Amidst the Chaos (Fem. Percy)

15 (but really its -124)

I looked back in the box and counted-- with the two in his hand, all were accounted for. "Uh, yeah. I think that's all of them."

He nodded and took the box. It vanished before I could get a word in. Chaos offered me his hand, and I couldn't refuse it, not without looking rude. It's one thing to disrespect the gods when they force me into things, and it's another to disrespect a primordial when they're your boss.

"I already sent Bianca and Luke north," Chaos said. "We're going to meet up with them when we finish our side of things." Keeping his grip on my arm, it wasn't hard for him to teleport us both. And it wasn't hard for him to manifest us each a coat apparently, seeing as we were both wearing heavier ones that earlier.

Chaos's poofy down coat hung past his knees, and tall boots disappeared up into it. Even his hands were protected with gloves, though they were much, much thinner than mine. As he looked at a map, he used his free hand to tug my hood up over my head.

"Okay, this way." I followed faithfully after him, always a step behind. If I lost sight of him, I'd be lost wandering the snowy wastelands for hours, days, or until I froze to death. So excuse me when I grasped the loose white fabric of Chaos's coat. He glanced back. "If you want to close your eyes, I can lead you. I don't get snow-blindness."

"It's midnight."

"Just thought I'd offer."

That was really all we spoke, and, aside from Chaos occasionally adding something to my ensemble, that was our only interaction. Snow crunched under our boots, and cold, cold water settled around my ankles and into my socks. Even with my powers drying my clothes, the constant cold chilled me down to my bones. I gritted my teeth and rolled my wrist, wishing not for the first time that Luke hadn't set that pit scorpion on me.

Maybe I'd hit him later.

Soon, and by soon I mean after several hours of walking, fire appeared on the horizon. A small outpost grew larger as we approached until it was nearly a full fledged town. Chaos threw out his arm to stop me. I looked up at him, noting the way his eyes were glowing.

"This place isn't safe."

"What?"

He looked down at me. "This place isn't safe. There's no record of anything being here. This should not be here."

Something we found out oh so soon when a crossbow bolt buried itself in the snow in front of us, an inch away from having done the same, but in my foot. Chaos pushed me, and then he pulled me. I would've told him to make up his mind, but he was the only reason I wasn't becoming a pincushion, so you know, I was going to listen. Without notice, his long arms wrapped under my legs and he picked me up. He rushed away. Well, rush is such a strong word. It was more like he trudged through knee high snow and almost fell three times. At least until he remembered, 'hey, I'm an all powerful immortal being, how about I just run on top of the snow?'

So he ran and ran and ran, constantly trying to outpace our pursuers. Barking and howling and other dog sounds filled the air. "They have dog sleds," I helpfully supplied to the already cussing Chaos.

"Why is it always dogs?" he mumbled. "Fuck." His grip on me loosened, and a concussive blast sent me flying into a snow drift. Snow settled into my clothes. It caked around my wrists, my gloves, my scarf. I groaned and sat up, all too aware of the wetness caking my side, along with, you know, the broken branch lodged in my side.

Gritting my teeth, I wrapped my hand around it and pulled. Blood poured out, steaming in the frigid air. "That- was probably a dumb idea," I said. The reason why? Even the blood on my side was beginning to freeze over. My only choice was applying pressure and staying still. I couldn't afford to aggravate the wound.