one morning in october ( open )

Aurora set her bags down outside of her father's car as he gazed at her with a sad, sad expression. "I could've lasted for longer if you'd have just let me try another school, you know!" She pointed out right away as he opened his mouth to say something. Aurora's father just shook his head sadly and replied with a calm smile, "Aurora, you would've last as long as a milk carton in the sahara in those schools. You know this was for the best." His dark blue gaze was steady with her's as a tear rolled down Aurora's cheek. "Ok," she whispered and kissed her father goodbye. Aurora turned to face the hill just as she heard her father's car start up again. He'd stay and watch her cross the hill, though, right? Aurora turned around again only to see her father drive away. The demigod's face grew angry in the morning light. Whatever. She didn't need him.

Aurora marched up the hill with a purpose until she got to the top where she sat down on one of her bags. Her father could definitely be a dirtball sometimes, especially when he tried. "Don't sit there!" A voice shrieked from close by. "Holy crap!" Aurora yelled in fright and fell off her bag, landing hard on a rock. "What was that?!" She cried, looking around in fear. "Don't sit there! You're not inside the camp line yet! Hurry! I see a monster!" The voice was full on screaming now. Aurora looked around in terror, her eyes wide. "Where!?" She asked quickly, trying to calm herself down. Suddenly the wind was knocked out of Aurora as she fell to the ground--more like was thrown onto the ground. Aurora staggered back to her feet and pivoted quickly on her left foot. The monster directly in front of her was a very large dog, with steaming nostrils and bright, blood-red eyes.

"Help!" Aurora screamed. She didn't have a weapon, she didn't have a shield or a sword or anything. How would she be able to protect herself? Suddenly, Aurora remembered the maize she had in her pocket that her father had given her to protect herself. She whipped it out, hoping it'd work on a two ton fire dog, and closed her eyes as she sprayed. Her eyelids snapped open when she realized that she was holding a shiny new spear now. Aurora didn't have time to stop and admire it as she sidestepped the dog's next atttack. A little voice of reason inside her told her to graze the dog's flank with the spear. Aurora quickly flicked the tip of it down the dog's flank. It made more of a mark than she would've thought. The dog howled angrily in pain, clearly very irritated. Aurora's eyes widened again as the dog started sprinting towards her. Aurora did the only thing that was natural to her: at the last second, she sidestepped the dog and drove the spear head harder into the dog's side where it got stuck.

Aurora gripped the spear's shaft regardless as the dog began to thrash around with the spear still in its body. And that meant that since Aurora was whipped around with the dog. Aurora kept her grip even though she could feel the bruises forming on her body each time she hit the ground. Finally, the dog flung itself free, sending Aurora and the spear flying into a bush. Aurora spat out a mouthful of saliva and gripped the spear again now angry. A plan slowly formed in her head as her and the dog danced around each other. She'd run backwards and the dog would run after her. She'd turn on it too fast for it to react and stab it. It was a bit risky, but she'd try. Aurora pivoted on her foot again and took off running through the forest. What she didn't anticipate was tripping on a branch. Aurora's instincts took in as the dog hopped over her, seeming to forget what it was chasing. She took her spear and drove it upwards into the dark, black fur and into the belly of the dog. The dog let out a howl and dropped onto a squirming Aurora.

Aurora was only buried under the hot, bloody, squirming mass for a few moments before the dog suddenly dissapated into golden dust. Covered in gold dust, dirt, blood, and sweat, Aurora sat up on the ground, gazing at the spear. "Gosh..." she muttered, rubbing her head.



ooc: this is the part where there's an athena mark above her head. c:

Abryl heard the scream for help like a knife piercing the air around her. Her nerves went into overdrive as she attempted to figure out where the sound had come from. Glancing over at the hill, she reasoned it had come from the forest, just past the property line. A determined line set on her face as she made her way up the hill. Her calves burned and her breaths were short and choppy as she crested the hill, heart racing wildly. What she saw below her made her breathing stop. An unfamiliar girl was staggering about, eyes locked fearfully on a massive beast. The brute itself was a large black thing with steaming nostrils and huge burning eyes. Abryl had never really paid attention in her classes, but she assumed the creature below her was a Hell Hound. Abryl watched, too surprised to move when the girl pulled something out of her bag. What it was, she couldn’t see, but both Abryl and the girl below were stunned when the object turned into a long, sharpened spear. Good, Abryl thought. Win. Beat it. Prove yourself.

Abryl watched intently, hand resting on her father’s sword hilt. The dance unfolded below her as the girl and the beast participated in a dangerous game. Abryl decided not to enter the battle quite yet, she wanted to see if the girl could win on her own; it would be quite an accomplishment if she could. The girl was talented with a spear Abryl noticed immediately, a little surprise filling her. Most people were not naturals, but it did depend on who your god parent was. The girl managed to land some very strategic blows, causing a think purple liquid to pour from the creature’s flank. However, things turned bad when the spear got lodged between the beast’s ribs. She was thrown around mercilessly as the brute thrashed about in attempt to dislodge the spear from his side. Abryl watched horrified as the girl went flying into a bush, the spear still grasped in her hand. Wincing in pain, Abryl drew her sword to a loud slicing sound. This had gone on long enough, the girl was going to get hurt if she didn’t step in soon and do something to help her.

However, much to Abryl’s surprise, the girl staggered to her feed once more, looking a bit shaken but determined. Her eyes sparkled brightly and a curiousness grew in the pit of Abryl’s stomach. What was the girl thinking? Her nerves started buzzing as the girl began to run away from the hound. Oh goodness, she doesn’t think she can outrun it does she? Abryl’s heart pounded in dismay as she ran down the hill after the girl and the beast, her sword clutched tightly in her hand. Time seemed as if it was in slow motion as Abryl watched the girl stumble and fall on and old, rotting log. The beast leapt into the air and the girl stabbed in the stomach with a quick upward thrust of her spear. Horrified, Abryl watched the creature crumple on top of the girl. Heart pounding, Abryl began to sprint towards her, sword flashing in the sunlight. Was she too late? Why had she hesitated to help? Just when she reached the old rotted log, the Hell Hound vanished with only gold dust left and the girl staring down at her spear in surprise.

Relief flood Abryl as she glanced down at the girl, her heartbeat slowing down. Abryl was sheathing her sword when a silvery image appeared in the air above the girl’s head. It was a snowy own with large black eyes and a golden hooked beak. The sign of Athena. Whoa. Abryl was stunned. She must be good if she is already being claimed. However, Abryl shook these thoughts from her head. Right now, the only thing Abryl needed to focus on was helping this girl. As the girl got to her feet, Abryl flashed her a broad smile. “Hey! Nice fight you just had there. Pretty amazing for a first time,” Abryl said encouragingly. “I’m Abryl, Abryl Simms. Nice to meet you,” She said, sticking out her hand for the other girl to shake. “This must be your first time to camp, the property line is just at the top of the hill,” She smiled, hoping this wasn’t too much to take in all at once.

Abryl heard the other kid approach at a run from behind. Glancing behind her, she saw Jack Wilson from the Ares cabin standing beside her. She felt her hands begin to sweat as she glanced at him. So she was a bit of a sucker for dark hair... so what if he was from Ares? However, on the outside she made sure that she remained calm and flashed him a broad smile. "Hey Jack, I guess you heard the scream too?" she said with another smile, turning back to face the girl. She was still on the ground, a stunned look on her face. Abryl supposed she would be in shock too if she was attacked by a hellhound on her first day of camp. Thinking back, Abryl realized her first day had been very different. On accident, she had wandered into the woods down a trail that disappeared soon after beginning. Hours later, she was lost and scared when a young man appeared and showed her back to camp. Before disappearing, he had explained that he was Apollo, her father, and had given her the sword she now wore at her hip. Abryl smiled down at the girl, who was still unnamed, as Jack introduced himself.

Abryl smiled a bit at Jack's whitty answer. Generally Abryl didn't get along too well with the children of Ares, but Jack was one of the exceptions. He was like one of the Aphrodite kids who wasn't completely obsessed with themselves, only he was the Ares kid that wasn't completely obsessed with hating everyone else. Honestly, it was nice that there were some nice kids mixed in with the other Ares kids; it made being around their cabin so much better. As he spoke to the girl, Abryl turned to look at her. She still hadn't spoken her name; she was probably still in shock. I mean, getting attacked by a hellhound on your first day at camp was not exactly a warm welcome. As the silence grew longer, Abryl wondered if she was supposed to speak. "Hey, it's ok. Were not going to attack you. And did you say your name, I guess I didn't catch it," she said with a warm smile, hoping it would make the girl open up.