The Unknown (A Percy Jackson Fanfiction)

3. We get attacked

Hi! Chapter three is up!

Thank you so much for all the support! I must admit i wasn't expecting a lot of people to comment and vote because its a new story, but you've all surprised me! So keep it up and spread the word of this story XD Thanks

Warning: gore and swearing! Please don't read if you can't handle that kind of thing.  

Chapter 3

Roughly twenty minutes later, the footprints began to fade. Only Thalia, with the skills of being a huntress, was able to identify where the person had gone. Though judging by how she was muttering under her breath, it wasn't easy.

"I've got a really bad feeling about this, Nico." I admitted. Chills raced up and down my spine, and the hairs on the nape of my neck rose.

"No kidding." The son of Hades replied. His eyes darted to every sound; every snap of a twig and every flutter of the wind through the trees.

I tried not to think back to what I had seen earlier. Every time I did, bile rose in my throat and my legs turned to jelly. I could still smell the scent of rotting meat and coppery crimson and the image of the grotesque face, smashed against the windshield, greeted me every time I closed my eyes.

Annabeth suddenly stopped in front of me and placed her hand against my chest to stop me. "Everyone, just be quiet." She moistened her lips. "Can you hear that?"

There was silence at first, and then a low groaning sound came from a few metres in front of them. All of us exchanged a look before reluctantly stepping forward, pushing aside gnarled branches that seemed to crookedly grin and snatch at my hair and clothes.

There was a fallen log covered in a sea of moss, and on it, sat a small girl, little more than twelve years old.

Though her back was to us, there was no doubt that the sound was coming from her. It was a low, keening sound like a wounded dog, mixed with the more humanoid sound of sobbing.

Next to me, Nico froze and stared at the girl. Annabeth and Thalia gave each other wide-eyed looks and then stepped forward into the clearing.

"Hello?" Thalia asked. I had never heard that soft tone in her voice before. "Are you okay?"

The girl sniffed and stopped sobbing, but she didn't turn around.

Thalia took another step forward and crouched down, only a metre away from her. "Can you tell me your name? I promise we won't hurt you, we just want to help." There was no reply. "My name is Thalia, and these are my friends, Annabeth, Percy and Nico."

The girl sobbed again.

"Just let me see your face." Thalia asked softly. "Just turn around for me, that's it..."

"Thalia." Nico warned.

The girl shuddered and then stood up.

"There we go." Thalia said.

"I have a bad feeling about this." I muttered.

A keening sound escaped from the little girl's throat as she whirled around and lunged at Thalia.

Annabeth cried out as Thalia was tackled to the ground with a thud. The little girl- half her face a mess of blood, bone and melted skin, half still vaguely humanoid, but twisted into a snarl-kneeled on the older girl's chest, her small hands wrapped around Thalia's throat, squeezing brutally.

Annabeth picked up a mossy rock from the ground and slammed it into the girl's head, obviously not wanting to use a knife on an unarmed little kid.