Daughters of Poseidon; The Powers Within #Wattys2014

Chapter 21 ~ Chipsss and ssssauce

Cai POV

Everyone was recovering. Percy kept clicking his sword pen, Annabitch kept opening her mouth as if to say something, but was silenced by Bree, who threw her evil looks. Bree kept sniffing and spouting whiskers and the odd orange hair. I was making leaves twitch when i passed them. Grover, however, had suffered most. The bite on his arm was going green, and bubbling. He was whimpering constantly. Percy helped him get up, but he'd gone a few meters before he collapsed. It didn't take a genius to figure out that the monsters fangs were poisonous. We all walked over to him, and lifted him to his feet, beginning to drag him along the forest floor. I walked over to Bree. She looked slightly startled, but overall OK. I noticed the orange fur on her nose.

" Errr, you have fluff, just..."

She got the message and breathed air in through her nose. The orange fur disappeared, as though pulled back into her skin. We walked together for a while, every now and then helping Grover to his feet. Everyone was tired. We's travelled a long way in a day, but i still wasn't clear on where we were going.

" Guys, i know that we're supposed to get to Hades and try to find out about the lightning bolt and all, but i'm not clear on where the underworld is."

" Well, i've been thinking, you guys have underworldy powers, so maybe you'll sense where it is."

This could work, but i could already think of several reasons to go against the idea.

" Well, that's an awesome idea and everything, but me and Bree are only beginners. We can't find the lord of the dead in like ninety seconds or anything."

Everyone looked disappointed.

" We'll just figure it out soon." Said Bree.

" Where now then?" 

Percy looked at me and Bree expectantly. I didn't know how to respond to that. I closed my eyes, and for the first time, appreciated the smells and sounds of the forest. I smelled pine cones, damp earth, flowers and... chips. Wait, chips?

I opened my eyes, and saw a a tiny light through the trees, near the road we'd left. 

" That way." I said, pointing in the direction of the small light. I lead them through the thick trees, the smell of sauce getting stronger. Eventually, we found ourselves at a small dinner. I didn't bother to read the place name before walking up the steps, and through the door. The others followed, but Annabeth looked at the sign above the door cautiously.

" Come in " I said " it won't bite."

We found a large table. We sat Grover down, and examined him. The bite seemed to have gotten larger in the last few minutes. It was not only green, but the edges were slightly purple. Percy rushed over to a nearby sink, filled his hands with water, and ran back.

He slowly poured it on the wound. It sizzled and fizzed. Grover yelled. I heard a rustling from behind the counter, and saw a lady emerge from what i presumed to be the back of the shop. She was dressed completely in black. A black dress, with a black veil, and a tightly wrapped black shawl over her head. I couldn't see anything passed the veil. Grover looked up at the lady, moaned, and his head lolled to the side. He seemed to have feinted. The woman walked over to us. She took a look at Grovers wound.

" I believe i may have something for that." She said in a voice as smooth as silk. She walked out again (i felt like kicking her to see if she'd go any faster) and returned with a small bottle of silvery liquid. She poured it slowly on the wound. I looked at it suspiciously, but the woman turned, and i believe i saw her eyes. At least i think i did, they were hidden behind a veil. But then a feeling washed over me. The liquid wasn't doing any harm was it? After all it was noticeably healing Grover. The wound was closing up, and the blood turning the right colour, sucking itself back under the skin.

" Now deer's " She whispered when she'd done " can i get you anything to eat?"

We all nodded, and she glided away, preparing the counter. That was when i took a good look around the place. I nearly jumped out of my skin. People of every age stared back at me, frozen. Then i realized that they weren't people at all, but statues.

And all of them had a look of surprise or terror on their face.

I looked back at the lady, and she looked back at me. I felt the feeling come over me again. It wasn't illegal to make statues like this, was it? No, perfectly normal.

She returned to our table with four massive hand burgers (Grover still hadn't woken up) and a large portion of chips, with several sauces.

" We don't have any money." Said Bree, her mouth full of burger.

" Oh, no need to pay me, you're just a couple of lost kids."

" I wouldn't pay you anyway." Said Annabeth suspiciously.

The woman turned to her, and i felt like telling her to apologize. Wen the woman looked at Annabitch, she visibly recoiled, and i swear i heard something.

Something that sounded like a... hiss? 

A/N- As the awesome writer of Bree, i would like to recomend some books on wattpad. One is Maze-y? another is the Deadly princess ( the one with the green eye on the cover ). Please read them.