I don't own PJO.

CHAPTER 4

I'm stretching in the archery ranging, throwing my arms high in the air and then reaching down to touch my toes. My wound has healed but some tightness remains and I have to work my way through it.

The air is crisp, mist pooling over the forest. I'm alone at the moment, letting the silence vibrate inside my head. My hair is spilling loose over my shoulders, tangled but free and away from my eyes. Without further ado, I stand straight, open my hands, and my bow is there, ready.

I don't really know how I make my bow appear. Sometimes, in high stress situations, it just appears and I'm shooting and I don't have to think about it. But right now, I just picture my bow and it's there. The body of the bow is silver, made of twisted material that looks like deer horns or wood. The grip is leather and smooth, engraved with a vine design. It feels perfect in my hands, like my other half.

I start shooting and the steady twang of the string, the sharp thud of the arrow connecting with the bulls eye, it makes my heart slow and clears my head. My side aches, but I work through it.

I know Chiron is standing behind me long before he makes a sound. The faint swish of his tail, the steady thud of his heart, the murmur of his breathing. But I just keep shooting. After a while, he says, "You're not as sharp today."

I sigh. "I did just almost get killed. I'm sorry I'm not in a constant state of perfection."

He doesn't say anything, just makes his way to stand beside me. From the corner of my eye, I look at him. He's turned more and more gray over the years, making him seem more and more wise. He stands straight and serene, holding his arms behind his back.

"Do you know what it was?" I ask him, letting another arrow sink into a target.

"I was just about to ask you the same thing."

"Well," I murmur out of the corner of my eye as I hone in on a human shaped dummy. "It was inefficient. It was too big to be agile, but it was built like it was suppose to be fast. It was incredibly strong, but it's strength made it clunky. It didn't work." I let the arrow disappear into the dummy's head. "Like it was an experiment."

"Interesting observation." Chiron strokes his beard in an attempt to look pensive. I roll my eyes and let loose another arrow. This time, it hits the target dead center, not leaning left or right.

"What are we going to do about it?"

"Nothing." He responds. "It was one attack. Of course, we'll continue to investigate, but I don't see what we can do about it." I keep quite, not voicing my discontent. Surely, there's something, something we can do...

"How's Jackson?" I find myself saying.

"Better." Chiron seems just as surprised. "His ankle was only twisted and it's almost completely better." A pause. "He seems quite fond of you."

"I'm very fond of cheesy bread." I lower my bow and glare at Chiron. "Wanna make something of it?" He holds his hands up in defeat but grins at me. I sigh and smile. Until he says, "I want you to train him."

"What?!"

"Aaron needs guidance." Chiron puts on his stern, fatherly face. "He has all the power and ability of his parents, but hasn't the skills to put them to use. I'm amazed he came out of that battle with the monster with only a torn ankle. I would do it myself, but," Chiron sighs. "I'm not the centaur I once was. I'm too old. Aaron needs someone to fight, to learn from, to aspire to be like." Chiron's dark eyes light up. "He needs someone like you."

"I'm still waiting for the punchline to this horrible joke." I cross my arms. "What can I teach him? I'm an archer, he's a swordsman."

"You're also the best hunter in Camp." Chiron counters. "And battle is only hunting when the prey fights back." I let out an angry sigh. "Aspasia, I'm not asking. I'm telling." I glare at Chiron, sizing him up. His face is almost giddy now.

"I think it'll be good for you both." He finishes and turns and begins to leave. Before he's gone, he shouts over his shoulder, "Be in the arena in ten minutes."

"What for?"

"I've schedule your first training lesson."