A brief episode in the life of Anna and Jason. This scene takes place about four years after "First Friend."
Sparring
A pine dryad watched from her tree as the two demigod children circled each other within a ring of wolf pups. The elder of the two was a girl with black hair and sea green eyes, maybe 7 years old. The younger was a boy of maybe 6, with golden-blond hair and electric blue eyes.
Suddenly, the boy lunged, going for the girl's waist to take her down. The girl sidestepped, grabbing his arm to yank him off balance. Adapting quickly, the boy used his momentum and her grip on his arm to swing around and slam into her, knocking her back a step. They fought back and forth for a couple minutes, until the girl caught the boy as he rushed low at her side and flipped him onto his back, dropping herself to sit on top of him, her hands pinning his shoulders to the forest floor. The boy thrashed, and his struggle caused electricity to crackle on his skin.
"OW!" The girl shouted. "Jason, stop shocking me!" But she didn't let go, and her cry of pain was enough to make the boy stop fighting.
"Okay, Anna," he said resignedly. "You won. Again." The wolves yipped and howled in congratulations to Anna, and she stood, holding out her hand to help Jason up.
"You're getting better," she said. He wrinkled his nose.
"Not better enough," he replied. Anna laughed and reached over to ruffle his blond hair.
"You'll get there, frater minor," she promised, using the Latin for 'little brother'.
