Confused by Storm

Chapter 1 - Prologue

Boots sank down into the mud, still soaking from the storm that had passed over the state a few days prior. Slowly, she moved aside the leaves littering the forest floor to reveal the large impression in the mud.

A wolf's paw.

"I've found the trail," she called, scanning the forest around her. The Titans seemed to enjoy becoming beasts and leading them on merry chases around the forests of America. One such chase had lead them deep into the Amazon in pursuit. Though a wolf brought up memories of chasing Kronos through San Francisco. And thoughts of Kronos undoubtedly led back to Percy.

She takes a deep breath to clear her thoughts, jumping up when Thalia crashes through the undergrowth to stop next to her. "Where?" the immortal daughter of Zeus asks.

The goddess gestures to the paw print in plain view. "Look for yourself."

Thalia's eyebrows furrow as she bends over to inspect the ground, brushing aside a leaf half-covering the print. With a sigh, she stands after several long seconds. "Well, it's not Kronos. That's for sure. The prints aren't deep enough." She carefully brushes aside other leaves with her combat boot, revealing another print. "Yeah, not deep enough," she repeats firmly. "And the claw marks are too small to be Kronos' too."

"Whose do you think they are then?"

"I'd say a second generation, lean. The prints are pretty light too so-"

"Lelantos?" Annabeth guessed.

Thalia nods. "That's what I'd say. Unless there's another Titan who knows how to stay light on his feet. Considering the bulk on the majority of them, that's not many."

"Right."

"Good thing Jason's coming to meet us," Thalia murmured. "We could use him on this."

Annabeth peered up through the canopy above them, the light from the rising sun casting golden rays over the trees. "We'll lose the advantage of night soon."

"It was never an advantage to begin with," Thalia grumbled. "Tracking a Titan-turned-wolf in the night? Bad idea."

"It wasn't my decision," Annabeth shot back. "Zeus decided."

"Of course he did," Thalia sighed.

"Alright, fine. But can we wait for Jason before we move any further? In the current circumstances we shouldn't just charge in."

Annabeth knew exactly what Thalia was talking about. Since Percy's death a month ago the war had entered an entirely new stage, the shaky alliance between Othrys and Olympus crumbling. The Titans had fought with a savage glee that honestly disturbed Annabeth, their army a seemingly endless wave despite Kronos being forced to relinquish Tartarus back to the Primordial. Monsters were having to leave Tartarus the usual way, but they were still wide-spread over America.

"I know," Annabeth murmured. The Titans aren't holding back.

Lightning rips across the sky, and the two look up as Jason flies overhead, landing nimbly beside Thalia. "I got your message," he said. "One of them is here?"

"We think it's Lelantos," Annabeth informed him.

Jason nodded. "Okay," he breathed. "That's – well, that's better than one of the others if we're the only ones here."

They were lucky when they had managed to capture Kronos, that's obvious to Annabeth now. And he'd been wanting them to take him captive, for a reason that Athena can't comprehend.

A twig snapped among the undergrowth around them, causing Annabeth to freeze. She searches with her mind, concentrating as she remembers what Athena had taught her. It hits her with the force of a truck, slamming into her chest and forcing the air from her lungs.