Grape Vines and Angel Wings

Chapter 15: Why the freak doesn't this thing have seat belts?!

~Blair POV~

We left the island as soon as Iacchus was rested. I glared forward, refusing to speak to anyone. Well, specifically one person. Even Monroe had noticed something was off when we returned last night.

I had furiously stomped into our camp, glaring intensely at everything. As you do. Vines burst through the sand and grew to the size of tree's, with razor sharp thorns the size of swords. As they do. Iacchus had responded to my mood, jumping to his feet and spreading his wings with a roar. As he do- (I'll stop...) I'd stroked his nose gently, "Hey, hey I'm okay." 

Monroe hesitantly approached me, holding out a bottle of water and a bag of trail mix. "Is everything okay, Blair? You seem.. Uh tense."

I was about to respond when Nico padded into camp silently. I turned back to Iacchus and scratched him behind the ears. "I think I'm going to sleep now, Monroe. Good night."

I laid down away from them and closed my eyes. The sudden warmth and fuzzy fur tickling my face told me that Iacchus had curled up around me, his wings folded over my body.

And that was it. Not a single word spoken between us. 

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to clear my mind.

"Where are we headed now?" Monroe asked. I assumed she was asking Nico so I remained silent. But then she nudged me gently, "Blair?"

 I looked at her in surprise, "You're asking me?"

She nodded. I cleared my throat and straightened, "Um, well... We need to go to Georgia. And then we're going to need a map of the caves. They are really deep and long. It could take us forever to find them... Ugh, I honestly don't know what we would do from there..." Despite my obvious lack of leadership, she grinned like I had just told her the best plan ever.

Iacchus growled silently, We are being pursued, mistress.

I pulled out my Thersus. "Guys, we're being followed. Who is it Iacchus?" The leopard bared his teeth, but remained silent. "HERO'S TO ARRRRMS!" I shouted, raising my staff. 

Nico punched my shoulder, "Shut up!" He hissed. I turned around to punch him back when I saw what was following us. "Oh." 

~ROOOAAARRR~

"OH FUC- DIVE, DIVE!!" I held on tight as Iacchus ducked into a steep spiral. 

"What is that?!" Monroe screamed.

"Griffins.... And not the cool kind!"  Nico shouted, swinging his sword at the nearest creature.

"YOU FUCKING FLYING ASSHOLES!" I threw a granola bar at them. "GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM MY FLYING SHNOOKUMS!"

I bonked one on the head as it flew past, earning myself a satisfying yelp. "Take that bitch!" 

"Wait! Where's Nico?" Monroe shouted, frantically looking around. 

"Oh fuck..." I peeked over the end of Iacchus and saw Nico desperately hanging from the big cat's paws. "Yo dickweed! Don't fall okay? Cause if you do, I'm not going after you!"

"WHAT?! WHY NOT!" He glared at me through his black fringe. 

I scowled at him, "Cause you suck, deal with it!"

"WHAT?!"

"LOOK OUT!" Monroe grabbed my shoulder a pulled me back. Unfortunately, she also pulled my over the edge of Iacchus. 

"FUUUUUUUUUUUUCCK!" I tumbled over the leopards wings and clawed for something to grab. 

Now, children, let me take this moment to say that falling sucks and don't fall off your giant flying cat if you can help it, okay?

"Blair! You idiot, what the Hades are you doing down here!" Nico's hand closed around my wrist. 

I squeaked in pain at the sudden jerk of my shoulder. "Ow! You dick!"

"Oh i'm sorry. Did you want to fall to your death?" He snapped. 

After being slashed and stabbed to the point where they could barely fly, the Griffon's squawked once more and left. 

And with a lot of struggling, Monroe managed to pull Nico and I back onto Iacchus. But in order to not stop flying, Monroe ended up in front, and Nico ended up in back.

"Blair... Can we just talk about why you're so mad at me?" Nico asked quietly.

"No. Fuck off." 

"Blair-"

"No."

He sighed in defeat, "Fine whatever."

================================================

"The hell you mean we're lost?" The four of us had finally landed in Europe. But we didn't know where in Europe.

I scowled. "Iacchus had been flying nonstop since we left New York, Dickweed, he's tired!" As soon as we landed, Iacchus had shrunk to the size of a phone and crawled into my jacket hoodie.

Nico ran a hand through his hair. "Great, so our only form of GPS is asleep. What now?"

I shoved his aside as I looked around. "Look, all we have to do is find someone and ask them where we are. Simple. Then we find a map and become hobos and jump on a train. Easy. Then we find my dad, her mom, and everyone else, kick this monsters ass. Effortless. Return home hero's, eat cake, have a party, get Nick and Pollux to hook up, and kill some more monsters. Painless."

Monroe shook her head, "It won't be that easy, Blair..."

I covered her mouth, "SHHSHHSHHshhh, quiet."

I held up a single finger, "First things first: take off your jacket Nico its literally fucking a million degrees you're making me hot." I held up another finger, "Second: Monroe is on communication duty."

"What! Why?" Monroe protested, already blushing in anxiety.

"Uh, duh. Iris's kids are multilingual. You got this."

I shoved her towards a group of teens eating at a local outside cafe. 'GO' I mouthed, and quickly hid around a corner.

"Wait, how would you know that the kids of iris are multilingual?" Nico asked, pulling off his jacket and tying it around his waist. I ignored the way his shirt lifted, revealing a strip of pale skin as he pulled the jacket over his head.

She slunk over and waved lightly. Immediately all the teens at the table straitened. I giggled, "Called it."

"Called what? Do you know something I don't?"

"She might not know how to speak whatever language this is, but she is hot. People tend to do whatever hot people like." I tensed as Nico leaned over my head to peak around the corner with me.

"Huh. Smart." 

"Thanks, now come on. I think she's got something." I stepped out from around the corner as Monroe waved us over.