Heroes of Olympus: After the War

Chapter 12

Leo

When Leo woke up the next morning, Timber was gone. He searched the whole treehouse but couldn't find her. He considered waking up Frank and Hazle to help him look, but he decided to let them sleep encase nothing was wrong. 

Leo left the treehouse and began hunting for Timber in the jungle. She's got to be around here somewhere. Leo thought. She's probably just hunting or something.

But Leo deep down knew that if Timber went out to hunt or fetch water she would've told them. Something else was going on. Leo crashed through the jungle, occasionally calling out TImber's name and finnaly after what seemed was hours, he got an answer.

A scream.

" Timber! " Leo shouted, panic swelling up. " Timber, where are you?! "

Another scream, and this time followed by his name. " Leo! "

Leo picked up his speed, the voice didn't sound very far away and it was deffinitely Timber's. Leo crashed into a clearing and was met by the most horrifying sight. Timber dangling upside down - her right leg caught in some rope tied to a tree - while a pack of hellhounds crowded around the tree. The hellhounds snapped at Timber flailing arms and head while she screamed and desperately tried to undo the ropes around her ankle, but failing.

It only took Timber about five seconds to notice Leo and for him to charge at the hellhounds. Leo was unarmed, so he had no choice but to just torch the beast's. Fire spewed out of his hands and at the hellhounds who were just noticing him, giving Leo a headstart. Some of the hellhounds disenagrated from the flames, but the others saw what Leo could do stayed clear from his fire, making it hard for Leo to get a good shot.

Meanwhile Timber was trying to cut the ropes with a sharp rock, with not much success. Leo allowed himself to get caught off guard which resulted in and the hellhound leaping up on him, knocking Leo to the ground.

" Leo! " Timber screamed, fear in her voice.

Just as the hellhound was going in for the kill, Leo grabbed a long fallen branch and held it out infront of him with both hands. The hellhound snarled and fought against the branch, biting it ferociously, weakening it and pushing it closer to Leo's face.

Leo panicked, he couldn't it off for long, then a thought came to his mind. Leo thrust one of his hands up and let loose a spew of flames. The hellhound let out a painful wail and with that it disenagrated. Leo stood up off the ground and dusted the monster dust of himslef.

" Leo, little help here. " Timber said from above. " Oh, right. " Leo said, remembering she was there.

Leo reached up and burned through the rope with his fire. Timber dropped to the ground and landed unsteadily on her feet. She looked very dizzy and dazed from hanging upside down for so long, but other than that she was fine.

" Thanks, " Timber told Leo. " I thought I was dead meat. "

" What happened? " Leo asked. " How'd you get tied up and where did those hellhounds come from? "

" Oh, well, " Timber began. " I heard something while I was getting ready to go hunting, and like an idiot I headed towards the noise. I was walking into the clearing and wasnt watching where I stepped when I got caught in my own trap for game. Then the hellhounds came in, they'd been following me as soon as  I left the tree. And as to where they came from, they were my weekly challenge from the gods. "

" The gods want to kill you? " Leo exclaimed. Timber shook her head. " No, it was part of the deal. I'm supposed to kill the monster, or monsters, to proove my loyalty to the gods. "

" Oh, " Leo said. " So I probably should've just untied you and let you kill them, huh? " 

" Nah, it's not like it matters anymore. " Timber assures me, her voice becoming bitter. " The gods forgot about our deal a long time ago. It's not important who kills it anymore, or if it is killed. No matter what, I'm not getting out of here. "

With that Timber started out of the clearing and Leo had no choice but to follow her.

Leo had to try and get Timber off this island. Leo would get her off this island. 

That was a promise.

Okay so yeah, it sounds a little bit like what happened with Leo and Calypso in House of Hades, but this time he's really going to lift the curse ( spoiler alert! ). I promise. I swear it on the river Styx. Haha, but seriously, I will. Please tell me what you think and if you have any guess's on why Timber can't be with Leo tell me, comment and I'll reward the correct answer by dedicating a chapter to them, folowing them and putting them in the story as one of the characters. So guess away! " And may the odds be ever in your favor! "