Natalie:
A young woman stands upon the top of the hill that overlooks the camp, the scent of strawberries that bloomed in the fields and the sounds of joyful giggles and chatter from satyrs and nymphs that trot and saunter about filling the air, along with the unmistakable sight of red crimson and orange that sprinkled the leaves littered upon the ground. Dark hair is brushed behind her ear, forest colored hues gazing ahead to the sky that was painted from the purple and azure to the refreshing colors of a sunrise.
Chiron stood in his centaur form, wishing the handful of campers off to their journey to the school; a place where demigods were safe, because of the powerful spells that could be used against monsters or people who cause trouble. That school is Hogwarts. The others didn't get their letters until they were about 14, but with everything going on, they couldn't have their mind wound around wizardry and school. Who could worry about homework assignments during holiday breaks, when you were being pursued by bloodthirsty monsters the majority of the time?
Sighing as the students had started to leave, the adolescent starts to scurry to gather her things, shoving her iPod in her bag and letting out a breath that she didn't know that she was holding in. She debated on whether or not to say good-bye to the centaur, but considering what could happen if she was late, both knew that it'd just be easier for her to go on the van and give a wave. It wasn't as if their bond was strong, right? After all, the girl's mother had tried to bring Hell to the surface and to wipe out humanity- who would want to talk with their kid?
Taking a look to the other campers that were managing to cram themselves in the mere amount of two vans- even though the sight was amusing, though the fact that she would be one of the many cramped teenagers easily put her to silence. Slender digits reach up to rake through dark tresses, her gaze finding the van that had some room left- it'd be best if she just found a comfortable spot- it was a few hours or so until they got to England. Thank god for the transportation of the gods- she wasn't exactly willing to take a five hour flight through legitimate hell. Even if she ran so many errands for Zeus and the other gods, they wouldn't put her in their favor- no matter how many favors they owe her.
As Natalie's about to open the car door, she spots a familiar figure jogging down the hill; was that who she thought it was? Her hand slips from the door handle, turning to take a look to the brunette who skids to a stop beside her, annoyance evident among a pair of icy hues.
"Daisy," she mumbles absentmindedly, golden flecked optics searching for some sort of message, reason for such urgency from such a laid-back girl. Instead of answering, the girl just opens the door herself, pointing back up the hill. Her words aren't needed for such an easily read message, though Nat waits patiently for one anyways. Even with a scoff and roll of the eyes, the girl just heaves a quiet sigh, buckling her seat belt as she answered once again.
"The Oracle called for you again." Ignoring the sigh that echoes from the elder's lips, the girl in the car just shrugs. "She favors you, for some odd reason. I'll see you there," the teen then stated, looking over to the brunette with a gaze that challenged her to protest. Instead of doing so, though, Natalie just leans over, gifting the other with a kiss upon the cheek.
"Alright. I'll see you there, little Cousin." The girl murmured in response, waving sheepishly as she then turned, starting to trudge back up the hill to where the Oracle waited.
Natalie:
She waits patiently for the Oracle to beckon her in, and though she is able to push back the beaded curtains and wrinkle her nose at the taste of the god who watched over this girl, her thoughts are elsewhere. Many of these thoughts that lure her mind elsewhere are of confusion; when was the last time a mission was given out with such urgency? Could it be that it was a prophecy? Would it be a proper quest, with a team of people and a destiny that fulfills the world's safety in their hands? For now, all that the young woman needed to focus on was of what the girl brought her here for in the first place.
"Natalie?" A soft, bleary voice calls out from the mouth of the cave, causing her to look over to the child with a small frown.
"Yes?" Another response would have been of some assurance, but then again, Nat wasn't even sure what this mission was about in the first place. However, hearing the weariness and pain laced in the younger's voice, it caused her heart to wrench and her temples to burn with the thoughts of what certainly was to come. A quest was the last thing she needed at this time. Whether it was because school was coming into the picture or the fact that she was exhausted from all of the missions that she was sent on during this summer, it just made her acceptance of another quest even more so hard for her. However, all that the girl does is wait patiently for her instructions or of the information that pertained to this quest.
"You may come in now, I'm-"
"I'm here! You called me?" A loud, energetic voice bounces through the cavern, the beads jingling to add to the symphony of noise as a vibrant head of hair is the first sign of another entering the cave, followed by a much more quiet figure behind them. The two females turn their heads to look over to the pair of teenagers, confusion encrypted upon the elder's features, while relief makes itself evident upon the child's expression, her body slumping into the chair centered in the corridor.
"Good; you're here." The small girl murmurs, a hand reaching up to brush back dark locks of hair. Nat turns to face the girl, the confusion that seared through her temples started to ache even more so, the anxiety that was starting to pile itself upon her chest like bricks making her body lean back to find assurance in the cold stone behind her.
"What do you mean, 'you're here'? Daisy had said that I was called here-"
"Ah, so did Thomas!" The first boy chirped, excitement evident in his tone- though it's quickly dissipated by the sharp glance from the blond. The second teenager just lets out a weary sigh, looking over to the waiting girl with evident annoyance.
"What did you bring us here for, Oracle?" His voice is sharp, more impatient than anything. Nat had no right to exactly blame him- she had missed her only way to get to England (safely), and it wasn't going to benefit her in any way if a quest was piled on top of that.
Dark brows furrow when another man steps into the cave- this one was a much more calm, stoic teenager whose optics flickered from each person, landing last on the Oracle. "What is the meaning of this?" The taller male inquires with a harsh tone, his hand tightening around the strap of his bag that was hefted upon his shoulders. Noticing this, the girl's eyes narrow, golden flecked hues searching for some explanation of his bag, or of his impatient tone as he crossed his arms, the glare like a curse cast upon the seated girl. Was it possible that they were all Hogwarts students as well? Considering that she'd the redhead somewhere in the Hufflepuff dormitory or that they all had bags the same size as her own, it would explain such urgency for all of them.
"Isn't that obvious?" The indistinct chatter halts between the pair of boys behind the brunet, Natalie's gaze bringing her from the orb beside the girl to the three others, lastly landing upon the child who gazed to her with ease.
"I brought you here for a quest."
Natalie:
"That doesn't help anything," the brunet snapped, a groan of frustration escaping him as he raked a hand through dark tufts of hair. Forest colored hues linger on him, a small frown disgracing her expression as his annoyance is contagious, washing over her as she couldn't help but feel the urge to sigh. If one knew the Oracle, they would immediately see that the little girl never got to the bottom line- many's patience would be tested with this child's boldness. Couldn't they see that they just needed to be patient?
"It doesn't?" Confusion is evident on the younger's features, lips that are pulled back in the midst of talking growing plump as she sticks out her bottom lip, a pout starting to become evident upon childish features. "Hm, maybe I should specify, yes?" The offer isn't taken like one, however, as she just shrugs, small shoulders moving up and down as she leans back into the chair that was gifted to her with her many collapses due to the energy needed of telling such prophecy's from the sun god's lips. "Let me see, well... I had quite the vivid dream, you see-"
Lurching from her chair, the girl drops down to catch the child, steadying her with ease as such actions were now normal to the brunette. After setting her back upon the seat that cushioned the child's quivering frame, Natalie tilted the Oracle's head to take a look to her eyes and the smoke that started to waft around the room from her nostrils and agape mouth. Her head rolled, the voice of the Delphi erupting from within the tiny girl:
"Arriving at the city of love, you will find
the secret horror that lies beneath.
Venture down to the blistering heat of the South,
and you shall find the blood of the sword in a never-ending sleep.
Then, you shall ride to where the ocean hugs the Earth's sorrows,
and defeat the beast that has captured the ground's memories."
Her hand shook heavily as she scribbled the notes, thoughts running quicker than her words. The prophecy didn't normally strike at such a time- not when so few campers were here- and the fact that it did scared the elder girl as she watched the Oracle. Silence echoed throughout the cavern as the three others watched the two, confusion and alarm emanating from the group of teens- it was obvious that they'd never heard of a prophecy first-hand. Natalie watched the girl as she wrote vigorously, keeping the notepad steady for her as the child wrote, lips coloring crimson with the blood that was starting to drip from her nose. The redhead is the first to act in somewhat of a useful way- scouring the room in search of some towels or tissues for the Oracle. Finding them with ease, the lanky teen holds them out for Nat to take, the confusion being replaced with nervousness as she glanced his way, slender digits moving from the notepad to take a handful of the tissues, gently pressing them to the Delphi's nose to stop the bleeding.
After a few moments of silence, a loud gasp for breath is heard, her figure falling forward once again with the weakness that often overcome the poor child in the aftermath of such work. The teenage girl manages to steady her, holding her up as the girl has to stand, unable to keep herself crouched in front of the foreseer any longer. "Are you alright, Hope?" The elder whispers, holding the younger by her shoulders as Natalie sits her down, noticing the pale girl's shaking figure and the fear clouding Hope's gaze. The younger girl gives a meek nod, amber hues flickering from the brunette over to the group of boys, a small frown contorting her features as she stares at them.
"They- they are the ones, right? I called for them, right?" Her voice is uncertain, and a small wrench in her chest causes Nat to take in a slow, unsteady breath. Even though she had seen this so many times, even though the adolescent was used to such weakness after the task of foreseeing such a future, it still pained her to see their Oracle in such a state.
"Yes, Hope. You called for them. They- they um, they have something to do with the prophecy you wrote down. See?" Slowly, the girl moves up the notepad, so that both of them could see. Slowly, the younger's face clears, a sheepish smile gracing her features and a laugh escaping her.
"Ah, yeah, yeah! Sorry about that, I um, I got it, now! Though, there're four of you, not three. Was there- was there four?" Her gaze flutters from the elder girl over to the group of boys, who then tense up as she stares to them for quite the while. However, as time passed, one of them decided to clear his throat and step forward to explain; thank the Gods for common sense. Taking a closer look to him, however, a small frown contorts her features as the brunette watches him, wariness starting to come upon her like a frigid, cold splash of reality.
"I uh, I'm Frederick. Frederick Wolf." Even though the blond's gaze wouldn't meet another's for more than a few seconds, when his gaze met the other girl's, his own eyes narrowed in growing wariness as he noticed her own. However, his gaze of blue and gold flickers elsewhere, discomfort evident upon his frown and clenched fists. "I was called here by Thomas. Thomas Salgado, son of... son of Ares, I believe." Cue a slight shrug. "Leo here," he points to the redhead, who waves rather enthusiastically, "-came with me. I'm not sure if he's a part of this quest, though considering that we'll have to travel to a lot of places, his father will be very useful- at the very least, that's the most logical way of looking at it."
Stopping there, the man bows his head just the slightest, before taking a look over to the brunet beside him. He was biting at the nail of his thumb, evidently nervous, and paused only when silence had filled the air. Dark tufts of hair fall from his eyes as he glances up to meet our gazes, irritation fading into slight weariness, as he just leans his shoulder against the cavern wall, a slight sigh escaping the elder boy.
"Jonah. Son of Hecate, Jonah Smith. Is that what you need to know?" The boy states firmly, a pale hand reaching up to rake through brunet locks of hair.
"Yes," she stated quietly, frowning as she tosses the crimson-dyed balls of tissue into the bin beside her, not bothering to look to anyone beside the girl next to her. "My name is Nat. Many know me as the leader of this camp- though others know me only as my name." Taking an absentminded look over to the notepad, slender digits take the book to shove into her bag, a calloused hand reaching over to gently pat the foreseer's shoulder, starting to get up to her feet. Passing the fellow campers that were a new addition to this mission, Natalie stops, forgetting something important.
"Meet here at noon with your necessities. We leave then." With that, she starts off to her cabin, leaving the Oracle's cave, and the prophecy that plagued her thoughts, behind.
