~ { Shadow and Beauty } ~

Kiara Opens Up A Little

{Leo}

Leo watched in shock as Kiara ran out of the cave, covering her face.

   "Kiara!" he and Thalia shouted at the same time.

   "You should go after her," Thalia advised.

   Leo didn't wait to see if Jason protested. He shot to his feet and rushed after Kiara, yelling her name.

   The hunters had set camp just outside the cave entrance. A couple of tents were set up in the clearing, and wolves walked around and in between them. They snarled when Leo shouted Kiara's name again.

   A girl stepped out of one of the tents, looking utterly annoyed. "Why are you yelling?"

   "Kiara ran out," he said. "Did you see her?"

   "I didn't see anyone," the girl snapped. "And don't shout!"

   "Sorry," Leo mumbled as the girl went back into her tent.

   He started walking around. He didn't want to get too far from the cave, but he had to find Kiara. He shivered and summoned a small fire in his palm to keep himself warm. Where had Kiara disappeared to this time?

   "Kiara?" he called again. "Kiara!"

   He saw a face appear on the bark of a tree. He immediately recognized Princess Potty Sludge.

   "You," he snarled. "What do you want this time? Maybe you want to kill Piper, Kiara, Jason? Wasn't killing my mom enough for you?"

   "Oh, but that's no way to talk to Mother Earth, now is it?" the Dirt woman said.

   "Oh, shut up," Leo said, still glaring at Dirt woman.

   She ignored Leo. "Looking for your friend, are you?"

   Leo immediately regretted calling out Kiara's name. Maybe if he'd kept quiet, Dirt woman wouldn't have known that. Kiara didn't want to be found, anyway. Shouting hadn't done him any good but summon Dirt woman. He turned away and started walking the other way.

   "You know, your friends are keeping secrets from you," Dirt woman called. "Especially the daughter of Pluto."

   When Leo turned to tell her to fuck off, he saw that she was already gone. Leo turned back and followed his footprints back to the cave. Maybe Kiara would show up when she felt better. Maybe Leo shouldn't search for her.

   Then, he saw the silhouette of a girl talking to someone. He didn't notice the other person at first, but when he did see it, he realized it was a ghost. The silhouette was obviously Kiara, dressed in her dark clothes as always, but who was the ghost?

   Leo stopped where he was. Maybe he should let them talk. It would be rude to interrupt. But his curiosity won out, and he walked towards Kiara and the ghost.

   When he was close enough to hear them speak, the ghost said something and disappeared. Kiara reached out, but the ghost was gone. Kiara let her hand fall to her side. Then, she turned and saw Leo standing a few feet away from her.

   Leo noticed her cheeks were red from the cold, and her dark eyes were puffy from crying. Her clothes were caked with snow, and she was shivering faintly.

   She froze for a moment, then rushed forward and threw herself in Leo's arms, sobbing.

   "Whoa, there," Leo said and hesitantly hugged back. Leo knew Kiara didn't like physical contact, let alone hugging, but there she was, hugging Leo. "What's wrong?"