Starlight Solace: The Apple of Fair

12. Wait I thought were enemies too

Once we made it back to camp we were in the middle of them singing a campfire song, but once they heard us they stopped. I saw Chiron gestured us over and welcomed us back and looked over us.
'Where's your protector, Willow?'
When he said that I couldn't hold back anymore, I held the seedling in my hand and cried, all I could hear from Chiron was a saddened gruff as the campfire went silent, and he turned back to the rest of camp.

'Everyone, head to bed. Tomorrow we shall hold a burial for a satyr we have lost, Travis, you and Starlight go to the infirmary cabin and rest there.' Was I could hear and some pulled me away towards the infirmary cabin or something. I could hear Travis talking but I couldn't care, it wasn't Willow assuring me everything was okay, it wasn't her. I heard the door open and I was seated at a bed. I looked around and saw a table next to the bed and placed the seed on the table. I was so distracted that I didn't see Travis leave. Then I heard him come back in with water and some medical supplies.
'I got something's, Will won't be in til-' I cut him off as I hugged him, I couldn't lose someone again, even how much he annoyed him. I cried again but Travis didn't make fun of me or anything. I just felt him hug me back. We stayed like that until someone came in.
'Oh? I'll leave you two be.'
It was Will, me and Travis pulled away and looked at Will. I saw Travis left once Will saw his bed was ready, then Will hugged me and asked how was the quest. I explained our way there, the monsters we encountered, and how I meet my mother when she explained how I was cursed, and how we lost Willow to the giant who found us again.
'I'm sorry about Willow but the curse sounds bad.'

'Don't worry, I'll live.' I said and Will hugged me again and left for me to rest. That night was the first night I didn't have a weird dream to interrupt my slumber.

In the afternoon, we met at the forest where there were more satyrs than before. Then Will told me it was The Council of Cloven Elders, I nodded and watched them begin the ceremony.

'Today we honor a lost satyr. In our hopes they are something new in their next life, We are to hope this seedling given to us is a plant as beautiful as their life was. Now we plant the seed into the ground and hope we shall regrow William-'

'Willow.' I interrupted him and looked at him sternly. 'Her name is Willow.' He scoffed and sighed and repeated the sentence.

'shall regrow Willow, into a new life, something she has imagined herself.'

Soon they planted the seed and began playing the flutes. The flutes were like made of magic, the flutes produced a smoke and it whirled around the seedling where the tree was planted. They soon started dancing and the tree started growing by the minute and then it became a Willow tree. Everyone was in awe and they continued with the ceremony. Everything was a blur from that point on.

After the ceremony was over everyone had left with their camp day-to-day lives but someone stayed with me, it was Travis. We stood there for a while, in silence.

'I wasn't close to Willow as you were but she was still my best friend' I looked over at him and smiled and I hugged him and left for my cabin.
During my stay at camp it was pretty fine, I finally called my dad well Iris messaged him, he asked so many questions like if I was ok and such. I did say I was ok and asked why he didn't tell me I was cursed. My dad said that he only wanted to protect me. Once I finished talking to my dad I told him I was staying for the summer and yes I told him that Will Solace was safe and to stop the search parties. Overall my time at camp was fun. I learned more arts and crafts, me and Travis occasionally sparred each other and I can confidently say I was getting better than him, and I also learned more of my charmspeak and the rules of Aphrodite cabin, I didn't tell them about what our mother said to me, but apparently there was an extra bedroom for me that wasn't there before so Aphrodite said something before I was going to say anything. That wasn't my favorite thing that happened at camp. It was the time during the campfire where me and Travis talked to each other at 'Willow's tree.' Mainly how our day went and some past memories. Until it reached the end of summer.

"Will, please try one school year and if you don't like it then you can stay here.' I said while being on an Iris message with my dad while Will was with me. Will looked at my dad and he sighed. 'Fine, but no promises I'll stay forever.'

I cheered and hugged and he returned it and my dad chuckled, 'Alright, I shall send for a helicopter later today.' I nodded and ended the call. I waved Will goodbye as he left my cabin to tell Chiron the news. I laid on my bed struggling to get up and pack my clothes, though I didn't think that would be necessary, so I laid there until I got up and decided to walk around camp. I saw some familiar faces. I also met the famous Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase. They were aware of the quest and loss of Satyr and they gave their condolences especially the satyr Grover who clinged onto me while he sobbed. It was nice of them, I could see why half of the camp had a crush on Percy but Annabeth looked pretty cuter to be honest.

I somehow made my way back to Willow's tree and I saw Travis sitting there humming. I walked closer and leaned against the tree.

'I know it's you, no emotions.' Travis said looking up at me, I chuckled and watched him get himself up. 'Dang it, I wanted to roll you off the hill' Travis laughed and punched me.

'So you're leaving?'

'Yeah, I convinced Will to come home'

Travis nodded and smiled as he looked around it looked like something was on his mind, then we heard a helicopter, it was the helicopter my father sent for me. I sighed and waved Travis a goodbye and made my way downhill, but something grabbed my wrist I turned and saw Travis holding to me like he wanted to say something,

'Travis what are you-' Then he kissed me, I didn't know what to feel but my heart pounded more and I wanted to return the kiss but he pulled away. 'I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that I-' 'Just shut up for once.' I said kissing him once again and I wrapped my arms around his neck while he held onto me, we stayed like for a minute. Until Will was calling out for me. I finally pulled away.
'So, if Willow comes magically alive again we don-'
'Oh please I won't ever tell her that she won.'
I laughed and hugged Travis and left for the helicopter, I somehow knew I found my second home.