[1] 𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐃𝐎𝐌 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐄 ― p.jackson ✓

005.

「005. am i dreaming? 」

CADIE DIDN'T usually stay at camp half-blood during winter, so the whole scenery was a bti surprising to her. especially the snow. she knew for a fact that camp could basically control the climate of its surroundings. cam, her best friend and a year-rounder, always told her that it snowed during the winter time. but she didn't believed him. because really, if you had ultimate control over the weather, wouldn't you keep it perfect all the time? it hadn't made sense to her at the time, mainly because she didn't see the sense in the frosty cold when you could have the blazing and golden sun.

but the aura around camp was starting to change her mind. it was so peaceful that it was almost comforting. frost covered the chariot track along with the strawberry fields- cabins were decorated with tiny flickering lights, like christmas lights, except they seemed to be made of real spheres of fire. they switched colours, causing the camp to put on a small light show. snow shimmered on the ground- so fine and small it looked like somebody had spilt glitter all over the ground. more lights glowed in the woods, and, weirdest of all, a fire flickered in the attic window of the big house, where the oracle dwelled in an old mummified body.

her mind was still dizzy from the ride on the bus, but camp seemed... familiar to her. and with everything that had happened, with the tightness in her chest, the overloading amount of emotions she felt- the feeling of her brain about to explode; the familiarity of camp was welcomed greatly by her worried state of mind.

"whoa..." nico gasped in awe, climbing off the bus, "is that... is that a climbing wall?"

"it is," smiled cadie, trying to keep the boy happy. she saw tinges of sadness in his face. perhaps, if she kept him happy and occupied, he might forget about the sadness of loosing his sister. perhaps... perhaps she could make him feel less alone. like a low-budget sister? "burns like a bitch, though."

nico let out a delighted grin, "so why is there lava pouring down? i mean- besides the fact you get burnt. why's it there?"

"little extra challenge," cut in percy, looking a little bored by nico. cadie shot nico a smile that said he's tired, he's not usually like this as percy continued. "well, c'mon. i'll introduce you to chiron. zoë, have you met-"

"i know chiron," came zoë's stiff reply, "just tell him we will be in cabin eight." she put her hands to her hips, turning to the legion of girls behind her, "hunters, follow me."

"i'll show you the way!" offered grover.

"we know the way," was her bland and bored reply.

"oh, really, it's not trouble." grinned grover, clearly not noticing that the hunters were already walking away. he sped up and walked in front of them, a nervous grin on his face, "it's easy to get lost here, if you don't-" he tripped over a canoe and came up still talking- "like my old daddy goat used to say! come on!"

cadie guessed the hunters knew they weren't getting rid of grover anytime soon. zoë shrugged, making a gesture for the hunters to move out at a slower pace behind grover. the group shouldered their packs and walked onwards. as bianca was leaving, she leaned over and whispered something in nico's ear. she looked at him for an answer, but the grin cadie had brought to nico's face slipped into a scowl. he turned away and continued to scowl.

"take care, you guys!" apollo called to the leaving hunters. he winked at percy, "watch out for those prophecies, percy. i'll see you soon. later thalia! and cadie?"

she lifted her head up, "yeah?"

"hope you stick around a little longer," he grinned.

she smiled at him, "...thanks, uncle apollo."