Chapter 4

The next morning, she awoke, bleary eyed. For a moment she was disoriented. Where was she? Then yesterday's events hit her. She looked around her empty cabin. Laid out on her on the chest of drawers next to her was an orange Camp Half-Blood t-shirt, tracksuit trousers and trainers. They were unfamiliar clothes, and she put them on, surprised they were her size. After cleaning up, she walked out of the door, and into bright sunlight, which made her squint. Everything looked unfamiliar, and after walking around for a bit, trying to find the mess hall, she gave up and started to walk back to her cabin.

"Alyssa!" She turned around as she heard her name. It was Jamie, the boy who had fallen off the climbing wall the night before. She smiled at him.

"Hi Jamie!" she said, putting on a smiling face.

"Do you need help finding your way around? Chiron said you didn't know where to go." She nodded and walked towards the mess hall with him, trying to remember the way, and praying Jamie wouldn't bring up her being a child of Zeus.

She managed to get to the mess hall without incident, but stopped as she realized that she didn't know which table to sit at. Eventually she picked an empty one and sat down. No one said anything so she assumed it was fine. She ate her bacon and eggs, then wandered over to the battle arena.

She watched as boys swords clashed. It was lightning quick. They ducked and bobbed and weaved as they sparred, swords made of celestial bronze flashing in the sunlight. Alyssa's mouth was wide open. Cameron walked up behind her and startled her, saying:

"You realize you are in the wrong bit? You're over here with me. I' m your teacher." He grinned broadly as he pointed to an empty part of the arena.

They began with a simple strike, and Alyssa was surprised at how quickly she got the move, and then the ones that followed.

"It's the ADHD, they are natural reflexes," Cameron said simply, as a way of explanation.

She nodded, as Faye walked up to them, smiling.

"Hey, you can't just steal her away for the whole day you know! Chiron said she has to have an introductory Pegasus riding lesson!" Alyssa was elated, because as fun as it was to spar with Cameron, Pegasus riding was what she really wanted to do.

Faye introduced her to Harriet, the Pegasus riding instructor. As she had ridden before, Alyssa was quietly confident. She approached the Pegasus as she would a horse, and was about to mount when she realized that there were wings in the way. Harriet patiently taught her how to get on, but it took a while. Once she was on, she was slightly terrified. What was she to do? She kicked on the Pegasus and it snorted, pawing the ground.

Except something made her stop. Another voice, one that said:

Stupid demi-gods. I'm not a bog standard horse. For fucks sake. Stupid demi-gods.

Shocked, she turned around to face Harriet.

"Did you hear that?" she stuttered.

"Hear what?" Harriet replied.

"Don't worry, it was nothing." Alyssa said, trying to look indifferent. The Pegasus snorted again.

So you hear me demi-god? Must be a child of the sea god.

Alyssa didn't say anything, and repeated the mantra in her mind: 'I'm just hearing things. It isn't real.'

The rest of the lesson passed in a blur, and Alyssa heard no more from the Pegasus. When the lesson was over, she realized she was hungry.

"What time is it?" she asked Faye as they walked back to the cabins.

"I'd make it to be about 6," Faye replied as she stopped outside her cabin.

"Anyways, it's cabin inspection. I'd better try and get my lazy lot to tidy up." She smiled fondly at the cabin and went inside. Alyssa wandered over to her cabin and opened the door. It was just as tidy as she had left it. Bed made, bathroom tidy and clothes neatly folded into her wardrobe.

The cabin leader from the Demeter cabin walked through the door, startling Alyssa.

"Perfect," the Demeter girl sighed and entered a number down on the checklist. Soon the cabin inspection was over, and she walked to dinner with Faye, who introduced her to Kate, Patrick and Zack, unclaimed kids who arrived less than a month ago. Alyssa felt bad for them. She had gotten claimed as soon as she had come, but they were still waiting.

She ate alone on her table, which was pretty miserable. She ate quickly and rushed to the weapons room to get a sword in preparation for war games, which Chiron had announced as capture the flag.

When she got back, they were picking teams. It was the Ares and Athena cabins leading the sides today.

A large (and seemingly obnoxious) boy boomed:

"We'll have the Zeus girl." Alyssa looked around before she realized that he meant her. The Ares cabin sniggered and she picked her way to join the team. Once the teams were picked, the Ares cabin formulated a plan, which basically relied on their brute strength. Alyssa inwardly groaned as she realized she was on the stupid team. All her friends were in the other team. She was pulled back to reality as a flag, no, the flag was shoved into her hand.

"You, you and you," the Ares guy pointed to her and two others, "Go hide and guard the flags punks."

They rolled their eyes as he stomped away from them. Then, the horn sounded and they ran from the forest, hoping they didn't get too badly hurt.