Micah rolled his eyes. "Will you stop being so quick to be hostile for four seconds, Riley? Seriously- if he wanted to hurt anyone, he would've by now."

"Would he want to risk that? He could be trying to slowly earn our trust so that at the worst possible moment he can stab us in the back without us even realizing it at first." Riley says, silently fuming when Ray flew away. But since there wasn't a danger right in front of him, he sheaths his sword.

Micah rolled his eyes. "Whatever. I don't think he plans on falling over himself to beg for your approval, so it doesn't even matter. But if you hurt him," Micah added, glaring at Riley. "I will put you through a world of pain." He turned and walked away.

Janet cowered against the tree, panting and trying to stay as quiet as she could. A few feet away, on the other side of the tree, was a cyclops. Granted, it was a rather small one, but Janet was only seven and she had no weapons. She felt safe enough to get up and start back towards the barrier, so she did. She ran as fast as she could, but she had never been very fast. She felt a prickling sensation in the small of her back and turned around, freezing. She shrieked as the cyclops got closer, and turned to continue running as fast as she could toward camp.

"Can I hurt him if he hurts me or anyone else here?" Riley calls after him, checking his boundaries. Austyn gives Riley that permission, bouncing in place like he usually does. Riley heads to his cabin to rally the Ares kids together and get his armor and prepare for battle against monsters. How fun.

Ray heard the shriek and instantly flew towards the noise. I know, what fool would do such a thing? Going towards a noise? Well, he had claimed himself to be the protector of his land, and so if he heard sounds of distress, he had to come to peoples aid. It only made sense, right? He spots Janet before he sees the cyclops. He dives down and scoops Janet up, dodging the cyclops as he flew back up, up, up, above the trees, keeping Janet close to him. He flies back to the camp, assuring Janet that it was ok, she was ok now, and everything was going to be alright.

Nicole looked at Austyn. "How are you always so hyper? We're literally on the brink of a probably fatal war, and you're bouncing." She looked genuinely impressed.

Janet broke down crying, hiding her face in Ray's shoulder. A few moments later she started calming down and she mumbled that she wanted to be taken to Austyn.

"I'm bouncing?" Austyn just now seemed to recognize that fact, and stopped soon after. "Oh, yeah. I was bouncing. Well, probably fatal war or not, it doesn't mean we can't have fun."

Ray nods and flies in silence, gliding down before coming to a stop beside Austyn. "Janet wanted you." He says, and passes the child off. Austyn looks rather surprised, not expecting himself to be the one Janet wanted to see. Why not Micah? He was more responsible. Or Silvia? She was more of a motherly figure than Austyn could ever be.

Janet started crying again and hugged Austyn tightly, wrapping her arms around him with surprising strength.
"Gods," Nicole muttered. "What happened?" She looked at Ray for an explanation.

Austyn was still listing people that would be better than him. Even Riley would be better than him! Wait, no, he takes that back. Riley would just tell her to suck it up. He wouldn't be good.
"Um, one of your monsters. One eyed?" Ray supplies.

"I- I went outside o-of camp cause I h-heard you guys talking about the m-monsters and I wanted t-to help. I lost my d-dagger and then th-there was this big c-cyclops and he was ch-chasing me and-" she sniffled. "R-Ray found me, and he s-saved me."
Nicole looked at Ray, looking mildly surprised.

Ray shrugs and shifts his weight from one foot to another. "It was nothing, really." He mumbles. "Anyone would have done it." He looks around for Micah, wanting to let him know that Janet was found.
Austyn nods seriously as he listens to her story before giving her a small smile. "That sounds scary. Next time go with a buddy - which means me, because I want in on all your adventures, fun or no fun, so that we can brave all the storms of life and watch each other's backs. But you're safe now, I won't let the cyclops get you."