The wolf snarled again and then to Lara's great surprise leapt to her side and said, "Well get up then. I haven't got all day."

Lara scrambled to her feet hastily, eyeing the wolf warily. "What-, who are you?" she asked.

The wolf snorted and started trotting off into the fog. "This isn't the right place," it said. "You will know all when we get there."

"Get where? Where are we going? How did you learn to talk?" she called. The wolf ignored her. Lara sighed and followed it.

They went on for about ten minutes until the house Lara had seen from the hilltops came into sight. It was a burnt wreck. Wolves began coming into sight, popping up behind Lara and to her side, snarling at her. For the first time, Lara wished that she really was a magician. She wouldn't mind making the wolves go "POOF!" The wolf that had attacked her gestured with its snout towards the house. Lara hesitated and then followed. The wolf padded through the house, going into a court yard in the back of the house. The court yard was lined with cobblestones. There was an enormous ragged hole in one corner of it. Lara didn't want to know what had happened there. The wolf gestured for Lara to sit. She sat on a small stone near the courtyard wall. The wolf padded back out of the courtyard. Lara heard snarling from outside the courtyard for several minutes. Then, the wolf padded back in.

"My wolves have been asking me to let them eat you," the wolf said matter-of-factly. Lara didn't know what to respond, so she didn't.

"I told them not to. You have proven yourself worthy. But know what fate will expect you if I change my mind."

"Err…thanks I think?" Lara said, then burst out, "What do you mean by 'proving myself worthy', though? Worthy of what? And who are you? Where are we and what do you want?"

The wolf growled. Lara was afraid that she had said too much, but then she realized that the wolf was laughing.

"You have spunk, girl. I like that. You have proven yourself worthy of living. Every demigod who comes through here must prove that they are worthy of living, that they have what it takes to be warriors of Rome."

Lara frowned, "Err, sorry. You've lost me at the demigod thing. What is a demigod?"

The wolf sighed, "I forget how little you all know when you first come here. A demigod is the descendant of a mortal and one of the Roman gods of Olympus."

Lara frowned. She didn't usually pay very much attention in English class, but she remembered something…

"Like, um Poseidon and Zeus and them? I'm pretty sure those are stories those old Greek fools told each other to explain lightning and stuff…"

The wolf sighed, "First off, those are the Greek aspects of the gods. Neptune and Jupiter would be the names the Romans would use. Second, when have you ever met a talking wolf before? I'm pretty sure your science can't explain that."

Lara frowned, then looked annoyed. "This must be one of those weird dreams I have sometimes. I'll wake up in a second or two with Luke laughing at me for talking in my sleep." She got up and started to leave, but the wolf snarled and leapt at her, slamming into her from behind. Lara fell over backwards, smacking her head on the concrete. She sat up slowly, rubbing her head.

"Ow! Ok I get it, this isn't a dream. Right, so my dad's a Roman god and you're…what exactly are you?"

The wolf puffed out its chest. "I am Lupa, guardian of Rome. Surely you've heard stories about me?"

"Err, sorry, no" Lara replied.

Lupa snorted, "Everyone has heard of Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome. But do they hear about the wolf that saved the twins from almost certain doom? No! Without me they would've died in some riverbed. I'm pretty sure nobody would've told stories about them then!" She sighed. "Anyways, so as I was saying, I am the guardian of Rome. As the center of western civilization has shifted to America, so have major sites in the Olympians' world. Mt Olympus is in New York now, the underworld in under LA, etc, etc, etc. So also ancient Rome has shifted. It is now located just about twenty miles from here. I am the guardian of New Rome, the training center for Roman demigods. It is my job to choose which demigods are worthy to go on to New Rome, and which ones are not."

Lara shivered, trying not to imagine the fate in store for anyone Lupa did not think worthy to go on. She took a deep breath and then said, "Right, so you said my dad's a Roman god, right? Do you know him? Will I get to meet him?"

"So many questions! I have met all of the Roman Olympian gods, but I do not know which one is your father, although I have my own theories. If you reach Camp Jupiter, you will most likely be claimed there. As for getting to meet him, that depends on him, not every demigod meets his/her godly parent. You will stay here for a few days and train. When I feel that you are ready, you will go on to Camp Jupiter." Lupa got up and padded back towards the house. Lara stood to follow her. Immediately, dark spots danced before her eyes and she felt nauseous. She sank to her knees. When she had recovered, the wolf, Lupa was back at her side. The wolf placed a square object in her hands.

"Eat," she growled. Lara lifted the square to her mouth and cautiously took a bite. Immediately, she felt warmth spread through her body. She could feel the throbbing in her ankle and the pounding in her head begin to lessen.

Lupa padded towards the house. "Rest now. Your training will begin in the morning."