𝓓𝓪𝔂𝓭𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓶𝓮𝓻 | Percy Jackson and the Olympians

ix - These arent flags, these are warbanners

Friday. Capture the flag day, the first of the summer. If she was being honest? She wasn't excited for this at all. She'd heard horror stories from Will and Lee about how rough some of the Ares kids could be with their prey in the forest and it made her shudder to think of the possibility that her pretty little nose could end up broken and crooked from some overzealous war child.

She asked if she could sit out, but got told by both Lee and Chiron that, as a member of the Apollo cabin, she had to take part. If she was a cabin counsellor, however, she could choose to have said cabin abstain from the game, and no, she can't switch to the Artemis cabin just for the day to skip the game.

She sat down at dinner with her chin resting in her palm and a scowl on her face. Stabbing her fork into different portions of meat and vegetables vehemently.

"You know, if you attack the food any harder than that, you'll end up breaking the plate," Austin said through a mouthful of steak, earning him a murderous glare from Lyanna.

"We're sure that there's no way for me to not participate in this stupid game?" Lyanna ground out through gritted teeth.

"We've gone over this, Lyanna, you have to play, unless an injury rules you out," Lee sighed but wished he hadn't said anything as Lyanna looked at him with a smirk.

"Injuries... like what? How severe we talking here?" She asked.

"You're not getting yourself injured just to skip out on a game of capture the flag.

She pouted comically in frustration and finished off her meal, silently protesting her involvement in war. Once all the plates were cleared away, a conch horn sounded which was closely followed by rapturous applause and cheers from 99.9999% of the campers. Lyanna plugged her ears with her hands while Percy just swivelled his head in all directions, completely bewildered. Annabeth ran into the mess hall with two of her siblings behind her, carrying a silk banner that was glistening grey, reflecting the sunlight. Painted on it was a large barn owl above an olive tree. The flag was about ten feet long and Lyanna locked her incredulous gaze onto it with a scoff.

"That's the flag?"

"Yup, that's the one we're defending," Austin replied as he began restringing his bow.

"That's not a flag, looks more like a war banner than a flag," she commented idly, tapping her fingernails on the bench in a speedy rhythm.

"They've sped up to the point where they provoke," Lee sang quietly. Lyanna locked her gaze onto him and he winked at her. "Relax, you're all tense over nothing. You'll be fine. Even if you do get hurt, Will, Michael or Chiron can just heal your injuries."

"You know, that was probably meant to be uplifting and helpful, but you kinda just didn't," she deadpanned.

She turned her head as more cheering filled the mess hall as Clarisse and two buddies ran in from the opposite side to the Athena trio carrying a gaudy red banner with a bloody spear and boar's head painted onto it.

"So what even happens if we get the flag anyways?" She asked, turning back to her two honorary brothers.

"Well, we win the game," Austin shrugged before Lee led them all to a long bench littered with weapons and armour.

"Here, these should fit you," Lee said and held out a bronze breastplate for her. She placed her hand on it and pushed it back with a disgusted expression.

"I'm not wearing that, it's too... restricting," she gave Lee a pointed look and flapped her right hand up and down, imitating birds' wings.

"Ah, right," he said monotonously, placing the breastplate back down. "This helmet is yours and you will wear it. I'll not have you getting a concussion today, thanks."