Drowning in the Siren's Song

Chapter 39

Lupa had been waiting. 

She had been waiting for the young demigod Apollo had promised her. Though she thought of his actions as 'promising' her him, she knew that in reality, it was just a shimmering veil which hid a stern warning. 

His meaning had been clear. 'Protect this boy. He was under his protection.'

The first time she saw him was when he was high in the sky, straight-backed even though her eyes could discern a shiver in his hands. After such an impression, she wondered if he really needed her protection. 

He rode a Pegasus, a symbol of strength, while a Raven just a dark as his stead circled round his head. An ill omen, she thought, even though she didn't discriminate among the beasts.

He had the face of a young pup with curved cheeks and a soft jaw, but the gaze of one of her warriors. Even from the distance she could see the pair of eyes which seemed to switch between a deep blue and a bright green, a color which she was unfamiliar to, blinking steadily.

She applauded the strength he was showing but it only helped in adding to her hostility. A child with his maturity needed a reason to become so. Whether he was twisted in a good way or bad- way, she would be the judge of that.

She unconsciously showed her fangs, alerting her subordinates. It was a subtle and quick action, but to the wolves trained by her, it was as noticeable as a red flag.

As he descended, she could finally catch his scent. And it left her baffled. At first, because he had been travelling through the skies, he smelt like cold air but underneath it lay a complex perfume unique to only him. The salt of the sea and the heavy fragrance of soil clung to him but the smell of herbs and medicine surrounded him as well, contradicting. 

The fur on her shoulder blades rose slightly. To her, his scent felt like he was threatening her with a smile. 

"He is a warrior who can heal." She spoke for the first time, reaching a sound conclusion. She thought it best to warn her pups. 

There was nothing scarier than a fighter who held the power to continuously fight. As hostile as she was, she needn't make an enemy out of him and nor did she want to get on Apollo's bad side.

The black Pegasus landed without a noise, his hooves sinking into the loose soil of the forest. He whinnied pompously, as if complimenting himself for a job well done. One of the wolves who'd come with Lupa growled low at him, warning him to stay in his limits. It was rather funny because he wasn't even a full-grown wolf, with brown dusted fur and fangs which had just reached its sharpness.

Because she had openly showed her belligerent mood, the wolves with her were also on guard. Their instincts were enough to warn them, if not his knives and companions. But the younger ones couldn't quite differentiate where they should pick a fight.

The Pegasus openly ignored him, making him frustrated and growl again, louder. This time, it was the raven who reacted, lifting her wings and reading herself to takeoff. Looking closely, her talons gleamed unusually, making Lupa realize that they were not her nails but a weapon, covered with celestial bronze, a rather rare metal. 

But before they could even attempt at a fight or she could chastise her underling, Percy slid off the Pegasus's back, blocking the wolf's view. He lifted his arm lightly, letting it rest in the air before the raven settled there, calm once more.

"I am Percy Jackson. It's an honor to meet you, Lady Lupa." He bent at the waist before making eye contact. He spoke perfect Latin. 
"Likewise, son of Neptune. The Wolf House welcomes you." She regarded him with emotionless eyes. "Handle your affairs, I will be waiting." With these words she turned away, leaving him with a glance-over. 

Just as she turned her back, Percy turned towards Blackjack, making sure to meet the eyes of the wolf who's growled at Blackjack. In the spilt second of eye-contact, his gaze turned fiercer than any monster, glaring at the wolf who dared to threaten his friend. He must've scared the wolf because he'd gone stiff, flattening his ears to his head.

'Nice one, boss, but scary. I'm surprised he hasn't tucked his tail yet.' Blackjack said, gleeful. It was a good thing Percy stepped in, otherwise he was sure Blackjack himself would've hurt the growing wolf pretty badly.

He knew his reaction was elevated, but he was too tired and hungry to bother controlling his facial expressions. He hated it when people close to him were hurt. His mother was reminder enough to cherish those whom he held dear. But he also knew that the wolf was not worth his time and effort. He was probably hostile because of the unfamiliar presences in their territory. 

He was probably going to have to fight to assert his place if he wanted a respectable lifestyle for his days ahead. But that was a problem for another day, hopefully. 

"Rest for tonight. You can leave tomorrow." He spoke to Blackjack, using English. It was very weird when he focused on it but slipping between languages was almost like a second nature to him.

He didn't wait for an answer and walked away, clutching his backpack and caressing Keria, going towards the direction Lupa went, knowing that the wolves would guide him to the Wolf house anyways.