Skinny Love - A Tratie Fanfiction

.G.

.Gore and Glory.

It was Friday.

   Chiron has gathered everyone at the dining pavilion, waiting for the campers to settle down. The centaur says, "Capture the Flag won't be the game played tonight, as promised. War Games will take place instead, just to remind us of Deadalus's visitation here at camp. For all our new campers, this game will have a team of two to find the Giant Scorpion in the woods with golden laurels attached to its body. Your goal is to get those laurels. And, of course, the teams are picked out already."

   A roar of "Ugh"s and "Aww"s filled up the night's air, making the nearby dryads giggle at the half-bloods' immaturity. Then, Chiron headed towards the entry of the northern woods, where weapons and armors were spread out on tables. When nobody thought he was looking, Travis Stoll, a son of Hermes, whipped his head to steal a smile from Katie Gardner, and when he saw her, she was already looking. She grinned, and her cheeks turned a bright shade of red. Travis had a feeling his cheeks had the red hue, too.

   When the campers finished their dinner, all of them excitedly rushed towards the northern woods' opening, where the game is to start at. Each of them grabbed their own breastplates to strap on, and for the people without a certain weapon in their possession, they grabbed their weapon of choice; from knives to daggers, to swords and to javelins. Skilled archers grabbed their bows and made sure their quivers were full of arrows. Some children of Hermes made sure their shoe laces were laced, just to avoid injuries when flying. The whole place was in perfect chaotic harmony, blades and bows and all. Artemis Clarke, a daughter of the thief god, plopped down on a log, careful to not sit on her sword. She unsheathed her blade, admiring its dark but beautiful substance.

   "Deadly and sexy," she heard a voice call behind her. "What's its name? Made out of what? And who owned it once?"

   Artemis turned to see her interrogator. He was Pullox from the Dionysus cabin. "Name's αηδόνι. Nightingale in English. Made out of Celestial Bronze, possibly etched with fallen nightingale's blood and feathers. And again, possibly once owned by a descendant of Athenian princesses Philomela and Procne. Why do you ask?"

   He answered, "It's quite unusual for Celestial Bronze to be a shade of dark red, and it's probably one of the sexiest blades I've ever seen."

   Artemis said nothing in response, but just grinned crookedly at him. Travis finally spotted her after a wild search in the crowd of demigods. He jogged over to the log, and shoved Pollux away teasingly. "Hey Art, Pollux. Mind if I talk to her alone?" Artemis's brother inquired, indicating to her.

   "I have no choice," Pollux says in defeat.

   Once he strode off, Travis says, "What was that about?"

   Artemis grunted before responding. "Just talking about Nightingale. You remember my blade, don't you?"

   Of course Travis remembered. Nightingale was by far the most beautiful sword he'd seen, more beautiful his than Harpe, one of the weapons retrieved from Ancient Times. It is believed to be the sword Perseus used to slay Medusa.

   "Hell, I remember. And don't you even dare start bragging about your blade just because yours is etched with nightingale blood while mine is stained with gorgon blood!"

   Then comes laughter, soft and melodious, like a breeze. After that a nymph melted out of her tree and walked towards the bickering siblings.

   "Oh Travis, Artemis here isn't being very honest here. They weren't just talking about Nightingale," the nymph informs the boy.