CHAPTER 17: THE LEGEND OF HOPE FOUNTAIN
“How did it go?” Ericarni asked, looking concerned. Clearly he knew what Zeus could be like.
“I’m not really sure”
“Come on, let’s meet the herd”
After a while Athena said:
“I’m not ready to be a hero Ericarni”
“Not yet”
“Then how will I be a hero”
“Some of it will come naturally, and the rest is down to how much you want it and how much you train”
“What if it doesn’t? Come naturally I mean”
“Athena, trust me, trust Zeus and trust Deménos, don’t let his suffering be for nothing; he knows he did that for you.”
“Did what?”
“We’re here”
Athena hated it when people didn’t answer her questions.
She glanced around, it was a large hilled-surrounded clearing; the hills seemed endless and the trees behind them (where Athena had just emerged from) would provide great shade. There was also another brilliant blue lake, as vast as Poseidon Lake. It was situated at the base of several hills and had rivers winding through more, like a valley. And galloping near it were five wild looking centaurs.
“Is that...?” Athena began, gazing at the centaurs from the hill.
“Yes, those are some of the members of my herd”
“Am I going to meet them?”
“Of course! I think the more we understand one another’s families, the more we can understand each other” Ericarni smiled “this way”
He took her down an awkwardly steep part of the hill, but eventually they were faced with the glittering sights of the lake as their feet touched down onto the flat grass.
“Ericarni!” one centaur called as he trotted over
“Hello Kynigós” Ericarni replied, Kynigós looked around the same age as Ericarni, although, hi hair was of a dirty sandy blond that stuck out at odd ends. His hair too was beaded and had the occasional dreadlock.
“And this must be Athena” Kynigós guessed
“Of course” Ericarni established, as the other four centaurs gathered round.
“Pleasure meeting you Athena, hero”
“I’m Ágrios” one centaur with roughed up, pale brown hair and handsome grey eyes said
“My name is Fýsi; it’s an honour, Moíra”
‘Who was Meer-ra?’ Athena thought. Fýsi had golden eyes, much like her own, and his hair was of a dark tree-bark brown. As for his beaded hair, there were strips of grass braided into it and a miniature medallion hanging from a crisp feisty dreadlock. Then two older looking centaurs (who must have been in their fifties) emerged to the front of the minor crowd.
“So this is Moíra?” one spoke, he had long greying brown hair and creases by his eyes of on his stern forehead.
“Indeed” confirmed Ericarni
“Hmm... doesn’t look like much, are you sure?”
“Yes Vélos, I am quite sure” Vélos’ eyes were of such a sharp, dark, bitter-brown, that they were very near to being black. Surprisingly, the next centaur was female; she had flowing dark hair with grey roots.
