Hello people!

Thanks for reviewing, lots of interesting theories about where Tom's gone... well you're in luck because the next chapter is in his POV...

-Silverhand9028

Tom's POV

When the cyclopes had approached the girls' hiding place, I had shuffled noiselessly behind a hedge. I had my sword in my pocket and shield on my back, so I was ready to attack. I spied a big, stupid one sniff around the tree which Lilly, Veronica and Summer were hidden behind. Suddenly, I felt a hand on my shoulder grab me. I attempted to turn around but another hand clamped my mouth shut. I was pulled back into the deep, dark, woods.

I was released and dumped on the ground. I looked up at my captor.

"Magenta?"
Her black and blonde hair still was swept over her eye. But her usual relaxed, dreamy smile was replaced by a vengeful snarl.

"You," she spat.

I stood up and brushed dirt from my jeans.

"What do you want?" I raised my sword above my head and put my shield in front of me.

Magenta took a step towards me.

"You."
"What? Me, as in..."
"Dead."
"Oh..."

Magenta attacked.

She drew her knife, and surged forward, snarling and hissing.

I put my shield up and her blade clashed onto the front.

I tried to lunge but she easily ducked.

"Magenta, what are you-"
"Don't move, traitor!" she cried, running at me again.

"Traitor?" I asked, although it's admittedly hard to talk when a crazy girl is trying to knife you.

She kicked up and her grey leather boot, buckled with silver, caught me on the chin. I winced and rubbed the throbbing bruise with my sleeve, dropping back a little.

"Don't lie!" she spat, ducking a shield hit from me.

"What? You summoned the cyclopes to kill my friends, then plucked one of us off – namely, me - to kill us!"
"Don't try and make up excuses, Wright," Magenta warned, pointing her knife at my chin.

"What?"
"You knew what we were doing. You know how important our mission is. You are the traitor of Camp Half-Blood!"
"Huh?" I stopped.

Magenta saw the opening.

She kicked me right where it hurts – not naming names, but you can guess where – and I stumbled right over.

"Any last words, you filthy little traitor?"
"Magenta, stop making up these-"

I stopped talking as she pushed her knife up to my throat.

"Don't talk, Wright," she whispered, "I wouldn't want you to die spluttering out garbage."

"You'll pay," I growled, "Chiron will stop you."
"How can you say such a thing? Chiron is a good, honourable man."
"Don't lie, Magenta!"

Magenta spat on the floor.

"You disgust me," she snarled. "I swear I will saw through your neck with such vigour, you-"
"Hey!" a shout broke the silence. Summer stood by a fallen oak, bow drawn and arrow pointed at Magenta's head. "Drop the knife and leave Tom alone!"

I have never been happier to see anyone in my life.

Magenta didn't move – that is, until Leon leapt out and kicked her in the chest.

Magenta screamed and fell to the ground.

"What's the matter dream girl? Can't stand the heat?" Toby grinned, as he and Veronica ran up.

Magenta glowered. She pointed her finger at Toby and focused. Her ever-changing eyes intensified for a second.

"What was that?" Toby shrugged.

Magenta grinned and began to get back up.

Toby stopped and yawned.

"Urgh, I feel..."
Toby quite literally crumpled to the floor.

"Oh my god!" Lilly screamed, scampering out from behind Leon. "You killed him! You-"
Magenta smirked: "Not dead."
To prove her point, Toby let out a loud, nasal snore.

"Sleeping?" Samantha entered the scene with her arms folded.

Magenta shrugged.

"Be glad I'm not giving him nightmares. I've made people hit themselves and scream in their sleep, begging for mercy."
Lilly gulped.

Summer stepped forward.

"You called Tom a traitor!" she cried.

I stepped up behind her.

"Yeah – explain?"

Magenta scowled, then turned to Samantha. "Don't trust these ones. The safety of the camp depends on it."
I was shocked. How could such a lying, crafty traitor say that we were the traitors?

Magenta skulked away: "I'll return to the Hunters," she said, then glared at us.

"I'll take you to the crevice Artemis left," Samantha offered, as we watched Magenta skulk away.

Leon's POV

The sun was sinking in the late afternoon sky.

We trekked through the wood and out past a little hamlet. Down by a highway, was a tiny wooded area. By this time, the sun was hiding down by a grove of trees on the horizon. A smudge of pink and orange sunset bathed the place in a godlike glow

"Here," Samantha pointed to a crevice in the ground. It was about as big as a surfboard and darkness was all that was seen down.

Summer leant forward and peered in.

"What's down there?"
"Mars knows," murmured Samantha.

Lilly gulped and put an arm on my shoulder. I could tell she was terrified.

"You okay, Lills?" I asked.

She nodded: I felt like a bit of an idiot, caring for a girl is not something I am used to, but I cared about Lilly a lot.

I moved back and a ray of salmon pink sun shone into my eyes. I squinted and shielded my eyes with a large hand. Summer wrapped her pastel purple jacket around her, shivering as the sun sank and the light got weaker. As Veronica got up from peering down, she looked over her shoulder, her plait spinning round her head.

"This is a good spot," she said, dusting dirt from her knees. "I say we kip here. You know, whip up some dinner, then maybe we can do some sleuthing, find our bearings and figure out what to do next."
Samantha shrugged: "I need to get back to the Hunters, assign them on a Hunt. I guess I'd best be going."
"But they're a while away. You could be walking through the night. Just stay with us for a short while," suggested Veronica.

"No, I must leave. I've left my hunters for too long."

Sam turned on her heel and left.

"Well," said Toby, "no better way to celebrate a moody hunter leaving than food – Leon, break out the burgers!"

There you go, another chapter down, and more coming. I'm particularly proud of the next one... AphroditeMatch Maker, you especially will like it, I hope...

-Silverhand9028