Slavic Huter [OC PJO Crossover]

CHAPTER 8 - Argument, battle and more quarrel

15th December 2007

     To say that we were all agitated at Artemis's table this morning is to say nothing. After waking up and "compare notes," Zoe headed to the Big House to see Chiron, while I tried to catch up with her. Out of the corner of my eye, I registered only a sleeping bag lying near cottage number 8 and hoof prints on the ground. I caught up with Zoe only when she was already talking to Chiron, who was aroused from sleep, who tried to calm her down (calming down an angry woman - an impossible task, I do not recommend it). Eventually, she was somehow persuaded to go back to bed, arguing that night is, after all, the worst possible time to solve such problems..

     So we were all at breakfast, and the atmosphere turned 180 degrees: no one was joking, silently discussing the events of the night and trying to eat breakfast. Only three people in the entire pavilion looked sleepy: Zoe, me... and Percy Jackson – he also looked like he had a nightmare. Although I've never been a conspiracy theorist, something was starting to smell wrong to me here... and smell was really strong - it couldn't be a coincidence, could it? Chiron seemed to have something to say about that too. The other campers, however, were interested in only one thing: the battle for the banner. At each table, its occupants were adjusting their own or their neighbours' armour; except for Thalia and Percy, for obvious reasons.

     The centaur got up from the table, and silence fell over the entire pavilion.
- It's time to start the Battle for the Banner. You all know the rules: the brook is the limit, no permanent maiming; objective is: Capture the enemy's flag.
- "The enemy's gate is down." - I quoted my favourite (recently) book under my breath.
- The Huntresses take the left bank forest and the Camp take the right bank forest. Good luck!

     At these words, everyone got up from the tables and went in the appropriate directions: us to the left and the campers to the right: our fourteen against twice as many hosts; we without armour, they in armour; we only have archers (except for me, where a sabre was still hanging from my belt), they have a full range of weapons. In short - the scales of victory were on our side.

***

     Zoe's plan was simple: Bianca guards the banner, Phoebe and Sophie lead patrols to distract the campers, and Zoe takes it upon herself to take over the banner. Well ... maybe not only on yourself. When the conch sounded, everyone moved to their positions, while I followed Lieutenant in the direction of the "enemy" flag.
- I hope you know where we're going? - I asked in a whisper
- Thee has't so dram faith in me? - She also replied in a whisper
- My faith in your abilities has been the same for so many years. - I replied, avoiding the branch she let go. – I'm just wondering why you are so sure that they put the banner where it always was.
- Doth thee knoweth a bett'r lodging, this side of the stream?
- I know - in the back pocket of trousers: it stays in view and at the same time...

     I was interrupted by Zoe's hand gesture for Silence, Danger. We crouched quietly in the shade of the trees, watching as one of the campers... who turned out to be Jackson, was walking towards us from the clearing, from the side of the rocks known in the Camp as "The Fist of Zeus". We waited until he passed us, then the Huntress looked at me with a slight smile.
- Bet that gent wast coming from the side of the bann'r?
I smiled too
- No thanks, I'd rather not waste gold drachmas pointlessly. - Then we headed back to where Jackson came from.
It turned out to be a jackpot: a banner hung on a pile of rocks, which was guarded by four campers: the Stoll Brothers, Nico, and Hephaestus' son, Beckendorf. In fact, I didn't count Nico - he had no experience in this type of game yet, but it still meant fighting three cunning opponents.

     - What's the plan? - I asked
- Thee distract those folk, i taketh the bann'r and we both runneth towards the creek - she replied
- Mmm - a classic. Well, let's do it. - I replied, then, drawing my sabre from its scabbard, I emerged from behind the trees and rushed at full speed between the defenders. I hit Nico's helmet with the hilt (lightly enough for him to lose consciousness for a moment, nothing serious will bother him afterwards), then, using what little momentum I had, swung at Beckendorf. He had to give him that: he might have looked muscular (when you spend all day in the forge, it's hardly surprising), but he was agile; he dodged my blow, then drew his sword himself and attacked me, forcing me to step back... and there the sons of Hermes were waiting for me.