Reaching For The Stars

Chapter 16

2005
Nebula

Thunk!

Thunk!

Thunk!

"Is the tree dead yet?"

Zoe turned with a glare at Nebula, who lounged on a garden chair, enjoying the sun in the winter scenery that had started to emerge. It was turning cold again. They were currently deep into the wilderness per Zoe's request. Nebula didn't mind, as they had plenty of gas to drive where they wished. And no worries about food when Zoe could hunt and gather.

"Aren't thee going to train? Thou art the most useless and lazy Demigod I ever met."

"Am I going to war?"

"No, but-"

"Then I will soak in the sun," Nebula hummed, leaning further into her chair, hands behind her head with closed eyes. She could practically hear Zoe's teeth grinding against each other from frustration, almost like the more than hundreds of other times ever since they started traveling together.

"I can't take this anymore!" Zoe said voice filled with frustration and fed up anger, the arrow she held thrown on the ground. Nebula popped one eye open to see Zoe stomp toward her. She didn't move as she kept lounging in the chair.

"Thou need to do something of use! Train, damn thee! Learn and hone thy powers. Something! If I have to watch thee prepare one more godsforsaken drink, or food straight out of the depths of Hades, I will- I will...!"

"Yes?" Nebula asked unfazed as she closed both her eyes, resulting in a high-pitched scream from Zoe that seems to have reached her limit.

"Argh!?!" Zoe yelled, falling on her butt to sit on the ground in the bits of snow.

"Tea or coffee?"

"Tea, please."

Nebula smiled, standing back up to prepare the drinks. The huntress stayed on the ground, her arms resting on the knees. Her head a bit lower like she was defeated to a certain extent. It made Nebula sigh a bit. She truly didn't care about anything about the world Zoe belonged to. But she did feel bad about Zoe who seems forced to stay with her.

"Hey, Zoe?"

"What is it?" Zoe says with a sigh.

"Sorry you have to be here," Nebula says, letting the wooden cup, claimed by Zoe, fill with hot water. "I'm sure my life is pretty human compared to most people in your world. What do you miss the most?"

"The hunt. My sisters. I miss it all."

"I see. Do you know why I am going from place to place?"

"To sell your odd drink and food, or so I have seen."

"Yes, I'll admit, I like doing it," Nebula says, handing the cup to Zoe, who thanked her for the tea. "But I am actually searching for something that I do not understand. I saw a dream you see. It was like a shadow watched a storm that grew and grew. Winds rising and sweeping over the land with thunder and rain. A sea unruly and fierce. Large waves crashing on the land. Something is stirring. Something is coming, Zoe."

Zoe's brows furrowed deeply. There was a spark in her dark eyes that brought deep worry. It was like all her complaints vanished without a trace. Nebula didn't expect her dream she had years ago to cause worry within Zoe. She will admit, Zoe is extremely deadly and skilled in what she does.

"I must insist we go to Camp Half-Blood," Zoe's gaze locking with Nebula, a deep etched worry on her face. "This is bad news, Nebula. I cannot keep thee safe on my own. This... This is a matter I must bring to my Lady."