Outsider (Story about Camp Halfblood)

Chapter 41

Lying down on the ground wasn't doing much to help me figure out what I was going to do about this cheating thing. From where I was resting, I could easily see the Nemesis kids getting ready for a sword fighting class. Black is a very popular color amongst the group and many were scrawny and didn't look like they were much of a threat. None the less, they managed to make my capture the flag team lose, or should I say ours.

I stood up and leaned against a nearby tree. As much as I wanted to attack the tree, a nymph would be after me. This sucks. I want to so badly to go down there and confront them, but if I make them too upset then I'll be targeted for revenge. Even though the best revenge is karma--not inflicted revenge.

A knife hit the tree, very close to my head, sending a strong vibration through the wood. I turned to see who interupted my thoughts, expecting someone I didn't know, not Clarisse.

"Mia, get the box." Clarisse stated with her arms crossed and her full battle amour on--helmet included.

My skin rose with goose bumps. "Okay, why?"

"I need the contents for a meeting after Annabeth and the others leave on the Argo ll."

"Alright, any reason for them so soon? And why not wait until you need them?" I asked, pulling the knife from the tree ad handing it back to Clarisse.

"One, it's best to get it during the counselor meeting where the most important people at this camp will be occupied. No one should pay much attention to someone who wanders into the woods alone, I mean they'll still question it, but won't bother to do anything about it." Clarisse paused and took a breath. "Also if I wait too long to get it, I won't have enough time to analyze it and figure out my dreams."

I thought back a few months ago when Clarisse had those dreams about war with Roman campers. "You're having them again?"

She nodded. "Yep. With that box, I can use it to persuade the rest of the counsel to prepare to fight. But doing it now will only worry the seven and they don't need to worry about it as much as we do."

"Don't you think that they already know? I'm sure any one of them can see this fight coming."

"Yeah, but they don't know how bad it will get." Clarisse whispered, obviously she saw something awful in her dream.

"I'll get the box." I sighed, looking over my shoulder to glance back at the Nemesis campers. Too bad I can't continue my plotting.

"Thanks." Clarisse smiled slightly. "Why are you watching the Nemesis campers anyways?"

I thought for moment, pondering whether or not to tell her the truth. "Well, you know how we lost capture the flag?"

Clarisse's face turned red in anger. "Yes. Does have to do with them?"

"Possibly. They weren't too pleased with what your cabin has done with newbies." She was going to find out anyways, besides it saves me time.

Clarisse gripped her knife. "When this meeting is over, they are dead." Her voice was sharp and full of fury. She turned and stomped off to her meeting.

I smiled and I watched her storm away. Karma.

~~~

Sneaking into the woods wasn't as easy as Clarisse said it was. Almost every camper was sitting along the edge of the woods hiding from the sun. Trying to even walk through the mass of people was difficult, but having to remain unseen by the Apollo kids was very challenging. If word gets to one of them that I went into the woods alone, one of them would inform Will at some point and I don't need to have him questioning me or trying to find me. Eventually I got into the woods and I just ran to the heart of it, ignoring the sounds of playing nymphs and growling monsters.

The center of the woods was dark--almost no sunlight reaching the ground. I used my dagger for extra light and slowly began to look for the spot where the box was located. I remember being here, mostly because of the spikes a monster threw at Clarisse and I last time. The tree that they were in were facing me, so I figured if I made my way behind them, then I should find the vines over the box.

I searched for a good ten minutes before I found the large mass of posion vines. As I walked under them, the vines curled up away from me, then went back into place behind me. When I reached the center, the place felt different. There was no monster in sight or in the area for that matter. Any creature would be crazy to go near the posion vines.

Slowly I walked to the spot where the box was placed in the ground. The spot looked like it was concealed by amatures or quickly covered. I know that Clarisse never came back here and neither have I, but what happened?

I touched the ground and began to dig. With in a few inches I felt the box, but it was feet into the ground before. I yanked it out quickly, not bothering about all the dirt flying up and coating me in a nice layer. The box wasn't shut tight, unlike it's tightly closed lid months ago...

I threw open the lid and inside was not the paper with the prophecy. Instead a small note that read:

                        The future is not in your hands, but the seven's. Even preparing too

                        soon will show signs of war against the Romans with no reason. Our

                        enemies will use this against us and turn friend to foe before contact

                        between camps is done. Remain out of conflict as much as you can,

                        the gods cannot help you in any way. You'll be on your own until the

                        quest is complete. You will know when praparations can be made.

I stared at the note. Some how, someone knew about this and they know what is going to happen.

Standing up, I fold up the note and stuffed it into my back pocket. I left the box on the ground and I kicked the dirt back into the hole. When I tell Clarisse about this, she will have someone's head.

~~~

When I got back, dinner line up was just beginning, so everyone was in the commons. I weaved throughout the crowd of people to find Pollux before Clarisse happened to find me and ask for the box.

I have never seen so many faces, many I was seeing for the first time, and walking through them all freaked me out a bit and I got a little claustrophobic.

"Mia!"

I turned to the voice of Pollux and moved quickly to him so we could go off to dinner.

"Since when have there been so many people?" I complained, hugging my arms.

Pollux laughed. "It's crazy. There are so many of us now that we could defeat Mother Earth alone!"

"Execpt we need the two camps to because of the gods split personalities." I sighed, remembering Clarisse's visions of war between us and the Romans.

Pollux nodded. "They leave in a day."

"Already?" I was surprised by how quickly time as moved. Annabeth, Leo, Jason, and Piper leave to New Rome and form the seven of the prophecy.

"I know, it's insane!" Pollux exaggerated his speech to show how really surprised he was, or he was just being sarcastic. For some reason, the meeting of the two camps makes him uneasy.

The dinner bell must have been rung, because everyone was running up to the dinning hall while the coucelors tried to keep an orderly fashion.

"Let's go eat!" Pollux said, not bothering to rush up to the hall. I mean our table for ten is set for two, no need to rush.

~~~~~

So it has been too long, way too long and I apologize for that. But I thank you guys for still reading. Shortly (I think), this story will be over and whether or not there's a second, I'm not sure.