Dawn's blue light intensified the sharp dark branches of the surrounding trees. They were ominous figures closing in to snatch up their next victims. However, Helios' warm glow was approaching quickly on the horizon, the new day and a promise of safety.

Korinna woke up in a cold sweat, shaking violently. Her nightmare had rattled her to her very core. There was something so real about it. It felt too vivid. She looked to her brother who was still sleeping on the other side of the smoldering ashes. Perseus seemed to be resting peacefully and so his sister resolved to leave him alone. Instead, she started rummaging through her bag for leftover food. She'd sworn that she'd packed more.

In reality, Korinna had only managed to swipe the remains of the meal their mother had cooked the night before the left, which in itself was quite a small amount, but then Perseus had ate most of it and Korinna had polished off the rest.

So the sister would have to get more creative with finding food, but there was no way in Hades, that she was going to listen to her brother whine about being hungry all day. There had to be fish in the lake, she thought. Maybe if she got a really pointy stick she could spear a fish for breakfast, it couldn't be that hard.

Korinna learned very quickly that fish were very fast. They were also a lot smarter than she originally thought as they taunted her by circling her legs and even swimming in between them.

When Perseus woke up to the sound of his sister swearing and yelling in Ancient Greek, he thought they were being attacked. What he wasn't expecting was to see Kora wading in the water with a stick in hand. Her eyes followed the fish in front of her. She lunged, and then lost her balance and fell flat on her face.

"Wow Kora, it seems you've met your final match. Who knew a fish was your intellectual superior?" He laughed. Kora looked up at him, sending him the same murderous glare she was giving the fish. Water dripped down her face as the adders hissed menacingly. They did not appreciate the salty taste in their mouths at all.

"Shut up." She snapped back- ever so eloquent. Perseus simply sighed taking pity on her after the fish evaded for the third time.

"Firstly, that stick is too short. Secondly, it'll take you hours to spear a fish. Although taking into consideration your lack of hand-eye coordination, we'll be here till nightfall."

There was a reason Perseus and their mother did all the hunting. Korinna was a complete klutz. Every time Medusa had tried to teach her daughter hunting, the girl had always managed to hurt herself. Eventually, they had all accepted the inevitable and so Kora started helping to do other chores instead.

Korinna re-emerged from the water and sat next to Percy. She threw the stick viciously into the water while muttering curses at the fish.

"So what do we do for breakfast then?" Percy shrugged in response. Korinna opens her mouth to reply, no doubt already coming up with some elaborate plan.

Someone is calling out to them. Perseus is about to look up when his sister's hands push his head back down.

"You're not wearing your glasses." She hissed in his ear before moving away. While he scrambled to put on his glasses, Korinna was cautiously approaching the stranger. The man looked friendly enough.

"Hey there, little girl. Where are your parents?" The man smiled. He was an elderly man and when he smiled the laugh lines in his face became even more pronounced. However, what caught her attention was his vest, there was a small fishing hook poking out of his pocket. Perhaps if Korinna is nice to him, she'll be able to use it.

Perseus slotted the glasses on his face and joined his sister's side. He scanned behind the stranger and in the distance, he saw something that looked to be a shelter, but he didn't see anyone else near it. The man was alone. He also didn't seem to be very scared of them, which was odd to Perseus. Then he remembered the Mist. Magic controlled by the goddess Hecate that acts as the barrier between two worlds. The man was Mortal and therefore the mist was distorting his vision of them. He didn't know he had approached two Gorgons.

"You two lost? Need me to call someone for you?"

The siblings looked at each other and then Korinna stepped forward to speak,

"There is no need to call anyone. We are just traveling." The man frowned at that. Evidently, he didn't like what he heard, Perseus' body started to coil, poised and ready to attack if the mortal tried anything.

"You ate yet? I caught a salmon earlier and it's too big to eat by myself. I was just about to start cooking it and I wouldn't mind some company. If you two want to join me."

As if on cue, Perseus' stomach growled. His sister looked at him with one lifted eyebrow and an expression that said she was done with him. The man laughed, it was a warm and carefree laugh.

"Well, someone's had their say. I'll leave you two to talk while I go cook this fish. If you still want to join me, I'm only over there." He pointed to the green shelter. He nodded to both the children and then he started to stroll back.

Both the siblings looked at each other.

"We should join him," Kora spoke first.

"What? He could be dangerous. He might try to hurt us." He argued back.

"So? Percy, there's one of him and two of us. Plus we're gorgons. Though if I'm being honest, I think he's just kind."

There was silence and Korinna waited. Finally, Perseus gave a short nod but that was all the confirmation his sister needed before she started dragging him towards the man.

"Alone? It ain't right for two children to be traveling on their own. Where you heading?" The stranger asked, placing the spit with the fish onto the fire before turning back to them.

"To New York."

"All on your own? A couple of kids like yourself shouldn't be traveling alone."

"I assure you, sir. We are more than capable of looking after ourselves."

"Yet you accept the invitation of complete stranger and accept food and drink from him. What if I meant to harm or kidnap you?"

"We are more than able to defend yourselves. Our mother taught us self defense." Percy replied sharply, the snakes hissing softly in way of a warning. Not that the mortal noticed.

"Well if you're so sure. Why you heading to New York then?"

"Our father...lives there," Perseus said slowly, his voice lilting slightly. He was terrible at lying. Korinna quickly butted in backing up the lie, while also completely cutting off Percy so he didn't end up ruining it. He had a tendency to run his mouth.

"Yes, we are going to visit him." She explained simply.

"So how exactly are you getting there? New York is a long way."

Nether sibling spoke, just stared wide-eyed both at each other and the elder. They hadn't really thought that far ahead.

"What? Were you two planning on walking to New York?" The man chuckled, turning the fish over for the other side to cook. Meanwhile, the siblings seemed to be having a silent conversation. How are they going to get there?

"Well I can't take you to New York, but I can take you as far as Casper Wyoming if you want a ride," he said kindly.

Perseus' eyes narrowed under his glasses. Mother has always warned about the danger of humans. They were not to be underestimated and yet here was this mortal stranger offering to help them. It didn't make sense. It was suspicious.

"What payment do you want in return?" Kora asked cautiously. She too didn't seem to trust this offer.

"Payment? Oh no, I don't want anything. I'm an old man that's concerned about a couple of kids running around the woods unsupervised." He made eye contact with Kora as if to telepathically communicate his sincerity. Meanwhile, Percy geared himself up, to tell this mortal that once again they were perfectly capable of looking out for themselves and that they were not little children, he was 15, for Fates' sake. However, he didn't get to say any of this as his sister gave the elderly man a small gentle smile and said,

"Okay. I ride would be very much appreciated. Thank you." The man returned the smile brightly.

"No problem, little lady. We'll finish breakfast, I'll pack up the rest of my gear and then we'll get on the road." Then he turned his attention back down at the fish cooking on the fire.

Perseus sent an incredulous look to his sister. What in Hades was she thinking? Had the mortal somehow hypnotized her? Kora didn't even spare him a look, choosing instead to look ahead, despite how much he tried to grab her attention.

The fish was good, fresh and well seasoned. A good meal before they died because of Kora. After breakfast, the mortal started to pack his things away and Percy finally got a chance to pull her aside.

"What are you doing? Why are you trusting this mortal? You remember what Mother said. They're dangerous."

"Yes, I remember. I also remember her saying that we shouldn't leave our forest for the same reason." She sent a scathing look at him, clearly telling him that it was all his fault that they were in this position in the first place. Percy instinctively looked at the ground, snakes hiding their heads in the coils of their bodies away from his sister's reproachful gaze. Kora sighed, "Look, what's done is done, but now we have a task to do for Father and we need to get to New York as fast as we can, so we're going to have to take the risk and hope that he's as friendly as he seems. Okay?"

"Okay." The siblings stood there for a moment.

"Now go help him."

"What?"

"He cooked us breakfast. It's only polite we help him now." He looked at her in exasperation before she shoved him forward. "Well, go on, go help." Perseus just shook his head before jogging off toward the man. Kora caught the small smile on his face. He trusted her judgment and Kora hoped that everything works out. She didn't want to hear him say 'I told you so', otherwise he would be insufferably smug for weeks. In truth though, she prayed to Poseidon that he wouldn't get hurt because of her decision.

She finished her silent prayer before joining her brother in helping the mortal put his tent away.

Well, look who decided to update. I can't say when I'll update next but hopefully, it won't take another almost complete year. Thanks for reading.