Daughter of Nightmares | Clarisse La Rue

New Demigod in Camp

After a few minutes of laying on the ground, staring up at the sky, Ari suddenly sat up. Sighing before looking down at me. "Let's go get lunch."

I hummed, finally noticing how empty my stomach was. Sitting up, Ari was already up on her feet. Dusting off her hands.

She grabbed both her sword and mine, putting them back in their scabbard. Turning to me when I walked up to her, she smiled. Glancing up at my hair and let out a small chuckle. "What? Didn't have time to do your hair?"

Tilting my head at her, confused. Ari just rolled her eyes, shaking her head with a grin. "Let's go."

Ari began walking away, swords in hand, towards the direction of camp. Without saying a word, I followed after her. Strolling on by her siblings that were sparring, the hitting of steel and children grunting filled my ears once more.

When reaching the end of the training field, Ari went over and put the swords back on the rank. Coming back to me and we continued our journey.

Putting one foot in front of the other, my arms hanged loosely at my sides. Didn't take long to return back into the woods. The shadows of the trees fell over us, bringing me comfort to finally be out of the sun.

I wasn't paying to much to my surroundings, just listening to Ari's footsteps and following them. But suddenly, her footsteps slowed. Lifting my head, she slowed her pace. Coming right by my side.

It didn't take long to reach the courtyard where a few other demigods were already eating, talking amongst themselves. Not noticing Ari and I's presence.

Going to an empty table, I sat down and resting my head on my hand. Ari left to go get lunch.

Waiting patiently for her return, whispering from the demigods near me filled my ears. "Do you really think he killed that Minotaur?"

"I don't know, probably not. I mean, Minotaurs are really strong and dangerous. And he single handedly killed one."

"Hey, did you hear about the kid that killed the Minotaur?"

"Of course I do, who doesn't?"

Snapping out of it when a tray was placed in front of me. It had a small loaf of bread, grapes, apple slices, and strawberries with a cup of water.

Turning my head at Ari's tray as she sat down beside me, she had some bbq with Mac and cheese, and her own cup of water.

"Thanks." I mumbled, turning back to my tray and grabbing a grape. Popping it into my mouth. "No problem, princess. Now, turn around."

Giving a small glance over at Ari as I eat another grape, I did has asked. Turning my back towards her.

She pulled a brush out from her pocket and began untangling my hair, fixing it up which I don't know why cause I'm going straight to bed after this so it's just going to get tangled again.

But, I didn't stop her from doing so. Just continuing to eat my fruit as Ari did whatever she wanted. Listening to the whispers of the demigods nearby.

By the time she was finished, I was two thirds finished with my lunch while Ari's was cold. Turning back around, putting my legs under the table, she put the brush back in her pocket and went to eat.

"Ari." She hummed, grabbing a rib and began eating. "A new demigod killed a Minotaur?" She nodded, swallowing her food. "When was this?" I popped my last strawberry in my mouth.

"A few days ago. You would have known about it if you weren't sleeping and were actually listening whenever you were awake."

Shrugging at that, I brushed her words off and asked another question. "Do you really think he killed the Minotaur?"

"No. He's probably just saying that to get attention." No other words left me as I grabbed my loaf of bread, taking a small bite. "What about you."

"I don't care."

"Well, what about this." She set the rib in her hands down and grabbed a napkin to wipe away the sauce on her fingers. Turning to me with a grin. "It's the time where you usually molt those pretty feathers of yours."

Pausing, I moved the loaf of bread away from my mouth and set in down on my tray. Staring at Ari in the corner of my eye, watching her grin grow. "Still need my help?"

A sigh left me and my eyes moved away from the warrior. "You know I do." I leaned over and took a rib off her of tray, bring it up to my mouth and taking a bite. 

ZzZzZz

The next day, Ari woke me up to have breakfast before dragging me to hang out with some of her siblings.

They did what they always did whenever they weren't training which was just them hanging out. Then bullied the new demigod to teach him his place.

Luke Castellan did get protected over the new demigod and stood in front of him while he was on the ground after getting pushed. Getting a little too close to Ari for my comfort.

But nothing happened so I didn't have to pull out my dagger or do anything that would probably get me in trouble.

I didn't see Luke Castellan or that new demigod again until lunch.

Ari left me for some reason in the care of her sisters after getting me a tray of food. I paid no mind to dad's daughters as I ate, finishing in just a few minutes.

With nothing to do, I just sat there with my head resting on my hand, eyes close, as the girls chatted about things I had no interest in, just waiting for the curly hair warrior to return.

The owlet came and perched on said head with no intent to get off any time soon. The girls laughed whenever they gave him a small fish to eat and he quickly gobbled it down.

Paying no mind to that, I was half asleep before hearing my name. Wondering why, I stayed awake to listen in on the conversation. Eyes still closed.

"We're gonna find the thing that you're good at. I know it. I mean, no one thought Lila was good at anything but she ended up being the girl with the most glory here." Why is Luke Castellan talking about me?

"Lila?"

It was silent for a moment and I felt eyes staring at me soon after. "See that girl over there. That's Lila."

"She has a bird sitting on her head."

"Yeah, looks can be deceiving." Feeling their eyes off me, I relaxed. "Best stay out of her way. Clarisse is kind of like her bodyguard and doesn't like it when people disturb or try to mess with her."

"Who is she?" Before the new kid could have his question answered, a familiar bell chimed was heard. "Our turn." A few people get up from their tables, grabbing their trays. The girls at my table stayed right where they were.

"Our turn for what?" Something stupid.

"Burnt offerings. The gods like the smell, so it gets their attention before you say a prayer." See? Something stupid.

"They like the smell of burnt mac & cheese?" A funny that one is.

"They like the smell of begging." Luke Castellan chucked at that as his friend began to walk away.

I felt a pair of eyes back on me and at this point, it's starting to get on my nerves. "Why isn't she getting up?"

Glancing over at me, Luke Castellan sighed. "You burn what you'll miss the most. Then the gods know you really mean what you're about to say, so they listen. With Lila, she couldn't care less if the gods were listening to her."

I don't.