Kaleidoscope Eyes [Clarisse la Rue]

xiii. Birthday Presents and Promises of Magic

"Aurora," Aurora giggled, placing a hand over her mouth to smother the sound, "Rory, where are you?" She pressed herself harder against the tree she had hidden behind, doing her best to remain behind the foliage. She heard footsteps grow closer, and Mara's voice rang through the clearing once more in a sing-song tone, "Rory, come out, come out wherever you are!"

The little girl giggled once more, and a smothered gasp escaped her lips when the footsteps abruptly stopped - she knew Mara had heard her. Soft thuds sounded against the ground, and suddenly Mara's shaggy brown hair whipped Aurora in the face, and the girl appeared in front of her, "I found you!"

Aurora squealed as the daughter of Hecate grabbed her, playfully hoisting her in the air and placing the ten-year-old over her shoulder, triumphantly marching through the woods, "I found Rory, I found Rory!"

"You found her?" Clarisse's familiar gruff voice came from somewhere to their left, and a series of crashes and crackling noises echoed in the forest before the girl appeared, grinning at Aurora, "I knew she'd win - she always does."

Aurora giggled again when Mara twirled in a circle before placing the girl firmly back on the ground, "Butch would've had a heart attack if we'd taken any longer to find you."

"I would've had a heart attack," Clarisse mumbled under her breath, but she smiled when Aurora beamed at her and excitedly grabbed her friend's hand, tugging her further into the woods. "Come on, I want to explore the woods!"

"Wait," Mara called, and the two girls paused momentarily, though Aurora bounced impatiently on her feet, "wouldn't you rather we go back to the cabin and open presents?"

Clarisse was instantly dragged in the direction of the cabins, and she laughed heavily as Aurora gracefully leapt over obstacles, trying her best to keep up with the far faster demigod. Aurora soon left her in the dust, and Clarisse was left to wheeze and do her best to maneuver around fallen trees and broken branches.

"Aurora," Aurora could barely hear Clarisse, "Slow down, you're going to get hurt."

The daughter of Iris didn't listen; she continued her speedy pace towards her cabin, too enticed by the prospect of presents to worry about safety. So Clarisse wasn't surprised when the girl tripped over a small root and harshly collided with the ground.

"Oh, Rory," Clarisse crooned, helping the girl sit up, and she brushed some of the dirt off her arms, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Aurora nodded and sniffled, wiping her teary eyes. She did her best to suck up her tears and brush off her dirtied knees, smiling when Clarisse helped clean the dirt off her forehead and cheeks, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Clarisse cooed, and she held out a hand to help the smaller girl to her feet, "Come on, let's go." She held the girl's hand and the two walked comfortably through the forest, followed closely behind by Mara. The daughter of Hecate smiled as she walked behind the two - she knew Aurora's brother didn't completely trust her, but she adored the girl. After all, Aurora was the first person at camp to kindly approach Mara, without any fear. And it comforted Mara, that Aurora had someone like Clarisse - someone who so clearly cared for the girl in a way that happens very rarely, and someone who would protect the girl until the very end.

Finally, the three reached the cabins where Butch wrapped Aurora in a tight hug, "I thought you had died!"

"Butchie, I'm okay," Aurora's voice was muffled by his shirt, "I'm just really good! I win everytime, just ask Clarisse!" She pulled away from her older brother to look expectantly at her friend, who nodded with a small smile. Butch nodded and ruffled her hair, ignoring the scowl that tugged across the small girl's lips and he ushered her inside, "It's time for presents!"