CHAPTER ELEVEN! alternatively titled: isle of the cyclops
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THE THREE OF US STILL SAT ON THE DECK, UNTIL MY EYES WIDENED AT SOMETHING IN THE DISTANCE.
"Guys," I said, pointing, "Look."
Up ahead was another blotch of land—a saddle-shaped island with forested hills and white beaches and green meadows.
We had reached the home of the Cyclops.
When you think "monster island," you think craggy rocks and bones scattered on the beach like the island of the Sirens.
The Cyclops's island was nothing like that. I mean, okay, it had a rope bridge spanning across a chasm, which was not a good sign. You might as well put up a billboard that said, SOMETHING EVIL LIVES HERE. But except for that, the place looked like a Caribbean postcard. It had green fields and tropical fruit trees and white beaches. As we sailed toward the shore, Annabeth breathed in the sweet air. "The Fleece," she said.
I lifted my head and inhaled, the air was sweet and flowery. The scent was constantly changing; fresh rain to flowers to eucalyptus leaves to some kind of tree that I couldn't put my finger on. I felt stronger, like the nature magic was radiating off of it and strengthening everything around it.
It occurred to me that's exactly what it was doing, just like i'd read about. Guilt bloomed in my chest, "If we take it away, will the island die?"
Annabeth shook her head. "It'll fade. Go back to what it would be normally, whatever that is."
I felt bad, but then i realised that we really didn't have another choice. I cared about Percy (and Annabeth, don't tell her i said that) and the camp was their home, and could be mine too, I couldn't just let it die. And Tyson ... Tyson would still be with us if it wasn't for this quest.
In the meadow at the base of the ravine, several dozen sheep were milling around. They looked peaceful enough, but they were huge—the size of hippos. Just past them was a path that led up into the hills. At the top of the path, near the edge of the canyon, was the massive oak tree Percy seen in his dreams. Something gold glittered in its branches.
"This is too easy," Percy said. "We could just hike up there and take it?"
Annabeth's eyes narrowed. "There's supposed be a guardian. A dragon or ..."
That's when a deer emerged from the bushes. It trotted into the meadow, probably looking for grass to eat, when the sheep all bleated at once and rushed the animal. It happened so fast that the deer stumbled and was lost in a sea of wool and trampling hooves.
Grass and tufts of fur flew into the air.
A second later the sheep all moved away, back to their regular peaceful wanderings. Where the deer had been was a pile of clean white bones.
