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"Why you dirty little-" Clarisse scrambles up as fast as a fox and charges towards me again. I had thought I knocked her out, and wasn't paying attention. In the blink on an eye she had me in a choke hold, a hidden dagger at my throat. "That's enough!" Yells a boy's voice from the other group. "Clarisse, let her go!" She just grips me tighter, and nicks the side of my neck with the tip of her blade. "Or what? Gonna give me another toilet water bath?" I have no idea what that's about but I think I'll shutup. "I'm surprised you're even defending her! She's the daughter of Hera, remember?" Her arm edges closer to my windpipe. I can't breathe. My hands flail around my neck, trying to get a grip of her arm, when suddenly her knees buckle and her grip loosens. "Sorry, Clarisse," a girl's voice says behind me, "Game over." I keel over, supporting myself with one hand, massaging my throat with the other. Nyssa immediately comes over to me, helping me up. "Look, losers. I know you saved the world and stuff, and Annabeth's still healing, but don't even you two feel something towards her? She messed up all our lives! Every single one of us!" Some of the older campers nod with agreement. Annabeth comes over to me, and helps me up. She doesn't even look at me. "Look. Everybody here at camp knows I'm against everything to do with Hera. But Haley didn't decide to be her daughter. She just is; and we have to deal with that." She waves to the guy who spoke up first. "Percy, let's go." "Right away, Wise Girl." His voice holds no enthusiasm.

They led me to the bleachers of the arena, and asked the typical questions. "Are you okay? Does it hurt? You whipped her good, she deserved it." et cetera, et cetera. I had kept my hand on my throat, trying to stop the trickle of blood. But it was tired and I had to drop it. Annabeth noticed the blood on my hand and glanced at my neck. "Gods Clarisse! Could you not maim one camper during training?" Annabeth dug into her rucksack, and found a piece of cloth. "Go on to the Infirmary, you know where that is, right?" "Yeah." I glance at both Percy and Annabeth. "I don't know what my Mom did to make you both hate her so much, but thanks." I try and give a feeble smile, and they smile back. "No problem," Percy says.
"I gotta go to archery with Chiron now, okay?" Nyssa interrupts. "Sure. Maybe I can get back in time to see you and that bow in action." She smiles and nods. "Of course! But go get that patched up. Maybe you could see if you're any good with a bow yourself!" I laugh, but grimace because it hurts. "Go on now, I'll be okay."

Notes