TONGUES & TEETH; Luke Castellan [ 1 ]

< WAR OF HEARTS >

WAR OF HEARTS
"Shadows creep and want grows stronger, deeper than the truth."

"Pandora." An arrow thudded against the target. One shot to the left away from the target. "Pandora" She pressed the bow to her cheek in the same spot she always did. Thud. Too far to the right. A small curse left her lips, "Pandora!" Thud. Too far to the right again. She huffed a breath of frustration as she drew another arrow her fingers sizzling across the wood of the bow.
Suddenly an arrow flew past her eyeline missing her by a hair, breaking her out of the trance.

She exhaled shakily looking to her right to spot Annabeth holding a bow beside her a concerned Dahlia. "Pandora you're burning the wood." Annabeth stated, the arrow flying from Pandora's fingers hitting the bulleyes. The next to follow was the bow falling from her grip black ash marks on the bow burnt in.

"Pandora what's happened." Dahlia kept her distance worried for the red hot girl, "We've hardly seen all week and you missed classes. One more class and Mr D will start to notice." Dahlia fixed her almost perfect hair, like it usually was.

"I'll be there." Pandora huffed approaching the targets to begin collecting her arrows.
Another arrow thudded past Pandora's neck almost knicking into her neck. "Annabeth". Pandora scolded, Annabeth hardly phased as Dahlia continued to pester.

"Pandora you're not listening to me." Dahlia wasn't usually as outspoken but she had gone quick to angry, "I don't care about classes, we haven't seen in a week." Every word felt like a knife in Pandora's stomach.

"Shouldn't matter, I've been here for hardly 6 months, I just needed a break." Pandora argued finally collecting all the arrows in one hand. Before she could move another arrow came whizzing through the air, Pandora swivelling around to catch the arrow midair, her pupils lit blue.

"Annabeth I said enough." Flames licked at her knuckles almost engulfing the arrow, a small shift in Annabeth's expression. "Just fuck off the lot of you." Dahlia's eyes widened at the girls words. Pandora's facade dropped for a moment her eyes darted to Annabeth.

"I need to go." Pandora mumbled the arrows slipping from her fingers.

"Yeah I think you should." Dahlia exhaled her hand lightly on Annabeth's shoulder as Pandora tried to calm the flickering flames on her skin, weaving through the forest. She heard the soft pad of Reaper's paws behind her, Pandora stopping to address the dog.

"Reaper, go home." She mumbled still breathing unevenly the flames worsening, the tips of her hair lighting, "Reaper go!" The dog whimpered before turning back to the cabin.

Pandora paced the forest for hours hoping to lower her horrible temper she blamed her parents. Her stupid fathers Hades and her mother. She hasn't seen her father since her day before camp. Her mother was alone, she wasn't sure if she was alive.

SLAM.

Pandora clutched her head.

SLAM.

The fires spread across her body, ragged breathes leaving her lungs.

SLAM.

"Get up." The voice she heard was the last person wanted to see, "Stop being a little bitch and get up." Pandora heaved an angry breath.

"A little bitch huh." Pandora spat her eyes lit up furiously, "Coming from you is class." Clarisse stood opposite to her, clearly not impressed with Pandora's uncontrolled outburst.

"Well you're up aren't you." She scowled at Pandora's appearance crossing her arms.

"I should fucking murder you for even talking to me." Pandora misstepped hitting the back of a tree as the heat got to her sweat running down the sides of her face.

"I'm not your mother. And I'm not your father. Murder them first." Pandora was furious as she slid down to the forest floor.
"Hades gave the ability to manipulate fire but you can't control it and by the looks of it it weakens you." Clarisse smirked almost triumphantly, having found Pandora's weakness.

"Well you've got fucking eyes haven't you". Pandora sighed wearily, fire still consuming  most of her limbs. "Congratulations Clarisse.." She paused to catch her breath, "You've one upped me again." Pandora felt the heat fill her lungs. "Besides Thought we had a truce Clarisse." Pandora heaved.

"We do. But if you don't want to die you need to call it off." Clarisse stared hardly looking like she was in a position to help, "Or do the world I favour and burn yourself to death doesn't concern me." Clarisse shrugged fiddling with nails almost bored.

"Leave me to die in peace bitch." The insult kept the smirk on Clarisse's as she moved leaning in front of her.

"I'd rather watch you die to be honest, now work your fucking magic and turn it off." Clarisse ordered, Pandora squeezing her eyes shut painfully as she huffed another warm breath.

"Think about water or something stupid." She backed off moving across from Pandora to lean against a tree opposite.

"Stop talking." Pandora snapped the flames moving from her knuckles. "I wish I never found out about my stupid father." The flames left her wrists. "And this stupid camp." Down her arms, "Never met you." Her legs, "And my—" She paused the fire entangled with strands of her hair.

"Wish they'd kick me out of this place, so I'd stop fucking up." The glow from the girl ceased and she was left dehydrated and sweaty.

"Welcome to my life death." Clarisse chuckled dryly, "My father is the god of war, if I'd don't act like a total bitch he'll unclaim me." Pandora scoffed wiping her face.

"Funny is it." Clarisse turned her nose up to the girl, "If anything I envy you death, you've been here six months and are doing better in practically everything besides well.. this." She pointed to the girl.

"I'm not doing this with you. Frankly I don't care." Pandora pulled herself up steadying herself on the tree trunk.

"Your welcome death, saved you a day of dying." Clarisse shrugged, "However, hope the day comes soon." She nodded leaving Pandora to her peace.