Lost in Time (Forgotten Daughter part 3)

Reunited

"What... what's going on?" Percy stammered. "What are you doing here?"

Ali just stared at him in surprise and terror.

A red headed girl with evergreen eyes and a stubby ponytail approached behind Ali. She clutched a bow on her hands, an arrow notched to the string. She shot Ali a suspicious look. "What's your boyfriend doing here?"

Ali sucked in a breath at the title. "I don't know." She finally answered. "Why don't you ask him?"

The redhead turned her angry gaze on Percy and inched forward, her arrow aimed menacingly at his chest. "What do want, lover boy?"

Percy struggled to form words.

"What's wrong?" The archer complained impatiently. "Hellhound got your tongue?" She smirked mischievously. She waited for Percy to speak, but he couldn't. She shrugged. "Oh well, at least I get to do something interesting today."

"Wait!" Ali jumped over to the girl's side. "We shouldn't kill him."

The girl groaned. "Why not?"

Ali rolled her eyes. "Because he wants to see him."

The redhead sighed and dropped her bow. "Fine." She met Percy's gaze. "It's your lucky day, fish. I'm not going to gut you." She slung her bow over her shoulder and yanked Percy to his feet. "Let's go. There's someone who wants to see you."
* * *
Ali trudged through the forest behind Percy as Aubrey led the way back to base camp. She straightened her quiver and bow on her back and stepped off a thick log. She could feel Riptide in her pants pocket. Aubrey had insisted they take the weapon.

Percy lagged a bit until he was walking side-by-side with her. "Ali, I... what..." he took a deep breath to quiet his thoughts. "Where have you been? Why did you leave?"

Ali hung her head, unable to meet is sad confused gaze. "Look. I'm sorry. I just... needed some time. It's a lot to process."

He kicked a small stone across the ground. "You finally got claimed. I guess I thought you would be happy."

She sighed. "At first I was, then I realized she only did it because I'd figured it out anyway, and called her out on it. All she was really doing was trying to prove me wrong."

"You really believe that?" Percy challenged.

Ali dropped her gaze back to the ground.

He heaved a long breath. "So, who's this guy you're bringing me to see?"

She bit her lip. "He's... just the guy I've been working with since I left."

Percy cracked a smile. "Does he have a name?"

She looked away. "I'll let him introduce himself. You'll meet him soon enough."
* * *
Aubrey froze, raising her hand to signal the others to stop. She knocked an arrow to her bow string and scanned the trees.

At first, Ali didn't hear it, then the sound of cracking branches and crunching leaves reached her ears. She unslung her bow and slid an arrow from her quiver. She turned towards the woods, keeping herself between Percy and the noise.

"You know I'd be more helpful with my sword." He observed.

"No." Aubrey answered for Ali. "We'll take care of this."

A pair of red eyes appeared among the shadows, followed by at least a dozen more.

Ali took a step back, closer to Percy. "Hellhounds."

Aubrey cursed under her breath, muttering something about a border.

A choir of angry growls rose from the red-eyed pack of demon dogs. They stalked forward.

Ali released an arrow, the shaft embedding between the closest monster's eyes. One lunged forward from her right. Spinning, she kicked the beast solidly in the jaw and drove the bladed end of her bow into its side. It whimpered and burst into golden dust.

Percy stumbled back into her, almost shoving her over.

She turned, steadied him, and whipped an arrow free of her quiver, driving the metal tip deep into the skull of the encroaching hellhound. She brought her fingers to her lips and let out a shrill piercing whistle that could be heard throughout the forest.

Within moments, another set of growls echoed from the shadows.

Ali smirked as she loosed another arrow.

Percy eyed the trees. "What's that?"

She shot him a confident glance over her shoulder. "Backup."

Suddenly, a pack of timber wolves loped out of the trees, overtaking the hellhounds.

Percy stared in awe at the scene. "How did you..."

She shrugged. "I have a way with animals." She rushed over to Aubrey. "Now or never."

"Follow me." Aubrey took off into the woods with Ali and Percy in close pursuit.
                                       *   *   *
Aubrey finally slowed to a stop. "I think we lost them."

Percy leaned against a tree, panting. "Seriously, Ali, when did you learn to do that?"

She smirked. "It started shortly after I got claimed. I don't know how I do it."

"Enough chit chat." Aubrey snapped. "He's waiting."

Ali met her gaze apprehensively and nodded. She turned and met Percy's gaze a tinge of fear in her eyes.

Aubrey grabbed Percy's arm as they walked into a clearing scattered with tents and campfires. They walked purposefully towards the central tent, the largest one.

Percy scanned the campsites as they passed them, stiffening when he noticed one fire circled by a trio of dracanae. He looked over his shoulder. "Ali?"

She looked down. She knew what was running through his mind... and she hated it.

Aubrey threw aside one of the tent flaps triumphantly and strode into the tent.

"You're finally back." A familiar voice resounded through the tent. "And I see you've brought me a present."

Percy struggled to break free of Aubrey's grip, but she was too strong. She threw him forward, forcing him to his knees.

He slowly raised his eyes to meet his captor's, fists clenched and tearing up the dirt floor. "Kronos."

A/N
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