Axel laughed aloud at the girl's response. He hadn't really expected his joke to land, so the jovial reply was a pleasant surprise. Heck, sometimes it seemed people were more likely to take offense than to laugh at his lame attempts at humor. But it seemed she l knew a thing or two about weapons, which made him incredibly happy. What was meant to be a solo mission was turning into... well... the closest thing Axel had had to a social event in quite some time. He might even get some friends out of this whole thing! Maybe after this he could ask her to show him some stances with that polearm...

Krystal's comment about getting caught broke his train of thought. Right. As glad as he was to meet new people, they were technically breaking the rules here. She was right, they should probably get a move on. "S-sorry. I'm not too good at talkin'" He admitted. She seemed upset about his slip of the tongue. Reasonably so. Still, one more person couldn't hurt, right? And she seemed as eager for the fight as he did!

"Hell yeah! Oh, I'm Axel.. uh... guess ya knew that, huh? You?"

"Is that supposed to be a threat?" Axel asked, genuinely curious as he returned to sit between his sister and Levi. The boy wasn't good with social situations, so he wondered if perhaps he was reading the situation wrong. He'd certainly had his words taken the wrong way before. But the hostility dripping from pretty-boy's words left little room for misinterpretation. And what exactly did he mean by "other ways"? If this guy was gonna brainwash his sister with his weeird goddess powers, the Nike kid would mess up his face so bad nobody would fall for him ever again. "What exactly are you implying? You'd better cool off mister-"

Just as he said that though, it seemed Levi did cool off. A water balloon suddenly dropped from the sky, crashing down on the boy's head! Some of the water splashed onto Axel as well, but he was too shocked to notice. He then burst into laughter as Levi took off after the little Hermes kid. As he watched the commotion, he couldn't help but root for the little boy. The kid was smaller than he was, yet for a while there was holding his own against the older camper. It didn't last too long before Levi got his revenge though. Seeing this, Axel's blood boiled more than ever. Much as he was prone to fighting, the kid didn't actually have anger issues. But seeing the guy pick on someone half his size like that. A little water was one thing, but this... Social humiliation was not only something Axel had experience with, but to a teenager it was the highest form of cruelty.

"Oh, lesson learned alright." He growled back. He'd learned that this... Levi. This guy wasn't just an asshole. He was a bully. Someone who used his powers over others to get his way. In that moment, the Aphrodite child had solidified himself as the villain in Axel's narrative. And if he thought he was getting anywhere near his sister he had another thing coming. 

"Put off? But you're so... nice. And easy to talk to." The look on Axel's face was one of genuine confusion. He couldn't imagine why anyone wouldn't get along with someone like Savannah. Someone who hadn't judged him, who had accepted his blunt advice without a second thought. Then again, he didn't really understand the social world himself. Maybe making them fall asleep scared them or something. But considering his brain was always running a mile a minute, there was nothing wrong with the occasional nap. "So yer kinda an outcast too, huh? I mean..." he hoped once more that he hadn't insulted her. "Well maybe be can be outcasts together then."

"I... I guess maybe you're right." Axel blushed a little. He wasn't used to compliments. He hadn't thought of his inherent combat talents as abilities, especially when compared to things like dreamwalking or raising the dead. But he did seem to pick things up faster than the other kids during training. And - he noticed - she hadn't even blinked twice when he'd told her he planned to be the best at camp. Most people would've laughed at him for saying things like that, but the way she spoke of his abilities made him more convinced he could actually pull it off. Maybe he was a bit too down on himself. He'd always been a strange little bundle of insecurity and competitiveness.

When she went to hug him, he instinctively pulled back a bit. He knew she meant him no harm, but his body still moved like she was coming in to attack him. Sav looked embarrassed and stopped, and he realized his reaction may have given her pause. "Nah, I'm sorry," he insisted. "Nothin wrong with celebrating a victory. Guess I just forgot what hugs looked like." He joked, but there was some truth behind it. He couldn't even remember the last time he'd hugged someone.

"Uh... sure!" Moving away from the awkward subject of physical contact, he picked up his bow and fired off another shot.

"Sure," Axel shrugged, grabbing the polearm from the corner of the shed. He spun it around with a somewhat showy motion, offering the girl the non-pointy end. They were pretty useful weapons - great for keeping an enemy at bay. Though the glaive was originally designed to counter cavalry, it's lighter weight made it more versatile for ground combat than some of the larger polearms. With good aim, that hook meant to unhorse and dismember an enemy horseman could be used to disarm an opponent... or slaughter a monster. When it came down to it, a pointy stick was a pointy stick, and all could be used effectively if you knew how. Yet even though he knew his, Axel couldn't help but crack a lame joke. "What'ya fightin? A centaur?"

"Well, you're right on that one." He said with another longing glance to the longsword. The boy laughed, thrilled for another excuse to talk about his favorite subject. "Huh? There's all sorts of ways to track a target n the dark. The movement, the sounds, sometimes even the smell. I can't imagine they smell all that great -" Crap! There he went, running his mouth again. Letting it slip that they were after a living, breathing target sure made it clear they weren't out there for the standard shooting practice. He gave his cabin leader an apologetic look. "Well, I guess I gave it away, huh? We're gonna track down a monster."

Catching the look on McKayla's face, Axel looked suspiciously at Levi. Was his sister really okay with this? He was unsure why she was upset, but he couldn't tell if pretty-boy was causing it. Or maybe it was his fault for stumbling in so awkwardly. He followed behind the others as the firework show began, sticking close to his sister's side. She  and the boy seemed friendly, he guessed. He probably shouldn't jump to conclusions and punch him in the face. Probably.

Though their relationship was new, Axel felt quite protective over his cabin members. They were the closest thing to an actual family he'd had in a long time. And from the beginning MK had actually treated him like a brother, unlike the spoiled brat he'd shared a house with back home. He couldn't help but feel guilty when he saw the look on her face, though he wasn't exactly sure why. When pretty boy pulled her onto his lap, however, an unbridled rage began to boil up inside of him. He didn't like his type in the first place, but messing with his sister like that when she already looked uncomfortable...

"Hey sis," he interjected a bit forcefully, pulling her off to the side. "Can I talk to ya for a sec?" as soon as they were out of earshot from the group, he whispered. "Ya never answered my question. You okay with that... that guy?" He glanced over at the child of Aphrodite. "I'll fight him if ya want." He realized that was probably an overreaction, but he was serious about the offer. "Er... or... y'know, sit between you or something." He was really hoping for the first option though.

Something about this girl put him at ease. Perhaps it was her chill nature, or the fact that she seemed to know his intentions regardless of how bad he was at expressing them. "Well... uh... I guess I'm just no good at talkin', y'know? I get worked up and say the wrong stuff. Or it comes out in ways I don't mean it to. And then people get mad and wanna fight me. I guess it's always been like that..." He cracked a smile, scarcely realizing this was the first time he'd spoken of his social issues aloud. "I usually win though. The fights, I mean." The boy laughed. It was a genuine laugh though, not his usual awkward chuckle. Was it the blood of Hypnos that mad Savannah so easygoing and amicable? Maybe. If it was, he thought that was even cooler than the whole sleep thing.

"Nike's alright I guess," he replied to her second statement. "We don't get any cool powers or anything. My brothers and sisters are good with weapons though. But I'll be better. I'll practice and practice until I'm the best in the whole camp!" It might have been an arrogant statement, but the fire behind his eyes showed he truly believed it. Still, it would take all the effort he could give to keep up with the literal superpowers of the other cabins. "I'm serious though, think about it! Like, you could put an enemy to sleep and sneak up on them in battle, or... is it true you guys can read people's dreams? You could get SO much useful info with that! I'd definitely want you on my side in a fight!" He'd meant of course that a child of Hypnos would be useful, but accidental compliments were better than accidental insults.

"Heck yeah you did!" He couldn't help but share in his new acquaintance's enthusiasm. He was thrilled that not only had she not balked at his blunt offer of help, but she had picked up the advice so quickly. Even if he wasn't always the best at explaining things. He held out his hand for a high-five. A simple, common gesture, but one he realized he hadn't done in years.

"Something like that," Axel replied, glancing over at the cabin leader. Well, this certainly wasn't going as planned. Not only had me been caught, but now he'd been caught by two people. His secret operation was quickly becoming less and less secret. He wondered for a moment what he should say to the new arrival. He didn't recognize her, though that went for pretty much everyone at camp. The girl appeared to be a bit older than him, though not by too much. She had long dark hair and her outfit looked comfy - well-suited for moving about. From it and her comment about a weapon he could pretty easily guess her intentions. "Getting in extra practice, huh?"

That was something the boy could certainly relate to. Ever since arriving at camp, nearly all of his time had been spent on the training grounds. Quite frankly, it was all fascinating. He loved the feeling of a weapon in his hand, and the thought that he might actually make a difference filed him with a sense of pride he'd never known before. When it came to practicing, he was as serious as a man twice his age preparing for war. Though perhaps it was a different kind of seriousness. Noble, childlike notions unjaded by experience, yet every bit as motivating. He couldn't help but wonder if this new person shared his passion. She was, after all, practicing in the middle of the night. "What ya lookin' for? I could help." Axel had spent a good while searching the weapon shack himself, so he had an idea of where various things were kept.

"I'm more of a blade guy myself, but there's javelins and bows n' stuff too." As he said this, he gave Krystal another sideways glance. He still wasn't happy about her dictating his own choice of weapon. He also searched her face for some kind of reaction to the new kid. What would she do? Play it cool? Invite her along? The boy coked his head to the side as if to ask a question, but didn't speak it aloud. Should we tell her?

"But... but I..." Axel looked down at the sword in his hand. He really could wield it. He knew he could. But he couldn't think of a way to convince the cabin leader of that, save for bringing it with him into battle. It was clear she wasn't about to let that happen. "I really am better with swords," he insisted, even as he placed it back among the other blades. He made note of its location for the next time his cabin went to combat practice. He'd have to prove himself then. In the meantime, it wasn't like he was a bad shot or anything. Most of his extra practices had been dedicated to bladework, but he'd dedicated a few days here an there to mastering the bow. Perhaps due to his Nike blood he'd found enjoyment in every weapon style he'd tried so far. He took one from the rack and slung it over his shoulder, then reached for a quiver full of arrows.

"We'll do it your way, sis." Not that he had much of a choice. Still, he did admittedly feel much safer with her tagging along. An older, stronger camper would inevitably be more versed in monster-tracking than he was. And if things went awry.. Well, he had his pride alright, but he didn't have a death wish. And siblings standing up for each other, fighting side by side, was exactly the sort of relationship he had long wished for in his prior life.

"Krystal. Cool. I'm Axel. So uh... what kind of umm... small monster should we track down." His tone made it clear that he wasn't too happy with the size of their prey, but he was fully willing to cooperate. 

"Of course I do!" He replied a bit defensively, though he did take a second  look at the sword in his hand. It was bulky to be sure. Nothing he couldn't handle though. Perhaps it would qualify as a longsword to a full grown man, but to the little boy it was a hand-and-a-half sword at least. The thought made him chuckle. A bastard sword for a bastard son. Seems fitting. He grabbed a matching sheath from the nearby wall, ignoring the fact that the belt barely fit at it's shortest setting. If his cabin leader didn't believe in him, then she was one more person he'd have to prove wrong.

"Well... but... that's..." She was right of course. There was no need to sneak out at night if he really just wanted to take out a few monsters. The truth was, he needed to do it himself, and he knew full well that the wide awake camp councilors would have tried to stop him. "Well it's not like they'd let me go. And I do want to make this place safer. Really. But also..." He pictured the face of the taunting boy. Even the thought of the incident sparked a flame in his eyes. "They said I was too weak. That I couldn't hack it out there. And that - well, that don't sit right with me, y'know?" He made a broad, sweeping motion toward the forest. "If what they said in trainin' is true then monsters sometimes drop bits and pieces when they die. Like trophies. I come back with one of those and they gotta knock it off with the teasin'. "

He hated to admit it, but the words had really gotten to him. He was used to his accomplishments going unrecognized because of his age. It had never ceased to piss him off. He knew he could beat that older kid in practice if he kept doing all his extra trainings. But they'd just make some excuse. "Beginners luck" or worse "I was just letting you win." This was the only way he could see to prevent that. Monsters didn't let people win. The boy wasn't used to being vulnerable with people, but it wasn't like he had a choice here. He knew full well he couldn't outrun his own cabin's leader. So his only option was to make an earnest plea and hope she'd understand his feelings. "I know it's dangerous, but I'm good with a blade. Honest! And... I can't go back empty-handed. Nothin' will change. I... I just can't!"

"Ack!" Axel lept back, startled by the sudden contact. He'd been so absorbed in finding the perfect weapon that he hadn't heard the older camper coming up behind him. He quickly gathered his bearings though. Jumping around blindly in the armory shack was a good way to get himself impaled. "O-oh!" The boy stammered, a gimmer of recognition crossing his face. "Ey sis! You're up late." He'd seen the girl before around the Nike cabin, hence the honorifics. Of course he'd know his own cabin leader (though not by name). Even if he didn't know them, every child of Nike was "sis" or "bro" to the young kid. Perhaps it was because he'd always longed for a real sibling. His half-brother and stepdad back home had always made it clear that he wasn't really one of them, but his half-siblings here had so far been nothing but welcoming. He wanted to get closer with them - eventually. When he could figure out how to talk to people.

"I... I was..." Well, there was no point in lying. Excuses did not come easily to him. Besides, he liked to consider himself an honest young man. "Well, I was looking for a weapon." He showed her the sword he'd picked out. "In trainin' today they said there's a bunch of monsters out there, just past he barrier. Figure if I can take out a couple of 'em the world gets safer for everyone, right?" That wasn't necessarily a lie either. While he was largely driven by spite, there were grand and noble notions turning in his head as well. "That's our job here, ain't it? Learnin' to fight and killin' the monsters? Might as well be the best at it!"

A slightly mischevious grin broke across his face. If anyone would understand his constant drive to be the best, he figured it'd be his fellow Nike members. As for her warning about the rules... "Well you're an older camper, ain't ya? Wanna come with?"

Axel nodded, thankful that she hadn't called him out. Him and his ramblings... He could scarcely believe he'd gone on long enough to wear out his arms like that. Perhaps it was because he wasn't used to talking to other people. It was actually pretty fu though! Savanna seemed very kind and easygoing. What was more, she wasn't taking his blunders as personal attacks like many would. How fortunate he'd run into someone like this! At this rate, he may actually be able to make a friend after all. "Oh, right! Guess I should do it the right way this time! I'm from the Nike cabin. Hypnos, huh? The sleepy guys?" 

The children of Hypnos were known for being notoriously chill. No wonder she was so easy-going! Of course the same could be said for how easily he had taken to combat practice. A product of divine blood... not so much for his awkwardness though. That was all luck and upbringing. Actually, he was quite fascinated with the Hypnos cabin. Rumor had it that they could put other people to sleep, and even that some could read and traverse the world of dreams. It was a fascinating power. He could imagine how useful that would be in a real combat situation. "I hope that didn't sound rude..." he mumbled. "Y'all are pretty cool."

Attempting to recover from yet another social blunder, he turned his attention to the target. Right. No talking this time. The best way to teach proper form had gotta be to show it, right? He trained his eye on the center target and followed his own advice. Strait spine, feet shoulder-width, chin up aaaand... release! Bullseye! He pumped his arm in a celebratory gesture. "Got it!" The boy turned to Savannah, brushing a lock of auburn hair from his face. His forehead had gathered a bit of sweat from the concentration. "Give it a shot! Uh... no pun intended."

"Axel!' The boy smiled back, glad that his question had not been taken as an insult. Perhaps it was time for a nap... Wait, what?  He blinked, shaking off the feeling. Had he been wearing himself too thin with all those extra practices? He hadn't even taken his first shot yet. Get it together, Axel. "Sav, got it. Nice ta meet ya."

"You're hittin' the target, sure, but if you want the arrow to go exactly where you're lookin' you gotta stand up straight. See?" He nocked his own arrow and pulled back, pausing there to explain his form. "Think like... like there's a line startin from your eye - the open one - all the way down through your back and to your waist. That line's gotta be straight or the arrow wont be. Head lined up with spine, eyes lined up with waist. Your legs can be in a few different stances however you're comfy but your feet gotta be shoulder witdh apart and-" He'd been rambling so much about proper form, he'd forgotten just how much effort it took to keep a bow string drawn. His arms, unattended my his mind for the moment, gave out. The arrow went flying, missing the target by a good foot.

Axel's face flushed red at the mistake. "See... ah... just then. I did it wrong. Leaned into the bow and it went wide." The boy let out an awkward laugh. "See, that's what I meant to show ya..." Yep. That was intentional, to show her the wrong way to do it. Definitely not because his arms got tired.

Another day, another combat practice. Sometimes Axel wondered if that was all people did around here. Of course, that was the main objective of the camp - to train the children to survive the monsters that would likely hunt them all their lives. Honestly though, the eager boy didn't mind. Anything beat going back home. And the practices themselves were varied enough that monotony had yet to completely take over. What's more, the Nike child had found that he was quite good at it. It was a well-known fact around camp that his cabin had the most combat prowess. With a lot of extra trainings, he hoped to make himself known even among them. He'd been working hard to master the shortsword, the javelin, and today... the bow.

When he arrived at the archery range, he was surprised to see that he was not alone. He usually had the place to himself when there weren't official practices. Occasionally a group of older campers would come by, but this girl looked to be about his own age. The boy did not recognize her - unsurprising as he had yet to really make any connections here. He did want to though. Everyone here was special, one might even say weird just like him. If only he weren't so damn awkward he could probably form some closer bonds than any he'd had with peers in the outside world. Perhaps he ought to try talking to her. Yeah... that seemed like a good first step.

Axel grabbed a bow and quiver from rack and headed over to the firing lane next to hers. She wasn't acknowledging his approach - focused on her task it seemed. Though he could tell she didn't have proper form. He gave her a small wave and called out "You're doing it wrong. Want help?" That... probably wasn't the best opener. He hoped it wouldn't be taken too badly.

It was well after hours, and much of Camp Half-Blood was fast asleep. Peaceful dreams of godly adventure filled the cabins, and under the protection of the Golden Fleece all seemed at ease. All, it seemed, except for the armory shack in the corner of the training fields. There, under cover of night, a bit of ginger-headed chaos was brewing. "Not ready yet..." a small voice muttered, barely audible above the rather noisy shuffling of weaponry. "I'll show them. I'll show all of them."

Most of the world may have been sleeping, but Axel Gauthier was wide awake. Spite left no time for sleep. It had all started earlier in the day during combat training. They'd been warned not to stray too far into the forest - a wise idea he'd considered it. That was, until an older camper had decided to lean in and whisper, "Yeah, you little guys don't have the strength for that yet. You wouldn't stand a chance" If there was any way to light a fire under the child of Nike, it was to tell him he wasn't capable of something. In that instant the fair warning had become a challenge and one he didn't intend to lose.

"Ah... this'll work." He rested his hand on a rather new-looking sword. Less beat up than the others around here at any rate. Perfect. It was suitable weapon for decapitating a monster. That was the idea behind this little excursion. He was going to prove them all wrong. He'd go out into that forest and not only come back alive, but walk into the next training carrying the head of a fearsome beast. That would shut them up! In his eagerness though, he hadn't realized he was making quite a bit of noise for what should have been a stealth mission...

Girls got you tongue-tied? Well that was pretty much accurate. Not that he'd ever admit to it. The pretty boy's joke only further solidified the stereotype forming in Axel's head. The guy was quickly turning into a rival in the Nike child's narrative. Not a rival for the girls though - even the competitive Axel had no illusions about that. All of the girls - beautiful as they were - were a bit too old to be interested in a scrawny kid like him.  Still, he wasn't entirely certain they were enjoying the older boy's attention either. "Y'all okay with that?" he asked bluntly, motioning toward their linked arms. It was meant as a genuine question, but probably came off a bit rude. He had a tendency to do that.

Registering the boy's invitation, he gave a nod. Rivals, friends... what did it matter? At least for the moment it seemed he was being included. "Sure. Axel, by the way. Uh.. I mean... Axel is me. And you guys are?" He'd met McKayla before of course - they were in the same cabin. And he was fully ready to stand up for his half-sister if it turned out this guy was harassing her. But everyone else he hadn't mt et, and it was probably better to exchange introductions before starting any unnecessary conflicts.

Axel faltered for a moment, realizing suddenly that he'd gone on quite the ramble. Worse, he'd been practically speaking over the man. And adults in his experience did not like being talked over. He quickly corrected his behavior and answered his first question. "Axel Gauthier, sir!" the boy nearly barked. Perhaps he had overcorrected. Still, Dustin didn't seem particularly hostile. He was actually being quite a bit more patient than the boy was sed to from his superiors. Though he did notice him slide the knife away.

The next question was met by far less hesitation. Game for fighting? Hell yes he was game! If there were more monsters like snake-man out there, he was down to go slaughter every last one of them. A certain hunger burned in his eyes at the thought. Those kids with swords out there... he was going to join them. What's more, he planned to be the best among them. Axel Gauthier, slayer of beasts. It had an epic ring to it. So to answer that question - "Hell yeah, when do I start?"

Though the continued explanation raised more questions than it answered. A god!?! His mom was a GOD!?! What the heck dd that even mean? He was fairly certain Dustin's assessment was correct, though he wasn't sure how he knew. If Axel's dad was a god, he wouldn't be so sick all the time. He'd be able to stand up for himself - and to stand up for Axel. No, Mr. Gauthier was was far too weak to be a god. But that meant... HIs whole life, Axel had felt out of place. Like he was someone special, a protagonist in a world of side characters. It was an arrogant thought, one he had tried very hard to scrub from his brain. But if what he had seen was real, if there really was something supernatural about him then... It didn't make him better than others, he knew that. But it did make him different in all the ways he had longed to be different. The suspicious kid wasn't normally quick to believe such wild claims. But he desperately wanted to.

The hunger in his eyes grew deeper, like a large bonfire threatening to set flame to the trees around it. "Mmkay... I'm listening." He took a seat, shoving a couple of the offered cookies in his mouth. He was too excited to even realize this was the first thing he'd eaten in nearly a day.

Axel was late to the party as usual. Fashionably late he liked to think. Truth was, he'd completely forgotten this was supposed to be happening today. He'd been getting some extra sparring practice in out on the field. It was disappointing really... having arrived in at camp in the middle of the Capture-the-Flag game, he hadn't really been able to participate. SO much introductory stuff to be done. He'd been looking for a chance to test his skills, maybe even to make some friends here. It would have provided an excellent opportunity. Ah well - there were other camp events. This one for example.

The redhead stood for a moment on the outskirts of the group, scanning for someone he recognized. There was that Ares dude he'd met when he first came here - though honestly Axel was still a bit too intimidated to approach that particular individual. He had a lot of respect for the guy. This was the man that would be teaching him how to fight monsters after all, but he still couldn't shake the feeling that he'd be very dangerous if one was to push the wrong buttons. And unfortunately for Axel, he had a tendency to do just that.

After a moment, he finally spotted a friendly face. It was McKayla, the girl from his own cabin. He approached the group with an awkward but friendly wave, entirely oblivious to the tension between several of its members. The boy never was good at picking up on such things. "Hey guys, what's -" he stopped in his tracks, blinking incredulously at a couple of the faces he didn't recognize. Gorgeous faces. These had to be some of the prettiest people he had ever seen. The boy had linked arms with a few attendees - a pretty boy - the kind who got all the ladies, Axel thought. He hated those guys. Much as he would claim he had actual reasons though, he was generally just jealous. And the girl calling out to them... beautiful beyond all reason. It was then that it clicked for him. Aphrodite's kids.

The by averted his gaze, wondering just how long he had been staring. "Um... sorry..." He wasn't really sure what he was apologizing for, but couldn't think of that else to say. He awkwardly shifted back a few paces. Maybe trying to socialize had been a bad idea.

"Not really," the boy shrugged. "He said it was a race, so we ran here. I won - clearly. You saw me win, right?" Realizing that was probably not as important to this dude as it was to him, he did not wait for an answer. The important thing here was getting some answers. The building he'd arrived in was rather large, and this lobby-type area seemed designed for welcoming new arrivals. Arrivals like him, he supposed. He walked up to the man, looking him up and down. The guy was clearly athletic judging by his form, and there was a certain dangerous air about him. Axel wasn't sure if that meant he was dangerous to him or just a dangerous person to piss off, but he wasn't about to take any chances. He placed the dagger the satyr had given him on the desk, just in case this was a no-weapons-allowed kind of meeting.

"I was playing chess with this dude in the park - won that too by the way - but then he turned into a freaky snake-dude and tried to kill me! I was gonna beat him up with a stick but that goat dude shot 'im with an arrow first. Gave me that knife there in case there were more of 'em. He said we had to come here to get away from the freaky snake monsters, and y'all'd let Dad and Mr. Rainer know I'm not comin' back home tonight. Not that I wanted to anyway." He hadn't learned much from the hurried converation with the old goat, but he'd managed to put a few things together. "So, I'm guessing this is like a boot camp or something? Ran past some kids with swords on the way in. Plus, he said this place was safe from the monsters so... Gonna show me how to fight 'em? That or feed me to 'em as some ritual sacrifice." It was meant as a joke, but didn't sound like one. Axel had a few "tone issues" that made it hard to tell when he was being humorous. "So, what's a half-blood?"

Following Lilythe's directions, Axel looked over toward the Nike cabin. They were smiling, welcoming... it was suspicious. That camper the leader had pointed out was waving him over. It wasn't that friendly people didn't exist, it was just - well, nobody tended to stay friendly for long. His awkward demeanor combines with his competitive tendencies had a way of grating on people's nerves. Still, it was never his intention to make enemies, and this was no different. And these kids were special, right? Special like him. Children of... Nike, was it? He couldn't recall hearing about that particular Greek god in regular-people school. He hoped it was someone cool. The flaming torch above his head was certainly a point in favor of that.

He strode over to the Nike table and extended a hand to the indicated camper. "Axel," he stated. It came off a bit more blunt than he was intending, but he hoped this girl could see past a bit of awkwardness. "Guess I'm your new brother."

Axel's first thought upon learning he was the child of a god had been: Cool! It was probably the typical reaction for a child his age. But the elation that news had brought him was perhaps a bit more poignant to the boy than most. Bloodlines had always been a factor in his life. From the genetic disease that was killing his father, to the mistreatment he'd received for not being Mr. Rainer's kid - blood had not been kind to the Gauthier's. But there was a chance for this to be different. Now it turned out his heritage may not be the curse he thought it, but a boon that might make him somebody special. He didn't care that the deity had yet to introduce themselves. Surely, the gods had their reasons. But he did hope that tonight they might claim him as their own.

He had to wonder just what this ceremony would be like. The young man sat by the fire across from an older-looking camper. He recognized him vaguely as the guy who was always hanging with his current cabin leader. Oh yeah! Guess it might be my last night in Hermes cabin. He hadn't grown particularly attached to anyone there in the short time he'd been at the camp, so he supposed that didn't really bother him. He did wonder, however, what his new group would be like.

The door to the big house swung wide as a confident redhead rushed in. He surveilled the area, paying little heed to the exhausted-looking Satyr behind him. Then the boy raised his arm in the air in a sort of "victory gesture." The old goat puffed heavily, taking the opportunity to lean for a moment against the doorframe. "Geez, kid - I ain't no spring chicken anymore. Take it easy!"

"What're ya talkin' about?" the ginger replied, finally turning to look at his companion. "You said we needed to go quickly. To think of it like a game. Like a race."

"That was a JOKE!" The exasperated man bleated. "I just meant we have to move quick and avoid monsters, not that we had to run the whole way here!" The kid hadn't been bratty exactly, but definitely stubborn and suspicious. As the adult in the situation, the old satyr had attempted to keep a good head on his shoulders. He tried to put himself in the kid's shoes. If he's been that age and had suddenly been thrust into this scenario, he supposed he'd be suspicious too. But it was hard to be sympathetic when the child was wearing him out so. The moment he'd implied it was a challenge, the boy had taken off running and hadn't slowed for a minute. All the while shouting back questions that the goat-man had been too focused on  keeping up to answer. "Yer insane. Well, at least we got you here. Now I'm gonna go take a nap!" He spun on his heels - or hooves rather- and strode back out the door.

"H-hey! Wait! You never told me-" the boy called out, but there was nobody there. He turned around, noticing for the first time that the two of them had not been alone in the Big House. There was a man behind the desk, watching the scene unfold. "Oh, hey! So... uh..." To be honest, he wasn't quite sure how this worked. That old goat had insisted he come here, and he'd figured it beat going home. But as to what exactly his objective was (besides winning the race to this building) he hadn't a clue. "Pardon the intrusion, but um... where am I?"

@ Dustin Graves