The Medal for Finding Metal

An armored gorilla armed with bombs and explosives swooped down from above.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Cassie screamed. She activated her dragon head and it blew fire.

Eri shot her explosive ammo but the gorilla dodged it.

Newt shot at it's armor but it hardly did damage. The gorilla stumbled a bit but that was all.

"Ocotillo! Torch its face off and pretend it is Rabbit!"

Ocotillo imagined the gorilla was Rabbit then torched it's face. She used her tail barb to stab it between the gaps of it's armor.

The gorilla threw a grenade into the cave before it died and fell to the ground outside of the cave.

Eri kicked it out of the cave. The grenade exploded in midair just as it went out.

"Did anyone get cut with some shrapnel?" Eri asked.

Winter looked around hopefully,"Looks like a no."

"That was scary," Cassie said.

"Don't worry. Tomorrow's a day when the gorillas are sleeping all day, so we can go get some metal for your dragon," Eri said.

"What's your dragon's name anyway?" Leo asked.

"Yay! And her name is... I don't know yet," Cassie said.

"Idontknowyet, that's a very pretty name," Eri said.

Cassie face palmed.

"Haha! I'm just kidding!" Eri said.

"Oh I know! I'll name her Victorie! I'm pretty sure it's the Roman word for victory," Cassie said.

"Nice!" Leo said.

"So what should we do now?" Eri asked.

"Like I said, sleep. At least that's what I do when I don't want to act like a crazy person," Ocotillo said.

"Maybe we can kill a bird close by and eat it," Eri suggested.

"First let's check if there are any gorillas nearby," Percy said.

Annabeth said,"I volunteer."

"As tribute," Lina added.

"I'll come too!" Cassie said.

"I'll scout too," Ocotillo said, deciding not to sleep.

"I'll come," Qibli said.

"Alright let's go," Eri said.

"I can bring Victorie to protect us. Though she's a bit heavy though," Cassie said.

"I can help carry her for you," Qibli said.

"Thanks! Let's look for food and metal!" Cassie said.

Ocotillo marched into the woods and muttered to herself,"Just need to be away from people," She called to the group,"I'll search the southern part of the woods and look for gorillas and metal."

"I'll look for something to hunt. Who wants to come with me?" Eri asked.

"I will because I'm awesome," Lina said.

"Yay!" Eri said.

"Alright Cassie, Annabeth, what should we do now?" Qibli asked.

"Look for gorillas! I'll look over there!" Cassie said, running to the southwest.

"Wait you forgot your dragon head!" Qibli said, carrying Victorie's head and running to Cassie.

Percy and Annabeth went to the southeast side of the woods.

"C'mon Lina! Let's go hunting!" Eri said, summoning arrows and a bow with her magical author powers.

Lina summoned arrows and a bow with her author powers and the girls headed to the northeast side of the woods.

Cassie had stopped by a tall tree.

Qibli slowed down to where she was, "Why'd you stop? Is there something here?"

"There might be metal here," Cassie said.

"What makes you think that?" Qibli asked.

"I have a feeling," Cassie answered.

"What feeling?" Qibli asked.

"That metal might be here," Cassie answered.

Qibli sighed in exasperation,"You know what I mean. Why do you have a feeling that metal might be here?"

"I don't know. It's just like a random piece of knowledge. My mind just went,'Cassie! There is metal here!'" Cassie said.

"Huh, odd. Well let's just dig it up or whatever!" Qibli said.

They started digging and Cassie stopped,"I think I hit something!"

"Really? Is it the metal?" Qibli asked.

"Metal!" Cassie confirmed.

Qibli and Cassie heaved the hunk of metal out of the ground.

"I wonder how I could tell it was there..." Cassie said.

"Hey, what's that writing on there?" Qibli asked, pointing to the metal.

"I don't know," Cassie said.

"Well it's not in English or the dragon alphabet," Qibli said.

"Maybe it's in Greek," Cassie said. She squinted her eyes trying to read it,"Not Greek."

"Let's take it back," Qibli said,"I'm sure the others are back already anyway."

"Okay!" Cassie said, grabbing the metal and they walked back to the cave.

When they arrived, Annabeth, Percy, Eri, and Lina were already back.

"Why is Ocotillo not back?" Lina asked.

"Oh crap..." Eri said.

"You can't be serious," Winter muttered.

Lina's eyes widened,"OH NO! YOU'VE DOOMED US! YOU'VE SUMMO-"

Sirius Black crashed and rolled into the cave,"DID SOMEBODY CALL M-"

"NO!" Lina poofed him away.

"That was weird. But still! Ocotillo isn't here yet!" Eri said.

"Where is she then?" Lina asked.

Qibli whispered to Cassie,"I guess the metal writing can wait."

Cassie nodded and set it down.

"Well we just can't leave her alone!" Kinkajou said.

"Who volunteers for the search party?" Lina asked.

"I volunteer," Abe said.

"I VOLUNTEER AS TRIBUTE!" Eri yelled.

"I have to get my friend back," Qibli volunteered.

Rabbit stepped forward,"I shall go to sea-"

"Nope," Cheshire said, slapping a piece of duct tape across Rabbit's mouth.

"I'm coming too," Leo said.

"Me too!" Kinkajou said.

Cassie raised her hand,"I'm coming!"

"I VOLUNTEER AS THE SECOND GIRL TRIBUTE!" Lina yelled.

"Annabeth, do you remember which way Ocotillo has headed?" Abe asked.

"She headed to the south," Annabeth answered.

"That is where we are headed then," Abe said.

Cassie ran ahead of them.

"We need to teach that girl to stay with the group," Lina said. Then the group followed Cassie.

"I see something ahead!" Cassie called.

Eri adjusted her glasses,"Is that a...?"

"A burnt bush," Cassie finished. She took a stick and poked it,"She's been here recently."

"Obviously in a mood," Lina commented.

Cassie started ahead without them. She froze and dropped her stick. She whispered,"That's her."

Qibli looked to where Cassie was seeing and his eyes widened,"Three moons... She's..."

Ocotillo's talons were covered in blood. Her back was torn and bloodied where the griever had stung her. She was trying to dig something out. She noticed the group,"J-just stay back..."

"How did that...? What is wrong?" Abe asked.

"My gosh does that even hurt?" Lina asked.

"Ocotillo? What's going on?!" Qibli asked.

Ocotillo winced at the bombardment of questions, then replied,"I figured it out. I just need to get this out and I'll be fine. I can't let them stay in my head!" She gritted her teeth and started digging again.

"Maybe we could help," Leo offered.

Ocotillo's eyes widened and she stepped back,"No!"

"What? Why?" Eri asked.

Ocotillo stopped clawing into her back,"Because they could come at any moment! Who knows what they could make me do to you!"

"Who is they?" Eri asked.

Ocotillo lowered her talons to the ground, "The people who you thought weren't a problem any more. The organization who would do anything to get the results of their trials... WICKED." She took a step towards Qibli but forced herself to stay back.

"I could kill you... But no. I need someone better," She hissed,"Someone... Innocent."

"Innocent?" Eri repeated.

"Do you really think the maze was the end? WICKED still needs results. Whether we have to kill you guys one by one until you give in or until there's only one person left. And we're starting with her." Ocotillo said and she whipped around and faced Cassie. She raised her tail and pointed the poisonous barb at Cassie's chest.