Sorry, this is really late at night, but my bro's bday pparty was today and well, you know how that is(and if you don't you are really lucky). Here's the next chapter. I read it over, but if something's confusing, comment on it and I'll try to clear it up. I think I'll have time tommorow(all depends on my father, who isn't dependable on such matters) but until then, enjoy!

Chapter 10

Percy

When the girl was done playing her song Lupa spoke almost right away. "Well then," she began. "Obviously Hazel is going seeing as she's our prophet at the moment." The wolf had nodded at the black haired girl when she said Hazel. Percy sensed more behind the wolf's words than simply stating that the girl Hazel was their prophet, but didn't want to ask. The girl she had conjured up in her prophecy was the girl from the grove! The one he felt so deeply connected to! He had to go on this quest, he just knew it! Despite the thoughts tumbling through Percy's brain, Lupa continued slowly. "I believe Reyna is the warrior, but we will discuss it at the Gathering this evening." Gathering? Oh, yeah, Lupa had already explained this. It was a gathering of the whole Legion to discuss tactics around a bonfire. "It is also plain the the third companion she referred to was Percy here." Both girls looked at him. He nodded, agreeing with the old wolf despite the danger the prophecy seemed to whisper of.

"Why?" the girl Reyna demanded. "Why him he just got here for gods's sake! We don't even know if we can trust him! I think . . ." A growl emerged for the she-wolf's throat as she leaped through the air and onto Reyna's chest. Girl and wolf fell backwards onto the plush floor. Placing a paw on each shoulder, Lupa glared at the girl beneath her. The ornate chair, that Percy had thought couldn't hold his weight, was holding both up.

The wolf snarled at the girl who stared back at her, eyes filled with determination. Percy was shocked he hadn't heard any bones cracking. Either Reyna had a lot cushioning on her less flexible body parts or the large wolf was the lightest predator in creation. Lupa snarled once more, "I have my reasons," she said, a clear snarl behind every word. "I will explain them to you, but only at the Gathering. Do you understand?" Reyna nodded, biting her lip. "Good," Lupa said, climbing off the girl gingerly. "We can't have anyone questioning orders can we?" When she made that last inquiry, it was obviously directed at Hazel. The petite girl looked away.

Reyna rubbed her arms where the wolf's paws had rested. Then she started to pick up the chair. "Fine," she said glaring at the wolf, "He'll go with us, but there had better be a good reason. Should I get the shield ready?"

"No," the wolf replied. "The shield is for those unclaimed, this boy has been." Reyna opened her mouth again but Lupa spoke before she could, "And there will be no need to tattoo him either." Nodding, Reyna now sat perfectly straight in her chair again, waiting for orders Percy thought. He looked at the girl Hazel and took note she was staring at the floor, her guitar now leaning on her arm rest. When she sensed his eyes on her she looked up at him. Her dark eyes widened, cheeks turned a dark red, and she looked away once more.

Lupa looked from one demigod to the other. "None of you have been properly introduced to Percy here have you?" she asked. Both of the girls shook their heads. Percy thought the contrast in their attitudes was almost comical, one more stubborn than a Satyr looking for Pan and the other meeker than a mind to Dionysus. He wondered if these two were friends, and if so, how close they were. Not very he thought. Reyna doesn't even seem to notice that her friend is unhappy about something.

Lupa pointed at the girl Reyna with her nose and introduced her as, "Reyna McHenry, daughter of Mars and Second in Command of the Half-Blood Legion and," the wolf turned to Hazel, "this is Hazel Adams, Daughter of Apollo and head of the Apollo Cohort." That confused Percy.

"Wait a minute," he said, "all the gods's have different names here. Is Apollo still . . ."

"Yes Apollo is still the sun god," Lupa interrupted turning to face Percy, "of all the gods, his name didn't change when he came to Rome." Okay then, Percy thought, Apollo is a bit full of himself.

"Now," she said, "here is Percy, son of Neptune. He has no recollection of his past. All I know of him comes from what I observe and what I was told by Juno when she dropped him off." The girls gasped. Apparently gods didn't drop kids off at this place often. Percy wondered why with the place so cheerful and welcoming. "Yes," Lupa continued, starting to pace, "a goddess known to hate demigods dropped him off here. Outside of this I've sworn on the River Styx not to tell." The wolf heaved a sigh, "You should go clean yourselves up for dinner. I have things to do." All three of them got up at once, the two girls saluting the wolf before following Percy to the door. Once outside of it, Percy realized he had no idea which way to go. It didn't help that Reyna stormed out of the room and went in a direction that was completely opposite of the one he could've sworn he and Lupa had come in.

His suspicions were confirmed when a soft voice behind him informed him, "Don't follow her." Though he would never admit it, Percy jumped when he heard the girl's voice. When he turned he saw it was Hazel, Apollo's daughter. "She's heading to her office, probably to bawl her eyes out or throw darts at something, it usually depends on the day." Hazel's voice was sweet and melodic hinting at the voice she had when she sang.

"Uh, thanks," he said, unsure how to continue. "Which way should I go?" The look he gave her must have been really confused because Hazel laughed. It looked as though she hadn't done so in a long time but enjoyed it when she did. Percy certainly enjoyed the sound of her laugh, which he thought was like high ringing bells.

Finally, when the girl caught her breath, she responded, "Just follow me," and turned in the direction opposite that which Reyna had gone. Percy shrugged and followed her. He had no reason not to trust her and he might get some straight answers. He had to practically run to catch up with her, but once he had done so she was easy to keep up with.

"So," he began, picking an easy question to get her talking. "Why would Reyna bawl her eyes out? She doesn't seem like that kind of girl."

"Oh," Hazel replied, "She's just been that way since Jason went missing. No one's supposed to know but they were going out when he went missing two weeks ago." The girl looked over at him curiously. "I have a feeling you're connected to his disappearance somehow. It's just a feeling. . ."

Okay, he had to get her off this line of thinking, whoever Jason was."How long have you been here?"

"9 years," she replied curtly, "never left the camp during all of them. No one does unless they have a quest or there's a war. All we do is train year round and correspond with the parents who don't know their kid's half god enough to keep them happy. Not that half of the parents care enough to actually check if there's a school here." Percy could sense the bitterness in her voice. He wondered if her parent was like the ones she had described.

Again, he got simple questions going. "Was there a war recently?"

"Oh yeah there was," a mixture of longing and regret filled Hazel's voice, "Everyone went but the weakest and, of course, me." Hearing the sadness in her voice, Percy wished he could do something for her, but didn't know her well enough to do so. Instead, he tried to distract her with his real questions.

"What's with that grove during the test thing?" he asked. "I mean Lupa said something about destiny and . . ."

"That pretty much sums it up," Hazel said, once more all business. "It predicts the destiny of any demigod that steps there and has them fight it. If you think about it, it sort of forewarns them of what to look out for."

"Like you," Percy stated simply. If he were judging the hallways right(yeah that was going to happen), they were almost out of the Castra. If they were Percy hoped that Hazel would let him stick with her. He'd need a guide so he could survive the camp long enough for hi to leave it for his quest.

"Yes," sadness once more filling Hazel's voice, "like me." Then, not knowing what else to do, Percy plowed on with his questions about the camp.