Heroes of Olympus: After the War

Chapter 5

Leo

 " Leo? Leo, wake up! "

Leo, groaned and opened his eyes. Frank was hovering over him. " It's about time. " Frank grumbled.     Leo sat up and looked around. He, along with Frank and Hazel, were sitting on a beach. Jungle behind them, sea infront of them. The sun was up, shining brightly. " Where are we? " Leo asked. " A good question, " Hazel said. " I have no idea. We washed up here after we got thrown into the sea. "

" How long have I been out? " Leo asked. Frank shrugged. " You we're unconscious when I woke up, which was about forty - five minutes ago. But I reckon it's been longer than that. " Leo nodded. " All I remember is that wave coming down on us. It must have jacked me up pretty good. " Frank laughed.      " Darn right it did. I'm surprised you woke up. "

Leo got to his feet and so did Frank and Hazel. " We better see if theres any life around here. " Hazel nodded. " And maybe some water. I'm thirsty. " They headed into the jungle. It was silent accept for the chirping of birds and the clicking of insects. Leo found the silence very unsettling. From abve there was a snakes hiss and Leo glanced up to see a viper dangling from one of the tree's. He ducked down low, out of it's reach and Hazel and Frank followed his lead. None of them wanted to get have encounter with it's sharp poisonous fangs." I don't see why anyone would want to live here. " Hazel whispered.       "It's absolutely horrid." Leo agreed with Hazel. The jungle was dark and gloomy, unlike the surrounding beach and it was crawling with all kinds of hideous creatures. 

 " Leo, maybe we should go back to the beach. " Frank said. " I don't think anyones here. " Leo sighed. Frank was right. And he was just about to turn around when he heard foosteps. Leo crept slowly towards the direction the footsteps had come from. " Leo? " Hazel hissed. " Leo, come on. Let's just go back to the beach. " Leo ignored her and pressed foreward. He heard it again. Footsteps, then an animal like cry. " Leo, now. " Frank hissed, gripping Leo arm. Leo shook him off. He had to find out where it was coming from. And he did.

Leo stopped dead in his tracks. Just twenty feet away stood a girl. She was holding a bow, an arrow nocked and poised. Her tangled bleach blonde hair hung in her face, her feet were bare and covered with dirt and mud. The arrow was aimed ahead of her, where a tiger stood, snarling and baring it's sharp teeth. The girl didn't seem at all scared though. She stood there, fearlessly staring strait back at the tiger, with the same murderous look. Then Leo saw why. The tiger had an arrow already sticking out of it's side. It was wounded. Which would make it hard for the tiger to fight. The girl had been wounded too, a bloody scratch across her cheek, but the didn't seem to care. There was moment of silence between the two, then the tiger pounced, but the girl was expecting it. She let her arrow fly, and it struck the tiger. It fell to the ground, dead.

Leo stepped closer, and under his foot a branch snapped. The girl whirled to face Leo. First her face resembled shock, amazement, then fear. She dropped her bow and quiver full of arrows and ran.            " Wait! " Leo cried, running after her. " Wait, please! " But she continued to run. And Leo still chased her. " I'm not going to hurt you! " Leo yelled. " I promise! " Dang, this girl was fast. Leo was panting hard, but he still chased after the girl. " Stop! " Leo finally caught up to the girl, she was at a dead end. And when she saw Leo gaining on her, she began to frantically try to climb up the huge crater rock that stood in her path. Leo couldn't let her get away. He reach out and grasped her arm and the girl screamed.            " Let me go! " she shouted. " No, I won't hurt you! " Leo said. " I just want to talk! " The girl shook her head. " No, I don't wanna talk! Let go of me! " 

Heck no. Leo thought. Leo pulled her away from the rock, and the girl began to kick and struggle, so Leo locked his arms around her and held her fast. " Calm down! " he hissed in her hear. " I'm not here to hurt you. " The girl, squirmed. " Your a liar! Everything that sets foot on this island is here to hurt me! Now let go of me! " Leo struggled to keep her contained. " Listen to me, I promise, I'm not here to hurt you. Me and friends got stranded here, and we need your help. Please, I'm not lying, trust me. " The girl became still. " Give me one reason why I should? " For once Leo was at lost for words. He didn't have anything he could say to persuade this girl. So he just said. " I don't have one. "

The girl was silent, which Leo took as a sign that she didn't know what to say either. " Okay, " Leo began. " I'm going to let you go, but you have to promise me not to run away. " The girl sighed. " Fine. "   Leo slowly let his arms fall back down to his side and the girl stepped away fron him, panting. Leo was panting hard to, from trying to restrain the girl and from chasing her, for awhile they just stood there catching they're breath. " So, " Leo said. " What's your name? " The girl reguarded him with cold blue eyes. " Timber, " Leo held out his hand. " Leo Valdez, " Timber shook it. " Well, Leo Valdez, what brings you to this island? " Just as Leo was getting ready answer, Hazel and Frank came running to the clearing. " Leo! " Hazel exclaimed. " What in the name of the gods did you think you were - " her voice faltered when she laid eyes on Timber. " Hazel and Frank this is Timber. " Leo said. " Timber, this is Hazel and Frank, friends of mine. We got thrown off our ship together durring a storm and washed up here. " Timber nodded to them. " Nice to meet you', I live here on the island. "

 " Wait, you live on the island? " Frank asked. " Yes, " Timber replied. " All by yourself? " Frank inquired. " Yeah, " Timber answered. " For quite a while actually. " Leo furrowed his brow, catching on. " And does this island have a name? " Timber nodded, perplexed. " Yeah, Gun. That's what it's shaped like, and right now, we're at the very point of it. " Realization hit Leo like a brick. " Oh, my gods! You guys, the prophecy! " he exclaimed. " ' Three will break off, found at the point of gun. ' ! The prophecy didn't mean a real gun, it meant this island. And we washed up at the very point of it. " Timber's face resembled a look of puzzlement. " What prophecy? It's just a name. " Leo shook his head. " No, listen, three days ago  seven of us recieved a prophecy, you know what a prophecy is right? Anyways, it told us that we'd be looking for a girl who's destiny was still in the hands of the Fates or something, and three of us would find you on an island, at the point of gun. And here we are, on the point of Gun. Now do you get it? Umm, Timber? " Timber's face had gone pale and she was backing away from Leo, slowly. " No, no, no! This can't be happening! No! This isn't supposed to happen. Your not supposed to find me! " 

" Uhh, what? " Leo said. " Timber, what are you talking about? What do you mean? " Timber turned to him, eye's angry and frightened at the same time. " You can't be hear, okay?! Your not supposed to come and find me! This is not supposed to happen! They told me it wouldn't happen. They said no one would ever find me here. That was the deal! It was part of the arrangement. It was my curse! Week after week they send me new monsters to kill. A little bit of fun for them up in Olympus! A little entertainment! Well you know what? ( Bleep ) that! "

" Timber! " Leo exclaimed. " Calm down! What are you taking about? Who's ' them ' " 

Timber steadied her breathing and sighed. " I'm talking about my curse. And ' them ' are the gods. Who put me here in the first place. And, now that your here, I want you to leave. "