[b]"Alright Liam, let's head out."[/b]  Once the camp had settled and everyone understood their tasks, Annabeth  took Liam out into the woods to gather materials they would need to  take down the roc. She knew of some fiberous plants in the woods they  could use to create a thick rope, since they lacked enough from the  wagons. They'd also need to gather some materials for Aramir and Auriel  for the balista. And of course, Annabeth wanted to make sure that there  wouldn't be any animals or monsters to ambush them while they took  shelter in the forest.

Liam looked around, then stretched his arms over his head and sighed in relief. "So... Annabeth, I bet we gotta find stuff to turn into Ballista ammunition, right?" Liam said, now looking at Annabeth.

"Have you hunted birds of this size before?" He asked, kept looking at her for a few moments and diverted his gaze to hi surroundings once more. His ears perked up and moved in a few different directions before her focused back on Annabeth. "I haven't. Though I heard that if you disable their wings, they're pretty much sitting targets. My father told me that a while ago."

[b]"Sounds about right."[/b] Annabeth answered for both his questions. She had her axe out at the ready, in case they run across some hostile creature. [b]"The largest bird I have ever hunted was a turkey. Usually we just shot arrows into them, but something like the Roc... Well, first time for everything I suppose."[/b] Annabeth made a weak joke and continued to look for things to use. She gathered up some vines that didn't look or feel like poison ivy, and took note of some rocks she found on the ground. They looked like bits of flint, and if she could find a bigger rock of flint, they'd have something they could use for arrowheads. 

[b]"So... Any ideas on how to get that wagon? I mean, I don't expect us to be able to kill the roc with what we have. But if we can get that wagon back, than we can worry about the roc later, right?"[/b]

Liam chuckled at her joke, smiled and listened. "Well, technically yes, Annabeth. But..." Liam started, "It's a huge risk, distracting the Roc with bait while we sneak into wherever it keeps the wagon and retrieving it." He shrugged.

"I once hunted one of these things. Of course I was magnificent back then. Two arms, two legs. A lovely torso, skin, muscle and ligiments. I was a full package! I also had pretty nice eyes if I may say so myself." He stopped as he saw something flutter nearby, swinging on the rope as his host walked around and bended over. "You know, it was a lot easier when I had my own body. Significanly more dignified as well, I mean I could go where I wanted when I wanted. Now I'm a little more than a decoration for your clothes. I miss clothes as well. Clothes were good. Anyway what was I saying?"

Annabeth was going to respond to Liam when the skull spoke. Out of shock she yanked the skull off her belt and tossed it towards a tree. She drew her blade and pointed at the ivory head and spoke sternly. [b]"Who are you and how are you speaking!?"[/b]

Liam jerked his head upright and tensed his body in reflex to Annabeth's movement. His fur bristled and his tail jerked, then he relaxed once he noticed what was thrown was merely the skull. "Uh... It said it had hunted a roc, right?"

"I resent that. I'm not a n it, I'm a he. Though I suppose I am just a head so not fully a he right now. However I expect you to remember your manners and respect my life decisions, also not to throw me against trees." His skull being upside down he tried using his jaw to right himself, only to end up on his side. "I am talking the same way you talk, I move my mouth. Words come out, sometimes they make sense and sometimes they don't, for example I have been making sense so far. Saying that the ice caps are going to melt due to an increase in emissions and flood the entire planet is not very sensical." He turned his attention back to the evil one.

The thower and the one who wore him as a belt. Not a very nice lady. "I am Arcadius, though I suppose I didn't have to answer that as it was on my coffin. Though it also said some rather nasty things but more importantly you did not ask very nicely."