BLOODSHOT . . . piper mclean

22.

EDEN FORGOT HOW much she missed the fucking tents.

Phoebe had set up the silver tent pavilion thing right outside the cave. Inside was a kerosene heater keeping them toasty warm and a bunch of comfy throw pillows. Kaleidoscope looked back to normal, decked out in a new parka, gloves, and camo pants like a Hunter. She and Hedge and Phoebe were kicking back, drinking hot chocolate.

"You are," Eden grinned at Phoebe as she took a cup, "incredible."

"I know," Phoebe smirked. "When are you joining us?"

"God, hopefully soon," Eden flopped down next to her. "Once Hera gets her hold off of me."

"Oh, no way," Fire Boy said. "We've been sitting in a cave and you get the luxury tent? Somebody give me hypothermia. I want hot chocolate and a parka!"

Phoebe sniffed. "Boys," she said. She was true though, and she grinned at Eden. She grinned at her back, and she felt at home with the Hunters.

"It's all right, Phoebe," Pinecone Face said. Eden had made up the nickname and Percy had stolen it from her, like he'd stolen everything else. "They'll need extra coats. And I think we can spare some chocolate. E, I still have your pair."

Eden raised her eyebrows. "You mean yours?"

"Same thing," Pinecone Face rolled her eyes at her, and Eden let out a laugh, and she hadn't laughed like that in forever.

"I still can't believe you two used to date," Fire Boy called as Eden walked out of the bathroom, wearing Pinecone Face's old clothes that she'd always left for Eden to wear then take home and leave to give to her when she came to camp. They were the same height and size anyway, so it felt like home to Eden. She gave Pinecone Face her jacket back that she'd been wearing earlier.

"You two used to date?" Kaleidoscope frowned, looking inbetween Eden and Pinecone Face, almost as if it bothered her. A daughter of Poseidon and a daughter of Zeus dating? Eden couldn't blame her though.

"It was a long time ago," Pinecone Face slung an arm around Eden's back, and she rolled her eyes. "Two years ago? Something like that. We split because it just wasn't the right time. Or person."

"You're a gross person," Eden commented, finishing her hot coco. "This is good. Cheers."

"Cheers!" said Coach Hedge. He crunched down his plastic thermos cup.

"That cannot be good for your intestines," Fire Boy said.

Pinecone Face patted Pretty Girl on the back. "You up for moving?"

Kaleidoscope nodded. "Thanks to Phoebe, yeah. You guys are really good at this wilderness survival thing. I feel like I could run ten miles."

Pinecone Face winked at Perfect Jason. "She's tough for a child of Aphrodite. I like this one."

Eden rolled her eyes. Pinecone Face looked sideways at her, and Eden raised her eyebrows. What? She was just annoyed. She was always annoyed.

"Hey, I could run ten miles too," Fire Boy volunteered. "Tough Hephaestus kid here. Let's hit it."

Naturally, Pinecone Face ignored him.

It took Phoebe exactly six seconds to break camp. The tent self-collapsed into a square the size of a pack of chewing gum. Now Eden wanted gum.

Pinecone Face ran uphill through the snow, hugging a tiny little path on the side of the mountain. Eden groaned and let her drag her along, because she just didn't care right now.

Coach Hedge leaped around like a happy mountain goat, coaxing them on super fucking annoyingly. "Come on, Valdez! Pick up the pace! Let's chant. I've got a girl in Kalamazoo—"