DOG DAYS ARE OVER | PJO

2. Goat-Man Thing

Olive was sitting in the backseat of the car, which was speeding down the empty road at that late of an hour, and couldn't help but stare with wide eyes at Grover's leg-hoof things.

It was literally all she could do, she couldn't even pull her eyes away when Percy had turned in his seat and softly asked if she was okay. All she had been able to manage was a slight nod.

Of course she wasn't really okay, she had just found out that her family wasn't even her family and she was something called a 'half-blood'. But at the moment, all of that honestly seemed pretty miniscule to the goat man sitting directly next to her.

Grover cleared his throat, averting his eyes from the young girl when he realized that she wasn't going to be looking away anytime soon, instead looking up at the other Jackson sibling, who was still turned in place, staring at him.

"My job has been to guide you to this moment," He tried explaining, "It's always an emotional rollercoaster for a young demigod- so providing a support system is really-"

"Who are you?" Percy interrupted him, suddenly not knowing how comfortable he was letting his little sister be sitting in the back with him.

The boy faltered a bit, hurt flashing through his eyes, "I'm Grover, I'm your best friend." He said.

"What are you?" He amended.

Grover paused again before slowly reaching up and taking that had been sitting upon his head off, making Olive's gray eyes travel upwards for the first time since sitting down.

"I'm a satyr. And I'm your protector."

Percy looked almost as though he wanted to laugh, "You're my protector?"

"Well, both of yours, kinda." He glanced down at Olive, "When I first came here I hadn't realized you had a sister, so I guess I just started looking after her too."

Instead of remarking on his previous comment whatsoever, Olive spoke for the first time since back in the cabin, "Do you mow the lawn with your teeth?" She asked, genuine curiosity lacing her tone.

Grover's eyes widened in bewilderment, "Do I-huh?" It was silent for a moment before the boy shook his head, turning back to Percy and the real conversation at hand, "If I hadn't gotten you kicked out of school, you'd have never survived the night. And what's chasing us now would've found you there easily."

The young girl's eyebrows pulled downwards at the same time her brothers did. A prickle of fear landed in her heart at his words, unsure of what they meant, but scaring her nonetheless.

Percy turned back to face forwards, seemingly lost in thought and Olive had the urge to lean forward and ask him what he was thinking about.

The two had a saying ever since they were younger 'A seashell for your thoughts?' whenever they wanted to know what was going on with one another. Sometimes they would actually give each other seashells, and other times they wouldn't. If Olive were to ask him in that moment, she wouldn't have a shell to give him, she hadn't gotten a chance to go look on the beach since they arrived at the cabin.

"I'm sorry." Grovers head dropped for a moment, "Usually, I can sense danger coming from a mile away, but this time... Well, none of us saw Dodds coming."

Olive felt her eyebrows furrow even more, not knowing what he meant by that, looking to Percy in the hopes that he would explain it to her, but he was staring back solely at Grover, his eyes wide, hurt, she realized, "So you knew. That thing that Dodds turned into, you saw it happen? Why didn't you say anything?"

"I saw some of it." He tried explaining himself, "The Mist kept her hidden even from us until it was too late."

"Mist?" The blond boy questioned.