El Fuego y La Flor - The Storm

Chapter 6 - Aww, what a cutie! Wait - nope, not cute at all!

Cassia

Leo noticed it first. His super deluxe extra portion of ADHD beat my regular demigod ADHD easily. I just followed him, therefore I was quite confused when he suddenly pulled me aside, into a secondary hallway, leading up to the pool area. Before I could even ask, he had placed a finger on his lips, his eyes darting over to the hallway we almost went down. I realised what he meant when his hyper active expression became serious and dangerously calm. The calm before the storm.
There was some kind of monster around the corner. I didn't quite dare to lean around and look, but someone had to, and Leo stood behind me. Maybe so that the monster would attack me first. I felt my heart rate increase exponentially, my breathing became calmer, although I felt it burst out of my lungs, my throat scratchy from the high amount of oxygen. I lurked around the corner and looked at the creature.

I couldn't help but scoff amusedly, before I stepped out of the hallway, facing the thing.
»Really Leo? This is what you're scared of?«
I asked, looking down at the mole like, half blind creature. It had no hair, was about the size of a hedgehog and had a fishtail instead of legs. It flopped excitedly, like a puppy which wanted to go on a walk. Its tongue hung out of its mouth, tiny sharp teeth visible behind its drawn back lips.
I kneeled down and gestured with my hand for the tiny thing to come closer. Leo hesitantly stepped out from behind the corner, keeping his distance.
»I don't know,« he said quietly, his eyes never leaving the hedgehog creature. »I think Annabeth mentioned this one before, back when we sailed to Rome.«
I vaguely remembered the dark skinned girl with the mesmerising grey eyes, like storm clouds thundered inside her irises. I hadn't met her personally, only seen her when she visited Camp every other month. But she seemed amazing, everything I had ever heard about her made me feel inferior in any way. I would have loved to meet the daughter of Athena.

»Well, what's its name then?« I asked.
Leo remained quiet for a couple of seconds.
»I don't know.«
»I thought she told you?«
»She did but she talked a lot about many creatures and you can't expect me to remember all of them!«
While we argued, the little hedgehog monster scooted closer, flopping and breathing heavily with its tongue still hanging out. I stretched out a hand towards the little thing, although it had no hair and milky white eyes, and genuinely no features that'd make you say »Awww, isn't it cute?« I still wanted to pet it.
What happened next was very typical for monsters: It charged forward quick enough to deceive my eyes and bite my hand.
I screamed loudly, while falling back, Leo immediately jumping, and, as the self declared womaniser he was, he didn't jump to help me, but hopped about two feet backwards, out of reach of the hedgehog.

I jumped up quickly, both of us yelling incoherently at one another while the hedgehog began to shake, tremble, drool, and generally not look very healthy. Then we both stopped long enough to sort out who'd talk first, which was Leo.
»Are you okay?!« He asked
»I... I think so.« I replied
»Oh no...« he then whined »You won't turn into a were-hedgehog, will you?«
I looked at him irritated, my voice forcefully calm as I spoke.
»No Leo. I will not turn into a were-hedgehog. And if I do, I will bite you, so you become one too.«
This did not seem to calm him down. I rolled my eyes before looking down at the creature again. It was still trembling like crazy.
»What even is this thing?« I then asked, bewildered.
»I don't know, but I told you it's dangerous!«
»Uhh, no you did not, you gestured to be quiet and then you said that Annabeth mentioned it once.«
»That's demigod code for 'It's dangerous!'«
»It's growing.«
»Seriously Cassia. When Annabeth mentions something and says it's dangerous, you LISTEN TO HER.«
»It's growing.«
»What?«
»IT'S GROWING.«

My eyes were glued to the creature which had stopped shaking. It winced and moved, shook its head and its tail slapped on the ground and made those weird noises, flop flop flop, while it slowly expanded. First its head grew, which really looked awful. It grew twice as big as the rest of its body, and fell on the ground. For a moment I thought it may break its neck, but it didn't. Then its paws expanded, its body next, lastly its tail. I could see the muscles play underneath the flesh, the skin stretching, trying to keep up with the growth, forming scars. I vaguely remember that a scared whine escaped my lips. The naked mole like creature wasn't half as cute anymore, now that its claw hands were about as big as I was.
»Okay Genius.« Leo then said, a look of annoyance in his eyes. You know you'd sunken low if Leo Valdez was disappointed in you.
»Any plans how to stop that thing or do you still think it's cute?«
I shot him a glance that would have killed him, if glanced could do that.
»I suppose we'd run, except if you have a better idea?« I snapped back, still holding my bleeding hand.