A Hare Too Slow

Andrew was following tracks, deep in the woods, where monsters lurked. It was an odd routine, really. The demigod figured by now they would have cleared the forest out of monsters by now, the camp clearly had the man-power. Then again, it wasn't a bad thing; the demigod was quite fond of hunting here. Just a loud shout away and all sorts of super-powered demigods would come running to his aid. Not that Andrew would ever take the effort to shout for help; he'd rather take the mauling on his own. In his own mind, he certainly didn't need help from anyone on the outside. Andrew was a grown man in his mind, he didn't need the help of anyone, especially in the trade he'd been studying for years now. He was a predator, certainly not prey.

A smile formed on the lips of the demigod. One of his rare moments where he wasn't making a joke or amusing himself with a weird strain of thoughts, he spotted the odd shaped rabbit with red eyes. With the sound of a whiz in the air, the arrow was no longer notched and only the sound of the thud remained. All that was left in its wake was golden dust. "A hare too late to jump, huh?" Andrew smugly made the pun to himself as he scouted out to retrieve his arrow. Andrew propped his bow back on himself, pleased with his hunt. The demigod turned back, he'd caught up with the monster much quicker than he expected to. What else was there to do with his day?

The demigod spotted new tracks, he attempted to identify them. He eventually identified some of the tracks, though rare, as sneakers. There was a demigod that must have passed recently! Andrew began following the signs of passing through, though they were basic. Eventually, he caught up to the demigod; though it wasn't like he could hunt him. "Hey, kid." Andrew said, approaching him to walk next to him. "What's got you in the forest?" Andrew asked.

Kyle had decided to take yet another one of his habitual the walks through the forest. It was always so peaceful and it was the perfect place for him to clear his mind. He began to hum a tune his nursemaid once taught him his voice going high and low in an extremely soothing melody. A weird rabbit bounded out onto the path in front of him causing him to stop in his tracks. "I wonder what got you in all in a frenzy?"  He said in a soothing voice. The rabbit, which apparently had demonic looking red eyes, stared him down before dashing off my into the bushes. "Now wasn't that just creepy times ten?"

Kyle kept on walking,his head abuzz with a bunch of different questions. Like why that rabbit thing looked like it was being chased. Or why it had those creepy red eyes. He was so a sore in his thoughts that he didn't realize someone had walked up behind him. Jumping immediately after a voice called from behind him the sleeve of his shirt got caught in one of the lower branches. His hand flew to his shirt and he pulled, snapping the branch and sending him to the ground.He sat semi-bewildered and semi-terrified of the person behind him.

Andrew offered a hand up to the boy, who was considerably younger than himself. He felt like a jerk in a sense, he'd forgotten that not all of the campers were as 'combat tested' as the ones he normally associated with. There was almost a natural understanding of ruggedness between many of the campers, maybe it was because they knew they were close to the age where it would be time to leave. Maybe leaving camp wouldn't be so bad, Andrew did know how to hunt after all. He could survive, especially with Netha, who he was beginning to miss at the moment. He'd whistle for her soon, but not while he was helping the boy up. The last thing you want to see after a scare is a wolf come darting out from the trees.

"Sorry, I pictured that to be a lot more like the movies. You know, I'd call for you from behind, and you'd turn around and say something heavily cliche. That sort of deal." Andrew said, his voice was much more friendly now. "I usually find people that are just awkwardly stone cold running through the forest. Gods, you'd be surprised just how off some people are. Anyway, what brings you here today?" The demigod asked.

Kyle's expression went from terrified to relaxed almost immediately after the boy offered him a hand."Thank you..."He said as he took the boys hand and stood up. He felt like a complete spaz right now. First you see a rabbit with red eyes and that doesn't scare you, but hear a humans voice and lo and behold your jump like a child running for some sweets. Kyle seriously didn't get himself sometimes.

"Well I was walking with my dog, but it ran off after smelling something it didn't like..."Kyle said as he looked around immediately catious."Oh no...Alec doesn't like strangers..."Kyle began to frantically look around his surroundings. If Alec attacked someone in the forest it could be disastrous. He barely noticed one of bushes move.Noticing only its white and black ears that stood on end as it growled.Yeah, bushes don't growl and they don't have ears. The bushes were mowed down as a big, Great Dane bursts from it. In a mad pursuit towards the boy who just helped him up.

"Alec!"Kyle yelled. "Stop he isn't going to hurt me!"Alec was still in a full stride almost 2 meters away from the boy,when he skidded to a stop and moved to next to Kyle. Giving the other boy what he called the doggy death glare .

"Sorry about that he tends to be very over protect..."Kyle said with slight embarrassment."Oh before I forget.My name is Kyle Etherius Howell, Son of Hephaestus .Whats yours?"

Andrew couldn't help but feel a soft spot for the massive dog that had been growling at him. He looked from the boy then back to the dog. "You two make a good team I bet." He said. Truthfully, the pair reminded him of Netha and himself. Netha was by far Andrew's greatest friend and his wolf. She was fiercely loyal, though not nearly as affectionate as such a good friend would be expected to be. "Don't be sorry though, I understand how it feels. I've been embarrassed enough by my own pup barking." Andrew said, giving a quick whistle to the forest. "Andrew Johnson. Who, yes, was also a president. And I bet a great one too." Andrew joked.

Moments later a silver furred wolf came silently from the bushes, two rabbits hanging from her mouth. "Show off..." Andrew muttered looking at her. She dropped both the rabbits in front of her, and opened her mouth once more to start eating them. "Netha, not in front of people. I'll cook them for you soon." He said, to which Netha sat back up and simply stared at the newcomers, with the same judgmental look she always kept on herself. "This is Netha." Andrew said, glancing back and smiling at his dear wolf.

He spent nearly every moment with her at his side. She was certainly a part of him.

Kyle laughed along with Andrew's joke.Andrew just became one of the few people Kyle felt completely safe and relaxed around.So much so that Kyle even forgot to hide his neck scar. He flinched at the realization that he hadn't covered it in anyway.Andrew didn't look like he noticed or even cared about the scar so Kyle attempted to pay it no mind. When Andrew summoned a beautiful silver wolf,whose sudden appearance and its grotesque meal scared him none, he noticed Alec stared at it and nodded in some form of Acknowlogment."Strange... Alec what's gotten into you today?"Kyle asked before waving off the thought." Anyway,Netha is gorgeous! I won't make the mistake o reaching out and trying to pet her though. I like my hands.Hmmm. You should try petting Alec he seems to like the two of you better than anyone he has ever known. Including my aunt..."

Kyle's face fell when he mentioned his aunt. It still hurt to talk about her. He quickly shook off the bad feeling and looked up at Andrew with a smile spreading on his "Adorable" face. Jeez... He didn't get why people found him so cute or adorable. It's stupid. Atleast his mom got it right . "Cute as a button and deadly as a python" is what she used to say.Fit him to a T. He aleays seemed to be secretly pulling the strings in things even if other people didn't know it.

Andrew spotted a scar on Kyle's neck. Ouch, that thing looked like it must have been more painful than being strangled by Homer Simpson. Andrew didn't pay it extra mind though, all demigods carried scars of some sorts, but some were less comfortable with them than others. Andrew picked up the two rabbits and put them in a bag he was carrying. It wasn't very common that the pair hunted mortal animals, but, even demigods and wolves hunted for food every now and then. Andrew looked back towards the kid. He seemed level headed, knew what he was doing, had one hell of a dog, and must have survived something huge to have that scar. Definition of a good kid, in Andrew's book.

Andrew smiled at his comment on petting Netha. "You're smart. I've had some people that thought being close to me meant being close to Netha. I'll let you know, they had some funny looks on their faces." Andrew said, a smirk on his face. "She's the best partner I could ask for. She just, isn't too good with new people." Andrew said, but he could feel Netha already glaring at him for his comments. Andrew put his hand out to pet the great dane. "Hey Alec, whose a giant? It's you boy, isn't it? Aww, I bet you alone could have the monsters running in fear, huh boy?" Andrew spoke to the dog, in a voice you would expect to hear people talking to animals in. All high pitched.

"Did he bite your aunt? I have an uncle I'm sure Netha would love to get her teeth on." Andrew joked.

Kyle laughed a bit."I wonder what was going through their minds when they tried to pet her?" Kyle began to joke."Oh look it's a wolf I better pet it. It can't be dangerous.Then they probably lost their fingers."Kyle laughed at his little joke. It's been a long time since he laughed at all. Especially since his aunt passed.Kyle laughed again when Andrew reached out to pet Alec while talking in a high pitch voice.Alec simply say there looking more annoyed than anything, but he didn't growl or snap at Andrew just sniffed his hand before turning to look at him for confirmation.Kyle nodded a quick he's okay and Alec moved reluctantly to allow Andrew to pet him.

"Weird I expected him to at least growl.Kyle said."Especially since he hates that high pitch voice people make when talking to him." It really was strange Alec was always semi-aggressive, maybe it has something to do with Netha? Probably not since Alec runs at anything he perceives as a threat.

"Well Apec never bit my Aunt."Kyle laughed. "He just ran her over, head butted her, and tripped her a couple times a day. He really didn't like her. Maybe she forgot to feed him or something. Must have something serious to him."

Andrew smiled, he knew that Kyle would get a kick out of this. "Well, you see, my family is a little spotty on what they do and don't know. So, travelling around with a wolf is a little impractical. So, I try to convince people that she's just a really convincing looking husky. Some people believe it, and others like my dad, don't. So, more or less, my uncle did believe me. If you ever meet someone named Greg around camp, don't let him know I let Netha bite his dad." Andrew said with a wink. His cousin wouldn't care much if he found out, but the hush hush motion was too much to resist.

"Anyway, when all was said and done, the bite wasn't too bad. If anyone has gotten bad bites from Netha, it's me." Andrew said, as he continued to pet the great dane. Netha still stared at the three of them, judging all they were doing, even her master. "She knows what she's doing. If she wanted fingers, she'd have gotten them. She's a hell of a lot smarter than people ever give her credit for." Andrew and Netha exchanged one quick glance. An understanding between the two.

"Yeah, that's the thing about canines." Andrew said, finally standing up, and looking back towards his best friend, Netha. He smiled at her. Even if she hated it. "They're the best judges when it comes to character. I'm sure your aunt is a nice lady and all, but you never know, maybe she's doing something not so good."

"Netha is doing the Irish jig on the line of convincing husky and a friekin silver wolf."Kyle joked."At first glance she looks like a husky then when you take another you realize something just isn't right.One might be the color or the fact that she seems a bit more wild than most dogs do. Couple that with the fact that she has this disdainful look about her and you got yourself a dog that doesn't fit the normal description."When Andrew made a little secretive gesture Kyle nodded and mimicked it.

"Don't worry your secret is safe with me."Kyle whispered. He then made the motion that meant my lips are sealed."Your right dogs are the best judges of character, but as far as my Aunt goes the worst she's done is eat sweets late at night. She had quite the nightmare because of it. I think it was just a general case of dislike at first sight.For Netha it may be in the way a persons body language presents itself. Wolves are very intelligent animals. They live and thrive off of other animals so it would make sense for them to be able to read the body language of any living thing that comes their way. Same goes Alec. You don't know how many people he's injured because they called him a dumb dog."