Thalia's POV

Thalia was grumpy, really grumpy. The other hunters were quick to get out of her way and didn't say much, afraid to make her upset. Thalia had been in a bad mood since Tuesday, today was Friday. Her head was throbbing and every noise, no matter how small sent her on high alert. The only problem was she had no idea what was making her head hurt, and no idea why she was so upset. No one had done or said anything to make her so agitated.

"Th-Thalia, sorry to um...disturb you but you have an Iris message." One of Thalia's young hunters stammered nervously peeking carefully into Thalia's tent.

"Who is it?" Thalia asked with a large sigh before pinching the bridge of her nose.

"It's Annabeth." Relief and a small bit of happiness washed over Thalia. Finally, someone who can figure my stupid headache out! Thalia tossed aside the arrow she had been making and slipped out of her tent following the new recruit tova shimmering image. Annabeth's face looked stern but Thalia could tell by the way the corner of her mouth turned down that she was also agitated.

"Hey." Was all Thalia said. Annabeth raised an eyebrow taking in Thalia's appearance. Thalia hadn't exactly put much care into her appearance the past few days. Needless to say her hair was a mess, dark circles framed her eyes, and there was a slight droop to her shoulders.

"You look like crap." Annabeth quipped with a smirk.

"I feel like crap." Thalia grumbled. Annabeth's features turned into her usual expression of worry, knitted eyebrows, and pursed lips.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

"No, but I'm not telling you anything until you tell me why you called." Thalia ordered knowing that Annabeth would easily fuss over her instead of explaining the situation. This time it was Annabeth's turn to sigh.

"Some wierd stuff is going on." Annabeth shifted to reveal the capture the flag arena. In the distance she could see Percy standing almost knee deep in the creek. "At first we thought the plumbing was acting up but Grover checked the creek. It was frozen solid this morning, like a giant block of ice. Percy's spent the last hour keeping it from freezing over. If he stops to take a break it starts to turn to ice again."

"Is it some sort of prank?" Thalia asked sure that the Stools or Leo had done something, in fact she wouldn't put it past them. Annabeth shook her head.

"No even they were upset. What's worse is that the field is slowly icing over. It started out along the river banks but it's spread in the last hour." Squinting Thalia could see the familiar gleam of frost slowly coating the grass.

"Any idea of what's wrong?" She asked. Annabeth shrugged.

"The Hecate campers said that there wasn't any magic involved. Percy tried to contact his dad to see if something had happened on Olympus. There wasn't a response." She ran a hand along her beaded neckless a nervous habit of hers. "What's going on with you?"

"Nothing like that but I've had this obnoxious headache since Tuesday. It doesn't make sense though, it's not because I have allergies or I'm stressed. Things have been calm lately. It doesn't help that everyone's acting like have the plague." Thalia groaned glancing over her shoulder at the other hunters.

"Oh!" Someone exclaimed. Thalia's head whipped around to see another Iris message gleaming in the mid morning light. It was Reyna looking slightly embarrassed. "Sorry."

"Hey!" Annabeth called waving to Reyna. Reyna waved awkwardly back.

"Please tell me nothing wierd has happened at New Rome." Thalia whined.

"No, everything's been fine. Why did something happen?" Reyna asked glancing at Thalia's tired appearance and Annabeth's thinking face.

"Yeah." Annabeth filled Reyna in on the details including Thalia's terrible mood. It was Reyna's turn to put on her thinking face.

"Do you think it has to do with Olympus?" Reyna asked.

"I'm not sure Percy tried to contact his father but he didn't get an answer. Though it could explain your foul mood." Annabeth stated glancing at Thalia.

"I may have to agree with you on that." Reyna sighed. "The weather's been, well different. "Has it snowed in New York yet?"

"No, not at all." Annabeth muttered. Then her eyes gleamed like a lightbulb went off in her head. "There was a lot of rain last night which is strange. It doesn't normally rain in the winter here."

"Well it doesn't normally snow here." Reyna shifted aside to reveal a thin white blanket of snow coating the ground and the tops of white marble buildings.

"If the weather's out of whack Zeus could be upset. That would explain your bad mood too. Your emotions are partially tied to the weather." Annabeth stated.

"Gee, thanks dad." Thalia growled glancing up at the sky.

"Any ideas on why his toga's in a twist?" Reyna asked.

"I'm not sure." Annabeth frowned completely miffed.

"We should wait and see how it plays out. We can't jump to conclusions besides I can ask Artemis when I see her next. If I get any information I'll let you know." Thalia stated ready to be done with the conversation and go lay down. Her headache was steadily getting worse.

"Hey! What's up!" Percy laughed suddenly appearing in the Iris message.

"Great Kelp Head is here!" Thalia threw her hands up in the air. Percy frowned and glanced between the three girls.

"Um...talk to you later?" With a glare from Annabeth he quickly disappeared.

"Anyways, I think you're right. Waiting is going to be our best bet." Annabeth agreed.

"And if people start asking questions?" Reyna implored. Thalia had forgotten that Reyna wasn't the soul leader of the camp. If things started getting really wierd the Senate would get involved. When the Senate gets involved suspicions are hard to quell. When the whole camp is worried it rests on their leader's shoulders.

"Tell them I irritated my Dad. Hazel knows we don't really get along. It's a believable story. Same for you Annabeth." With it settled Reyna ran her hand through the mist ending the Iris message.

"Hang in there Thals." Annabeth smiled reassuringly. With that her face dissolved and Thalia was left staring at the trees. Turning on her heel she headed back towards the tents. One of the hunters, whose name was Alex, a close companion followed the lieutenant.

"Anything knew?" The other girl asked.

"No. Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to go beat my head against a tree." The other girl took the hint that Thalia needed space and went back to stocking the fire that was the only thing that fought the crisp air. Thalia entered her tent once again content with laying on her back and staring at the ceiling. It wasn't long before she grew bored. Desperate to escape her throbbing head she drifted off to sleep.

She was cold, really cold. Her fingers were numb and tingly and her breath came out in a fierce mist. There was no warmth at all and it seemed the even her bones were shaking. It felt like hungry dogs were nibbling at her skin, sharp pains shit through her arms and back. The thing that worried Thalia the most wasn't the cold it was the fact that she couldn't see. Everything was dark, so pitch black that for a moment she was afraid she had gone blind. Something didn't feel right, but Thalia couldn't make sense of it. She could hear whispers, voices that asked her questions she couldn't answer. All she could think about was how cold she was.

A shiver wracked her body but something prevented her from curling up into a ball for warmth. She shivered again and the sounds of metal clanking met her ears. Though she could not feel them somehow she knew they were shackles.

"Where am I? Who are you?" She called out angrily into the dark. There was no answer. Panicked Thalia struggled in her binds. Her body felt weak like she had been in this position for hours, whatever that position was exactly. Think, figure a way out. Only Thalia couldn't think, how could she figure a way out if she couldn't even see? Metal, metal, please let the shackles be metal. Concentrating, Thalia imagined the air coming alive in pure energy. She pictured it flowing through her hands and down the chains. The taste of iron nipped her taste buds before the buzz of electricity grew into a crackle. A loud angry roar came from her right. Without warning something hot and burning pressed into her side. The pain ignited in such a furry that it was as if someone was severing each individual her e in her body.

Snapping awake Thalia shot up into a sitting position outside was dark, she must have slept the day away. Beads of sweat coated her forehead. "It's a dream. Gods it's just a dream."

"Thalia." Suddenly alert Thalia searched for the owner of the voice still half conscious from her sleep. Thalia's gaze fell upon the silhouette of a familiar figure standing just inside her tent.

"My Lady! Sorry if I woke you." Thalia rushed out in a single breath. Artemis studied her hunter before igniting the lamp that rested on the far table.

"Do not apologize. I was already awake." Thalia nodded still slightly shaken.

"When did you arrive?" Thalia asked studying Artemis' young Appearance. Artemis looked older in front of Thalia. She appeared to be sixteen, Thalia's age. Most of the time Artemis took on the size of a young twelve year old girl, but whenever Thalia and Artemis were alone, Artemis tended to be of a similar age to Thalia. It was an inadvertent way of saying they were equals.

" Not long ago, only when the coals in the fire were dying. They're snuffed out now." Artemis noted without much thought.

"Is they're something that you wish for me to do?" Thalia asked eager to serve.

"No, Thalia. In fact I was wondering how you were." Artemis stated though Thalia knew she was really asking.

"Oh. It's been difficult." Thalia answered careful to be vague.

"You've been feeling the effects of the weather haven't you?" Artemis asked raising an eyebrow in a concerned manner.

"Yes. Is something wrong on Olympus? Is father upset?" Thalia asked desperate to have some idea as to why she had to suffer from migraines.

Artemis pursed her lips tracing a figure on the table with her finger. " Zeus is unhappy, but it is another who is angry."

Great, I love riddles, Thalia sighed in her head.

"I would tell you more if I was given permission. The others are hoping that the situation, ah, blows over if you will." Artemis said giving Thalia an honest expression.

" Well, whatever it is I hope it's over with soon. I think I'm worrying the others. " Thalia laughed feeling the pressure in her head subside the longer Artemis stayed.

"You've had a dream haven't you?" Artemis asked noting Thalia's shifty gaze and slightly shaking fingers. Thalia looked at her patron a curious expression painting the Goddess's features. Artemis sat on the floor crossing her legs and tilting her head slightly to the side.

"It was nothing." Thalia waved it off knowing full well that Artemis would pull it out of her eventually.

"Thalia, was it cold?" Artemis asked and for once a flash of worry crossed her features.

"Yes, but it was because I was cold from the weather outside." Thalia lied. Artemis nodded her head thoughtfully.

"Tomorrow I want you to go to camp. There Chiron and and my Nephew should help. I will continue on with the others, in the mean time I wish for you to rest." Artemis rose to her feet, a sign that the conversation was over for the time being. Walking over Artemis pressed her hand to Thalia's forehead and in seconds Thalia's headache dissapeared and a sense of drowsiness washed over her. Thalia barely heard the receding footsteps of the Goddess and the soft whisper of her voice. "Sleep well."