In Which Zachary Makes a Promise... and Hopes He Can Keep It<br/><hr/><br/>The Son of Poseidon paled considerably as his terrible dreams and gut instinct were proven true.  He sighed heavily, his brow furrowed and his face etched with disgust.  Something had slain a spirit of water, a Naiad, and whatever had done it was now the reason he couldn't tread in the calming waters of his father's domain.  The threat was indeed dire but it was hard to ignore the siren's call for the soothing waves for any child of the sea god.<br/><br/>Zachary listened to Chiron's news and he nodded curtly, his arms crossed and his disappointment and anger burning in his stormy eyes.  Whatever had slain that spirit had aroused his wrath, for Zachary held a special love of the Naiads and any of the water spirits in the area.  They were patient with him, often paying quiet respect to him based on not only his parentage but his own abilities.  It was a humble thing for a water spirit, or any natural element of the world, to bow before you.  He had not forgotten their kindness and for something terrible to claw its way into the camp to slay one of them only made him want to swear revenge right there.<br/><br/>It was only Chiron's calming presence and his demand for a reasonable promise that kept Zachary from doing such a foolhardy deed.<br/><br/>"Two monsters of the deep?  It sounds ... you don't think it might have something to do with the Sea of Monsters do you?"  Such a conclusion was certainly plausible, since the dreaded sea could manifest anywhere and draw those inside it without much warning.<br/><br/>Zachary shrugged and shook his head.  Such troubles were certainly worth considering their existence.<br/><br/>He nodded to the centaur and gritted his teeth.<br/><br/>"Fine. I promise.  But, Chiron, I want to be kept in the loop about this.  Something like this... I need to be a part of it and make it right.  The Naiads deserve something better than being treated like prey."<br/><br/>He paused, an odd look of humility coming over the demi-god as he looked up at the wizened centaur, his instructor and mentor to them all.<br/><br/>"And... thank you for telling me the truth.  I.. appreciate it."<br/><br/>Without another word, the melancholy half-blood turned on his heels and headed towards the pavilion.  Brooding worked up a hunger.