The next morning I found Annabeth walking out of the Big House. "Who was that boy last night?"

She carried bags under her eyes, her hair was disheveled and her normally strong aura she projected was now bent over and exhausted. "Chiron says his name is Percy Jackson. He passed out on the porch and hasn't woken up yet."

"Is Grover going to be alright?"

She nodded. "He's fine. He said they were thrown from the car when lightning struck and hit his head on a rock."

"Do we know anything about him? What was all the commotion about last night?"

She raised an eyebrow. "The minotaur was chasing him, Grover and his mom last night. Using the bull's horn he managed to kill it. Why are you so interested in this new guy?" I swallowed, explaining about my dream last night. That could not have been what was happening a quarter-mile away, could it? "Maybe," Annabeth shrugged. "Demigods tend to have dreams of other events that are happening other places."

I attacked my morning lessons with vigor, trying to get the thought of the new boy out of my mind.

"I think the dummies are dead," Clarisse called. I stepped back from repeatedly impaling one and threw the spear across to the other; it sunk into the soft stomach.

"Sorry," I mumbled.

"Don't apologize, that was pretty good. Your form is improving tremendously. We have a few more minutes, do you want to spar?" I nodded and made the first move. Forcing everything into the back of my mind I watched Clarisse. By now I knew her style: deflect hard and attack with force. By rolling under her jab I came up kneeling. With a strong thrust upwards I knocked her spear out of her hands. The look she gave made me briefly fear for my life.

"Good job," she cracked a grin. "If you can disarm me then you stand a pretty good chance of holding your own in battle."

"Thanks, Clarisse," I smiled, hauling the dummies to the corner; they were no longer much use to anyone anymore.

"If you ever need any help with other weapons or battle strategy or tips, let me know. Just don't come around too often because I don't want people getting the idea we're friends or anything."

"No, why would you ever want to be friends with a princess?" I teased.

Before walking out she paused, called over her shoulder, "You're alright, Hancock." Her words stayed with me long after Clarisse's voice drifted away. If it was possible I had another friend and she had one as well.

Life at Camp continued. I even managed to forget about the boy for the most part. On the second day I was on the climbing wall when I glanced down and nearly fell off. Chiron was leading a wide eyed newbie around, pointing things out. He was awake. Compared to two days ago he looked much better, though still a bit weak in the legs.

"Caitlin, stay focused!" Luke screamed from below where he was spotting me. I clambered sideways as a spurt of lava cascaded down. "That's it, keep your feet below your hands. Three points of contact at all times...THREE POINTS OF CONTACT AT ALL TIMES, CAITLIN!" I groaned and swung my feet back onto the rock. When I finally reached solid ground again Luke sighed. "That was slower than the last time. What are we going to do with you?"

"Throw me off the climbing wall?" I suggested. He rolled his eyes with a small smile playing on his lips. I walked down to the canoe lake and let my feet hang off the dock. The naiads sitting on the bottom waved and I waved back. Exausted from nearly being killed several times while rock climbing I lay backwards and closed my eyes.

"Uh, hi," a timid voice said. snapping to a sitting position I wheeled around. The same boy from my dream was standing there, holding a horn.

"Hi."

"Sorry, was I bothering you? You looked like you were asleep."

I stood. "No, its fine. You're new here, aren't you?" I pretended to not know. He nodded. "I'm Caitlin."

"Percy Jackson," he shook my outstretched hand. His dark hair reminded me of a porcupine the way it pointed in all directions. The green eyes set in his face were almost startling, but not in the way Annabeth's were. His held a deep-rooted confidence and were the color of the sea being churned in a storm.

"You'll get used to it here, I promise. I've only been here a couple months." He nodded, not convinced at what I was saying. I couldn't blame him, I felt the same way when everyone first told me I belonged here. The conch horn sounded for lunch. "I got to go. See you later." I gave him a smile and walked away, feeling his gaze on my back.

It was the same: toast to the gods, scrape an offering into the flames, any announcements. I noticed Percy glancing across the pavilion in my direction often. Or maybe he was just staring at the Aphrodite girls.


Friday afternoon I was stunned when Clarisse asked me to be an ally for capture-the-flag. Normally I was on Annabeth's side. "Yeah," I agreed. "Good," she said and walked back to her siblings. That was new. When Clarisse was giving orders and positions I was sent around the right flank. When the flag came into sight I slowed. Two of the Athena campers were there. Pulling out a net I had woven with weights on the ends I tossed it over one. The other was immediately on guard and drew her sword as I charged out, deflecting my first attack. That was the distraction needed for Charles Beckendorf from Hephaestus to sneak around a seize the flag. Of course, as he was running away he fell over a tripwire and we both were taken prisoner.

I was bored to death when the conch sounded and we were released along with a few other prisoners. Everyone was congregating at the creek. The celebrating of Luke's victory ended with the presence of a hellhound on the rock above. As I watched it leapt and pushed Percy to the ground. Teeth sank into his breastplate. I moved forward but arrows pierced the monster's neck. Then Percy was claimed.

We all kneeled as Chiron announced gravely, "Poseidon, Earthshaker, Stormbringer, Father of Horses. Hail, Perseus Jackson, Son of the Sea god." I was spellbound, though a small twinge of happiness started. I would no longer be the only person who was not supposed to be alive. How lucky was I that Percy Jackson was here?

That question would be answered later.