𝑷𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒚 𝑰𝒏 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑫𝒂𝒓𝒌 ꨄ

T h r e e

It wasn't a pretty sight. The campers who had been most damaged in the cross fire lay on long patches of grass, armor melted and peppered in bruises and cuts. Luna and Clarisse headed straight for their cabin mates, which had huddled close together and were seemingly trying to help each other stand up. 

Sherman was trying to dislodge his breast plate, but it had been charred in such a way that it almost fused with his skin. It was a gory view, and would need medical attention immediately from the Apollo kids. He tried to pull it off, but hissed and dropped his hand. 

Clarisse took off her helmet, letting loose a whorl of inky curls, and snuck a hand beneath his arm, steading him to his feet. 

"Thanks," Muttered Sherman. 

"That's gotta hurt," Clarisse replied, looking at the wound with a crease in her brows. 

Luna herself was busy with helping Maeve stand up, who had managed to untie the lapels to her sinched armor, leaving her in the regular camp t - shirt. However, she had a nasty cut dribbling down the expanse of her calf, visible through the rip in her pants. 

Despite it all, she still seemed to have enough energy to joke. She raised her eyebrows and looked Luna up and down. "Nice dress," 

The other girl rolled her eyes. "You haven't seen me in months, and this is the first thing you say to me?" 

"What? It's only the truth," She attempted a smirk, but then winced - probably put too much pressure on her foot. 

Luna's half smile vanished fully from her face. "Stop fooling around. We have to get you to the infirmary." 

Maeve grumbled something undistinguishable, but kept quiet. 

Shae was running towards them, hands bandaged and face full of soot, but otherwise looking well. She had probably already been tended to, seeing as she could actually walk. She gave Luna a nod and small wave, but her face was set in a rigid line. 

"I've been dragging wounded campers to the Apollo cabin - its chaos in there." She told Clarisse, then noticed Sherman's predicament and Maeve's gash. Her eyes widened. "How can I help?" 

Clarisse looked back to where Percy, Annabeth and Tyson were still conversing. "You and Luna take them to the infirmary, then tell Tantalus what happened. I'm going to go help carry some of the wounded." 

"But what about you?" Luna asked. 

The Ares girl shook her head. "I'm fine. Go." 

Luna looked her over and saw that unlike her siblings, she hadn't been so badly damaged. She had a gash on her cheek, but other then that only some streaks of dirt on her arms - probably from when Luna had dragged her through it - nothing worth fussing over. 

When she didn't say anything else, Clarisse turned and left. 

The walk to the Apollo cabin was nothing short of depressing. Luna would of liked to ask how they had been, what they had been doing in the last year, but couldn't find it in herself to speak when Maeve was wincing every ten steps and Sherman was hissing whenever he made any abrupt movement. 

When they finally got there, her thoughts fully dissipated - because she couldn't hear them over all the clutter of noise. Boys and girls bustled around, carrying cubes of ambrosia and cups of nectar. Some were busy by the beds in which campers lay, wrapping white linen bandages around their bloody wounds. 

Luna helped Maeve settle into an empty bed at the back while Sherman plopped down on one closer to the exit. 

"Really, all this bother over a leg gash? It will be gone by tomorrow." The Ares girl huffed.