(Back in the park)
Lincoln and Charles kept walking through the park, the Cerberi pup's tail wagging with excitement as he sniffed around the bushes and trees.
The boy would also feel happy..if he hasnt noticed some...kinda of-disturbing things
"well...at least now I know what they meant by checking if the fountain´s shrines were fine" he said as he looked at the sides of the road he was walking.
Small shrines dedicated to various gods and goddess lined the paths of the park, but they were in a sorry state. Some had been defaced with spray paint, others had been knocked over, and a few looked like they had been set on fire. The once vibrant colors of the statues were now a dull char, and the offerings of fruit and flowers lay wilted and blackened on the ground. Lincoln's eyes narrowed as he surveyed the destruction. He couldn't help but feel a twinge of anger and sadness at the sight of such blatant disrespect. These shrines were sacred to so many, a place where people came to pray for guidance and protection.
Not to mention some had been put for his sisters after their ascensions, it was like someone was attacking them personally.
Frowning he moved out the path and up a small hill where he knew should be a statue/shrine of Lori (as the park was mostly used by families it was a perfect place to put a shrine for Hera) but instead found a sad pile of rubble as it seems the statue was knocked down and the offerings stolen or destroyed.
"What the hell is wrong with people!" He exclaimed before remembering where he was...a public place.
Yet it was hard not to get...frustrated? angry? he do was quite annoyed at this as:
A) Lori was really excited when this statue was put in the park, she had talked to the city council about it herself, and had been the one who picked out the spot. It was supposed to be a symbol of protection and unity for the families in Royal Woods.
B) It was hard to believe that something so beautiful and meaningful could be reduced to this. Lincoln felt a sudden surge of anger. He clenched his fists, his eyes narrowing. He knew that Ragnarok was behind this, their spitefulness had no bounds.
C) Before his own failed ritual (and even sometime after it) he had imagined a statue of himself in a place like this, with families and others leaving offerings for him to find. So seeing his sister's shrine destroyed was like a punch to the gut.
D) it wasn't fair to Lori. Sure she could be bossy and full of herself (even before her ascension as the new Hera) but she was also kind, loving, and fiercely protective of her family. Not to mention she took her responsibilities seriously. She didn't deserve to be disrespected like this.
Yet...for some reason...a part of himself felt...uncaring?
He knew he should be furious at the sight of his sister's shrine in such a state. And he was...but only because it was his sister´s..as he didnt felt the same at the sight of the other shrines...his mind wandered back to his dream, the power that seemed to resonate in it. It was like the universe was trying to tell him something but he was just too dense to get it.
Maybe he was just tired of all of this god stuff, of feeling like he didn't fit in. Seeing his ex-friends at the school certainly had annoyed him to no end and even when some time already passed he was still feeling a bit sour about it.
Add Lynn´s overprotectiveness.
Add having this...jealousy feeling each time they show-off their powers.
Add people only knowing him cause his sisters.
Add the fact there was a big chance his younger siblings DO could become inheritors leaving him the only mortal of the family.
It was like he was surrounded by gods and goddesses, and yet he was the odd one out.
The more he thought about it, the more frustrated he got.
Over his head the wind began picking up as dark clouds began filling the sky.
next to him Charles´ fur was standing up and he was growling lowly; picking up in ferocity as if he was responding to his anger.
"AHHHHHHHH!!!"
Until a scream broke him out of his thoughts.
"What was that?" Lincoln exclaimed, his heart racing as he whipped his head around to locate the source of the terrified scream. Next to him Charles shook his heads also looking confused...
SNIFF
SNIFF
SNIFF
GROWL!!!
Until his noses picked up something...wet...fishy...salty?...familiar?
"What you smelling boy?" asked Lincoln kneeling beside the puppy "Is something wrong?"
BARK! BARK! BARK!
The sound of Charles's barking grew more urgent.
"Go boy take me there!" the boy called releasing the Cerberi from his leash.
With a fierce bark, Charles took off like a shot, his three heads weaving through the park as he followed the scent. Lincoln took off after him, his legs pumping hard to keep up with the pup's boundless energy.
Over him the wind seems to calm down..but the dark clouds remained.
(In another part of the park)
Officially Kara was having the worst day of her life.
First, the protest against the gods was a bust after two of those inheritors crashed it with their flashy powers. Then, when the crowd tried to protect themselves, one of those bastards froze solid a good number of them....her almost included.
Then the other freak tried to impale her with a fucking spear of all things! A spear! As if they couldn't get any more dramatic. To top things, another had to do some flashy entrance and "save her" on the last minute as if he was some hero.
The nerve of these so-called gods, thinking they could just play hero and everyone would love them. But no, not Kara. She was having none of it. Her heart was still racing from the close call.
Yet it seems the universe wasnt done with her, which take us to her current situation.
Her feet pounded against the pavement as she sprinted through the park, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Running was hard with only one boot on but she couldnt stop. Each step brought a sting of pain but she ignored it, she had to keep going.
SNARL!!! GRRRRRR!!!
She didnt even knew how but the moment she was away from any police or inheritor, she ended up being chased by a water panther of all things!!!
SNARL!
SNARL!
Ok she was mistaken...They were TWO!!!
Her heart pounded in her chest as the sound of snarling grew louder. She glanced over her shoulder to see three massive creatures still after her.
Their bodies were dark, with blue-green and black tones, reminiscent of scales. They had a robust and muscular build, with four short, powerful legs and a long, fish-like tail, with red and reddish hues.
Their heads were elongated, with features that combined feline and reptilian elements. Each had an open mouth displaying sharp teeth. They had horns or bony protrusions projecting from the top of their heads, in blue-green tones, and two long whiskers that resembled those of a catfish.
They also had prominent, stiff, sharp dorsal fins, deep red in color and with a membrane-like texture.
Mishipeshu or Water panthers, were mythical creatures that scratched the limits between "domesticated creatures" and "wild monsters". Technically one could own one with A LOT of permits and training but that didn't mean they were pets.
Like cerberi they could act as guardians (specially in water bodies) but they were harder to train and more violent towards humans, with attacks well recorded all around the Great lakes area.
They were terrifying to behold, and Kara was not trained to handle them, she had been taught to avoid them at all cost.
And now she had two of them after her!!!
Her heart raced as she looked around wildly for an escape. The park was usually crowded this time of day, but it felt eerily deserted. The only sounds were her frantic breathing and the Mishipeshu's growling as they closed in.
Fortunately for her, their webbed claws werent made for land pursuits and she was managing to keep ahead of them. But she knew it was only a matter of time before they caught up to her.
Her eyes darted around, desperately searching for something, anything she could use to defend herself or get their attention away from her. A stick, a rock, even a frisbee would do!
But fate had other plans.
As she sprinted forward, she saw a small clearing ahead and felt a flicker of hope. If she could just make it there, she might be able to find someone who could help her. But as she approached the edge of the bushes, her luck took a turn for the worse.
Her left foot caught on a protruding stone hidden in the grass, sending her flying through the air. She let out a scream as she plummeted down the small hill, the world spinning around her in a blur of green and brown. The impact with the ground was jarring, knocking the wind out of her as she tumbled uncontrollably.
Her eyes watered as she finally came to a stop, the sound of her own pained gasps echoing in her ears. She struggled to sit up, her head swimming as she tried to get her bearings. Her hands grasped on carved stone and the sound of water reached her ears making her notice where she was.
Her eyes widened in horror as she saw the fountain she had crashed into was not just any fountain but one of the sacred ones dedicated to the gods.
The fountain was immense, to the point one could mix it with a small pool, three statues standing proudly in the middle of it, each representing a different deity, while small shrines with offerings to other gods surrounded it.
The water was murky with leaves and dirt, not the clean, crystal-clear liquid that was supposed to flow from it, a clear sign of neglect. The statues had been defaced with spray paint, their once-beautiful faces twisted into monstrous caricatures of themselves.
The Mishipeshu skidded to a halt at the top of the hill, eyeing Kara hungrily. She scooted backward, her back hitting the cold stone of the fountain.
Her body hurt, she had cuts she was sure were bleeding and her foot hurt like hell.
She just had time to stand before the two creatures began their descend slowly and methodically, like a cat playing with a mouse, enjoying the terror they were inducing knowing their prey had nowhere to run.
"Uggg" Kara tried to run, but her legs couldnt support her making her fall on her knees, "Why me?" she asked herself with a whisper.
And just when she thought things couldnt get worst.
SPLASH
Water dripped down making her look up...and see a third panther emerging from the fountain.
It was a terrifying sight. This one was different from the other two, it was bigger, its eyes had an eerie glow, and it didn't seem to be in a hurry. It was like it was enjoying watching her squirm.
Kara's mind raced as she searched for an exit strategy. But with each attempt to stand, a sharp pain shot through her ankle, making it clear she wouldn't be outrunning them. Panic set in as she realized she was trapped.
She crawled backwards trying to put distance, but the other two panthers had reached the bottom of the hill and were now surrounding her, cutting off any escape. The third one, the largest, put its paws on the edge of the fountain looking like a cat ready to pounce on a trapped bird.
"Please...please no..." she whispered, her eyes darting around for any help, any escape route she could use. "Please...h-help...HELP!!!" she screamed, her voice echoing through the abandoned park.
The panther was about to pounce...
"CHARLES FIRE!!!"
FLOASH!!!
When a torrent of flames hit it on the side.
The Mishipeshu yelped in surprise and pain as it was sent flying backward, landing in the bushes with a thud. Kara's eyes widened in shock as she saw the flames dissipate to reveal a three-headed puppy standing in front of her, baring its teeth at the remaining water panthers.
"Hey you three! leave her alone!"
Followed by a white haired boy who looked familiar for some reason but all that Kara felt right now was both relief at getting some help, and fear that these things would hurt somebody else.
"Don't worry it's going to be okay!" Was what the boy shouted out her looking concerned.
Kara stared at him with wide eyes, trying to process what was happening.
Ok? was he mad?! isnt he seeing the same thing she is?! what was he suppose to do against these things?!
BARK! BARK! BARK!
Charles moved to position himself between the two kids and the two panthers, each of his heads barking in warning. The other two beasts snarled back, usually a pup like Charles wouldnt be an issue for them (fire breath or not) as much it would be an annoyance they could swat away. But something made them hesitate.
And it wasnt the dog...it was the human that came with him.
Lincoln watched at the hurt girl before him with a mix of worry and confusion. He also felt she was familiar to him but from where?
SNARL!
GROWL
BARK! BARK! BARK!
Ok not the time to think about that.
"can you stand? can you run?" he asked the girl urgently as the two panthers took a step closer, their eyes gleaming with a mix of anger and hunger.
Kara nodded as much as she could, fear and pain clouding her judgment. She pushed herself up using the fountain wall, her ankle sending waves of agony through her body. She took a tentative step forward, her eyes never leaving the terrifying creatures that had her cornered.
"Uggg!" and felt a strong sting of pain as she tried to put weight on her injured ankle. The panthers took this opportunity to advance on her, their teeth bared and claws unsheathed.
"Back off!" Lincoln growled back.
HISSSSSSS!
The beasts found themselves backing up much to their surprise (and the girl´s).
Their gaze met Lincoln´s with a mix of shock and confusion. Something about him screamed "bigger predator" even if he was clearly not one of their kin. Yet he didnt smell or look any different to the prey thy had been chasing.
It was as if the very air around Lincoln had changed, charged with an unseen force that sent a chill down the spines of the water panthers. They snarled and hissed, unsure of why they felt compelled to obey this human boy's command. Yet, they couldn't bring themselves to attack. The one in the bushes slowly made its way out, its fur singed and eyes wary of the new threat.
BARK! BARK! BARK!
Charles noticing it change to face against the bigger threat, moved aside and barked again, a hint of fire dancing in his eyes.
The bigger panther wasnt as easy to scare off as the other two. It took a moment to assess the situation before slowly made his way to reunite with its kin.
The other two growled and snarled almost as asking for orders from their leader, their eyes flickering with uncertainty. The biggest panther took a moment to eye Lincoln, as if trying to gauge his strength.
Lincoln met its gaze trying to keep his cool...even when he was freaking out a bit on the inside.
He didnt expected to have to test his "Monster control powers" so soon after the hydra incident. Even less in front of someone that wasnt Haiku or Jordan.
But it was obvious the girl wasnt in conditions to run away and between keeping his powers a secret and stoping the panthers, Lincoln knew what to pick.
SNARL!
BARK! BARK! BARK! GRRR!
Still, he was getting a bit nervous on the fact that, although they seem to listen, the panthers werent leaving nor wanting to give up their prey.
He couldnt help but wonder (and dread) if he had come across a limitation or exception of his powers.
"Look...I don't want to hurt you guys, but if you don't leave now..." He let his voice trail off, trying to sound more intimidating than he felt.
The biggest panther took a step closer, its eyes narrowed, and a low growl rumbled from its throat. It was clear it wasn't used to being challenged. But even it could feel this one blocking his path was different.
Still it wasnt one to give up prey that easily...plus they were three and he was one (not counting the fire-breathing dog)..maybe in numbers they would have a chance.
The panther took another step closer, its muscles tense and ready to pounce.
Lincoln swallowed hard, his heart hammering in his chest. Ok it seems they wont go away with words alone...he thought as he took a firm stance, his fists clenching tightly.
"Ok if anytime I could use help, its now" he mentally pleaded while internally he was already planning his next move.
The wind picked up a bit around them...
Charles growled more fiercely...
The panther was about to leap...
BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK!
When the air was filled with multiple barkings and, much to everyone´s surprise, dozens of Cerberi dogs of multiple mixes and races rushed in forming lines next to Lincoln.
They were all sizes and shapes, from the size of Charles to almost the size of the Mishipeshu, from simple three headed dogs, to the snake heads/tailed mixes; but they all had the same fiery look in their eyes as the pup.
Kara stared at the sudden onslaught of dogs with a mix of shock and confusion. Her brain was struggling to comprehend the scene unfolding in front of her.
Did this kid train all these Cerberi? Or was this some kinda territory dispute with the dogs not liking the felines trespassing on their turf?
The panthers weren't sure either. They exchanged glances with each other, their tails swishing in agitation. The biggest one let out a hiss, clearly unhappy with this unexpected development. It was one thing to face a boy with a strange aura and a fiery pup, but a whole pack of them?
Lincoln smiled slightly, he might not have control of the panthers..but it seems cerberi were still on his side
"Look, guys," he called out to the Cerberi, "we got a situation here." He gestured towards the panthers with a nod of his head. The pack of dogs barked in unison, their hackles rising as they stared down the predators. "so I give you three a chance...leave or we make you leave"
Unsee by him his eyes glowed red for a moment and more than one dog (Charles included) breath fire onto the air.
The panthers took another step back, their eyes widened with fear and surprise.
The aura they were feeling..the number of enemies...this wasnt a battle they could win.
Slowly they began backing up.
SWISH-THACK!!!
A harpoon suddenly shot through the air, embedding itself deep into the flank of one of the panthers. It let out an agonized yelp, its body writhing in pain. The creature looked around, its gaze finally settling on a figure that had emerged from the shadows of the trees.
"LEAVE THEM ALONE!" called a female voice
The figure that approached looked as if a centaur, a polar bear and an orca had mixed together. She was tall, with the torso of a lightly fair skinned human female with black/dark teal dyed hair in a shaggy bob.The lower body of a polar bear with a tail of an orca, and with white bone bracelets in each leg. She was dressed in a light, loose-fitting, parka-like garment, white with lavender-purple accents, wide sleeves, and a length that reached where human and animal parts met. Around her waist she was a brown belt or sash and her face was fully covered by a grey mask.
A strong pull from a rope on her hand recalled the narwhal tusk harpoon from the panther's side.
Kara scoffed, another so-called god playing hero. Just what she needed, more gods to mess up her life.
But the panthers took the newcomer more seriously, their eyes darting between her and Lincoln, unsure of who posed the greater threat.
"one chance.." The new arrival said with a dark glare, "leave or i'll be collecting your pelts."
The panthers didn't need to be told twice. With a collective hiss of defeat and anger, they turned tail and disappeared into the bushes.
BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK!
The pack barked and some looked ready to give chase.
"woah! easy boys!" called Lincoln noticing the dogs getting antsy.
And again (much to the surprise of both the girl and the Inheritor) the dogs calmed down looking at the boy with a mix of admiration and loyalty.
"that's interesting..." The new arrival muttered with an arched brow she'd not even seen nature gods get the Cerberi to listen so easily.
"hehehe well..what can I say?" said Lincoln a bit nervous...and the expecting dogs werent making this easily "umm sit?!"
The dogs obeyed almost immediately, sitting on their haunches and looking up at him with expectant eyes. Kara couldn't believe what she was seeing. These were mythical creatures, and they were listening to a regular boy like he was some kind of...well...god.
"You can start by telling me your name and if you have some obedience school I can get my own dog inscribe into," The goddess said walking towards them.
"Heheh I just have a gift for dogs...or at least Cerberi I guess." Lincoln said nervously with a forced laugh while rubbing his neck "and my name is Lincoln..."
"Wait..Lincoln? as in Lincoln Loud? Leni´s brother?" the goddess asked pulling up her mask reveal a teen girl face of 18 years with dark teal lips.
"Uh yeah.." Lincolns said with a blink, "you a friend of hers?" he asked curious.
"In a way" answered the goddess "she is more my cousin´s friend...but yeah we know each other." She offered a hand "I'm Gwen by the way"
GUINEVERE "GWEN" TEGAN JONES-REINCARNATION OF QAILERTETANG (INUIT)
"Nice to meet you Gwen..really showed up just in time." Lincoln said with a sigh as he hurried over to Kara side the girl herself giving him a confused wary look.
"well hearing all that barking really helped to find you" said Gwen also looking at the girl not liking how she looked.
"you ok?" he asked with some worry while looking at her "you look hurt"
Kara scoffed trying to keep the pain at bay.
"Yeah, thanks to whatever this is," she gestured towards the pack of Cerberi, "I'm just peachy." Her voice was filled with sarcasm and a hint of annoyance.
"We should probably get you to a doctor or healer.." Lincolns said also giving her a look of concern, "that was way to close a call." he added shaking his head with Gwen sighing out.
"A lot of the animals both mystical and normal have been acting up a lot more lately around town." she said frowning as she looked at the retreating panthers. "And although the big monsters seems to come less is the creatures like those panthers that are becoming more...bold." she added with a concerned look.
She then turned around to look at the ruined/destroyed shrines behind her, her expression growing grim.
"And then we have Ragnarok pulling things like this all over town" she scoffed.
Kara couldnt help but snark.
"what? you dont like your pretty statues being destroyed?" she asked with a smirk despite her pain while looking up at one of the fountain´s statues that depicted no other than Gwen herself.
The goddess looked up with a tired sigh.
"Look, I know having statues of myself could be seen as a bit... narcissistic," Gwen said with a roll of her eyes, "but many of these statues were made with materials or were enchanted with spells that create small but concentrate and powerful wards to keep creatures like those panthers at bay" she scoffed "messing with them or right down destroying them is like putting a target on the city and telling them to come and play"
"Wait...what?!" Kara at that froze and gave the god scum a shocked look, she sure as hell didn't hear anything about this! "you have wards that can keep monsters away?! why the hell don't you put them all around the city then!" she found herself snapping with a glare.
Gwen sighed heavily.
"It's not that simple. Those wards need to be maintained and charged. Some materials need to be brought in from other parts of the world and its effectiveness vary from monster to monster, thats why we have so many shrines to try cover as much as we can" Gwen explained, her voice calm despite Kara's outburst. "And even then, it's a fine balance. If we make it too strong, we risk harming the natural order and the ecosystem as there are creatures of these lands that arent dangerous but could also be affected by the wards"
"if it means less hydra attacks think I could stomach a species or two going extinct." Kara said bluntly.
Seriously, werent suppose the "gods" to worry about humanity? what they care if some dumb fire-breathing animal or flying horse gets hurt?! Kara thought with a mix of anger and frustration.
Gwen however frowned at Kara comment but choose to take it in stride well aware of the tension between inheritors and mortals.
"I get it, you're scared and upset. But we do what we can to keep everyone safe. The balance is delicate and not something we take lightly." She said with a firm tone but no malice. "But think right now the more important thing is getting care of those wounds of yours. You should come with me, I know a good healer that won't charge you an arm and a leg" Gwen offered with a small smile, her eyes flickering to the injuries Kara was trying to hide.
"No healers and no hospitals!" yelled the girl trying to put more distance between the goddess and her.
She didnt trust anyone that could be a follower of those gods and no way she would get into a hospital while things were still heating, what if those gods from the riot had already sent people looking for her?
This prompted surprised concerned looks from Lincoln.
"what's wrong?" the boy asked with a frown, "you know we can't just leave you like this."
Kara hesitated for a moment.
"Nothing is wrong!" she yelled "and I dont remember asking your help!" she yelled in anger "Who even are you anyway!?" she added throwing the boy a distrusting glare.
Lincoln blinked.
"I..well I just told her" she pointed at Gwen "Im Lincoln, Lincoln Loud"
The girl stiffened, her eyes widening in shock. Everyone in town knew about the Louds, the biggest family in Royal woods. Not only of number but because of the fact that almost half of the family was made of gods.
But Kara also remember Lincoln of other part.
"Wait..arent you friends of that hook boy, goat legs, four eyes and glowing bastard?" she asked with some anger
A year or so away while working on the comic book store, she had the bad luck of having to deal with those four on more than one occasion.
One time she refused to give discount (read give freely) a one of a kind special edition comic book to the goat legged kid. And when the others came to try convince her, she basically had to kick them out.
No long after her store got A LOT of bad reviews to the point it had to close and she had to look for a half-time job elsewhere.
"Not since they decided mortal friends weren't worth their godly egos." Lincoln answered back with a scowl.
Kara raised an eyebrow at the unexpected hostility. Wasnt his family also made of gods? shouldnt he be more...god-friendly?
"Well, I can't say I'm their biggest fan either," she admitted through gritted teeth, "but that doesn't mean I would simply trust you" Kara said, her voice filled with skepticism as she tried to stand again. "Ugg" only for her to wince in pain.
"Well you clearly need help" said Gwen with a sigh, she wasnt one to force anyone but she was also a protector of the city, "and I can't let anyone just wander around hurt. Let me help you at least to somewhere safe"
"Safe?!" scoffed the girl tying to move away when the goddess gave a step towards her. Only to almost fall out of the pain on her legs.
Only for Lincoln to catch her.
"You think I'm going anywhere with one of your kind?!" she spat with a hiss "and you!" she tried to push the boy away "I told you I dont need your help!"
But Lincoln wasnt letting go, not because he was a god but because she really seemed hurt
"I know it's hard to trust right now but we aren't going to leave you here." He said firmly "You're hurt and you need help." He added with a concerned look.
"Ugg this would be easier if my cousin was here" scoffed Gwen "she has healing powers we could use"
"were is she?" asked Lincoln helping the still protesting girl to sat by the fountain.
"Looking for your sister actually" said Gwen "somehow we got separated and I was looking for her, when I heard the commotion." She glanced around the area.
Taking notice of the Cerberi pack still waiting there with expecting looks.
"Actually...." and idea came to her mind "maybe we could use these boys to track and bring her here"
"How so?" Lincoln asked with a raised brow looking at the Cerberi curiously.
The goddess moved a hand to her belt pulling out a little pink bundle.
"sigh..only cause I like your cookies" sighed Gwen as she pulled out a couple of cookies out the pink handkerchief before giving the cloth to Lincoln "have them sniff that..they should be able to track my cousin scent"
With a look of disbelief Lincoln took the handkerchief and gave it to the pack of Cerberi, who sniffed eagerly.
"Umm ok...everyone..." called Lincoln a bit nervous as he didnt know if this will work "Ummm...sniff...and fetch!"
The dogs took off like rockets, their noses to the ground, the smell of the cookies guiding them as much as the scent of Gwen's cousin. They darted around the ruins of the shrine, their paws kicking up dust and leaves as they followed the trail. Lincoln and Gwen watched them go, then turned to each other.
"Well...you do have a gift with dogs eh?" the goddess commented with a smirk, watching the Cerberi disappear into the foliage.
"Guess so," Lincoln chuckled awkwardly, still holding Kara who was now glaring at the retreating pack.
But unknown to them they were being watched.
Up on a close by tree an owl perched, watching the scene unfold below. At first it could be mixed with any bird...until one gets close to notice this wasnt an animal of flesh and bones, but a metallic construction. Its eyes seems to focus on the retreating pack before returning to the kids and zoom into Lincoln.
On the other side of the camera looking through a monitor Lisa hummed in curiosity watching the interaction between her brother, the new girl, and the pack of Cerberi. She had decided to keep an eye on her brother after the recents incidents and events as she could tell something was off with him. She had noticed the oddities in his behavior, the strange dreams he's been having (she noticed them after one time she awoke for water and heard him mutter from his room) and the way he interacts with creatures, especially since the arrival of Charles. It was like he was developing some kind of bond with them, something she had never seen before.
"Interesting..." the new Hephaestus murmured, her eyes gleaming with curiosity as the mechanical owl's camera lens zoomed in on the trio.
"It's seeming more and more you're hiding secrets elder male sibling...perhaps to a depth even you don't realize." she said aloud with a worried frown.
Too many questions, too little answers. Lisa knew she had to tread carefully with this new revelation. Could Lincoln actually have some kind of power? If so, what was it? And why did it seem to resonate with the mythological creatures? Her mind raced with possibilities, each more intriguing than the last.
But unknown even to her, someone that might have answers was also watching
(In another part of the park)
The wounded Panther mewed in pain as it rubbed against someone wearing a long hooded cape.
"Ohhh poor you" a female voice called petting the panther with gentle strokes, "seems you ran into some troubles"
The panther looked up at the figure with a mix of fear and gratitude, its eyes gleaming in the shadows. The woman in the cape leaned down and whispered softly,
"Don't worry, I'll make it all better." Her voice had a soothing quality to it. Water moved on its own touching the wounded side of the creature, healing it at a rate that was nothing short of miraculous. The panther purred in relief as its fur grew back and its injuries closed before it leaped away. The woman in the cape watched it go, her eyes narrowing. "well it seems my fun was cut short, and here I thought could have a dead mortal on the news" she murmured to herself. "she must have been born under a lucky star to have come across my future king like that"
A floating water bubble formed before the image of Lincoln helping Kara sit down appeared on it.
"He is growing nicely hehehe oh cant wait for the moment he will awake in full" giggled the figure "and I feel could be soon...he only needs the right push" she added with a smug look. "well I suppose should go meet them before they get suspicious" sighed the figure "what a drag having to do this but..oh well" the figure dispelled the bubble before the cape also dissolved into water showing a white toga dress with golden trims "ummm to simple...I will change on the way..or most likely..she will" she huffed "only thing she and I maybe share..outside our love for my king thats it"
The figure turned into a swirl of water vanishing away.