The Original Demi Wolf

Chapter 28: The Quest for Protection

I do not own Percy Jackson or the Vampire Diaries/The Originals

My footsteps echoed crunched underneath the leaves I ran over. My breath slightly fast as I ignored my lungs hurting slightly from exertion. All I knew was that I had to run, had to get away.

I ducked underneath a branch and nearly slid in the mud that was beneath my feet. But I recovered quickly and was swiftly speeding through the forest again.

There weren't any homes near me, they were at a distance away and had been my starting point in this sprint. But I just knew I had to get away, away from the monster.

I shrieked as I was suddenly grabbed around the waste and tossed toward the floor of the forest, arms quickly came into view as I shouted in denial as they came closer and closer to me.

Suddenly, they were at my sides and lightly digging into the spot I hoped they wouldn't.

"Stop! Stop it, Niklaus!" I giggled out as my brother tickled my sides.

"I am not Niklaus! I...am your worst nightmare!" Niklaus playful said as he continued to tickle me.

I continued to laugh as Niklaus continued with his assault after I made a comment about his poor archery skills that had led him to chasing me through the forest of our home.

"I'm sorry!" I finally shouted and felt relief as the fingers vanished from my sides, my chest hurting both from the sprint and laughing so hard.

"What was that again?" Niklaus asked as he moved his fingers behind his ears and pushed them forward slightly, making them stand out behind his long hair.

He knew the action always made me giggle because I always claimed when he did that, that he had big ears.

And giggle I did even as I was gathering my breath again. "You're such a meany!" I claimed not meaning a word of it and I knew he could tell because I was still fully smiling.

"Did you wish to be tickled again?" Niklaus asked in a joking deadly voice, his head tilting downward slightly that he knew always made the other villagers claim he looked like he was about to kill someone.

"No!" I quickly shouted even with a bright smile.

"Then what was it you were supposed to say?" Niklaus asked with his own smile.

Both of us froze when a loud crunch echoed through the forest, Niklaus' hand going to his belt where his sword was supposed to be but he left it behind as his lessons were supposed to be in archery today just outside their hut with Elijah.

"Are you attacking your little brother, Niklaus?" A deadly voice echoed that should've made them sigh in relief that it wasn't something out there killing them, but it just might as well have been.

Their father stepped out of the tree line, a disapproving frown on his face as he stared at them.

"No, father," Niklaus hurried said as he stood up, realizing he was still standing over his brother who, to any bystander, might be cowering away from him.

I looked between my brother and father, my heart hurting because I knew what was about to happen and I couldn't tell if I wanted to be there for my brother, to try and stop my father despite knowing nothing would change his mind, or get out of there and try and get Elijah who could always remotely stop their father from hurting Niklaus.

"Go home, Henrik," Mikael commanded.

I hesitated, looking between my brother who's shoulders were tense, yet the look of desperation and hopelessness in his eyes wanted me to stay and fight for him.