The Mark Of Athena

- Things Get Tense

{I know it's pretty mediocre compared to some other fanfics, but thanks for 400 views :D}

Chapter XX - Jason

I WAS ALREADY AWAKE WHEN I HEARD GROWLING. I SHOOK PERCY awake and he looked at me groggily, sitting up when he heard the noise and drawing Riptide. He pulled on his orange camp-half blood T-shirt and ran outside, and I followed him, flipping Ivilis. It became a long spear, designed for piercing and retracting. I shuddered, whatever this monster was would be better fought from a distance.

We ran after the sound and it was only a few seconds before we saw where it was coming from. The monster was huge, with the body of a lion and a snake for a tail. Apart from the fact that it had deadly sharp claws and the snake was spitting venom, it also had a goats head protruding from its back. A really scary, man eating goat.

"The Chimera." hissed Percy, rubbing his arm, and I got the feeling he had fought this thing before.

"How do we fight it?" I asked and he looked at me solemnly.

"If we're sensible, we don't." he told me as Annabeth and Piper ran out from their tent. Frank was nowhere to be seen. He sighed, seeing Leo and Hazel.

"This is going to be so much fun." he said sarcastically and together, we charged. I was sort of regretting it, this thing was so much bigger up close. Annabeth and Piper were dealing with the goat, but Hazel and Leo were struggling as the lions head lunged at them repeatedly, it's teeth almost grazing their skin as Leo pushed Hazel backwards. I noticed that Hazel didn't have a weapon, she must have been out here when it attacked. I was momentarily distracted as I watched it lunge at the two, and they barely escaped. They were just getting lucky and Percy knew it too.

"Hey Ugly!" I called and it's head whipped around. Percy scowled and stuck out his tongue.

"I was going to say that." he told me, swinging at the snakes head as it came round to bite him. He almost severed it as I went for the face.

I fended the head off as Hazel ran into the tent to fetch her ςπατηα, a roman cavalry sword. I managed to slice off one of the ears, but this thing was fast, and I watched as Percy looked back at me.

"Swap?" I called and he nodded at me. We both ducked and changed places. I managed to get a good swing at the snake and Percy was doing well with the main head, slashing at one eye and half blinding it. The goats head was severed but it had bitten Piper and she was hurt, so Annabeth was tending to her. It seemed that it wasn't just the snake at was poisonous.

Figures.

With those two out of the battle, it was up to Percy, Leo and me. Leo set himself on fire and hammered at its flanks, and the snakes head flickered between the two of us. Then I heard a crack behind me as Percy managed to disable the lions head by whacking the hilt of his blade across the Chimeras forehead. It left a sizeable dent and I was distracted long enough for the snake to bite me. I fell backwards, feeling as if fire was burning through my side as Leo and Hazel, who had found her sword, finished off the chimera.

Percy ran over. "Come on man, that venom is bad." He paused. "Trust me, I know."

With his help, I hobbled over to the stream. I didn't see how it would help but Percy dragged me into the water and raised his hands. I felt a coolness as it rose around me, sucking the poison out of my wound. I felt amazing, like I could go another ten rounds and I stood up, feeling the water gently pulling at my ankles. We walked back to the others to find, an altogether different battle raging between our friends.

_______________________________________

Hazel

AFTER ALL OF THAT, FRANK JUST STROLLED OUT OF HIS TENT and I lost it.

"Where were you!" I screamed at him, as he strolled over nonchalantly. He looked angry.

"In my tent." he replied calmly and I blinked, shoving him hard.

"One of us could have died!" I shouted, gesturing around. I was really getting angry. "Jason nearly DID die!" I fumed as he shrugged. Just then, Percy and Jason walked up to us, looking bewildered. Jason was sopping wet.

"At least I'm still loyal." he told me. My jaw dropped in surprise.

"Are, you questioning, my LOYALTY?!" I shouted, incredulously. He had nerve, telling me that, after he had just decided to skip a battle.

He nodded, unfazed. "At least I don't go around cheating on you." He told me and I stepped back. He had seen me and Leo! That was what this was all about.

"I... I didn't..." I stuttered and he interrupted me.

"Yes, yes you did." He told me coldly. He grabbed my arm and I flinched, recoiling backwards. "Who's it going to be?" he spat at me and the others stood back, except for Leo. He put his hand on Franks shoulder.

"Man, don't you touch her." he started angrily but Frank shifted into a bear and flung him backwards into a tree. Leo's head made a crack as he hit the wood and the rest of my friends ran over. I looked at Frank in disgust.

"WHO'S IT GOING TO BE!" he shouted in my face, gripping my arm. His nails made a row of crescent moons on my skin and they started to bleed. I tried to pull away but he held me tight by the waist with his other hand. "ME OR LEO?!" I was so shocked, I had never seen Frank like this. He was usually so quiet, so gentle. With effort, I yanked myself free, stepping back. My arm was bleeding and he looked a bit guilty, but I didn't want his apology. I knew in my heart that Leo would never treat me like that.

"Leo." I muttered and he looked at me in surprise.

"What?" he asked incredulously, and I stalked up to him.

"LEO!" I shouted and he looked shocked. "I. Choose. Leo." I hissed and turned away. I ran over to Leo, who was bleeding a bit where he had crashed into the tree but was otherwise okay. I burst into tears and he held me close while Frank stalked away.

"Shh it's okay." He said, stroking my hair and I shivered, just wanting to leave this whole stupid quest behind.