𝐒𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐈𝐋¹ || 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐂𝐘 𝐉𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐒𝐎𝐍

𝐗𝐗𝐗𝐈𝐈

✦ 𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑'𝐒 𝐖𝐄𝐃𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 ✦

WHEN YOU THINK 'MONSTER ISLAND', you think of craggy rocks and bones scattered on the beach like the Island of the Sirens. The cyclops' island was nothing like that. It had a rope bridge across a chasm, which was not a good sign. You might as well put up a billboard that said, SOMETHING EVIL LIVES HERE.

But, except for that, the place looked like a Caribbean postcard. It had green fields and tropical fruit trees and white beaches.

As the trio sailed towards the shore, Aurora breathed in the sweet air. "The Fleece," she said.

Percy and Annabeth nodded. They couldn't see the Fleece yet, but they could feel its power. Percy could believe it would heal anything, even Thalia's poisoned tree.

"If we take it away, will the island die?" asked Percy.

Annabeth shook her head, "It'll fade. Go back to what it would be normally, whatever that is."

Percy felt a little guilty about ruining this paradise, but he reminded himself they had no choice. Camp Half-Blood was in trouble. And Tyson... Tyson would still be with them if it wasn't for this quest.

In the meadow at the base of the ravine, several dozen sheep were milling around. They looked peaceful enough, but they were huge – the size of hippos. Just past them was a path that led up into the hills. At the top of the path, near the edge of the canyon, was the massive oak tree Percy had seen in his dreams. Something gold glittered in its branches.

"This is too easy," Percy said. "We could just hike up there and take it"

"Nothing is ever just that easy, Water Boy," Aurora remarked.

Annabeth's eyes narrowed at Percy. "There's supposed to be a guardian. A dragon or..."

That's when a deer emerged from the bushes. It trotted into the meadow, probably looking for grass to eat, when the sheep all bleated at once and rushed the animal. It happened so fast that the deer stumbled and was lost in a sea of wool and trampling hooves. Grass and tufts of fur flew into the air. A second later the sheep all moved away, back to their regular peaceful wanderings. Where the deer had been was a pile of clean white bones.

Aurora, Annabeth, and Percy exchanged looks.

"They're like piranhas," Annabeth said.

"Piranhas with wool. How will we–"

"Guys!" Aurora gasped, grabbing Percy and Annabeth's arms. "Look."

She pointed down the beach, to just below the sheep meadow, where a small boat had been run aground... the other lifeboat from the CSS Birmingham.

They decided there was no way they could get past the man-eating sheep. Aurora and Annabeth wanted to sneak up the path invisibly and grab the Fleece, but in the end, Percy convinced the two girls that something would go wrong. The sheep would smell them, another guardian would appear— something. And if that happened, Percy would be too far away to help.