After I'd met all the cabins, (including the Ares cabin, much to Percy's dismay) I was led to the stables where the horses and pegasi were kept.
They were all so beautiful. Percy owned one, a pegasus named Blackjack. He was as dark as night, and was a huge fan of sugar cubes, I later discovered as I hung around him a bit more.
"I want one so bad," I whined to Percy as he was brushing Blackjack down. I'd always wanted to know what it felt like to fly, even if I had a right to fear the sky, considering Zeus hated my guts and possibly wanted me dead for being a daughter of Poseidon.
"You sure?" Percy arched an eyebrow, glancing to the side at his pegasus. "They sure are quite a handful. Especially if you get one of Blackjack's relatives."
Hmmph, not true, a voice spoke in my mind. My eyes widened and I backed a couple of steps, but Percy just laughed. "Blackjack talkin' 'bout me through mind-speak? Our father is the god of Horses, therefore, we can speak to them through our minds, and they can speak to us.. unfortunately." Blackjack nudged him in the ribs in response.
I'd been around horses before and loved them a lot, but I never had spoke to one. Much less had one speak to me. This was totally new.
"Wow," I oggled in amazement at the horses, as if waiting for one to speak.
"Aren't you a pretty thing!" I marveled at a marble-white pegasus, and went to stroke its muzzle when it jerked its head away.
I am not pretty. It explained through mind-speak. I am handsome. It gave a toss of its mane in a sassy way. Oh, it was a he.
"Sorry." I giggled lightly, and he finally let me stroke his soft, velvety muzzle. "What's your name, pr-.. er, handsome thing?"
Fledge, he replied simply. And yours?
"Amathwen Leigh," I grinned brightly. Fledge was nice company, even if he was a horse. "How's you?"
I am lovely, Fledge responded, with a toss of his long mane. And thee?
".. a bit worried." I replied, with a slight frown.
Why is that?
"I have no idea where my Mother is.. or where to save her, if she needs saving." I looked down at my boots.
If horses could ponder in thought, I swear Fledge did. He even tilted his head and gave me that 'lost in thought' look.
Maybe you should confront the Oracle of Delphi, he suggested with a satisfied nod.
"The Oracle?" I raised an eyebrow. Percy looked in my direction almost-suspiciously.
Rachel, on top of the hill over there, he repeated. Rachel? I hoped Percy would show me where she was.
Overlooking the strawberry field! Fledge explained, almost exasperated like I should have known already.
"I'll show you," Percy offered, gesturing for me to follow him. I hesitantly trailed after him, trying to remember who the Oracle was from all the attention I paid in Mythology class.
We reached the start of the hill overlooking the strawberry field, and Percy told me that I was to climb up there alone. With some hesitation, I did.
It was surprisingly pleasant, and had a nice view, what with the sight of the strawberry field down below and the pine tree in the distance. Looking down, I could see a few demigods I recognized from the Ares cabin training.
I reached the top of the hill and caught sight of a cave-like thing, and someone shuffling around inside. I arched my eyebrow, and approached slowly.
Peeking in, I saw a girl with frizzy red hair pulled back in a bandana preening in front of a mirror. She had set up a desk in this cave and a mirror and even a sofa. So this place was sort of like home to her.
I cleared my throat, and she snapped her head towards me. "Oh, hi! Who are you?"
"Amathwen," I greeted. "New daughter of Poseidon. You must be Rachel."
"The one and only." She grinned, standing up from looking at her mirror. She was the same height as me, if not a tad bit shorter, which was surprising.
"So, what are you supposed to be?" I mused.
"Oracle of Delphi. I tell prophecies and such." She responded, fiddling with one of the beads on her necklace before turning her attention back to me. "You need a prophecy?"
"Uhm.. I think so. Yeah, a quest or something. My mom - I haven't seen her in a while. I think she might be in some sort of trouble. I mean, I left her behind with a Fury, but I had no other choice, really, I was dragged here and then knocked unconscious."
"Interesting," Rachel started rubbing her temples as if she had a headache. "Just a heads up, grab my notepad and pen over there. I'm gonna spew out a prophecy and you're gonna have to write it down."
"Mmkay." I trotted toward her desk facing her mirror and grabbed her notepad and pen, then turned back around and waited for something to happen.
Something happened, all right. She doubled over and started groaning, but then stopped, and stood up rigid. Her eyes were glowing serpent green. It was really, really creepy. And when she spoke, her voice had changed completely, and had tripled, as if there were three of her talking.
"Five demigods shall go towards west
Poseidon, Athena, and Hephaestus.
A satyr to come and go as pleased
A gift from the wisest come by dream.
To meet a demigod along the way
And lose a loved one to a maiden fair.
To save a mother so richly loved
And return again, separated by blood."
I scribbled down the words as she spoke, and finished just as her eyes returned to normal. She would have face-planted if she hadn't caught herself before she fell. "What did I say?" She asked, seemingly out of breath.
I showed her the notepad, and she nodded. "Well.. there's your prophecy."
"Thanks." I helped her to her feet and put her notepad and pen back down, then headed back outside.
I climbed back down the hill to be greeted by Percy.
"So?.." He urged. With some hard thinking, I repeated the prophecy.
Back at our cabin, we discussed it.
"Five demigods.. you, me, Annabeth.. that's Poseidon and Athena.. Leo and Phillip.. that's Hephaestus."
"And Ren." I added in. I remembered the part about the satyr, 'to come and go as pleased.'
".. I have a feeling me and Annabeth aren't part of this one," Percy explained, with a slight frown. I knew that he loved quests already.
"Then who could it be?" I looked off to the side, in attempt to think of who else would ever-so-possibly tag along, and would meet the qualifications of a hard quest.
"You, Leo, Phillip, and.."
"Sophia!" I had it, suddenly. I just knew it was her.
"But who's the fifth?" Percy arched an eyebrow.
I bit my lip, feeling defeated. I thought I totally had it there for a moment.
"Me.. Sophia.. Leo.. Phillip.. Ren.."
Who else could it be? This was tiring.
".. maybe it is you. Maybe you're part, but Annabeth isn't." I suggested.
Percy looked a little defeated that his girlfriend couldn't come along, and that was what it was looking like.
"Maybe you're right, sis. Let's go herd Sophia and the rest. We have to discuss this together, yeah?"
I nodded in agreement. I was surprisingly excited. My first real quest at Camp Half-Blood.
I was little known of all the events that would head our way.
