The annual Camp Half Blood Talent Show was tomorrow and Natalee Reena felt like she was never going to perfect the song she would be performing in less than 24 hours. She felt like her guitar playing and her singing were so off beat. She strummed her guitar angrily, as she stomped her foot on the forest floor, proceeding to run her hands through her hair in exasperation.

As a daughter of Apollo, the patron god of music, Natalee was a perfectionist when it came to her music. It was not even a song she created herself, and she was still freaking out over it. She took a sip of water from her canteen and tried again, "That's what you get when you let your heart win...whooaoooaoooaa. Ugh, why am I so offbeat. I'm never going to be ready for tomorrow."

"I think that sounded great. You're going to blow this talent show out of the water," a voice spoke to her, causing her to nearly jump off the rock she had been perched on since Breakfast that morning.

"Who-who are you?" Natalee had never talked to this boy before in her life. At least she knew that he was a demi-god. He wore the same orange Camp Half Blood T-shirt she wore and a camp necklace showing that this was his fourth year at camp. How did she not know who he was?

"Oh, right. Sorry. I'm James North. Euterpe. And you would be?"

So, that's why. Minor god. Who was Euterpe. Natalee wracked her brain until she remembered. Right. Muse of music and lyrics. He's probably just being nice. She replied, "Nice to meet you, James. I think you should get your ears checked out. You might have hearing problems. I'm Natalee by the way. Daughter of Apollo."

Unconsciously, Natalee pulled a strand of dyed-red hair behind her ear and set her guitar back in its case. Just for five minutes, she told herself. Besides, a break would be good for her. It was wise that she talk to someone who knew about music, even if he did not know how to recognize good music.

"Funny, Nat. I'll have you know, I can recognize good music when I hear it, and that was good music," replied James.

"Well, I didn't write the song, so of course it was. Actually, it's a song by-"

"Paramore. Yeah I know. I love them."

"No way. So do I."

"Well, we know we both have good tastes in music now. If you're having so much trouble, why don't you perform the entire song for you and I'll critique it for you."

"Well, I don't know…" Natalee took one look at the expression on James' face and picked up her guitar, "Fine, fine. Here goes nothing…

No sir, I don't want to be the blame

Not anymore. It's your turn

So take a seat, we're settling

the final score and whyy do we like to hurt so much

I can't decide you have made it harder just to go on

Oh why, all the possibilities, well, I was wrong…

That's what you get when you let your heart win, whoooa

That's what you get when you let your heart wein whooooooa

I drowned out all my sense with the sound of it's beating…"

Natalee collapsed on the wrong, her breathing heavy as she finished. When she finally looked up at James, he was grinning from ear to ear. She looked puzzling at him and asked, "What is it?"

"Oh, nothing. You have nothing to worry about. In fact, you're probably going to beat me in the talent show," he answer her.

"Oh, you're competing. Maybe I shouldn't take your advice. What are you doing, then?"

"Don't worry I'm not in the singing category. I'm doing a guitar solo."

"Oh, that sounds epic. I love guitar solos"

"Me too," said James, "I think you should stop practicing for today. You're not going to improve between now and the show. You don't want to ruin the Talent Show for yourself by beating yourself up about everything."

I suppose you're right…"

Natalee packed her guitar away, and whispering the greek word for song, the guitar pick around her neck transformed into a bow and a quiver full of arrows in her hands. She had her guitar strapped around one shoulder, and slinged the quiver across the other. Together, James and Natalee started to make their way back to the Cabin Courtyard.

They were about half way there, walking in comfortable silence, when all of a sudden, Natalee set down the guitar case, pulled an arrow out, nocked it and searched for the creature that created the sound she heard. Maybe her obsessive practicing was making her crazy, but no. James had pulled out a dagger and was looking around for the monster as well.

Natalee was lowering her bow, when all of a sudden, three hellhounds jumped from the bushes towards them.