The Truth Behind The Myths

Leave Him Alone!

Percy POV

The day after the war games I was covered in bruises and my entire body ached all over.

"Jack, how you feeling? Some of the guys get pretty tough sometimes during the war games." Hazel told me, sitting on the edge of my bed and handing me a small square of ambrosia. "This should take care of it."

"Thanks." I gratefully took the godly food and munched on it, remembering way back then my mom used to make me her cookies after I got back from school. "You ever get tackled by any of the big guys?"

"Once or twice. Some of Frank's bodybuilder friends take certain pleasure in telling him that they got his girlfriend." She laughed, then shrugged. "They're all military, like to make sex jokes and stuff. I just punch them when it goes too far."

I smiled at her. If this had been a normal life, if I had really shown up here as a kid, I had a feeling Hazel would be someone I could get to know well.

"Breakfast starts soon, you don't want to be late for that." Hazel said, standing. I scrambled to my feet as well, grabbing my socks and shoes so I could put them on.

"Oh, and Jack?"

"Yeah?" I looked up.

"Don't let the others get to you. You're a smart kid and you're definitely something special. If you ever need to talk to someone, I'm here and I'll listen." She chuckled. "I can't always promise I'll keep things secret, I am closely affiliated with one of the praetors, but if it's not jeopardizing any lives, I'm pretty good at keeping my mouth shut."

I smiled. "Thank you, Hazel."

"You act much older than you look." She commented over her shoulder as she walked away.

I stiffened at the comment. Did she know something? Or was it just a comment on how I acted. I could take it either way and that made me nervous.

I would just have to keep an eye out.

"Hey, kid. You okay from yesterday?" Rowan was on my right side a few feet from the barracks. "I didn't bruise your ego?"

"I'm fine." I smiled up at him. "I can take a beating, as long as it's from someone who's a decent fighter and doesn't have an ego the size of Mars."

Rowan laughed. "Are we talking the god or the planet."

I shrugged. "Take your pick. Statement still stands."

"You got a big vocabulary, kid."

"I like to rea-" a commotion rose from the direction of the river.

Rowan broke into a sprint without a word. I took that to mean that I could come, since he didn't tell me to stay put or go back to the barracks.

Running after the guy, I quickly approached the crowd that was forming.

"Yeah, I saw it yesterday!" Some guy yelled. "It bit me!"

"What if it has rabies?" A girl shouted.

"Don't get near it, it might bite someone again!" A third voice was clear over the general muttering. I was near enough now to see the praetors moving towards the center of the crowd.

"Alright, how many of you were bitten during yesterday's games?" Praetor Reyna barked over the commotion. Her voice cut clearly through the air.

Hands went up around the circle. I finally reached the outskirts of the group. A flash of black inside caught my eye and I heard faint whimpering.

Onyx.

Onyx!

I shoved my way through the crowd, using my pointy, teenager elbows to clear my path. "Hey, let me through!"

There were grunts of protest, but I ignored them.

"Until we know whether it has rabies or not, we cannot take any chances. Those of you who were bitten, go to the infirmary." Praetor Frank ordered.

"Just shoot it!" Someone shouted from the back of the crowd.

"No!" I shouted loudly, pushing my way through to the front. Just as I had expected, Onyx was being surrounded by several kids with spears. "Leave him alone!"

"Timber," Praetor Frank said slowly, "Do you know this creature?"

"His name is Onyx and he's mine. Leave him alone." I crossed my arms.

"Since when could we bring pets?" Daniel joked from the side.

"He's not a pet." I made a face at him. "He's his own keeper and he's actually pretty smart."

As if on cue, Onyx slipped deftly beneath the spears that were 'holding' him in place. He bounded over to me and I kneeled, laughing as he snuggled his head against my chest.

"He's not going to hurt anyone, he wasn't trying to in the first place. He doesn't have rabies, I know that for sure. I didn't know he'd be at the game, I'm sure he had reasons." I looked up at the Praetors. "I'll make sure he doesn't cause any more trouble."

"You have one chance." Praetor Reyna said firmly.

"Yes ma'am."

[A/N onyx is back in the picture!]