Behind the Shadows

Any other kind of excuse would of been nice. However this one hurt. The pain it caused was unforgivable. Grover spoke with a nervous tone and his eyes never left the ground. What he said could of been true or could've been a lie. What he told Sapphire was bizarre and rather hard to take in. Chiron had apparently disappeared. Grover said it was so sudden and that there was nothing left behind to inform anyone of his whereabouts. It was clear that all this was upsetting Grover but it was strange that no one was looking for Chiron. Why had he left? Is he safe? Maybe the gods had summoned him for something. The gods did that sometimes but Chiron always let everyone know. This was different and very strange. For all anyone knew Chiron could of been kidnapped. The campers behavior made sense now. They hadn't noticed Sapphire because of the panicked state that camp was under. Sapphire's sudden return was a speck of dust compared to the bigger issue of Chirons disappearance. No one had even gone to visit Jake in the medical cabin where he lay unconscious. It was like a dark shadow had covered the camp and everyone was left acting like they were being controlled like puppets. For no one to visit Jake or to of looked in to where Chiron is it was all starting to look odd.
Sapphire jogs back out of the woods and heads to her cabin. Her mind swirls with thoughts of everything going on at camp. A desperate hope for Jake to wake up keeps her from tearing the camp over looking for clues. When she gets into her cabin Sapphire pears at the mirror and smiles when she imagines herself as some sort of detective. She chuckles to herself when a thought of her being the camps Sherlock crosses her mind. The sun was setting and the cabins light becomes poor. Sapphire squints her eyes while she looks for her sword and her boots. If she couldn't go hunting for clues at the moment then she could tear a practice dummy to shreds. Curfew was in a couple of hours so it gave her a good amount of time to think. The door slams shut behind her as she exits and walks towards the arena. Her boots crunch on the gravel and her sword clacks against her leg where it hangs. Only a few campers are out but its not the normal evening banter. They just sit about huddled together whispering. Sapphire eyes a few sitting on a bench as she passes them. Not a single one looks up. Sapphire huffs and kicks a stone away. If she had another burger handy she would have splatted them. Clarisses expression for dinner time makes her smile.
The arena comes into view and it looks empty. No surprise there since the campers are now a flock of mindless sheep. The moon is her only source of light as Sapphire stumbles along the path leading to the arena. Feeling lonely was a foreign feeling to Sapphire and it was a bitter feeling. All her life she had always been surrounded by friends, and even when she left camp for school she had either Luke or Jake at her side. The pair always seem to go to the same schools as her.
Running away at a young age had taught her that no matter her circumstances she could always create a family out of her friends. Its not blood that makes a family it is loyalty. Luke had told her that once when they were on the streets and Sapphire was feeling her worst from homesickness. Luke had knelt beside her and held her hand and said "I have never felt homesick before because my home is always standing at my side. A home does not have to be a warm house with a happy family. A home can be the people around you and the people who stick by your side and make you smile. Saphy, blood does not make a family its loyalty that makes it." That day made Sapphire realise that Luke was her family and always had been up until now. Then came along Thalia and Annabeth and that made them a complete family.
"Are you just gonna stand there and stare into space?" Her thoughts crashed away and Sapphire gasps when she notices she had stopped halfway along the path. The voice belonged to the new guy from the Ares cabin. Sapphire glares at him and begins to walk forward to the arena. The new guy chuckles and the gravel crunches and it tell Sapphire that he was following her. Her pace quickens before she breaks into a run. Sapphire crashes into the arena and head to the centre where all the practice dummies stand begging to be smashed to a pulp.
Stretching first was always a good idea. Sapphire ignores the new guy who is stood a few metres away smirking under the moonlight. She continues to stretch away before she straightens up and grabs her sword. The sword was nothing special but it felt right when Sapphire held it. It was not too heavy or too light. It was just spot on. Her right hand holds it tight as she swishes it side to side trying to warm up her fighting arm. Her fingers work around the handle as she flicks it round and round. It was just something to show off to the new guy. He must be here for a reason so why not give him a show. Her arm begins to tingle with the urge to swing a few hits. One dummy goes down after another. Her mind dazes out and the fighting instinct of a demigod kicks in. The last dummy goes down and Sapphire is away to pack up and leave but her sword clunks into another. Maybe one of the dummies had come to life looking for revenge for the amount of times it had been broken and crushed or maybe it had come to life looking for world domination or maybe it was--
Nope Sapphire was out of luck for something as crazy as that. The sword belonged to the really annoying new guy. His smirk made Sapphire want to lift her sword and carve it off. Unfortunately she could not do that because before she knew it she was flipped on to the ground with a sword at her throat.
"Can I help you?" Sapphire grumbles as she looks from the sword at her throat to the new guys face. She begun to wonder if the smirk had been stitched on to his face and maybe that was why he had difficulty getting rid of it. Sapphire could always lend a hand to get rid of it. She was very helpful that way."Nope" Was all he says. The answer does not offer any invitation for her to say anything else.
"Whats your name?" Sapphire chirps and shoves his sword away before she springs safely to her feet. The new guy is tall and he towers over Sapphire.
"Cayden" His voice is very deep and it makes Sapphire want to turn around and run to the hills screaming.
"How pretty!" Sapphire clasps her hand to her heart and gives her sweetest smile. "Hi Cayden, I'm Sapphire"
Cayden does not amused but at least Sapphire could admit she helped towards wiping the smirk off his face.
"Can't say the same for your name" Ouch. He had kicked her where her ego was strongest. Her name was always something that made her proud. Her name was a colour and a gem. It was also greek which made her even more happy. Sapphire's smile does not waver."Yeah pretty is a bit dull. Maybe more along the lines as beautiful and tantalising" A frown forms on his face. This happened a lot with Ares kids when they bumped into Sapphire's shining personality. She was just a problem that a good old sword fight could not solve.
"What is wrong with you?" Cayden studies her like she is a textbook. Sapphire grins and puts her sword back in it holder at her hip.
"Many things but you have to be a level four friend to know them" A growl comes for Cayden and Sapphire holds back a laugh.
"How old are you?" He asks. Ah, he was now blaming Sapphire age on her odd personality. This also happened a lot but it tended to happen with the Athena kids.
"Old enough to know a prick when I see one" Sapphire mutters before she prances past Cayden. It takes a few moments before Caydens laughter booms through the arena. Sapphire pauses and turns around to see him crouched over laughing his heart out. "Can I ask you something?" Sapphire calls across to him. He stops laughing and stands up straight.
"What?"
"Did you make me do that at dinner time?" Sapphire waits for his reply. Nothing comes but he walks towards her. He towers above her and the smirk is stitched back on.
"I don't know what you are talking about, Sapphire Jackson". Sapphire tenses.
"My name is not Jackson" Sapphire voice comes out in a croak and she cringes. Caydens smirk grows.
"Looks like I've hit a touchy spot"
"Its Willow! I can spell that out if you like" Sapphire clenches her fists and buries the urge to punch him.
"Oh is that so?" Cayden leans in closer as though he might be able to learn more. Sapphire restrains a growl. The sound of footsteps comes to her ears but she ignores it. "Has this little princess got some mommy and Daddy issues?"Sapphire does not bother to answer. She spins around and walks away. Caydens arm goes around her waist and she is yanked backwards into his chest. Sapphire gasps and tries to wiggle out but it is no use because Cayden has her in a death grip. Panic swirls in her. "I heard a lot of interesting things about you".
Sapphire ignores him and puts more force into getting away from him. She kicks and hits but he won't let go.
"Let me go". Cayden just laughs like this is all just a sick game of his. Sapphire anger grows and she begins to despise the guy. Loud steps boom through the arena. Cayden grunts and Sapphire is let go. She tumbles to the ground and turns to see Cayden fall to the ground holding his nose. A form stands over him. Sapphire scrunches her eyes through the poor moonlight to see who it is. Cayden rushes back on to his feet and throws a punch at the other person. The punch looks painful but the person stays standing. Sapphire crawls to her feet and pulls out her sword. Her anger is too strong to let this person get all the good hits. Sapphire darts forward and places herself in between them. She faces Cayden and points her sword at him.
"If you ever grab me like that again then you will wish you were never born" Sapphire spits at him. Caydens eyes go darker but he backs down and takes a step back. Sapphire grips her sword tight and turns around. Her breath hitches when she see Jake standing there. His eyes slowly lower on to Sapphire and his famous grin lights up his face. Sapphire almost chokes on joy as she rushes forward and wraps her arms around his neck. Jakes arms go around her waist in a death grip. This death grip is welcomed though because it is in the right arms. Cayden walks out of the arena looking rather gloomy. That does not matter to Sapphire because she has her Jake back.

Notes