The Hero's Shield

Chapter 5

Hey guys! I'm so sorry I haven't posted in 3 months. I just started high school and I've been really busy. Luckily though, I have written the next 3 parts of this story, so I will be uploading them sometime this week. Thanks for being awesome! Here's part 5.

A few hours had past and nothing had happened. I was starting to think that this was to easy. I was walking next to grover and he had already eaten half of his bag of tin cans.

"Wait where is the wolf house specifically?" I asked.

Annabeth answered, "I think it is in California."

I nodded believing her, "It's been a long time that monsters haven't attacked us. I guess we're safe for now."

That was something we demigods should never say. The words hadn't even left my mouth when we all heard a roar in the distance. Annabeth glared at me, and signaled at us to crouch down,

"Remind me to kill you when we are done with this."

"Sorry!" I cringed.

The monster roared again but closer this time.

"It doesn't sound like a monster or anything we have faced before." Annabeth pointed out, "I'm going to go around and see what it is."

"But . . ." I argued but Annabeth's glare told me to be quiet. I had already caused the monster to notice us, so I didn't want to create anymore trouble. Annabeth had only disappeared for a couple seconds before she became racing back.

"Bad news. Bad, bad news. The lion . . ." Annabeth began.

"The lion?" I cut off.

Annabeth nodded, "Yes a lion."

"Well good. It shouldn't be that hard to kill."

"Well Percy, the lion looked like the same one that Hercules faced eons ago. If I'm right, that lion was invulnerable. It terrorized the people in the hills of Nemea. Wait, please don't tell me this is a coincidence. We are searching for Hercules's shield and facing the Nemean lion was one of his labors. What if we have to do all 12 of Hercules's labors!"

"You know what, lets not think about that right now. Lets focus on beating this Nemean lion." I told them bravely sliding out riptide.

"Ok Percy, but just remember," Annabeth reminded looking at riptide, "That this lion is not like any other lion, it is invincible."

Sliding riptide back into his pocket, "I guess we are just going to need to figure out another way to kill this lion." He peered through the bushes only to find the lion standing two feet away looking at him, its eyes glittering with malice,

"Umm, guys lion alert, two feet away." At that moment, the lion leaped to where they were hiding.

"Separate!" I yelled to them as I rolled out of the way. I looked at grover's bag of tin cans and immediately got an idea.

I shouted to grover, "Give me your tin cans!"

"But these are my only tin cans." Grover complained.

I was starting to get irritated with grover, "If you want to live, give me your tin cans!"

Grover whimpered but handed me his bag of tin cans. I took a tin can out and yelled at annabeth,

"Annabeth make the lion open its mouth!" Annabeth turned at the sound of My voice and gave Me a nod to show that she had heard. She brought down her dagger on the lion's foot. It bounced harmlessly off but it made the lion turn toward her, and it opened its mouth and roared. not wasting a second I aimed a tin can in the lion's direction and threw. An impossible shot. I shouldn't have made it, I was at least 10 meters away, but somehow it lodged in the lion's throat. The lion immediately froze and started to choke on the can. I threw another and another into the lion's throat. The lion began to sprawl out on the ground unable to breathe and in a moment it was dead. But instead of leaving the lion's body it left only a piece of paper. Annabeth picked it up,

"I wonder what it is?" she looked at me for help. The piece of paper had lots of lines on it. Some dotted, some bold.

I shrugged, "I don't know but we might as well keep it. Its got to be important. It might be one of the pieces the oracle told me to find."

Annabeth looked at the piece then to Grover, "Ok, but let's keep it away from Grover." Grover was drooling because there was nothing to eat. I had used all his tin cans to defeat the lion.

I stared hard at Grover, "No Grover, that piece might be the success or failure of our quest." Grover's drooling slackened a little.

I rolled my eyes, "Grover if you don't eat that piece of paper by the time we get to a coffee shop I'll buy you something."

Grover gave him a big hug, "Oh yes, thank you so much!" I could see that annabeth was trying not to laugh.

"Come on. Let's go this way." Annabeth pointed to the woods, "it's getting dark." Then Grover and I followed Annabeth into the woods.

Thanks for reading! Okay is it just me, or does every single writing document say Annabeth's name is wrong. Because every time I write her name the little red line comes underneath. Tell me if that happens to you too! Now I've got a World History Test to study for. Wish me luck!! <3