Chapter Text
The first thing Kara heard that morning was screaming.
Not distressed screaming.
Competitive screaming.
There was a difference.
Distressed screaming usually meant harpies.
Competitive screaming usually meant the Ares cabin had started another fight before breakfast.
Kara sighed into her pillow.
A second later came the unmistakable sound of someone being thrown through a wall.
"Yep," she mumbled into the blanket. "Ares kids."
The Apollo cabin around her remained mostly asleep despite the chaos outside. Warm morning sunlight spilled through the open windows, painting golden streaks across the hardwood floor and tangled blankets. Someone near the back of the cabin snored loud enough to shake a bunk bed.
Kara rolled onto her back and squinted at the ceiling.
A guitar pick was stuck to her cheek.
Again.
She peeled it off with a groan and tossed it toward the cluttered bedside table where half-finished sketches, charcoal pencils, sheet music, and paintbrushes fought for space.
Most Apollo kids decorated their side of the cabin with trophies.
Kara decorated hers with unfinished things.
Half-painted sunsets.
Abandoned melodies.
Canvases she swore she would finish eventually.
She sat up slowly, blonde hair sticking out in every direction possible, and winced when sunlight immediately flooded her eyes.
Most children of Apollo loved mornings.
Kara did too.
Just not the waking up part.
Another crash sounded outside.
Then someone yelled, "SHE HIT ME WITH A CHAIR!"
Kara rubbed her face.
"Deserved probably."
Across the cabin, a boy poked his head upside down over the edge of his bunk.
"Think it's breakfast fight or blood feud fight?"
"Breakfast," Kara answered immediately.
"How can you tell?"
"No fire yet."
"Fair."
The boy disappeared back into his blankets.
Kara stretched her arms above her head and felt something crinkle beneath her leg.
She blinked down.
A painting.
Right.
She'd fallen asleep working on it again.
Carefully, she picked it up before it could smear.
It wasn't finished yet, but most of the canvas was covered in soft golds and oranges. A lake reflected sunlight beneath a painted evening sky. Tall pine trees lined the water.
The scene looked peaceful.
Safe.
Not real.
Kara stared at it quietly for a moment.
Then sighed.
"Still missing something."
"You say that about literally every painting."
Kara looked up to see Winn leaning against the cabin doorway holding two oranges and looking entirely too awake for sunrise.
Winn wasn't an Apollo kid.
Technically he belonged to the Hephaestus cabin.
But he spent more time in Apollo than his own because, according to him, "Your cabin has less explosions."
Which was fair.
Usually.
Kara narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
"Why do you have oranges?"
"They were free."
"You stole them from Demeter cabin again, didn't you?"
"They grow outside, Kara. That's basically public property."
"That's not how agriculture works."
Winn tossed her one anyway before stepping fully inside.
Kara caught it easily.
"Besides," he continued, "you needed to wake up before breakfast ended."
Kara groaned.
"Why?"
Winn's expression shifted instantly into excitement.
"Oh, because the Hunters of Artemis came back last night."
Kara blinked.
Then immediately sat up straighter.
"They're here?"
"Oh yeah."
Winn dropped dramatically onto the edge of her bed.
"And your terrifying sister is apparently already threatening people."
Kara snorted.
"That narrows it down so little."
"Apparently an Ares camper asked if Hunters were allowed to date."
"Oh no."
"And Alex told him she'd mount his skull on the camp border."
Kara buried her face in her hands.
"Yep. That sounds like Alex."
Despite herself, though, she smiled.
Alex had joined the Hunters nearly three years ago.
She still visited camp occasionally, usually after long hunts, monster tracking missions, or whenever Artemis decided civilization was becoming intolerable again.
Nobody ever knew exactly when the Hunters would arrive.
One day camp would just wake up to silver wolves in the woods and arrows sticking out of trees.
Then suddenly Alex Danvers would be standing in the dining pavilion insulting everyone like she'd never left.
Kara missed her constantly.
Even if Alex communicated affection mostly through threats and sarcasm.
Winn grinned knowingly.
"You're smiling."
"I am not."
"You absolutely are."
Kara threw the orange at him.
He yelped as it bounced off his forehead.
Before either of them could continue arguing, a horn suddenly echoed across camp.
Breakfast call.
Immediately the cabin exploded into motion.
Apollo kids stumbled from beds, shoved shoes on half-awake, grabbed bows, jackets, instruments, and random objects that absolutely did not belong at breakfast.
Someone nearly ran into Kara holding a violin and a piece of toast.
Kara barely avoided getting hit.
"How are you holding both?" she asked.
The camper shrugged.
"Practice."
Then they vanished out the door.
Kara laughed softly and stood, quickly pulling on jeans, boots, and her favorite sun-faded orange flannel over a camp shirt.
By the time she and Winn stepped outside, Camp Half-Blood was fully awake.
The camp spread across the valley beneath the morning sun.
Cabins gleamed in different architectural styles depending on their godly parents. Smoke curled from forge chimneys near the Hephaestus cabin. Pegasus riders crossed overhead. Demeter campers worked gardens near the strawberry fields.
Near the arena, two Ares kids were fist fighting while several others placed bets.
Completely normal.
Kara breathed in the cool morning air.
And smiled.
Camp was chaotic.
Dangerous.
Loud.
But it was home.
As they headed toward the dining pavilion, campers moved around them in clusters.
Kara spotted familiar faces immediately.
Nia Nal sat near the edge of the pavilion steps wrapped in a lavender blanket despite the warmth outside. Her dark hair was messy, and she looked half asleep.
Which honestly wasn't unusual.
Children of Hypnos practically existed in a permanent state between dreams and reality.
Nia blinked slowly as Kara approached.
Then pointed vaguely at her.
"You're glowing again."
Kara looked down at herself.
"What?"
"Happens when you're emotional."
"I'm not emotional."
"You painted all night again too."
"How do you know that?"
Nia yawned.
"You smell like paint."
"That feels invasive somehow."
"Your aura is loud."
Kara opened her mouth.
Then closed it again.
There really wasn't a response to that.
Nia smiled sleepily before suddenly stiffening.
Her eyes unfocused.
Kara's expression immediately shifted.
"Nia?"
The daughter of Hypnos stared at nothing for several long seconds.
Then whispered quietly:
"I had another dream."
Kara exchanged a glance with Winn.
That wasn't good.
Nia's dreams were rarely normal.
"What did you see?" Kara asked gently.
Nia swallowed hard.
"Fire."
Kara frowned slightly.
"That's not specific. Camp catches fire like... twice a month."
Nia shook her head slowly.
"No."
Her voice dropped softer.
"The sun was burning."
A strange chill ran down Kara's spine.
Before she could ask more, movement near the pavilion entrance suddenly drew attention across camp.
Silver cloaks.
Hunters.
Conversation dimmed instantly as the Hunters of Artemis entered the pavilion like a moving storm.
Confident.
Silent.
Dangerous.
And at the front—
Alex Danvers.
Her dark hair was tied back messily, bow slung over one shoulder, silver knives gleaming at her belt. She looked older than when Kara had last seen her.
Harder too.
There was a scar across one eyebrow Kara didn't recognize.
Alex spotted her immediately.
And smirked.
"Well," Alex called loudly enough for half the pavilion to hear, "look who's still alive."
Kara grinned despite herself.
"Disappointed?"
"A little."
Then Alex crossed the pavilion in long strides and pulled Kara into a crushing hug so suddenly Kara almost stumbled backward.
It only lasted a second.
Because Alex Danvers considered prolonged affection embarrassing.
But it was enough.
"You cut your hair," Kara said.
"You got paint on your face."
Kara immediately wiped at her cheek.
Alex snorted.
"Other side."
Winn stepped forward with a grin.
"Nice to see you too, Alex."
Alex pointed at him immediately.
"You still owe me fifteen drachma."
"That was one time!"
"You crashed my jeep into a tree."
"It was barely a tree."
"It was a large tree."
As they argued, Kara found herself smiling again.
This felt normal.
Good.
Safe.
Then the pavilion suddenly quieted again.
Not because of the Hunters this time.
Because someone else had entered.
Kara turned automatically.
And froze.
A girl stood near the pavilion entrance with a book tucked beneath one arm.
Dark hair.
Sharp green eyes.
Black sweater despite the heat.
She carried herself with perfect posture and calm confidence like she knew exactly where she belonged.
A 5 bead necklace rested against her throat.
Athena cabin.
Several campers whispered immediately as she passed.
Kara caught pieces.
"That's her?"
"Athena's daughter—"
"Heard she solved the labyrinth trial in twenty minutes."
"She beat three Athena counselors at chess."
The girl ignored all of it.
Completely.
Like she was used to rooms changing when she entered them.
Then her eyes lifted.
And met Kara's.
For one strange second, the entire pavilion felt quiet.
Kara forgot what Winn and Alex were arguing about.
Forgot the breakfast smells.
Forgot the noise.
The daughter of Athena studied her carefully.
Like she was solving a puzzle.
Then one eyebrow lifted slightly.
Curious.
Interested.
Kara realized two horrifying things at once.
One:
The girl was ridiculously pretty.
Two:
Kara was still standing there with paint on her face.
Oh gods.
The girl's lips twitched slightly like she found something amusing.
Then she walked past.
Just like that.
Alex noticed immediately.
"Oh no," she muttered.
Kara blinked.
"What?"
Alex pointed toward the Athena girl.
"You looked at her like she invented sunlight."
"I did not!"
"You absolutely did," Winn said instantly.
Kara groaned loudly.
"I hate both of you."
Alex grinned.
"That's Lena."
Kara looked back instinctively.
"Pallas?"
"Daughter of Athena," Alex said. "Apparently she's terrifying."
Winn nodded dramatically.
"She beat someone at chess so badly they cried."
"Honestly?" Alex admitted. "That's kinda hot."
Kara choked on absolutely nothing.
Alex burst out laughing immediately.
"Oh this is gonna be fun."