𝐒𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐈𝐋¹ || 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐂𝐘 𝐉𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐒𝐎𝐍

𝐕𝐈𝐈𝐈

✦ 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐂𝐘'𝐒 𝐈𝐌𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 ✦

SO THERE THEY WERE, Aurora, Annabeth and Grover, and Percy, walking through the woods on the New Jersey riverbank, the glow of New York City making the night sky yellow behind them and the smell of the Hudson reeking in their noses.

Grover was shivering and braying, his big goat eyes turned slit-pupiled and full of terror. "Three Kindly Ones. All three at once."

They were all pretty shocked as they practically walked in silence. The explosion of bus windows still rang in their ears. But Annabeth kept pulling them along, saying: "Come on! The further away we get, the better."

"All our money was back there," Percy decided to remind her. "Our food and clothes. Everything."

"Well, maybe if you hadn't decided to jump into the fight–"

"By the gods, stop fighting." Aurora threw her head back as she trudged to wherever they were headed.

"What did you want me to do? Let you guys get killed?" Percy questions exasperatedly.

Aurora, who had had it with the two of them arguing, decided to step in, "You didn't need to protect us, Percy. We would've been fine. You are our priority, they want you... not us."

"Sliced like sandwich bread," Grover put in, "but fine."

"Shut up, Goat Boy," said Annabeth.

Grover brayed mournfully. "Tin cans... a perfectly good bag of tin cans."

They sloshed across mushy ground, through nasty twisted trees that smelled like sour laundry.

After a few minutes, Annabeth fell into line next to Percy. "Look, I..." Her voice faltered. "I appreciate your coming back for us, okay? That was really brave..."

As Annabeth and Percy fell into conversation, Aurora couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over her. Despite their differences and the tension that sometimes arose between them, it was comforting to see her two friends making an effort to get along.

She knew that their cooperation would be crucial in the days ahead, and she silently thanked the gods for their newfound camaraderie.

When Annabeth walked away from Percy after their talk and moved to the front to continue leading, Aurora watched her go with a mixture of admiration and gratitude.

Annabeth's leadership and determination were qualities that Aurora had always admired, and she knew that they would need her guidance more than ever as they faced the challenges of their quest.

Percy caught up to Aurora and they walked together in silence, Aurora couldn't help but feel a pang of curiosity at his words.

"Annabeth told me, the two of you haven't left Camp since you two were seven," Percy said, breaking the quiet between them.