Ever the veiled observer of jubilant masses, Briar circled Camp Half-Blood from above. With keen sight she oversaw children from different cabins run around, place bets on who could climb the rockwall fastest, kick around a soccer ball — some were even making friendship bracelets upon a hill. If it were not for the weaponry and lower halves of the satyrs one would think it were an ordinary summer camp. But this was the place demigods went for safety and to be trained as heroes. For a day will come when a darker evil threatens the lives of all who oppose them.

  "B!" a voice twenty feet below made the thirteen year old flinch. Does she have to be so loud, Briar thought to herself in disdain. Nevertheless, she tucked the extra limbs to her sides and bulleted down and threw silver behind her once she came too close to the ground. The landing made Briar stumble on her feet as the weight was uneven.

  She already did Grover a favor and wished to be alone with her thoughts. Was that so hard to ask? Very few campers seeked out her attention though she would have preferred if neither of them did. Now, Briar could have ignored the girl with blonde braids and a knack for being a know-it-all but Annabeth Chase was as persistent as they come. If Briar ignored her then she would have had the daughter of Athena trying to corner her at another time.

  "Chase," she acknowledged with her usual tiredness.

  If Annabeth was bothered by being referred to as her surname, she did not show it. Instead she stood with her back straight and a hopeful gleam in her stormy cloud eyes. Oh great. "You saw his memories, didn't you?" It was asked like any question would be but they both knew the answer already.

  And still, Briar lied. "No."

  "Did he steal it"

  Briar ground her molars in annoyance but her expression never moved from disinterest. Maybe she should have risked being cornered later. At least to save herself the trouble of conversation right then. Did anyone not get tired of always moving their mouths? "What I know, what I see, none of it is your business." If she allowed herself to pass out upon that grassy area would Annabeth leave her be?

  Annabeth did not look pleased with that answer but it was the only one Briar was willing to give. "Is he the one?" She pushed. "If he stole it, where is it?" And pushed.

  "Annabeth, if you want answers so badly then find them yourself." The calmness dropped for a second, a millisecond — but it was long enough for the strategist to see the discomfort living behind the void. "I'm not a messenger. You want one of those? Ask Luke."

  Two different shades of gray collided in mutual vexation. It was not always like this. In the past Annabeth and Briar would have been attached at the hip learning everyone's business. It was something the taller of the duo claimed to need for 'capture the flag'. Know thy enemy and know thy self; in a hundred battles you will never be defeated, Annabeth would quote Sun Tzu any chance she got. ( Though it took awhile to read. )

  But things changed abruptly. One minute they were going sparring and the next Briar was pulling away. Putting a gaping distance between them. And not once had the daughter of Sleep explained herself or given a proper reason. Each time Briar would ignore the question.

  Annabeth would never admit it aloud but the distance felt like a stab to the heart. She still had Briar but didn't all at the same time.

  "Did you see...something bad?" Her voice was softer this time, as if she'd spook the blue haired girl.

  Briar did. What she had witnessed through the memories of Percy Jackson made the iron chains around her heart tighten. It left her with dread — which ironically was how she made people feel just by getting too close. Her presence brought fear, anxiety, trepidation wrapped in one buddle and tied with a silk ribbon. That feeling felt like the welcoming arms of a parent in the boy's mind. And yet, seeing the fight with the Minotaur had her feathers flare in defense, as if she were the one in Percy's place.

  "I saw —" What could she have said? Oh y'know just this kid's mom getting killed by the Minotaur and that we could bond over our attachment and abandonment issues, that would not work. This wasn't her business to tell anyway. "Nothing."

  Annabeth's eyes narrowed as she stepped into the older girl's personal space. A bucket of ice-water that came with grim eyes, trailed down her spine. Her feet buried themselves in the dirt to keep her grounded. Every muscle in her body went taut, skin drained of its color the longer she stayed there. But, Annabeth was stubborn. She denied the voice in her head telling her to run.

  "We're friends, Briar." She wanted to deny the notion. "Tell me."

  Any ounce of calm resolve vaporized into visible disdain. Why can't she take a hint? "We aren't friends, Chase." Her voice was chilled. Everything about Briar was cold and unwelcoming. The smoke color of her eyes seemed more white than gray the longer Annabeth stared at her. "Like I said, get the answers on your own."

Hurt by her old friend's words, the blonde took a step back. "I know what you're doing and it isn't going to work forever."

Briar watched her walk away with her hands balled into fists at her side. Her reasoning may have been stupid to others but she didn't care what anyone else thought. She was putting her own feelings and needs first. Friends were nice to have but in the long run they're a liability, a way to hurt you. And if its' not someone using the ones closest against you then it's them seeing just how fucked up you are. They'll leave. So, she'll only show up when needed. Briar wouldn't desert anyone at camp ( she sadly cared too much ) but that also didn't mean she wanted to be the one left behind either.

✧˖*°࿐

Thirty minutes before dinner the campers returned to their cabins — or for some, the one they are honorary members to. Minor gods had yet to get their own housing for their offspring. Many had strong opinions when it came to the twelve Olypmians being the only ones being honored. Some of them had no children but were celebrated among the rest. It was unfair to the minor gods and goddesses, the ones who were forgotten by the world. It had been a popularity contest amongst admirers and those with considerably less important roles lost.

Briar had heard many debates between bunkmates on that matter. It was a frequent topic in Cabin Eleven. Usually it was the daughter of Bia starting the discussion and son of Oizys adding gasoline to the fire burning in her eyes. In most cases, Luke would be the one separating the two before things got too out of hand — the gods were always listening.

Like right now, the two sat on their bunks in a heated argument. Briar was only able to pick up bits and pieces of what was being said, but she could tell it was about their parents. A few older kids were looking at Luke, hoping he would get them to be quiet as he always did. But the young man with sandy-blond hair shook his head and focused on Percy instead.

He was sitting in his spot on the floor with the souvenir from his second kill in his lap. His presence had that sick feeling crawl up her throat all over again. Briar couldn't place if it had been guilt over yet another demigod losing a parent or because she had gone into his memories without permission. Either way, Briar wanted to puke out the emotion.

  She studied the two as they exchanged words and the older of the boys handed over a sleeping bag and toiletries that were most likely stolen. They seemed to be calm and if Percy was on the fence, she couldn't see it. Her eyes never strayed from the son of Hermes and the unclaimed. Maybe she was checking on them or perhaps this was her staring problem.

  Annabeth's name was mentioned along with the phrases "Big Three' and 'the one'. Prophecies never interested her so anytime her ex-friend brought it up Briar tended to block the conversation out. Quests and prophecies meant nothing to her, not when in most cases it was for the demigods to take on tasks the gods couldn't be bothered with. But if the others wanted to risk the hydes for the deities who would rather sit on their asses causing problems, then be her guest.

  A horn interrupted the dying discussions in the cabin. Dinnertime. Also known as unavoidable torture. Despite how spacious the pavilion was, there was never enough distance Briar could put between her and her cabinmates. Luke looked up and over at the girl who still watched him and Percy, he gave her a small nod of acknowledgement while she gave one in return.

  "Who is she?" Percy asked as he and the others began walking out into the yard. Grover told him she was a sleep inducer and repellent but never went into more detail, something about 'not wanting to have nightmares'.

  Luke, however, didn't share the same worry. "Briar Bardale, she's not a people person." He glanced back before continuing, "it would be best not to get too close to her though. Briar has a 'gift' she can't control yet so it could make newcomers uncomfortable."

  Percy had a not-so-good idea of what that ability may be. "Making people feel like peeing themselves — not that I would know or anything."

  Luke shook his head with a little chuckle at his expense. "Nah, well maybe? It depends on how uncomfortable she is or if she feels threatened."

  "Like a skunk but with fear instead of gas?"

  "Sure." Oh Luke was wishing Percy luck if Briar caught him comparing her to a smelly animal. "She's not too bad though, her and Annabeth are — were friends."

  Great, Percy thought.

  After lining up in order of who's been at camp the longest and shortest the demigods made their way up the hill and to the pavilion. Others had joined them and as this was Percy's first time witnessing everything he once imagined so up close and visible to others. He was gawking at the way a nymph had come out of a maple tree.

  "You'll get used to it eventually." A gentle voice came from beside him. He glimpsed down at the daughter of Bia, her big eyes that were the shade of wheat stared at him unblinking.

  "Right." He doubted any of this would appear normal to him. All the things he once imagined and were told were fantasies, exist. It won't be an easy switch for him. If a vampire comes out of the woods to suck his blood he is using Briar as a bat repellent.

  The campers squeezed themselves into seat at the table ( Luke got hit with a wing ) bodies were pushed shoulder to shoulder at the Hermes table while the others had much more space — Percy was feeling a little jealous over that since he had an elbow digging into his rib.

Chiron pounding his hoof resulted in all eyes on him as he raised his glass, "to the gods!"

Percy noticed all but one following in suit. Briar instead was staring at the white tablecloth while resting her chin in the palm of her hand. If he had to guess, he'd assume she either didn't have a good relationship with her godly parent or just was not paying attention.

Wood nymphs brought over trays of food. Fruits and vegetables mainly but there was meat as well. Mouths were watering at the sight before them. Percy even heard a few stomach's growling. He peered into his empty glass but Luke advised him to tell the object what he wanted. He was a little skeptical but tried it anyway.

From the corner of her eye, Briar caught his own wide ones of surprise that soon turned to amazement. Luke handed him a loaded plate and turned to the girl on the other side of himself. His brows furrowed when he saw she hadn't grabbed anything; no special drink of choice and not a single item of food. She could feel a lecture coming.

With her lips curled into a scowl of annoyance she placed strawberries and bread onto her plate. No meat, Percy noted as if it held any importance. Satisfied, Luke stood from the table and gestured for the two to follow him to the fire at the center of the pavilion. Everyone was giving an offering to their parents or a god they wanted aid from.

Briar contemplated her decision for a moment, her hand hovering over a slice of bread. She moved to gently hold a large strawberry in her palm instead and tossed it in with the other offerings. "Phobetor." She could have given it to her father but she always felt like she was betraying her mother somehow, so the personification of Nightmares was her go to. He was her favorite brother and the one she spoke to most, and this way he at least felt appreciated by someone instead of painted as a bad deity.

The smell of winter air and peppermint filled her senses. Memories of a time when her mother was still fighting to be there for her daughter. It was bittersweet but she walked back to the table, ignoring the sting in her chest.

I'm sorry I wasn't enough for you, Mother.

JANE!

Briar 🤝🏻 self-reservation (to an extent)

so i thought we'd have capture the flag in this chapter but nope, it'll be the next one and then we'll be onto the quest!!

i love Briar😭