The Raven's Call {Percy Jackson based}

Chapter 1- A Strange Sound

{Hey guys, just wanted to mention again that I do not own the "Percy Jackson" characters. Rick Riordan does. Also, check out "Gorridge", who I wrote this with. Enjoy!}

As the tour guide spoke, I noticed a strange ticking and scratching noise, emerging from the bathroom.

'Hey, Georgina, can you hear that? i whispered, careful not to gain the attention of the tour guide.
'HEAR WHAT, SOFIE?'
'Miss Eyre, please see me after the talk.' The tour guide spoke sternly.
Georgina sighed.
'Umm... I'm gonna go to the toilet... I'll be right back.' I told my friend, and then I snuck off behind the crowd.
My suspicions were confirmed, as the noise increased with each step. I figured that the noise was travelling through the pipes, which could lead to only one place. The toilets.

As soon as I opened the door, a cloud of grey gas plummeted into my face, infiltrating my lungs. I grabbed a piece of paper from my blazer pocket, and held it over my face, hoping to cleanse away the worst from my mouth. I warily moved forward, further into the bathroom, determined to find the cause of the noise and gas.

Not much was visible, but I could make out a strange auburn figure, crouched in an open cubicle.

'Ah, Ssofie.' The voice sounded as if a posh woman had just swallowed up a bucket full of gravel.

'Who are you? How do you know my name?' I asked, curiosity filling me up even more than the gas. When no reply came, I considered taking the torch out of my pocket, but I presumed that the light would merely reflect the gas particles. The figure lunged towards me with a massive roar, bringing the creature into view. I dropped my paper in shock, and moved backwards, away from the creature, while examining its appearance.

It had the body of an amber lion, with the head of what looked like the woman at reception, who I'd seen earlier. As I dodged its claws again, I noticed a metre-long scorpion tail, waving along behind it. I muttered curses as I fell into the sink, in my attempt to get away.

'You... you're a Manticore, aren't you?' I asked, hoping that by talking, I would extend my life by a few minutes.

'Aren't you a clever one, Sofie. Of course I'm a Manticore! And I'm a very hungry one at that!'

With a grin on her face, she attacked again, leaving a cut running down my collarbone. Blood dripped onto my uniform, and I dreaded the stain that it would create.

Reaching for my tape measure, I brought it down on the Manticore's paw, leaving a gaping gash in its fur. As I felt my necklace burn against my already painful chest, two teens, about my age, appeared in front of me. A girl with piercing gold eyes and curly caramel hair started waving her arms about, and the gas cleared immediately.

The other had brown, curly hair and pointed ears, and stood to the left of the girl. I held up my tape measure and aimed it at them, my hand jolting as fear coursed through my body. The boy stuck his free hand up in protest, and then stabbed what looked like a drill through the Manticore's heart.

'Wha-' And with that, I fell to the floor.