reflection ● jason grace

Basically, this is all Jason's fault

Daria was cold.

It was winter, the coldest time of the year. Her dad told her he would be back soon. She stared with wide eyes in the direction where he left. She wanted to cry, but her dad told her to be quiet and wait. But she was cold, and getting colder.

Her dad left her in the forest. Daria didn't know how far it was from her house, but sometimes Maya would come over and play with her, maybe Maya will come to the forest, and they will play with lightsabers like she liked to.

She let out a whimper, unable to hold it back any longer. It was frighteningly cold, and while she had on a small fur coat, there was nothing blocking the harsh wind from attacking her face.

Then she heard a noise, her ears perked up. Maybe her dad had come back for her. The bushes in front of her rustled, and the bushes to the side, and the bushes behind her. At that she grew nervous, her dad can't be in that many places at once, right?

Out of the front bush, three big dogs appeared. They looked like the one her neighbors had. Daria giggled, forgetting about the cold. "Puppy!"

One of the dogs', the one with red fur, nose twitched. It walked around Daria, looking at her. Daria pushed herself to her feet, though she couldn't feel her legs. She reached out to pet the other dogs who had gray fur, then remembered what her dad had taught her.

"Can I pet you?" She asked sweetly.

The dog made a whining noise and didn't move. Usually, the owner would say yes and the dog would run up to her. Now she felt sad, maybe the dogs didn't like her.

"No," the red dog said. "You will not." It was a girl's voice, but it sounded weird. Dogs weren't supposed to talk though, which was more surprising. The dog showed its teeth; they were shiny. "Are you scared of me?"

"No." Daria said in a small voice. "What's your name? I'm Daria!" Her dad pronounced it differently, like Dar-ya, but Daria needed to sound it out still. Dar-i-ya.

The dog put away her teeth. "My name is Lupa. I am the wolf goddess, demigod. Do you know what a goddess is?"

Daria nodded fast. Her dad had taught her all about goddesses like Gaea and Juno. "Yuh huh."

"You are brave," Lupa admitted. "I could see you heard us before we came. You are strong, demigod. You will do nicely at the cavea."

Huh?

"Aura," Lupa ordered. "Take her. We will return now."

"Um," Daria said. "I can't go anywhere. My dad told me to stay here."

Lupa sniffed. "Your dad sent us." Daria didn't even notice, but Aura had gone behind her and lifted her by the hood of her jacket.

"Why?" She asked.

Lupa looked at her for a long time. Daria couldn't help but think she wanted eyes like that. They were big and shiny. "You are destined to save Roma, Daria Jackson."

"You started it," Daria wailed in a broken Latin.

"No you did," Jason screamed back. "Lupa! Tell Daria-"

"Quiet," Lupa snapped. "You are behaving like children, you know better. Be silent until we get back to camp."

Daria's lip quivered; she sniffed back tears. Lupa always took Jason's side. It wasn't fair!

Jason looked alarmed, but he got over it pretty fast, scowling. "Don't cry," he said meanly. "Baby."

Daria crossed her arms and stomped her feet while walking. She had been here for nearly a year and a half now, and Jason had come here before that. Sometimes, they would learn Latin, which she knew better than English, which was the other language they spoke. Or sometimes, Lupa would train them to become more...how did she say it? Become sharper! Daria knew she was better than Jason at everything. But Lupa still loved him more.