Chapter 8: Hunters against Half-Bloods
{Camp Half-Blood, August 7th 1996}
As I woke up from my bed I started preparing myself for today's classes, by doing some morning stretches to get rid of yesterday's soreness. I went towards the closet and grabbed my camp shirt and black pants.
I left the Big House, and went for the common breakfast with the other demigods something I had started doing a few months ago. As I approached the masses of darkness and silhouettes of the campers at the tables again the hunters of Artemis stood out with their entirely orange aura encircling the.
"Hey Ozzy." I heard a feminine voice which turned my attention away from the hunters. I recognized the voiced almost instantly and dashed backwards as the hairs of my neck stood on their end. Then a shadowy outline with long hair and blue aura tackled the spot where I was previously on.
"Emma, no stay there." I said in a warning voice, Emma didn't seem to heed my warning as she suddenly tackled at me again, but I started running away from her as fast as my legs could carry me towards the Apollo table a place where I would be safe from her. I started getting closer and closer to my safety table but I suddenly felt two hands go around my waist, a cheek suddenly brushed against mine and Emma said "Oh you are so cute when you run away." "Emma let me go." I cried out trying to get out of her grip which seemed uncharacteristicly strong for an Aphrodite kid.
"No, no.You always eat with the Apollo kids now you should try and eat with us Aphrodite kids I assure we have the best food in the entire camp." Emma declared in a righteous voice as she continued pinching my cheeks. "The food is the same for everyone Emma now let me go, please." I started pleading since it seemed as if I couldn't escape her grip.
I felt her head move and she seemed to be staring directly into my white eyes which I couldn't really tell. "Fine." She said with an exasperasteis sigh. I sighed with relief and hurriedly ran towards the Apollo table just in case anything else were to happen or 'attack' me beforehand.
I finally made it towards the Apollo table and sat beside Clark and another kid of shadowy mass who I couldn't recognize based on just his shadowy form. "Sup Clark." I said, he didn't even look at me as he asked in a monotone voice while munching on a toast "Got caught by Emma?"
"Yeah. I know I am just five and she is thirteen but she is way too fast." I replied. We continued eating our breakfast while making some light small talk and just as the breakfast was about to end a horn was heard all around camp.
BwwOOORRR
As we all turned to the origin of the noise, two shadowy figures stood there. One was my dad and the other was the person who had blown the horn who could be no one else but Argus.
"Ahhem," My dad said as he cleared his throat "Today since it will be the Hunters first day staying here both Artemis and I have decided to do the usual activity, capture the FLAG!"
As soon as my dad finished speaking the campers struck into a resounding cheer probably since we had won the last capture the flag against the hunters at least that is what I heard since we won it when I wasn't even born.
"Alright, alright, settle down kids we all know the rules of the game each side will form a team of 13 people which you can choose amongst yourselves. Since the last game was won by the hunters, the campers will get to decide what side of the Woods to place their flag." My dad said finishing explaining somewhat the rules of the game.
"Come on Ozzy. We need to get chosen" Clark suddenly said as he slapped my back with so much force I stumbled forward. "Sir, yes sir." I replied in a super serious manner while raising my hand to my forehead. "Come on you buffoon." He finished saying.
The campers started gathering around the Hermes Cabin since it was mostly where us campers would gather while the hunters seemed to direct themselves towards the Artemis Cabin. After an hour of proper discussion and a whole lot of help from Clark, Kevin and the Aphrodite kids I was chosen as one of the thirteen campers to face against them, concretely I was chosen to be one of the two guards.
We then made it back to the dining tables, where my dad was still waiting for everyone and after half an hour more the Hunters finally arrived.
"Ok those who will fight for the camper's side step forward." My dad yelled, Clark, Kevin, me and 10 other campers stepping forward.
"Now those on the Hunter's side!" He continued with thirteen hunters stepping forward the two most noticeable ones for me being a super tall shadowy mass and another one who while not as imposing in figure as the previous had a slight red shade in her color something I had only seen in the practice monsters around camp.
"What side have you chosen?" My dad said as he started questioning our side.
"We have chosen the East Wood Side." Chloe a 16 year old daughter from the Demeter cabin and our chosen spokesman.
"Very well." My dad said "Then come pick your flags and start heading toward the forest you will have half an hour to place the flag in your chosen spot and remember it has to be clearly visible."
When my dad finished speaking both Chloe and the hunter who had the slight red aura around her both came up to Chiron and grabbed the tall flags at his sides. After that Chloe came towards us and we started making our way to the forest; the battle for bragging rights had finally begun!