(chapter viii - they almost get chopped into pork chops...by a pork-chop)
AN HOUR LATER, the train was rumbling west. There was no problem on who would drive, now, because they all got their very own luxury car.
Bianca and Zoë were crashed out in a Lexus on the top deck. Grover was playing race-car driver behind the wheel of a Lamborghini. And Thalia had hot-wired the radio in a black Mercedes SLK, so she could pick up all the alt-rock stations from D.C.
Selene had decided to chill in a white SUV. She was in the driver's seat, her seat reclined all the way back, so she could see through the back window. Percy had gave her his coat from the lion, so she used that as a blanket, snuggling into it.
The distant rock music and the snoring of Grover from not that far away made her eyes grow heavy. Before she could fall asleep, though, a knock on the window jolted her back into the present.
She looked up.
There was Percy Jackson, in all of his glory. He looked down on her from the back window, an amused smile on his face as he watched her.
Selene raised a questioning brow.
"Can I join you?" She managed to decipher — reading Percy's words easily.
She nodded, waving her hand dismissively. Percy walked around the car and entered through the passenger door — reclining his seat until he was face to face with her.
"Hey there," He whispered — a mischievous grin on his lips.
"Hi," She whispered back, turning towards him.
His sea-green eyes seemed to study her for a moment — his eyes narrowing slightly. "You feeling better?" He asked, still watching her closely.
Selene suddenly felt self-conscious. "Yeah — yeah I do," She then glanced at the jacket, grabbing it and holding it out to him. "You can take it back."
"Nah," Percy told her, brushing it away. "You need it more than I do."
"But you'll be cold," She protested.
"I'll live."
"I don't think you will."
Percy rolled his eyes. "You're stubborn," He laughed, his gaze shifting to the car ceiling.
Selene sighed, chuckling slightly. "So I've been told," She breathed, staring out the window and watching the falling snow.
It stayed like that for a moment — comfortable silence stretching out between the two demigods.
Until Percy broke it. "Hey, uh," He started nervously, turning to face her again.
Selene looked at him with a brow raised.
"I...I just wanted to say. You were really brave, during the battle with Killer Kitty today."
Selene snorted at the nickname. "Thanks, Percy. But you literally came up with a plan to kill the thing. I shouldn't be taking any credit."
Percy frowned. "What?" He asked. "You shouldn't be taking any credit? Is that really what you think?"
Selene stayed silent. She arose from her laying position, and, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Percy do the same.
She turned to look at him. Her eyes were distant. "Percy, this is the first time I've gotten a chance like this. To go on a quest, to be a hero, like you. I believe I'm failing at it."
"Selene, gods, you're a modest idiot. You think I didn't see you today? You saved a little kid from a falling spacecraft. You risked your life in order to keep someone, who you don't even know, safe. If that's not heroic, I don't know what is."
Selene's face turned bright red. She didn't realize anyone had noticed.
"Well," She started to say. "It was —"
"If the next words out of your mouth are 'It was nothing', I'll throw you off this damn train."
Selene lost it and burst into laughter. "As if you don't say that!" She argued in between her giggles, sighing as she settled back into her seat.
"I don't!" Percy protested.
"Oh, you so do!"
"Do not," Percy said, nudging her shoulder.
"Do to," She nudged back.
"Not," Nudge.
"To," Nudge.
"Not."
"To."
"Not!"
"To!"
"To!" Percy repeated, confusing her for a moment. But she quickly recovered.
"See? You agree." She smirked, flipping back down on her reclined seat dramatically.
Percy sighed. "Damn it, I was sure that would work," He said, watching her with a smile. She grinned back at him.
"Don't be sad, Jackson. I am no daughter of Athena, but I'm definitely not as stupid as y — oof!" She exclaimed, wincing as Percy fell back on her, his head on her stomach.
Percy laughed, and she couldn't help but laugh, too, his laughter almost contagious to her.
It felt nice to be friends with Percy. She remembered, back at Westover Hall, when the two had been bickering. They both seemed to dislike each other back then.
But things were changing, now. Their friendship blossomed quickly, into a strong one. They clicked immediately.
Selene mindlessly reached up and combed her hand through his hair. Percy blushed at this, but, surprisingly, leaned into it.
Percy was used to physical touch, but Selene wasn't. She struggled for years on reading people, as it was, strangely, very challenging for her. She almost wished she could read minds like her mom seemed to do.
'Mom.'
The thought of Artemis made her heart ache. The goddess was out there, west, with Annabeth. Who knows what they were going through, or who was holding the burden now.
She hoped it wasn't either of them.
Percy seemed to notice her change of mood, even though he wasn't directly facing her. "Watcha thinking about, Star Girl?" He asked, with a soft whisper.
The nickname caused her to freak out in her mind, but she kept cool. "I'm just thinking about my mom. And Annabeth...."
"We'll save them," Percy promised.
"I know, I know," Selene said. "I just...I can't shake the feeling...I don't know. I had a dream the night before we went on this quest. I don't want to have a dream like that again."
"Oh, don't be afraid of dreams," A sudden voice said, from right besides them.
Selene jumped. Percy almost uncapped Riptide, but he didn't, his hand shaking as he stared at the man.
Selene turned to face the man, too. The same homeless guy, from earlier.
For some reason, Selene wasn't surprised to see the man sitting in the back seat. His jeans were so worn out they were almost white. His coat was ripped, with stuffing coming out. He looked like some kind of teddy bear that had been ran over by a truck.
"If it weren't for dreams," He said. I wouldn't know half the things I know about the future. They're better than Olympus tabloids," He cleared his throat, then held up his hands dramatically.
"Dreams like a podcast,
Downloading truth in my ears,
They tell me cool stuff —"
"Apollo?" Selene guessed, bored. She knew no one could make a haiku that bad.
He put a finger to his lips. "I'm incognito. Call me Fred."
"A god named Fred?" Percy thought out loud.
"Eh, well...Zeus insists on certain rules. Hands off, when there's a human quest. Even when something really major is wrong. But nobody messes with my baby sister. Nobody."
'Didn't Artemis help with his birth?'
"Can you help us, then?" Percy asked.
"Shhh. I already have. Haven't you been looking outside?"
"The train," Selene realized, her eyes widening. "How fast are we moving?"
Apollo chuckled. "Fast enough. Unfortunately, we're running out of time. It's almost sunset. But I imagine we'll get you across a good chunk of America, at least."
"But where is Artemis?" She asked.
His face darkened. "I know a lot, and I see a lot. But even I don't know that. She's...clouded from me. I don't like that."
"And Annabeth?" Percy added.
He frowned. "Oh, you mean that girl you lost? Hmmm. I don't know."
Selene tried not to feel mad. She knew the gods had a hard time taking mortals seriously, even Half-Bloods. They all live such short lives, compared to the gods.
"What about the monster Artemis was seeking?" Selene questioned. "Do you know what it is?"
"No," Apollo said. "But there is one who might. If you haven't yet found the monster when you reach San Fransisco, seek out Nereus, the Old Man of the Sea. He has a long memory and a sharp eye. He has the gift of knowledge sometimes kept obscure from my Oracle."
"But it's your Oracle," Percy protested. "Can't you tell us what the prophecy means?"
Apollo sighed. "You might as well ask an artist to explain their art, or a poet to explain their poem. It defeats the purpose. The meaning is only clear through the search."
"In other words, you don't know," Selene muttered.
Apollo checked his fake watch. "Ah, look at the time! I have to run. I doubt I can risk helping you again, Percy, Selene, but remember what I said! Get some sleep! And when you return, I expect a good haiku about your journey!"
Selene wanted to protest that she wasn't tired and she'd never make a haiku, but before she could do so, Apollo snapped his fingers, and Selene felt herself closing her eyes.
"Sweet dreams, Selene," She heard Percy whisper — the boy grinning, as he slowly got out of the car — softly closing the door behind her with particular care.
—
IN SELENE'S DREAM, she was somebody else.
She was wearing old-fashioned dark red robes, as well as laced leather sandals. The Nemean Lion's skin was wrapped around her back like a cape, and she was running somewhere, being pulled by a girl who was tightly gripping her hand.
"Hurry!" She said. It was too dark to clearly see her face, but Selene could hear the fear in her voice. "He will find us!"
It was nighttime. A million stars blazed above. They were running through tall grass, and the scent of a thousand different flowers made the air intoxicating. It was a beautiful garden, and yet, the girl was leading Selene through it, as if she were about to die.
"I'm not afraid," Selene tried to tell her.
"You should be!" She said, pulling her along. She had long dark hair braided down her back. Her silk robes glowed faintly in the starlight.
They raced up the side of the hill. She pulled her behind a thorn bush, and they collapsed, both breathing heavily.
Selene didn't know why the girl was scared. The garden seemed so peaceful. And she felt strong. Stronger than she ever had before.
"There is no need to run," Selene told her. Her voice sounded deeper, much more confident. "I have bested a thousand monsters with my bare hands."
"Not this one," The girl said. "Ladon is too strong. You must go around, up the mountain to my father. It is the only way."
The hurt in her voice surprised Selene. She was really concerned, almost as if she cared about her.
"I don't trust your father," Selene said.
"You should not," The girl agreed. "You will have to trick him. But you cannot take the prize directly. You will die."
Selene had no idea what that meant, but her voice spoke again (against her will). "Then why don't you help me, pretty one?"
"I...I am afraid. Ladon will stop me. If my sisters found out..they would disown me."
"Then there's nothing for it," Selene stood, rubbing her hands together.
"Wait," The girl said.
She seemed to be agonizing over a decision. Then, her fingers trembling, she reached up and plucked a long white brooch from her hair. "If you must fight, take this. My mother, Pleione gave it to me. She was a daughter of the ocean, and the ocean's power is within it. My immortal power."
The girl breathed on the pin and it glowed faintly. It gleamed in the starlight like polished abalone.
"Take it," She told her. "And make of it a weapon."
Selene laughed. "A hairpin? How will this slay Ladon, pretty one?"
"It may not," She admitted. "But it is all I can offer, if you insist being stubborn."
The girl's voice softened her heart. Selene reached down and took the hairpin, and as she did, it grew longer and heavier until she held a familiar bronze sword.
Riptide.
"Well balanced," Selene said. "Though I usually prefer my bare hands. What shall I name this blade?"
"Anaklusmos," The girl replied sadly. "The current that takes one by surprise. And, before you know it, you have been swept out to sea."
Before Selene could thank her, there was a trampling sound in the grass, a hiss like air escaping a tire, and the girl said "Too late! He is here!"
—
SELENE SAT BOLT upright. Her breaths were heavy, and her hand was clutched to her shirt as she tried to calm herself down.
She had many questions. For starters — who was she, in the dream? She definitely wasn't herself, that's for sure.
Secondly — who was the girl? She seemed so familiar, Selene could almost feel her presence right besides her.
Thirdly — what did Percy's blade, Riptide, have to do with any of this? Was it the 'cursed blade' the prophecy talked about?
Before she could even think of an answer to any of those questions, someone knocked on the window. She turned, and was face-to-face with Grover.
She raised a brow.
"Selene," Grover managed to say through the window, his voice strangely clear. "It's morning. The train's stopped. Come on!"
She tried to shake off her drowsiness. Thalia, Zoë, Bianca and Percy had already rolled up the metal curtains. Outside were snowy mountains dotted with pine trees, the sun rising between two peaks.
She watched as Percy fiddled with his pen, and she immediately grew anxious. Anaklusmos, the Ancient Greek name for Riptide. A different form, maybe, but she was sure it was the same blade she saw in her dream.
And she was sure of something else, too. She glanced up at her fellow quest members, her heart skipping a beat once her eyes landed on a certain Hunter.
That's when Selene realized.
The girl she saw in her dream was Zoë Nightshade.
—
THEY ARRIVED ON outskirts of a little ski town nestled into the mountains. The sign said WELCOME TO CLOUDCROFT, NEW MEXICO.
The air was cold and thin, and Selene almost felt like sneezing again. The roofs of the cabins were heaped with snow, dirty mounds of it piled up on the sides of streets.
Tall Pine Trees loomed over the valley, causing pitch-black shadows, though the morning was sunny.
Even with Percy's Lion Coat, she was freezing by the time they got to Main Street, which was about half a mile away from the train tracks. As they walked, Percy decided to tell Grover about their chat with Apollo — how he'd told them to seek out Nereus in San Francisco.
Grover looked uneasy. "That's good, I guess. But we've got to get there first."
Selene tried not to get too depressed about their chances. She didn't want to send Grover or Percy into a panic, but she knew they also had another huge deadline looming, one that none of them knew about except for her.
Aside from saving Artemis in time for the council of gods, the General said Annabeth would only be kept alive until the Winter Solstice. That was Friday, now four days away. Not to mention he also said something about a sacrifice. She didn't like the sound of that at all.
They stopped in the middle of town. She could pretty much see everything from there — a school, a bunch of tourist stores and cafes, some ski cabins, and a grocery store.
"Great," Thalia muttered sarcastically. "No bus station. No taxis. No car rentals. No way out."
"But there's a coffee shop," Said Selene dreamily. She'd been dreaming about getting coffee for days.
Percy snorted. "I still can't believe you drink coffee."
"I still can't believe you don't," She shot back. "It's amazing."
"It's disgusting."
"You're disgusting."
"You —"
"Yes," Zoë interrupted, putting an end to their bickering. "Coffee is good."
"And pastries," Grover added. "And wax paper."
Thalia sighed. "Fine. How about Percy, Bianca and I go to the grocery store. Maybe they can give us directions. Meanwhile you coffee lovers over here —"
Selene snorted.
"Can get us some food."
They all nodded, and agreed to meet in front of the grocery store in about fifteen minutes. Selene walked off with Zoë and Grover, while Bianca and Percy followed Thalia into the grocery store.
"Coffee!" Grover exclaimed, taking off and leaving Zoë and Selene. He was faster than expected, especially on his fake feet, and he darted into the shop in a blink of an eye.
She chuckled. She then glanced over to Zoë, who — wasn't paying attention at all.
Which was strange. Normally, Zoë was the most alert of the group — the most observant. But currently, the Hunter had her eyes shut — her brows slightly furrowed, as if she sensed something coming.
Selene's thoughts then wandered back to her dream — how Zoë gifted Riptide to her, or whoever she was supposed to be in the dream. She wanted to ask Zoë about it — who was the person she gifted it to? Why?
But then Selene realized it would be a mistake. The last thing she wanted to do is get in a scuffle with Zoë — especially now, in a, seemingly peaceful, coffee shop.
Grover quickly ordered their food, and they got it when it was ready. They were about to walk out when Zoë suddenly grabbed Selene's shoulder.
Her grip was tight and firm. It didn't seem like she was planning on letting go anytime soon.
"Grover, you go ahead," The Hunter demanded. "I must have a talk with Selene."
Grover looked like he was about to protest, but he must've realized arguing wouldn't have been very good for his health. "Yeah, yeah — okay," The satyr said quickly — glancing at Selene before turning around and leaving.
As soon as he was gone, Zoë sighed, letting go and sitting down. She patted the space next to her. She raised a brow, but sat next to the Hunter anyway.
"Selene," Zoë started, in a warning tone. "I must warn you about Percy Jackson."
She said his full name in a hushed tone — like it was a sin to say. Suddenly, Zoë's demeanor seemed to change.
Her eyes grew cold, distant. As if she didn't even know who Selene was anymore. Her lips were drawn into a small frown — and Selene stared at her as she took her hands.
"Don't make the same mistake I did," Zoë said. "I regret it to this day."
"Zoë —"
"You cannot trust boys. None of them. They play with your hearts. Make you feel insecure."
"Okay, Zoë, what is up with you?" Selene said with a frown.
"I can sense you are catching feelings for him," Zoë admitted. "And it shall only grow. You must run while you can. Percy Jackson is not who he says he is."
What?
"Okay, that's it," Selene said, slamming the table. "I am not going to just sit here and listen to you deem Percy as a horrible person, just because you had a bad experience with some boy and that stupid blade!"
Zoë's face paled. "How does thy know about that?"
Selene scoffed. "That's all you care about? Who cares where I figured that out from. What's important is that we start worrying about finding Annabeth and Artemis, and stop having silly chats about stupid boys! Okay?"
Zoë simply nodded. Selene's words had effected her more than intended.
Without another word, she stormed out of the coffee shop, Zoë in tow, following like a lost puppy.
Selene almost scoffed again. It was unbelievable, really.
Why did Zoë even care so much, anyway? It wasn't her business if she liked Percy or not (she did not, by the way.)
Did she?
'....No. Zoë's a Hunter. She swore off love forever. She wouldn't know.'
Selene walked up to Percy, Bianca and Grover. Percy and Bianca were eating muffins, though, Bianca barely touched her food. She was more focused on Percy, giving the boy an outraged look.
Selene didn't want to question it.
'I probably have the same look on my face right now.' She thought.
Zoë walked up next to Selene. Her and Bianca seemed to have a private conversation with their eyes.
Selene snatched her coffee from Grover's hand, immediately bringing it to her mouth and drinking profusely out of it. Grover looked concerned, while Percy stared at her like she was crazy.
One she was finished, she brought the cup to her chest, enjoying the warmth it brought.
"What the fuck?" Percy whispered. "Why — how — would you do that?"
"I need to wake up, Barnacle Boy. In case you've forgotten, Coffee actually has this thing called caffeine in it —" She began, sarcastically.
Percy rolled his eyes, sticking his tongue out at her. She did the same.
"We should do the tracking spell," Zoë suggested. "Grover, do you have any acorns left?"
"Ummm...." Grover mumbled. He was chewing on a bran muffin — wrapped and all. "I think so. I just need to —"
He froze.
Selene was about to ask what was wrong, when a warm breeze rustled past, like a gust of springtime had gotten lost in the middle of winter. Fresh air seasoned with wildflowers and sunshine. And there was something else — almost like a voice, trying to say something. A warning, whispered into the wind.
Zoë gasped. "Grover, thy cup."
Grover dropped his coffee cup, which was decorated with pictures of birds. Suddenly the birds peeled off the cup and flew away — a flock of tiny doves. Percy's rubber rat (which she didn't realize he had until now), squeaked, and it dropped down from Percy's arm and into the trees — real fur, real whiskers.
Grover collapsed next to his coffee, which steamed against the snow. They all gathered around him and tried to wake him up. He groaned, his eyes fluttering.
"Hey!" Thalia shouted, running up from the street. "I just....what's wrong with Grover?"
"I don't know!" Percy exclaimed angrily, tugging at his hair. "He collapsed!"
Selene could tell he was really worried, which was understandable. Grover had been with him since day one. She put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed, hoping it could bring him some sort of comfort.
"Uuuuuuh," Grover groaned.
"Well, get him up!" Thalia barked. She had her spear in her hand, and she looked behind them as if they were getting followed. "We have to get out of here."
They made it to the edge of town before the first two skeleton warriors appeared. They stepped from the trees on either side of the road. Instead of wearing gray camouflage, like last time, they now wore blue New Mexico State Police uniforms. However, they still had the ghostly gray skin and yellow eyes.
They drew their handguns. She'll admit, it would be kind of cool to shoot a gun, but she changed her mind as soon as they pointed theirs at her.
Thalia tapped her bracelet. Aegis spiraled to life on her arm, but the warriors didn't flinch. Their glowing eyes bored right into Percy.
Percy drew Riptide, and Selene drew Lunar, though she was unsure on what good it would do against guns.
Zoë and Bianca drew their bows, but Bianca was having trouble because Grover kept swooning and leaning against her.
"Back up," Thalia said.
They started to — but then Selene heard the rustling of branches. Three more skeleton warriors appeared on the road behind them. They were surrounded.
Then she wondered where the other skeleton warriors were. She'd seen at least a dozen at the Smithsonian. Then one of the warriors raised a cell phone to his mouth and spoke into it.
Except he wasn't speaking. He made a clattering, clicking sound, like dry teeth on bone. Suddenly she understood what was going on.
The skeletons must've split up to look for them. These skeletons were now calling their brethren over. Soon, they'd have a full party on their hands.
"It's near," Grover moaned.
"I'm pretty sure it's here, actually," Replied Percy, confused.
"No," He insisted. "The gift. The gift of the wild."
"Could really use a gift right now!" Yelled Selene in reply, slashing the air with her dagger in hopes to keep the warriors at bay.
"We'll have to go one-on-one," Thalia said. "Five of them. Five of us. Maybe they'll ignore Grover that way."
"Agreed," Chimed in Zoë.
"The Wild!" Grover groaned.
A warm wind blew through the canyon, rustling the trees, but Selene kept her eyes on the skeletons.
That's when she remembered Annabeth. The General, gloating over her fate.
The way Luke had betrayed her.
Her mom, in chains, at the General's will, holding the burden.
At that thought, she charged.
The first skeleton fired. Time slowed down. She wouldn't say she could see the bullet, but she could feel it's path. She deflected it off the edge of her dagger and kept charging.
The skeleton drew a baton and she sliced off his arms at the elbows. Then she threw Lunar.
The dagger sliced through the warrior's waist perfectly. She watched as Lunaris came back to her hands like a boomerang.
"Your dagger does that?" Percy whispered. But she had no chance to answer him.
She watched as, almost immediately, the bones on the asphalt began to move, reassembling themselves. The second skeleton clattered his teeth at her and tried to fire, but she knocked his gun into the snow.
She thought she was doing pretty well, until the other three skeletons shot her in the back.
"SELENE!" Percy screamed.
She landed facedown into the street. That's when she realized something...
'I'm not dead.'
The impact of the bullets had been dull, like a push from behind, but they didn't hurt her.
The Nemean Lion's Coat!
It must've been bulletproof.
'Thank the gods for Perseus Jackson, or I would be dead right now.'
Percy helped her get up.
Thalia charged the second skeleton. Zoë and Bianca started firing arrows at the third and fourth, and Grover stood there and held his hands out to the trees, looking like he wanted to hug them.
There was a crashing sound in the forest to their left, almost like a bulldozer. Maybe the skeletons' reinforcements were arriving.
Selene ducked as a police baton was thrown her way. The skeleton she cut in half was fully assembled, coming right at her.
"Woah!" She exclaimed, rolling to the side as the skeleton charged. She thought about using her bow, but it would be no use, if Bianca's and Zoë's weren't doing anything.
The warrior huffed, as if it were mocking her.
"You know, you talk a lot of trash for a monster who literally is.....trash," Selene muttered. She dodged and swiped, but it was no use. Every time she sliced the monster's head off, or it's leg, it just simply reassembled shot it's gun.
She was starting to get tired.
There was no way to stop them. Zoë and Bianca fired at their heads point-blank, but the arrows just whistled through their empty skulls. One lunged at Bianca, and Selene thought she was a goner, but she whipped out her hunting knife and stabbed the warrior in the chest. The whole skeleton erupted into flames, leaving a little pile of ashes and a police badge.
Selene let out a cheer. "Fuck, yes! Bianca Di Angelo for the win!"
Bianca sent her a grin, but they couldn't party for too long. The skeleton from before attacked Selene again, causing her to focus back on the fight.
"How did you do that?" She heard Zoë ask.
"I don't know," Bianca said nervously. "Lucky stab....?"
"Well, do it again!"
Bianca tried, but the remaining four skeletons were wary of her now. They pressed them back, keeping them at baton's length.
"Plan?" Percy muttered as they retreated.
Nobody answered. The trees behind the skeletons were shivering. Branches were cracking.
"A gift," Grover whispered.
And then, with a mighty roar, the biggest pig Selene had ever seen in her life came crashing onto the road. It was a wild boar, thirty feet high, with a snotty pink snout and tusks the size of the canoes back at camp. It's back bristled with brown hair, and its eyes were wild and angry.
The pig gave Selene a ridiculous memory of a seven-hundred pound pig she'd met at sleep away camp when she was ten, Ms.Cookie. She almost laughed at loud when she remembered how the pig pushed their camp counselor into the water trough.
"REEEEEET!" The pig squealed, dragging Selene away from the random memory. It raked the four skeletons away with its tusks. The force was so great, they went flying over the trees and into the side of a mountain, where they smashed to pieces, thigh bones and arm bones twirling everywhere.
'Good riddance.' Selene thought.
Then the pig turned on us.
"Shit," Percy cursed.
Shit was right.
Thalia raised her spear, but Grover yelled "Don't kill it!"
The boar grunted and pawed the ground, ready to charge.
"Well it sure looks like it wants to kill us, Grover!" Selene shouted back.
"That's the Erymanthian Boar," Zoë explained, trying to stay calm. "I don't think we can kill it."
"It's a gift," Grover insisted. "A blessing from the wild!"
"Well good thing I have the blessing of running!" Selene said. "Run!"
They ran in all different directions, and for a moment, the boar was confused.
"It wants to kill us!" Thalia said.
"Of course," Grover said, like she'd just said something dumb. "It's wild!"
"So how is that a blessing?" Bianca asked.
It seemed like a fair question to Selene, but the pig looked offended and charged her. She was faster than Selene realized. She rolled out of the way of its hooves and came up behind the beast. It lashed out with its tusks and pulverized the WELCOME TO CLOUDCROFT sign.
Selene racked her brain, trying to remember the myth of the boar. She was pretty sure Hercules had fought this thing once, but she couldn't remember how he ended up beating it. She had a vague memory of the boar plowing down several Greek cities before Hercules had managed to subdue it.
She just hoped Cloudcroft was insured against giant wild boar attacks.
"Keep moving!" Zoë yelled. She and Bianca ran in opposite directions. Grover danced around the boar, playing his pipes while the boar snorted and tried to gouge him.
But of course, Selene, Thalia and Percy had won the prize for bad luck. When the boar turned on them, Thalia raised Aegis in defense. The sight of Medusa's head made the boar squeal in outrage. Maybe it looked too much like one of its relatives.
The boar charged them.
They only managed to keep ahead of it because they ran uphill, and they could dodge in and out of the trees while the boar had to plow through them.
On the other side of the hill, Selene spotted an old stretch of train tracks, half-buried in the snow.
"This way," Percy said. He grabbed both of their arms and they rang along the rails while the boar roared behind them, slipping and sliding as it tried to navigate the steep hillside. Its hooves were just not made for this, thank the gods.
Ahead of them, Percy seemed to notice something. "Follow me!" He shouted.
Thalia slowed down — Selene didn't have time to ask why — but Percy pulled her along and she reluctantly followed. Behind them, a ten-ton pig tank was knocking down pine trees and crushing boulders under its hooves as it chased after them.
They all ran into the tunnel and came out the other side.
"No!" Thalia screamed.
She turned as white as ice, like back on the Sun Bus.
They were at the edge of a bridge. Below, the mountain dropped away into a snow-filled gorge about seventy-feet below.
Selene's stomach churned.
The boar was right behind them.
"Come on!" Percy said. "It'll hold our weight. Probably."
"Probably?!" Selene exclaimed.
"Probably." Percy repeated.
She sighed, realizing there was no other option. "Fine. Let's —"
"No!" Thalia yelled, gripping Selene's arm, tightly. "I can't!" Her eyes were wild with fear.
The boar smashed into the covered tunnel, tearing through at full speed.
"Now!" Percy insisted.
Selene glanced at Thalia. She looked down and swallowed. She was turning green.
She didn't have time to process why. Before she could even think, Percy tackled her, and, therefore, she stumbled onto Thalia, all of them getting sent sideways off the edge of the bridge, into the side of the mountain.
They slid on Aegis like a snowboard, over rocks and mud and snow — racing downhill at a terrifying speed.
The boar was less fortunate; it couldn't turn that fast, so all ten tons of the monster charged out onto the tiny trestle, which buckled under its weight. The boar free-fell into the gorge with a mighty squeal and landed in a snowdrift with a huge POOOOOF!
Selene, Thalia and Percy skidded to a stop. They were all breathing hard. Thalia looked like she might pass out. Percy glanced at Selene, who, managed to give him a small nod.
She was cut up and bleeding. Thalia had pine needles in her hair. Next to them, the wild boar was squealing and struggling. All she could see was the bristly tip of its back. It was wedged completely in the snow like Styrofoam packaging. It didn't seem to be hurt, but it didn't look like it was going anywhere, either.
Percy looked at Thalia. "You're afraid of heights."
Now that they were safely back down the mountain, Thalia's eyes had their usual angry look. "Don't be stupid."
"That's why you freaked out on Apollo's Sun Bus," Selene realized, looking up at her with wide eyes. "Why you didn't want to talk about it."
Thalia took a deep breath. Then she brushed the pine needles out of her hair. "If you tell anyone, I swear —"
"No, no," Percy quickly assured. "It's cool. It's just...the daughter of Zeus, the Lord of the Sky, afraid of heights?"
Thalia looked about ready to knock Percy into the snow. Before she could do so, Grover's voice called from above them. "Hellooooo?"
"Down here!" Selene shouted.
A few minutes later, Zoë, Bianca, and Grover joined us. They stood watching the wild boar struggle in the snow.
"So...." Selene started awkwardly. "Are we gonna have a wild boar coat, now?"
Percy snorted. "That'd look cute on you," He teased.
Selene blushed. "Nah, that boar definitely screams 'Percy Jackson' to me. Y'know, with all the squealing and snorting — you two could be distant relatives."
Percy flipped her off, and she smirked.
"No, we aren't killing it," Grover said. "It's a blessing from the wild," He repeated, though he looked more agitated.
"I agree," Zoë said. "We must use it."
"Hold up," Thalia said irritably. She still looked like she lost a fight with a Christmas tree. "Explain to me why you're so sure this..pig is a blessing."
Grover looked distracted. "It's our ride west. Do you have any idea how fast this boar can travel?"
"Fun," Percy said. "We'll be like...pig cowboys."
"I am not riding on that thing. Especially when it tried to chuck me off a mountain a second ago," Selene stated, disgusted.
"What? Scared?" Percy questioned.
"Of your face? Yes." She mocked.
Zoë glared at Percy, but it wasn't noticed by any of them.
Grover nodded. "We need to get aboard," He muttered, missing Selene and Percy's whole conversation. "I...I wish I had more time to look around. But it's gone now."
"What's gone?"
Grover didn't seem to hear her. He walked over to the boar and jumped onto his back. Already the boar was starting to make some headway through the drift. Once it broke free, there'd be no stopping it.
Grover took out his pipes. He started to play a snappy tune and tossed an apple in front of the boar. The apple floated and spun right above the boar's nose, and it went nuts, straining to get it.
"Automatic steering," Thalia murmured. "Great."
She trudged over and jumped behind Grover, which still left plenty of room for the rest of them.
Zoë and Bianca walked towards the boar.
"Wait a second," Percy said, stopping them. "Do you two know what Grover is talking about? This — this wild blessing?"
"Of course, Percy Jackson," Zoë snapped. "Did you not feel it in the wind? It was so strong...I never thought I would sense that presence again."
It finally dawned on Selene what the Hunter had meant. "Wait...are you saying — ?"
Zoë nodded solemnly.
"What presence?" Asked Percy, confused.
Zoë stared at him like he was an idiot. "The Lord of the Wild, of course. Just for a moment, in the arrival of the boar, I felt the presence of Pan."
—