The hunt is where I belong

Cloudcroft

Jasmine's POV

Cloudcroft was empty.

It was the only way to describe it.

The air was cold and thin. The roofs of the cabins were heaped with snow, and dirty mounds of it were piled up on the sides of the streets. 

 Tall pine trees loomed over the valley, casting pitch-black shadows. "Shadow travel?" I offered.

"No!" Zoë snapped and I pouted.

I ended up casting warming charms on all of them. Everyone was freezing by the time we made it to Main Street, which was about half a mile from the train tracks.

They stopped in the middle of town. You could pretty see everything from there: A school, a bunch of tourist stores and cafes, some ski cabins, and a grocery store.

"Great," Thalia said, looking around. "No bus station. No taxis. No car rental. No way out."

"There's a coffee shop," I said.

"Yes," Zoë said. "Coffee is good."

"And pastries," Grover said dreamily.

Thalia sighed. "Me, Bianca, Grover, and Percy will go the the grocery store. Zoë and Jasmine will go to the coffee shop."

After getting the coffee and pastries, we meet at the general store. Bianca was giving Percy odd looks and I frowned.

Something was up.

Zoë turned to Grover. "We should do the spell again."

Grover nodded.

Suddenly, a warm breeze rustled past, like a gust of springtime had gotten lost in the middle of winter. Fresh air seasoned with wildflowers and sunshine. 

 And something else – almost like a voice, trying to say something. 

A warning.

Zoë gasped. "Grover, thy cup."

Grover dropped his hot chocolate cup, which was decorated with pictures of birds. Suddenly, the birds peeled off the cup and flew away – a flock of tiny doves. The rubber rat squeaked and scampered off the railing and into the trees – real fur, real whiskers.

Grover collapsed next to his hot chocolate, which steamed against the snow. They gathered around him and attempted to wake him up. He groaned, his eyes fluttering.

"Hey!" Thalia said, running up from the street. "I just...What's wrong with Grover?"

"We just felt a gods power." I said. "It was aimed towards Grover. I don't think it was malevolent though."

"Uuuuuhhhh," Grover groaned.

"Well, get him up!" Thalia said. She had her spear in her hand. She looked behind her as if she were being followed. "We have to get out of here."

We made it to the edge of the town before the first two skeletons appeared. They stepped from the trees on either side of the road, wearing blue New Mexico State Police uniforms over their transparent grey skin and yellow eyes.

"Oh for fucks sake I destroyed you!" I whined, turned my bow blade into two Stygian Iron swords.

Thalia tapped her bracelet, and Aegis spiraled to life on her arm. The skeletons didn't flinch. 

Their yellow eyes were focused on Percy.

Percy pulled out Riptide, and Zoë and Bianca drew their bows.

"Back up," I said.

They started to – but then the branches began to rustle. Two more skeletons appeared on the road behind them.