My Borrowers Stories Chapter 8

Over the next few days, a schedule was soon in action. In the mornings, they traveled until noon, then Grover left for about an hour, and came back with food and our location. Every time, Derek was able to successfully sneak me some food. And at nights, when they stopped again, he took me out of the pocket and slept with his arm shielding me. And every day, I felt increasingly more comfortable around him, and more like a friend.

Grover left again, and he took me out of the pocket. I had no idea what to talk about, then I decided to ask "Do you think we're close?" He sighed, and said "I don't know. I hope so." I nodded, and ran up his arm to his shoulder, and sat next to his neck. I rested my head on his neck. He smiled, and said "The last time you did that was before we met Grover." I nodded, remembering.

By time Grover got back, I was sitting next to Derek again. Derek grabbed me, and put me in the pocket again as Grover came within sight. Grover came up to us with the usual bag, and he was smiling uncontrollably. "We're almost there. We just have to cross one more state." Derek jumped, saying "Yes! Finally!" Grover tossed him the bag. Derek grabbed what was in it, and slipped me some.

I took a bite of it. It was chicken, judging from the taste. I ate it gratefully, and they continued once Derek was done. Grover ate the bag along the way. Then I heard something growling, and Derek stopped, asking "Did you hear something?" Grover looked back, saying "No." I peeked out of the pocket, and from my view I saw a dark dog-like figure creeping along. I poked Derek, and whimpered softly. Derek turned his leg, and shouted "Grover!" as the hellhound launched itself at him. He dodged, and its claws slashed one of his sleeves.

Grover launched himself at the hellhound, bleating like a goat. The hellhound snarled, and ripped his pants as it slashed at him. Grover groaned, and said "Those were my only pair with us!" He pulled off the remains of his pants, and I saw his legs were furry. His shoes came off as well, revealing goat's hooves. He bleated again, and the hellhound slashed at him. He ducked, and head-butted it.

  It snarled, and clawed toward Grover's face. Just then, a silver arrow came out of nowhere and hit the hellhound. The hellhound howled, and it missed Grover by inches. A girl ran into the clearing, a few others following her. The first girl shot another arrow, and the hellhound snarled, running away. Grover sighed in relief, and said "Thanks, Thalia." She nodded, saying "Usually hellhounds don't run until they're dead, but that worked too."

Grover laughed nervously, saying "I guess it did. You wouldn't happen to have an extra pair of pants, would you?" She shook her head, saying "Sorry, Grover. Hunters only carry the clothes on our backs, the shoes on our feet, and a bow and arrow notched and ready to kill." Grover groaned and said "Great. Now I'll have to wait until we get to camp before I can pull on some pants."

Thalia said "We're done here. Hunters, move out!" The girls started to run back the way they came. Thalia left the clearing last, but before she did, she said "Good luck, Grover." Then she ran off before he could reply. Derek asked "Who was that?" Grover sighed, and said "Thalia Grace. Daughter of Zeus, a hunter of Artemis." Derek nodded, saying "She was kind of cute." Grover cast a look at him, and said "Being a hunter of Artemis means they can't fall in love with boys." Derek looked down, saying "She wasn't that cute. I said 'kind of.'"