Zia's POV:

I passed near the woods on the way to Hermes cabin. Since I hadn't officially been claimed, I still stayed there.

Everybody said I shouldn't go into the woods alone, but I really don't care. I entered the woods and ventured deep in there. I sat down against a trunk a while later when I heard someone giggle.

I stood up and looked around cautiously. "Hello? Is anybody out there?"

My voice echoed off the trees. I shrugged and sat back down, pulling out my leftovers from the dinner pavilion. I popped a fat grape into my mouth when I heard that giggle again. This time, I shot up and felt something brush by me.

I turned around and stared. My food was gone, and I caught a glimpse of a girl with leaf green eyes and a long green dress peering at me from inside the trunk of a tree.

I stepped closer and asked, "Did you take my food?"

She didn't say anything but nodded shyly.

I sat down and responded, "I'll share it with you if you like."

She stared at me, a confused look on her face. Then, smiling, walked straight out of the tree and handed back the grapes. I shook my head and put a grape in her hand. Staring at it, she put it in her mouth and chewed.

She swallowed, glanced at me, and whispered, "Sorry I took your food. I was just al little hungry."

I laughed and shrugged my shoulders toward the trees. "It's okay. But I thought you got food from the trees?"

She looked nervously around, and then addressed me. "Something or someone's been stealing fruit from the trees."

I nodded and handed her half of my sandwich. She stuffed it in her mouth hungrily, keeping her eyes on me.

I cleared my throat. "What's your name?"

"Leah."

"Nice to meet you, Leah." I said. I stood up and brushed the dead leaves and dirt from my pants. She too stood up and asked me, "Will you come see me again?"

I leaned down and picked up my trash. I wasn't one to litter. I said, "I don't know the way here."

She thought for a minute, then plucked a twig off the tree. "Take a leaf off this twig, crumble it, and follow the winds. Follow them here."

I smiled widely and said, "Will do."

I walked in the general direction of Camp. I noticed it's gotten dark. Things snarled and whooshed between the trees. I started running and soon saw the lights of Camp. I turned in that area and ran smack into a trunk. I gasped from the pain and my vision blurred at the edges slightly. What was happening to me?

I stumbled to my knees and fell on my back. I writhed in pain on the forest floor, kicking my legs and swinging my arms like I was trying to run sideways. My head slumped down. Before I lost consciousness, I saw a face. Not with my eyes, but in my mind. It turned its head and laughed; a deep, evil laugh.

Zoe's POV

I caught the boy staring at me. I still didn't know his name. I had no idea why I had kissed him. It just felt right. I had gone with my instinct on the moment, and now I didn't know what to do. Mom had never given me advice on boys.

He looked away from me and picked up a sword. He started hacking a dummy to pieces like he has a personal vendetta against it. I walked towards him slowly and picked up a sword that I could barely lift. I swung it at the dummy, chopping off the dummy's side. It took a chunk of material with it.

The boy glanced at me and said quietly, "Do you want to learn how to fight?"

I shrugged, acting indifferent. He took this as a "yes" and told me, "Don't swing until you're close enough to hit the target. Because if you're not, you'll miss, telling the monster you're there."

I didn't acknowledge him, but took a step back and creeped towards the dummy from behind. I swung, beheading the dummy.

"Nice," He said, "But you want to turn the blade, like this."

He placed his hands over mine and turned the sword so that could I see my reflection in the polished bronze. I turned my head and looked at him, unintentionally flipping my hair over my shoulder. He looked deep into my eyes, then nervously cleared his throat and stepped back.

I gave him a half-smile and swung the blade so it cut through the dummy's mid-section and the ropes tying it up. It fell to the ground in two pieces.

"You're right," I said.

I hung back up the sword and walked out the arena, enjoying the look of surprise on his face.

I walked to the Hermes cabin. It was getting dark. Zia told me she would be there, waiting for me. I waited for a couple minutes, then walked inside.

"Have you seen Zia anywhere?" I asked everyone.

"No," they said in unison.

I walked back out and around the camp. She wasn't at the Big House, at the showers, or the dinner pavilion, where I had last seen her. I walked by the woods and peered inside, noticing the many shadows that adorned the ground and the trees. I was about to turn away when I saw Zia's shoe on the ground. I ran toward it, revealing Zia herself. She was laying on the ground, asleep.

At first I thought she could've been peacefully sleeping, but then I noticed her face grimacing in pain. I screamed the loudest I could and campers soon came running.

They picked Zia up and carried her to the infirmary, where she was laid on a bed. I grasped her hand.

It was warm, and her mouth was moving, like she was trying to say something. I put my hand on her forehead. She felt feverish.

Chiron galloped in, bow slung across his back. He must've been training. Chiron took one look at my dear sister and said just one word.

"Poison."

Notes

Hey guys!

So We-Are-The-Seven asked me to update today. I was like, sure, why not?
So here's the chapter. Hope you liked it! Rate, comment, and subscribe!