The Demigod Games (PJO/THG)

3- In The Woods

-Jason

Right. Percy and Annabeth disappeared.

And we had absolutely no idea what to do.

So I guess I should have done the logical thing: go and get Chiron because he might hopefully know what that light thingy actually was.

Unfortunately, I didn't do the logical thing. I did the stupid thing.

Yep, you guessed it. I dived in after them. And Piper followed.

Were we all just being idiotic that day? Was it something in the pizza we had at lunch?
Thinking back on it, those pineapples did taste weird...

Then I realized we did stupid things like this nearly every single day.

Last Friday, at Capture The Flag, I accidentally took our own flag and brought it to the enemy camp.

Five days ago, a tried to make a pony fly because I'd momentarily forgotten it wasn't a pegasus.

On Tuesday two weeks ago I drank a potion from the Stoll brothers who claimed it was apple juice, and I ended up having a purple butt for the whole rest of the day. (I still remember this one, Travis!)

So really, was this idiocy really that different from the usual?

Piper and I both touched the portal at the same time, and were instantly teleported, the entire world spinning before me for a few moments, my stomach feeling like laundry in a washing machine.

Annabeth and her wits would've been more than welcome right now, but she as nowhere in sight, and neither was Percy. Maybe they'd already landed?

I had no idea where we were headed. Piper held on hard to me with a scared expression on her face, determined not to let go. We stood, or rather hovered in a heap for five minutes, waiting for the otherworldy tunnel to end.

After some time I began to think that there might not be an end. How could I be sure? I'd never been through this before, and had no idea what awaited us. Luckily, my thoughts were cleared when the tunnel suddenly opened up in front of us, and we landed... in a tree.

Lying down on a high branch of an oak, I vomited on the floor three feet below, Piper next to me.

Waiting a few minutes for my head to clear, I sat up and tried to figure out where we were. From what I could see, we were some kind of endless forest-  I tried standing on top of the tree, my head peering out from its top. But there was nothing but green acres of wood, all around us.

I mean, come on. At least there could have been a banner. Some kind of indication of where to go, a friendly This way back, demigods! board, perhaps?

None of that appearing, I sighed deeply. Guess we'd have to find our way ourselves.

"Jason." Piper called out, and I realized neither of us had talked since we'd jumped through the portal. "Where do you think we are?"

"I have absolutely no idea. All I can see is trees, nothing else. What direction should we go?" I replied.

"My granddad used to always say, 'When in doubt, go north, since that's where the stars are." Piper blushed. She quickly said, "Of course, that's stupid. We're not looking for the stars."

I smiled, and said; "It's a great idea, Pipes - and I dont see what else we could do. Let's go down now - hold on."

Piper held on to my waist - making me feel very manly, by the way -  and I jumped down, bending the winds to my will so we didn't get hurt.

"Right." I said. "Let's get started."
Holding hands, we started walking north.