The Raven's Call {Percy Jackson based}

Chapter 17- I Become BFFs with an Elephant (Pt. 1)

{Millie's POV}

I'd done war games the first night I'd arrived, and I hadn't enjoyed it. It was too noisy, and no-one actually died in it, which was very unrealistic of war. I liked death, because it gave me a sense of certainty about life.

There were two centurions in each cohort; the fourth Cohort had Leila and Anthony as their centurions. Leila was very calm all the time, which was annoying during war games, and all Anthony cared about was his hair.

I couldn't concentrate either, because Anthony was there and I couldn't take my eyes off of him. Neither could the gays in the 1st cohort. Occasionally, he'd wink at them, and that was a good distraction for charging at them. It wasn't quite his intention, though.

The first night I played war games we played death ball, which was like paintball except there was acid, poison and fireballs. However, I decided to focus my attention on tonight's game. Tonight, we'd been placed on the team trying to breach the fortress. Alivia and Sofie were talking, probably about the Fault in Our Stars, Leila was making a daisy chain, and Anthony was rushing about looking for a mirror. Georgina seemed to be talking to herself and staring off into the distance. It wasn't off to a great start.

Then, suddenly, I heard what sounded like an elephant trumpet.

"Can anyone else hear that?" No-one replied, or had heard, so I put it down to my imagination. Then, it happened again. I decided that I was crazy.

"I say that you all carry me atop your shoulders while I dazzle the other team with my rugged good looks," declared Anthony while admiring himself in a mirror, yet again.

"No, Anthony." Leila finished her daisy chain and placed it on his head.

"I think Sofie and Alivia should make the plan because they're the only ones with brains," said Georgina

"I agree. We are the only ones with brains." Sofie replied.

"What should I do?" I asked. If I had to do war games, I might as well take part in it fully.

"Millie, you can help me. Have I smudged my foundation?" Anthony beckoned me forwards, an invitation I welcomed.

"Wait a second, you're a daughter of Pluto, right?" I sighed and nodded. I didn't want attention from him if it was just for that.

"There's this chick in the fifth Cohort called Hazel, and she's a daughter of Pluto too. Last year she helped her team win by creating tunnels so that Jackson, Zhang and her could get closer to the wall. I also heard that you've got a brother too, Nico, was it? Apparently he's hot, so I guess it runs in your family." I blushed, not expecting the slightly cheesy compliment.

"Umm..." I fumbled around for words, but found none.

"Anthony, stop messing with her." Leila spoke up and sounded serious for once, and judging by her tone of voice, she was jealous. Maybe I was the one jealous, though.

"Wait, when you said Jackson, did you mean Percy Jackson?"Georgina asked.

"I sure did." Anthony turned to face Georgina, and then changed his attention to Alivia and Sofie. "Have you guys finished with your plan yet?"

"Yes, just about. Anthony and Georgina will go and distract the guards of the fifth cohort. Millie and Leila, I think you can deal with Hannibal the elephant." Sofie said.

"And us two will attack. Any problems?" Alivia added.

"Yay. I get to work with Anthony.I can't wait to be graced by his presence. I like him so much that he's my best friend," Georgina said sarcastically while punching her fist in the air. Anthony hadn't noticed that she'd said anything.

"No problems then. Great."

Leila was very silent as we sneaked around to the elephant, which I was fine with, but it freaked me out a little.

"So, there's an elephant?" I tried to create conversation. Instead of replying, she faced me with a finger over her lips.

"It's a very silent elephant?? It didn't sound like it." Then, she surprised me by swearing and smacking my head down. We both fell to the ground, and I suddenly realised why she had done it. What sounded like a heavily armed cohort was passing us. The next sound that came was the sound of an elephant stampeding, and the sound of fully grown men screaming. Hannibal had come to our rescue. After a few seconds of silence, Leila and I lifted our heads up, and I immediately regretted it. A long trunk started sucking on my hair, its force almost pulling me up with it. Leila started laughing, and I was suddenly glad for the lack of mobile phones in Camp Jupiter. I would have been number one trending on YouTube for a long time.

"Stop, good elephant. Please- OUCH- please, good little elephant, let go..." Eventually, once Leila had finished her laughing fit, she lifted Hannibal's trunk gently from my head. I wished I had Anthony's mirror to see the state of my hair.

"Come on, Hannibal should let us ride him. Especially seeing as he likes you."

"I'm not so sure, really. I'm fine just walki-" But it was too late. Leila had managed to lift me up, and I was now sitting precariously on the elephant's back. Leila jumped on top of a bush, which then grew in size until she reached the top of the elephant.

"That was cool." I admitted.

"Perks of godly parents, I suppose." She smiled, and then turned around, adjusting her position on the animal.

"Leila, can you see that cohort over there?" I pointed over at a group of demigods in the distance. She nodded.

"Well, you're not gonna see them for much longer. Come on, Hannibal, charge!"

{Sofie's POV}

I pulled Calcite of its sheath as Alivia pulled matches and alcohol out of her pocket. We all have our own ways of fighting: some with a sword, and some with alcohol. We crept over to a small hill and crouched behind it while a group of soldiers passed. Alivia led me towards the hill around the side of the main battlefield, just as we'd planned. As we rounded a corner we were met by a member of the other team, he gawked at us. Just as he was coming to his senses, I flipped him so he landed face first in the mud. Alivia and I ran forward until we saw a giant elephant, with Millie and Leila on the back of it. We waved, but they didn't see us, and carried on riding towards the other team. I felt something cold and sharp poking the small of my back. Spinning around I saw a boy with dark brown hair and tanned skin pointing a blade to my chest, Alivia lying unconscious on the floor.

"Fall back or I decorate your face with this blade,"he whispered, pushing the blade harder into my chest. Alivia and I had discarded our armour so we could run faster and be less obvious, it didn't seem like a smart move anymore.

"Alright,"I croaked. He lowered his sword from my chest, so I swung my leg, kicking his legs under him. I bolted in a random direction, having no idea which way was the right way. I figured that the boy wouldn't hurt Alivia further, and if I went back to get her, we'd both get hurt again. Once I seemed out of eyeshot, I hid behind a tree, hoping that the boy would have left by now. I then realised that I had also left Calcite behind. I ran towards them both, hoping that the trees would hide me. As I approached, I realised with dread that the demigod was still there, standing over Alivia, his sword in hand. Why hadn't he picked up my sword, too?

"Your sword- how did you hold it?" He asked me, an almost pained expression on his face. I must have given an equally puzzled expression back, because then he showed me his free hand. A deep burn covered the palm, as if he'd been holding something. Had Calcite done that? I shook it off, deciding to think about that later.

If I ducked down to grab my sword, the boy could easily smash my head, so I decided to go hands-free, which was, in fact, the meaning of Shotokan karate. I did a migueri kick to his stomach, toppling him to the ground, which gave me enough time to grab my sword. I placed it by his throat, desperately hoping that no-one was behind me, injuring Alivia, or about to harm me. He croaked out a Latin insult at me, which I replied to with one twice as bad, and will not be written down. I whacked his head with the flat of my sword, leaving him unconscious.

Alivia started mumbling something, which at least meant she wasn't dead, and gave me a bit of hope. I placed Calcite in her sheath, and then started dragging Alivia by her feet, to safety.

{It was a little long, so part two is next (:}