"Okay! I've decided that for one extra challenge, I will choose the teams. Half of Artemis's Hunters and half of the campers per team. The team leader for the blue team is...Annabeth Chase for her wonderful victory last Friday! As for the leader of the red team...come forward, Clarisse La Rue!" Chiron announced.
"I've never wanted to be on Annabeth's team more than before," I whispered to Percy.
"Same here," Percy muttered back behind his hand.
The point of Chiron picking each demigod individually was so both teams were at a disadvantage somewhere in their ranks. Normally, Chiron picked the leaders, one being the winner of the last Capture the Flag, the other of his choice, selected to be the best leader for the opposing team. The winner would choose his first team mate before the chosen leader, then they would take turns selecting their partners. I'm proud to say I was normally chosen first by Clarisse if she had won the week before, though begrudgingly, of course.
"On the red team with Clarisse, we have Nellie Sufaro, Connor Stoll, Luna Estrella..." Two Hunters and Connor stepped forward to join Clarisse. Chiron gave them each their helmets with the red feathers that signified their team color. On and on the centaur elected members until only two people could be chosen for the red team.
"Paris Hale! And lastly...Everyone held their breath. I marched forward stiffly, praying to the gods the name Chiron chose next wouldn't be hers. "Thalia Grace!"
Seriously? You guys must hate me, I thought to the gods. I glowered as Thalia stepped with a light tread forward.
This must've been our disadvantage. Me and her on the same team? Was Chiron trying to test my strength or my sanity? At the time I would've been caught betting on the latter. I figured Thalia would have felt the same way, only she didn't live here like the rest of us; she wouldn't know about Chiron's little "drawbacks".
"Those of you who's names I haven't called, you're to reside with Annabeth on the blue team. Go and discuss strategies, you have five minutes."
Percy walked over to Annabeth, but not before throwing a 'Sorry, dude' look over his shoulder and shrugging at me.
My team mates circled around Clarisse to debate on our choice of action.
"Okay, the thing we need to do is plan like Chase. She uses her "magical" Athena knowledge. Hale, what do you think we should do?"
I could tell by the pained glare on Clarisse's face she did not like asking me for my opinion.
I was actually deep in thoughts about saving Nico at the moment, so I didn't even know we were talking plans.
"Hale!"
"Huh?" I was jerked from my speculation. "Oh, well, I think the best thing to do is naturally to divide up."
"Why? Isn't that a strategy to stay away from?"
"Not when you're fighting my sister." I explained with a shrug. "You see, she'll automatically assume that since you're leader, you'll be making the plans since you're a little..." I cleared my throat and steered away from that particular subject. "What method does the Ares cabin usually go for?"
"We like to work as a team to take out as many opponents as possible, obviously." Clarisse rolled her eyes and gave me a look that clearly said I was slow.
"Precisely what she'll be expecting. That's why we split up. There should be," I counted the members of our team. "I'm thinking if we divide up into small groups, we should be able to use the 'distract and attack' theory. Three or four people stay beside and guard the flag at all times. Four sets of two flank the flag, hiding out in the woods; they'll be second line of defense. First line of defense will be about ten of us all sprawled out around the general area. That means that about twenty-two of us will be guarding. The rest of you can go hunt for the other flag. And maybe we could use three or four as scouts?"
