Chapter 2

"Come on Annabeth, Percy is back!" bellowed Grover behind him.

"I'm not ... as fast ... as you" panted Annabeth, who was ten metres behind him. The entrance to Camp Half-Blood loomed up as they raced towards it. Thick, gloomy pine trees surrounded the gateway making it look foreboding. A lone figure walked slowly out of the shadows. As it came closer they could see that it was wearing a tattered Camp Half-Blood orange T-shirt, muddy and torn jeans, ruined trainers and his hair was tangled with leaves and twigs. He looked like he hadn't slept well but a massive grin was stretched across his face and his sea-green eyes shone with joy. Annabeth squealed "Percy" and Grover and Annabeth tumbled towards him. They all ended up having a gigantic hug. Annabeth even started crying which was very unusual (as she is a daughter of Athena, and all children of Athena hardly ever cry) but then Percy was her boyfriend.

They started walking down the hillside that Grover and Annabeth had just climbed up from. Annabeth started rambling on about all the latest news and Grover had taken to practising his pipes which he wasn't very good on yet. Percy noticed that he wasn't wearing his disguise of baggy trousers and pumps. Grover has from the waist down a goats' coat, tail and hooves but you also can't oversee his pointy horns which were growing out his head. Grover was a satyr. He was also Percy's friend and protector from time to time. Percy who was weary from his quest just seemed happy to listen and gaze at the oncoming cabins and the campers.

As soon as they came into view the campers stopped at whatever they were doing and approached them. "Well it's about time you showed up" a sardonic voice came from the crowd that slowly built up. A well-built, strong tall girl wearing camouflaged clothing and a bandanna to cover her stringy light brown hair stepped forwards. It was one of Percy's least favourite people in the world; Clarisse, from the Ares cabin.

"What was the quest about this time? Did a monster kick your butt, punk?"

"No, actually..." Percy's sentence was cut across by a deep, gruff voice which said "Ah, Percy, good to see you back". Chiron the head of camp came trotting up to Percy. You might think 'trotting' is not the right word but for Chiron, who is no ordinary being like Grover, this is exactly what he does. When you first look at Chiron you see a middle-aged man with shaggy brown hair and beard but after taking another good look at him you find that from the waist down that he is a grey-white stallion with hoofs and all. Chiron is a centaur. He came up to Percy and then looked around at all the campers and said "Well, what are you all still standing around for? You've seen Percy, now go! There is work to be done and monsters still to fight." He looked over at the Hephaestus cabin and said "There are swords and other weapons still to be made," then he looked at the Athena cabin "plans to be made... There is no time to waste!"

All the campers left without hesitating because they knew how serious the situation was, but Percy looked at his friends with a baffled expression. Annabeth face became grave and her light grey eyes which had been filled with happiness at Percy's arrival quickly turned dark and dim. She glanced over at Grover. He had pulled out an empty coke can from his pocket and was absent-mindedly eating it while he looked around nervously at the boundaries of Camp Half-Blood. "What's going on? What monsters are you talking about?"asked Percy with an urge of panic in his tone. Annabeth and Grover both looked at Chiron and with a sigh he answered "Things are not what they were before you started on your quest, Percy. Our Camp's defences that protect us from the eyes of mortals and monsters are under attack and I am afraid that they might not last much longer. We have been doing everything we can to stop them but our efforts have been fruitless so far..."

"Who are you talking about? What has been attacking the camp, and how do they know where our camp is? I thought that monsters can't find us because of the mist" Percy continued to probe them in a persistent manner so as to keep them talking as they all seemed suddenly so closed up and protective.

"I think its better Chiron, if Percy is shown who is trying to break in. He properly won't believe us otherwise" Annabeth thoughtfully announced. She started to walk towards the sea. "It will give him a shock anyway. It doesn't matter if we tell him here or show him, Percy will still be flabbergasted." Then almost to herself she added "Defiantly as it involves his relatives".

Chiron looked thoughtful and concerned but his expression told them that he agreed with Annabeth and so slowly they approached the beach. Grover had listened intently to them and had also started to follow them when his instincts kicked in. It told him to back away from the shore because danger lurked near but he sullenly ignored it. He told himself that he wouldn't abandon his friends even if a giant can or apple dropped out the sky.

The sand underneath the demigods' trainers made a loud crunching sound and the hooves' of Grover and Chiron sank a centimetre into the deep sand. Annabeth was the first to reach the sea and with great caution she wadded into the ocean. She put her hands out in front of her so that she wouldn't bash into the magical defences. When she touched the barriers they all saw for a few seconds the semi-transparent shields that kept the camp safe. Annabeth then touched the shield again and this time she held her palm there. She looked round at Percy and beckoned him to come over. He hesitated for a split second and then he made his way towards her. However, as soon as Percy touched the surf of the sea he gasped and quickly withdrew his foot. His trainer was covered in ice. Percy though said something in Greek which none of them caught and he hastily made his way towards Annabeth. His friends looked at him with dumbfounded looks and he said "What? I accidently made the water freeze."

"Er, Percy, you have never done that before when you touch the water. Are your powers increasing or was that just a new trick you learned while you were away?" asked Grover who was still looking at Percy's foot as if next it might fall off.

"Yeah, it was just a new trick I had learned while I on my quest. It was very useful at the time." Percy quickly explained and he streaked his way through the seawater towards Annabeth. She looked at him for a moment and then she turned back in the direction of the defences and said looking at the barrier "Look through and you will see our intruders and I warn you now... you won't like it."

Percy had no idea what she was on about but he prepared himself. Then he looked through. What he saw made him swear so loudly that Chiron had say "Percy please. Watch your language." Percy rubbed his eyes just to make sure he wasn't dreaming. He couldn't believe his bad luck. He had just come back from his worst mission yet and now he had to face something even worse. Just my luck he thought to himself.