, but he guessed she was just engaging in conversation to keep him conscious.