i'm throwing stuff -- at night [private]

Ana gazed at the shell and smiled to herself. Up until this point she had thought all her siblings were a pain and mean but Kenny was super nice and kind. The little girl made a kind smile towards her sister then began arranging the shells and stones based on color in the sand.

Plucking up one of the half-broken clam shells, Ken examined it in the moonlight: the edge was jagged as if it had been stepped on or thrown against a rock, which wouldn't really have surprised her considering how violent the naiads could be. With a flick of her wrist, it flew into the ocean with a small ploop sound.

"You like going to the beach?" Kendall asked her lazily, stretching out her legs towards the ocean to keep them from going numb. She absolutely loathed that feeling -- it felt like one of those static-y screens that older televisions got when you hit the wrong channel.

Ana shrugged and looked out over the water, spinning the shell in her palm.This is my first time one a beach. I've never been swimming in an ocean either.She said with a half smile. The daughter of Ares was new to the world in more ways than one. She hardly ever left her house or the small area surrounding it so camp was an interesting place for her.

For a second, the older girl squinted at her half-sister with a sort of half-critical, half-amused look on her face before she let herself relax back into the sand bed she lay on. "Well, that's weird. You ever go to a lake before? Any big body of water? You live in the countryside?"

Perhaps Kendall had just taken the camp's beach for granted: she had spent about six years of her life there, with the beach and lake and creek being so easily accessible in her freetime. It wouldn't take her more than twenty minutes walking to get to the farthest one, really.

Ana shook her head then sat in the sand with her legs crossed, fixing her leggings and oversized galaxy hoodie.I lived in the run down part of Atlanta but I never had the chance to go swimming or visit the lakes that were nearby.The little girl frowned as she felt a chill on her spine and her scars ache.

"Aah. Atlanta. You ever explore the city or just stayed where you were?" That piqued her interest a little -- a city that wasn't in the state of New York or close to camp. Very nice. Ken hadn't ever gone very far from the camp except for, perhaps, her quest with Eric a while back -- but they definitely hadn't been travelling for the scenery or the atmosphere. (And it hurt to think about, whenever Ken thought of what had happened at the very end. She hadn't deserved that at all.)

Ana shook her head.Father wouldn't allow it. I was allowed to go to school and ny willow tree, that was it.She said wiping a tear from her eye. Thinking about home made her remember all the nights she spent alone in her room crying after her father beat her till she bled.

For a moment, Ken had looked away from Ana to glance at the moon high up in the sky -- gibbet or something tonight -- and then back to her sister, who looked... distinctly uncomfortable, almost sad in a way. She stared for a moment and shook her head, sitting up on her elbows to take a closer look. "Er. You okay there, Ana? Did I say something wrong? Bring up something bad?"

Ana shrugged.It's alright actually. My dad just wasn't a really nice person.The little girl said with her back to Kenny as she lifted the back of her hoodie to show her older sister the hundreds of scars that adorned her pale skin.

"Di immortales," she hissed to herself, almost starting at the site of Ana's back. Oh, sure, Ken had seen plenty of scars in her day -- had plenty of her own, too -- but... all of those were scars from fights. Scars from abuse like that were definitely not the result of some valiant fight for glory, and definitely nothing that any of her more sensible siblings would stand for. "Goddamn, kid. You ever meet him again, I'll snap his neck for you and a little more."

Ana looked back at her sister and let her hoodie fall, a few tears rolling down her cheeks.Thanks Kenny. Im just glad I can be free of him here. She smiled as she tucked some of her bright blonde hair behind her ears and fiddled with the single shell in her free hand.

"Oh yeah, you will be. He ever try to find you again?" Kendall asked her, brushing sand off her elbows as she sat up properly again. What a turn this conversation had taken -- she almost expected it to be violin music and seashells the rest of the night, until the harpies came to chase them back to the cabin. "If he does, tell me -- or, hell, someone in the cabin. No goddamn Ares kid is gonna let that guy get to you, even if most of us are jerks."

Ana nodded.I don't think anyone else will really do much, but i will let you know if he tries anything. The little blonde said giving a kind smile as she went back to playing with the shells and stones.

For a moment, Ken watched her in the moonlight, frowning to herself as she thought of why on Gaea would anyone in their cabin not do anything -- perhaps she had a skewed view of the situation, but she was sure the other Ares demigods would find it in their small voids for hearts to help Ana against her father. They liked to mess with other people, but when somebody messed with their own they got mad. "Alright then. When do you wanna go back to the cabin? It's getting late and all, the harpies might start hunting people down. You wanna stay here for a bit longer? Ten, twenty minutes?"

Ana looked at her older sister and blushed slightly.Chiron is letting me sleep with Derek and Janna Kay in the Demter cabin because everyone else is being rude to me in our cabin. I can try to stay in the Ares cabin if you want. The girl giggled at how childish her reasoning was.

Kendall had no idea who those two kids were, but whatever; if they were nice enough to let Ana sleep in their cabin, they couldn't be too bad. She shook her head and leaned back into the sand again, ignoring how gross the back of her head felt as the sand clung to her hair. "Well, you're gonna have to sleep in the cabin eventually -- and if our siblings don't f--- off, I'll go knock out their lights and make them sleep with the fishes. It's better to sleep there now, because if you sleep in the other cabin? They're gonna dislike you lots more."

Ana nodded and looked at her older sister.I wish I was strong like you guys. Being gentle is boring at times. She said trowing an ugly stone into the ocean, watching it first sail about thirty yards before hitting the surface.

"You can always try," Ken suggested, but then she realized she was being a bit too vague and added: "It takes a bit of time. Some kids come in and don't know anything at all, but they learn over time to stick up for themselves. Maybe that'll be you."

With a sandy hand, she brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes as she stared up at the sky: cloudless and starry, the moon illuminated the whole area with an almost white glow. Peaceful, really, especially after the two wars the camp had gone through in the past year or so.

Ana had an idea pass through her brain. Teach me. Please Kenny.The girl begged, scooting next to her older sister.

Ken inclined her head towards her sister, not sure whether to feel about this whole situation. It was sort of sad in a way, but she could probably guess why Ana was so gentle and all. "Oh, sure, but not tonight -- tomorrow or later on. I don't have much to do with the rest of the cabin, anyway -- I can train with you, if you want? Teach you hand-to-hand stuff."

Ana squealed with delight and hugged her sister, throwing her arms around Kendall's neck.You're the BESTEST sister ever! I have claws I wear and a sword too. You can teach me with those too. Then I won't be so different from the rest of our siblings!Ana beamed, letting go.of her sister and sitting back in the sand.

Aah -- oh dear. Kendall sort of sat there for a moment, half-startled by Ana's sudden outburst before it all set in -- and then she just awkwardly smiled at her younger sister in response. What could she say back to that? They had only just met and apparently they were best friends (siblings?) now. "Er, thanks, I guess. You want to start tomorrow or a little later? Do you know your way around camp well?"

Ana blinked for a moment then blushed a deep scarlet.I know how to get to the arena but you pick when we start.She said yawning the last part before laying in the sand and fluttering her eyes closed.I'm glad I met you Kenny.The little girl said as her voice trailed off and she fell asleep next to her sister.

And another surprise for Kendall: her sister had apparently been very, very sleepy, enough to fall asleep right next to her as if with no care in the world. She pursed her lips, staring at Ana strangely as she lay there snoozing away: the harpies would definitely come after them soon because it was getting late. Almost curfew.

Sitting up, she scanned the area for any sign of those winged fiends: none yet. Putting a hand on Ana's arm, Ken waited to see if she'd wake up by herself.

Ana stirred in her sleep but didn't wake, feeling safe enough to fall asleep with we sister next to her. Kenny may have been a new persom bit she was family, more family than Ana had had in her short life so far.