𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐆𝐓𝐇, Clarisse la Rue

𝐢𝐯. the island of the fountain

STRENGTH
━━ act two, chapter four.

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷

   THE NEXT MORNING, CLARISSE WAS COMPLETELY... OFF. Even when she'd came knocking on the Hermes cabin's door to check if Nabi was ready for the quest, she seemed to be in a horribly bad mood.

   "Y'know, when you said 'reward' yesterday," Nabi tried to joke, "I didn't think you'd mean a life-threatening quest — you're lucky we're best friends."

   "Yeah," Clarisse grumbled, as she leaned against the Hermes cabin's door with her bag slung over her shoulder, "c'mon, hurry up."

   Nabi chalked it up to just Clarisse's nerves, but she knew it wasn't that. The angel girl plastered on a smile, but it was hard with the way her friend was acting. "M'kay, I'll be quick."

Clarisse just pursed her lips, and turned away to stare outside. They were the only ones awake, since it was extremely early — the Ares girl wanted to leave as soon as possible with the safety of the camp at stake.

   In truth, Clarisse hadn't actually asked Nabi to come with her. She'd knocked on Nabi's door, and Nabi had already packed everything she needed.

   She knew Clarisse would come find her, anyways.

Hopefully, Connor and Travis could handle taking care of Honey for a bit. Nabi had left a sticky note on one of the brothers' foreheads, whilst both were fast asleep.

   "Have you asked Silena to come with?" Nabi said, double-checking everything in her bag.

   Clarisse said, "Yeah, but she said she'd rather 'watch over' everybody, make sure the camp was alright while we were gone."

   "Okay," Nabi shrugged, "who's the other quest member, then?"

"No one," Clarisse scoffed, "everyone else at camp sucks. I don't need them."

Nabi sighed, but slung her backpack over her shoulder as Clarisse led them to the camp's shores. Nabi shrugged, "Just us, then. You and me, me and you."

"Yeah," Clarisse told her, trudging ahead slightly, "Annabeth, Percy, and their Cyclops 'friend' left the camp.

Nabi's eyebrows raised, surprised, "What?"

"They probably couldn't deal with not being the centres of attention, for once." Clarisse scowled, "They were annoying, anyways. Tantalus expelled them."

"Clarisse," Nabi frowned. "that's—"

"Rude? Mean?" Clarisse's scowl only grew, "Whatever. It's not like you tell me that all the time."

They continued walking in an uncomfortable silence; it was clear Clarisse had something on her mind, with the way her brow was furrowed and her face was in a permanent scowl. But Nabi couldn't take the uneasy quiet, and awkwardly cleared her throat to ask, "What was the prophecy?"

"You don't need to know."

"Well," Nabi said, "I think I deserve to know, if I'm going on the quest with you."

"Fine." Clarisse clenched her jaw, irritated. Then, she began to recite:

"You shall sail the iron ship with warriors of bone,
you shall find what you seek and make it your own.
But despair for your life, entombed within stone ..."