Fireflies [pjo]

CHAPTER IX

MALINA POV

Percy was running at top speed. Malina could see him leaping over the creek into enemy territory. In the distance she could see their silver flag up ahead, only one guard, who wasn't even looking in Percy's direction.

Malina tried to stand on the tip of her toes to get a better look at him, but failed miserably. "Im goimg to follow him. Is that ok?" she questioned Backendorf.

"It's ok. Do what you gotta do."

Malina was running at top speed in the direction Percy had disappeared, jumping over a fallen tree. In the distance she heard fighting to her left and right, somewhere in the woods.

Suddenly she heard people coughing and gagging on something.

Malina could smell the gas from across the woods—the horrible smell of sulfur.
"No fair!" she heard Thalia gasping. "Fart arrows are unsportsmanlike!" That was something Malina could agree whith.

Percy, who was lying on the ground, got up and started running again. Only a few more yards to the creek and he had the game. More arrows whizzed past her ears. A Hunter came out of nowhere and slashed at Percy with her knife, but Percy parried and kept running.

Malina heard yelling from her side of the creek. Beckendorf and Nico were running toward her.

"Perseus Jackson!" Thalia yelled, and Malina could easily tell that she was royaly pissed. Thalia was storming toward Percy with a scowl on her face.

She smelled like rotten eggs, and she was so mad that blue sparks flickered on her armor. Everybody cringed and backed up because of Aegis. It took all my willpower not to cower.

"What in the name of the gods were you THINKING?" Thalia bellowed.
Next to Malina Percy balled his fists. She could tell Percy was about to explode. He'd had enough bad stuff happen to him for one day

 "I got the flag, Thalia!" Percy shook it in her face. "I saw a chance and I took it!"

"I WAS AT THEIR BASE!" Thalia yelled at Percy and Malina could feel the air starting to crack.

"But the flag was gone. If you hadn't butted in, we would've won."

"You had too many on you!"

"Oh, so it's my fault?"

"I didn't say that."

"Argh!" Thalia excalimed,

"Sorry!" Thalia said, turning pale. "I didn't mean to—"

Anger was clearly visible on Percy's face. Please don't do something rash, Malina prayed.

"Yeah," Percy growled. "I didn't mean to, either."

Thalia was breathing heavily.

"Enough!" Chiron ordered, but Malina knew that it was fugile.

Suddenly the temperature tropped.
Thalia and Percy stopped mid movement, trying to locate the source.

"Perseus Jackson" a low voice spoke, "What did I tell you?"

"Not to ruin the game by fighting" Percy answered, his face having lost all it's colour. Scary Malina was something he never wanted to see again.

"And what did you do? Exactly. Fight. With. Thalia. I told the both of you I wanted this game to be perfect for Nico."

"And you" Malina said, turning to face Thalia. Said girl paled even more, now that she was addressed personally.

"I told you explicitly not to pick another fight with Percy. I know that you are frustrated with him, but I warn you to never attack him ever again." Her voice got quiter with every word.