THIS IS ME TRYING

9: Survivor

GROVER HAD wrapped up Luna's hand with a bandage that he had packed in his backpack, telling her that the deep glass cuts might leave scars, but Luna didn't mind. She cared for Percy's safety, and that would come with its costs. Because the bus was no longer an option, then four headed to Los Angeles via a forest route, or as Grover called it, a 'satyr path'.

Percy questioned curiously, "What's a satyr path?"

"It's a road through the wilderness." Grover explained, "Satyr explores use them as it's harder to track us."

"Great but if we stay in the wilderness, how are we gonna find a phone?" Percy asked.

Annabeth frowned, "What do we need a phone for?"

"So we can call camp to get help." Percy stated the obvious, "I mean, look at Luna's hand!"

"She's fine." Annabeth replied, "We don't need help."

"Fine? She's bleeding through her bandage." Percy scoffed, "We haven't even gotten to Trenton, and we're wandering through a forest. I didn't even know they had forests in New Jersey, but we've found one. I would say we're the opposite of fine."

"We were sent on a quest by the Oracle, by the Gods." Annabeth retorted, "What'd you think, it would be easy? It's suppose to be hard. If we call camp, we're basically saying it was a mistake to choose us."

"I'm completely comfortable with that." Percy deadpanned, "Everyone makes mistakes."

"Why are you so afraid of who you are?" Annabeth asked harshly, as she stopped walking.

Percy frowned, glancing at Luna for help, "What?"

"He's allowed to be scared." Luna snapped, "We're all kids."

"I'm 24." Grover added awkwardly.

Luna asked curiously, "Really?"

"Satyr's age half as fast as humans." Grover explained, "Which is quite helpful when-"

"None of us are just kids." Annabeth interrupted, "Just a kid wouldn't kill a Minotaur. Just a kid wouldn't have Hades sending top lieutenants to retrieve him." She turned to Luna, "Neither would just a kid do what you did to Clarisse back at camp."

"You don't wanna call camp, fine, but don't drag my sister into it." Percy warned, "Why don't you just call your mom?"

"Excuse me?" Annabeth questioned.

"Athena? Your mother." Percy explained, "I'd call my father, but we aren't exactly on speaking terms because of the life-long neglect, you know? But you and your mother seem close, so why don't you just ask her for help?"

Annabeth scoffed, "Grover, will you explain to your friend that he needs to pull himself together?"

Luna frowned, "Stop pulling Grover into this."

"Exactly." Percy replied, "He's gonna be on my side. He's my protector."

"He was my protector first!" Annabeth blurted out.

"First?" Percy questioned, "What do you mean first?"

Grover hesitated, "It's very exciting, getting to walk in Uncle Ferdinand's footsteps. Next best thing to getting to talk to him again."

"Thalia, Luke, and Annabeth had a satyr protector. That was you." Percy questioned, "Why didn't you tell me?"

Grover paused, before sniffing, "Do you guys smell that?"