An Unpleasant Surprise

"Sure you want to follow the plan, dead girl?" Clarrise asked.

"Yep," I responded.

"Alright, I'll go distract the thing." Clarrise raced past the border.

"Juniper, go check for any Demigods that might need help, Clarrise and I will distract the monster." I turned to face her.

"Just don't die," Juniper said and ran off past the border in a different direction of the monster.

I raced towards where Clarrise was facing the monster. It was too dark to see anything, but I knew someone was out there. A Demigod who seemed to be close to death, I could feel it deep in my gut. I raised my hand and three skeletons climbed from the ground.

"Go find Juniper and help her find the Demigod out here, protect Juniper and the Demigod at all costs," I ordered them.

The skeleton chattered something and ran off into the forest.

I turned and raced to Clarrise. When I reached her I slashed at the monster, I hit something probably its leg and it roared out in pain.

"Clarrise, we need to distract it as much as we can, a Demigod is out here lost and close to death!" I snapped at her.

"You don't think I know that?" Clarrise stabbed at it with her spear, she missed and the thing hit her with its scaly arm. Clarrise went flying back and landed in a bramble bush hitting her head on a tree, the monster stepped after her but I stopped it by standing in front of it.

"Hey, hideous! Come get me!" I slashed up with my sword cutting its chest.

The monster roared and reached for me, I rolled out of the way slashing its leg. The monster roared and chased after me. I ducked from its attacks as I ran making sure it was far from camp and everyone. I slowed down for a few moments and the monster raked its claws on my back and sword-arm. I cried out in agony and tripped over a tree root.

I landed on the ground, my sword clattered on the ground a few feet away from me. I quickly sat up looking at the monster. A bead of sweat trickled down my forehead as I crawled away from it. Blood trickled down my arm and back until I hit a tree, the monster raised its scaly arm for a finishing blow and I shut my eyes bracing myself.

Someone yelled from behind the monster and I opened my eyes. The moon peeked through the clouds and I recognized Junipers' face lit up by the moonlight. She was covered in sweat, monster gunk and monster dust. Juniper fell to her knees exhausted, panting.

"Y-you saved me, thank you," I said through painful gasps.

"Of course I would, I found the Demigod and Clarrise on my way. The skeletons are carrying them back to camp. I'll help you once I've put bandages over those injuries." Juniper took out a roll of bandages.

Juniper wrapped the bandages around my arm and back and helped me up. I collected my sword and transformed it into a bracelet.

"I'll get us to camp," I said as the moon was covered by the clouds again.

I concentrated on camp and we vanished into the shadows. When I opened my eyes we were at the edge of the camp in the shadows of a tree. Juniper and I walked back to the Amphitheater in silence. The three skeletons were already back, clearly waiting for me.

"Go back to the Underworld, your jobs' done," I said and the three skeletons crumbled into dust.

Juniper sat me down as a bunch of Demigods crowded us.

"What was the monster?" Someone asked.

"I couldn't see it, it was too dark," I said.

"How was Clarrise knocked out?" Some kid asked.

"She was hit by the monster and hit her head," I replied leaning against Juniper tired.

"Who found-"

"Will everyone just give her some space?" Juniper snapped shooing them away.

Will and another Apollo kid were gone. Juniper and the girl who had been playing the guitar brought me to the infirmary. My arm, back and ankle ached. Juniper sat me down and gave me a piece of ambrosia and a cup of nectar. Juniper sat next to me checking my injuries.

"Gods, that went terribly." I groaned.

"It did, but we saved the Demigod, they were close-"

"Close to death," I finished. "I know, I could feel it, they were slipping away."

"I guess that's something that can happen with being a child of Hades."

"I feel like I could sleep for three days."

"I can agree."

I chuckled weakly as I started drifting in unconsciousness. I leaned against Juniper, my head resting against her shoulder.