𝐁𝐄𝐘𝐎𝐍𝐃 ━━ jason grace

02. why couldn't it be deforestation?

[ ACT ONE , CHAPTER TWO ]
WHY COULDN'T IT BE DEFORESTATION?

‧̍̊˙· 𓆝.° ｡˚𓆛˚｡ °.𓆞 ·˙‧̍̊

Cassie woke up with sweat dripping down her forehead. The sun rose above the horizon, slowly working its way into the sky. Cassie knew there was no way she would be able to fall back asleep. She normally loved summer, but this year, she had grown to despise many things she used to love. She gathered her belongings and began her trek south-west.

She didn't like that dream. All it did, really, was ask more questions that were bound to remain unanswered. It made her feel guilty for leaving the security of Camp Jupiter to search for her missing best friend (and ex-boyfriend), Jason Grace.

In a weird way, Cassie was thankful for getting a dream that had some meaning. Ever since she left camp, her dreams had been nothing but broken messages she couldn't comprehend, or reliving the moment she got dumped. She was over the moon to experience a true demigod dream again, no matter how uneasy it made her feel.

The strange boy in Cassie's dream told her to go home, but home was a complicated subject for her. Cassie didn't know very much about her family. She had a mom and a brother, who live somewhere in New York City, which isn't enough information considering the size of that city. Besides, Long Island is a dangerous place for Roman demigods, going to find her family likely meant that she would have to risk her life.

Cassie was probably seven (she doesn't remember) when she was brought to the Wolf House. She strangely was unable to recall much of her life before arriving at camp. All she could think of were odds and ends, like eating ice cream and building a truck with lego, never anything significant.

Her dad, Neptune, the Roman god, had never been around either because it was against all sorts of ancient laws and the gods are kind of shitty parents. The only contact she's ever had with her dad was when she got claimed, which was nearly eight years ago and doesn't even count. As well as a dream visit a few months after being claimed.

The only home that Cassie really knew was Camp Jupiter. So she assumed that's the place the guy in her dream was talking about. Despite all signs pointing towards camp, she didn't want to go back there. Not without Jason.

Cassie stopped in her tracks when she came across a clearing. Correction, a path. It stretched about fifty yards wide that passed through the trees. It stretched as far she could see in both directions. All the trees, grass and other plants that were once here had been pulled out. The dirt covering the ground was uneven and in some places, packed into small mountains.

The abrupt change in scenery made more questions pop into Cassie's head. A part of her wanted to check out the path, while the other part screamed danger, danger!

Cassie could have pretended that some mortals were building a new highway, or that this was what deforestation looked like. Though after spending so much time being on the lookout for monsters and other threats, she figured that preparing for the worst wasn't a bad idea.

She noticed two dracaenae speeding down the path. They were far enough away that they couldn't see Cassie. She could hear them yelling, but it sounded like they were trying to kill something with their voices. Obviously, she ignored her danger instinct and approached the monsters. She liked her odds if it came down to a fight. And you never know, they could have some helpful information.

As Cassie crossed the path, she noticed all the different footprints in the mud. There were humanoid feet of all sizes, hoof prints and slither marks. This definitely wasn't deforestation.