''Sam, are you okay?'' Travis whispered softly, sitting on the end of my bunk.

I wiped tears from my face ''y-yeah'' I managed.

He gazed up at my photos, then at me ''how about we go for a walk before everyone else gets up'' holding out his hand he continued ''It's around 5 am, so I don't think anyone else will be awake for a while''

I took his hand ''thanks''

I'd never had a brother before, then again I'd never had any other family besides the hunt. We walked down towards the beach and watched the sun rise, we sat in a comfortable silence on the sand. The waves hitting our feet.

''I've never had an older brother before'' I paused, '' I know it's not official, but I have a gut feeling that I'll be staying in the Hermes cabin for a while''

'' Well, for never having a brother I think you're doing great. But don't worry I'm working on payback for yesterday'' he said.

I cracked a smile

''You know, I had an older brother for a while but he betrayed me and just about everyone else. He fought alongside Kronos in the war, well actually he kinda was Kronos. Anyways, the point is no matter what happens I'll always have your back. Claimed or unclaimed''. For as long as I'd known Travis, which happened to be less than twenty-four hours, I'd never pictured himas the sappy speech kinda guy.

He wrapped his arms around me in a hug, I felt at ease, like he was telling the truth.

''Promise?'' I asked, holding out my pinky finger.

''Promise'' he said, linking his finger with mine. ''But if anyone hears about this, you're dead. Including Conner.''

I laughed a little ''deal''

We sat there together a little longer, till he asked the burning question.

''Bad dream?''

''Yeah'' and I told him everything, well almost everything anyway. Talking to Travis felt like a huge weight was lifted from my shoulders, like my problems were suddenly smaller.

''Do you really love her?'' He asked.

I paused contemplating my answer.

''I think I do'' tears rolled off my cheek and this time Travis wiped it away.

He got up ''come on, let's get back before everyone wakes up''

We walked back to cabin eleven and almost everyone was still sleeping, except the Apollo cabin, I guess because there dads the sun god so they get up at sunrise? I'm not sure though. Only a couple people in cabin eleven were up, Conner, Willow and a few other kids.

''I'm guessing the Ares kids are still asleep, since nobody's tried to kill us yet'' Conner laughed, making his bed.

I sat on the end of mine and braided my hair. I might not be a hunter anymore, but they really do know how to manage their hair.

''You can braid? That's cool. Can you braid my hair?'' Willow said sitting down beside me

''Sure''

I finished braiding my hair, then I braided Willows and a couple of the other girls asked if I could braid their hair too. Even Conner let me braid his hair into a little ponytail.

''Okay guys time for breakfast'' he said as I finished his hair.

Travis smiled ''oh and Sam, breakfast is open seating, you can sit wherever with whoever you want''.

''thanks'' I said, holding my hand up for a high-five.

And Travis gave me one. ''Ow'' he said. Looking at the buzzer I was holding.

''Here's your buzzer back Conner'' I threw it at him, then I walked out the door to the dining pavilion.

I scraped some food into the fire and silently prayed to Hermes, hoping to be claimed, I even tossed in some skittles. Conner mentioned that his dad liked skittles. I saw Nyssa and her siblings coming down for breakfast, and I waved for her to come sit with me, she brought Harley.

Harley beamed at me and sat down.

''Good morning'' I announced, passing him a pack of skittles.

''It's seven thirty, you can't give him candy before breakfast'' Nyssa said before scraping her burnt offerings.

''Meh, I didn't say he had to eat them now'' I smiled, eating my cereal.

Conner and Travis came and sat with us.

''Hey! Are those my skittles? '' he said looking at Harley.

''Nope, those are the ones I stole from you and gave to Harley, so their Harley's skittles'' I laughed, flinging some cereal at him.

''How has dad not claimed you yet, your totally a Hermes kid'' he smiled '' and don't ever do that again''

''No promises''

My drink goblet filled itself with Hawaiian punch, and I finished my breakfast as Conner and Travis told me about camp activities. First we had chores, then cabin inspection and after was when we started the actual activities. You could sign up for a variety of different choices, like sword practice, archery, arts and crafts where you made your own sword, gardening etc.

''Where do I sign up for archery?'' I asked.

''The Apollo cabin'' Nyssa said, munching on her toast.

Harley talked about how he'd made his own sword in arts and crafts.

''That's pretty cool buddy'' I said.

He smiled.

After breakfast we all ran off to do clean up, we made our beds and put away our stuff. I swept the floor and found five bucks, it was great. We got a four on our cabin inspection, which I'd say was pretty good. Then I ran off to practice archery.

''Hey'' I waved to a redhead girl with green streaks in her hair ''Kayla right?''

''Yeah'' she said walking over.

''Where can I get a bow and quiver?'' She pointed me towards the armoury and I dashed off.

''Thanks'' I called out.

I found the perfect bow and a nicely decorated quiver. It was almost as if someone knew I was coming. I took shots on the targets, I missed my first shot by a lot so I took a breath, counted to ten, and tried again. This time I hit a bullseye, and then another and another. Everyone stared at me.

''What'' I said looking around

''That was amazing'' Kayla said '' We just don't see a lot of people shoot like that''

''Oh'' I smirked.

I began to practice again, till I ran out of arrows. I collected them all and climbed a tree. I find shooting from the high grounds is easier. When I was done, I was walking back to cabin eleven when I noticed a boy sitting behind cabin twelve, sobbing. He was talking to himself.

''They don't know how much I miss you, crying here alone. You were always better at growing strawberries than me'' he sobbed, his head on his knees.

I set my bow and quiver down and quietly sat down beside him, he didn't seem to notice at first.

''I pretend to smile as they walk by, I pretend I'm fine'' he said. Then he lifted his head.

I held my arms out and he looked shocked, he hesitated but slowly he embraced me, sobbing on my shoulder.

''It's okay'' I said ''let it all out, I won't tell anyone'' and he hugged me. For a while we just sat there together and he cried on my shoulder. I got up.

''Wait here'' and I ran back to my cabin, I tore apart my bag to find the colourful string I kept.

''Here'' said, handing him some. ''Watch'' and I showed him how to braid the string into a bracelet, twisting over and under, and making knots, he got it in no time. I finished mine then tied it around his wrist.

''It's a friendship bracelet'' I said smiling '' it'll remind you, that you're not alone anymore because you've got me'' I wiped the tears from his face and he smiled just a little, tying his around my wrist.

I grabbed his arm ''now come one I need a partner in the canoe race''

''Okay'' he said, running after me.

We spent the afternoon trying to win a canoe race on the lake and it was actually really fun. I gotta knock another team out of their canoe with a sword ( Pollux let me borrow his ) and Harley was cheering us on. We finished in third, which I'd say was a success and I got bond with Pollux, he's actually really funny.

And after dinner, I got ready for capture the flag. Athena vs Ares.