Broken Wings

The Hunt

Raven woke up the next morning on the roof of a building. She didn't know where she was or even if she was still in Junction City. The night before she had flown for hours, replaying the conversation with Harper in her mind and fuming. She hadn't noticed where she was going, or even what direction she had gone. She had no idea how to get back to the others, even if she wanted to.

But did she want to? Harper obviously thought she was weak and broken. There was no way she liked her, and probably regretted her promise not to hurt her. Harper probably wished she could get rid of her. And Wyld was just an annoying, snarky kid who she could definitely live without. Maybe she should just quit the quest and go back to Zeke. Leave the camp and the quest behind them and get on with their life. They could go back to the way things used to be, traveling the country, never settling down long enough to be caught, staying far away from all the bad memories.

No, Raven couldn't do that to Zeke. She could handle the dangers of the streets, she was used to it, it was second nature to her, but Zeke couldn't. He still had a chance at a normal life. He wasn't damaged. Because Harper was right about that. As much as Raven hated it, Harper was right. She was damaged, and she knew it. She knew that normal people weren't afraid of being touched, that they didn't have a problem trusting people.

The best option for everyone would be to just go, leave. Fly off and never come back. Everyone would wonder where she had gone for a while. Zeke would be sad, but soon everyone would forget about her. Zeke would get on with his life. He would be happier without her, safer too, if she ever exploded again the way she had done during capture the flag.

But Raven couldn't. She couldn't leave everyone, even if it was better for them, she couldn't go. If she left Zeke, she would have nothing. Zeke was the last person who loved her, her last tie to the world. He was the only reason she was still living. She had only gone on the quest in the first place to protect him. If she didn't save Hera from Hades, there would be a war between the gods that could destroy the world. She had to finish the quest. But she didn't need any help to do it.

Raven stood up and shook out her wings. Her wings were a little sore from the night before, apparently they had become unaccustomed to long flights in the month she spent at Camp Half-Blood. She looked to where the sun was rising in the east, then turned so it was on her left and jumped off the building, extending her black wings to glide.

She would reach Los Angeles alone, somehow rescue Hera, then go back to Camp Half-Blood and keep Zeke safe. And she would do it all without help. That would show Harper exactly how weak and damaged she was.

~~~~~

Raven flew for as long as she could, but had to set down and walk after a few hours. Her wings definitely weren't used to flying for that long anymore, and being pulled out of their sockets by a cyclops couldn't have helped. She had been walking in the woods for about an hour, and was looking for a clearing wide enough to stretch her wings and take off, when she heard noises in the distance. Raven slowed her pace, listening. They seemed to be south of her, and possibly headed her way. All the familiar thoughts from the streets rushed through her head. Instinctively, she cast around for Zeke before remembering that she was alone.

Without a clearing large enough for her to spread her wings and fly, Raven was stuck on the ground, so she decided to give whoever it was a wide berth. She turned and began heading southwest, still in her general direction, but avoiding the noise. She walked quickly, and as quietly as possible. The noises kept heading north, and seemed to be quite a few people.

Suddenly, she heard howls coming from the direction of the group, and the sound of several large somethings crashing through the woods towards her. Raven drew her swords and turned to face the noise. Five gray wolves leaped out of the underbrush and surrounded her, growling. Raven growled back and brandished her swords. As the wolves circled her, Raven backed up so her back was against a tree and the wolves couldn't attack her from behind.