Practice (PRIVATE WITH DRAGON)

Kodee rushed through the camp with his mind running through all of the possibilities of what the day would bring if he was already late for sword fighting practice with some kid who was guaranteed going to kill him for it. The kid was an older Ares boy who didn't take people wasting his time and Kodee had been dazing off when he realized what time it was. Now the son of Thanatos was running as fast as he could while buckling his sword belt on and slipping his helm on his head. This was bad...this was bad...this was bad. Why was this going to be such a bad day already? Kodee slid to a stop and walked slowly into the arena and smoothed his hair out of his face. Sorry I'm late...just had to find my weapons. The Ares kid glared and then swung a punch which nailed Kodee in the jaw and sent him flying back into a pile of swords.

Kodee lay there with a sore jaw and a line of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth as he looked up at the sky and wondered how he had gotten stuck with the most violent Ares kid as a swordsman trainer. The boy stood up weakly and drew his swords with practiced ease and a calm mind. He knew that this was going to be the defining moment but all he could think was how was the kind and sweet Ashley related to this asshole. Kodee shot forward and slashed three times with his swords, all three of them missing entirely. Suddenly Kodee was sent flying backward again, this time with a busted arm and a fractured jaw. "You don't make me wait! Now I will hurt you more than you have ever been hurt before."

Kodee blinked as a girl easily beat the Ares trainer and the older boy fled after that with a muttered curse about how it was unfair to cheat. So when the pain in his jaw faded, Kodee tried to move but his arm throbbed in pain. He quickly put a piece of Ambrosia in his mouth and allowed it to melt on his tongue while savoring the taste it created. Kodee smiled at the girl and moved just enough to stand up without hurting his broken arm anymore. I'm Kodee, thanks for dealing with that older Ares kid. Apparently he doesn't like tardiness anymore than teachers do.

The trees seemed to whisper to Austin as he walked through them and looked around himself wondering how he would be if he lived in the wild again. Then he heard the scream and looked up in time to see Anna dragged under the surface of the water. Quickly he drew his sword and dove into the liquid, seeing some weird water creature. He slashed and the beast released the girl, allowing him to drag her up to the land. He climbed out and pulled Anna over his shoulder and carried her to a soft bed of moss a safe distance from the water.

Austin set Anna down carefully on the mossy ground and set to work on examining her wounds carefully since he knew some about what had attacked her. It was a poisonous lake creature that the name had long since been forgotten about and that meant it was difficult to say what had exactly happened but Austin had run into it before. The creature secreted a venom that paralyzed and then slowly stopped all bodily functions while causing extreme pain in the process. In best case scenarios, Anna had an hour to live without a cure. Worst case she had minutes before the venom would kill her. Austin sighed and pulled out his dagger, setting the blade against the leg of her jeans. He cut the denim and stabbed the flesh. Quickly he wrapped a his arms around the wound and squeezed until venom started dripping out. Soon the blood was running clean and he grabbed some cloth which he wrapped around the leg and then dripped Nectar onto her tongue slowly. The godly drink would help heal her and the venom was gone so all she would have to do is stick it out until her body decided it was safe again. The girl should be safe but that didn't mean anything.

Kodee nodded and wrapped his fingers inward as he felt the tingling that meant his arm was fixed. He knew this girl would help him but he didn't know why. Slowly the boy stood up and grabbed his sword from the ground. He sheathed the blade and then walked out of the arena while watching for any signs of trouble. Little did he know that he was being followed by the Ares kid who hadn't liked being shown up by the Apollo girl.

Some people say that shadows are the friend of Death but for Kodee that was no exactly true at the moment as he walked through the darkest part of Camp Half Blood. The cabins were just ahead and he had to walk through the trees for a little bit in order to get there faster so when he came to a dark part next to the cliffs where people often times hid away, he wasn't suspecting an attack. Kodee slipped through the small path and into the clearing just in time to hear the softest of footsteps right behind him. A fist slammed into the boy's back and Kodee was sent flying into a tree not even ten feet away from him. Blood leaked from the corner of his mouth and Kodee felt his head begin to throb in pain as he looked up at the Ares kid through tear filled eyes. His mouth was dry and his arms were heavy as Kodee slumped forward to find a sword at his gut.

"You seem to think I'm going to let you live. That girl saved you and beat me so now I'm going to beat you and save her...for later. Have fun in Hades, son of Thanatos and say hello to your poor father." The Ares kid stepped forward and the blade sank in three inches and then went out of Kodee's back. As Kodee fell forward with the sword ran through him, the Ares kid walked away laughing because that would was fatal after time and was extremely painful for the rest of the time.

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Austin smiled at the girl who he had just saved and sat down next to her while thinking about how to reply. You learn how to heal in tough situations when you fight so many people so many times. All it takes is a little time to figure out what happened and I can heal like a pro. Still I wouldn't go near that water again if I were you. Austin was about to lay down when he heard the shout of pain from over about fifty feet away from where they were. It sounded like Kodee but why would he be...then Austin saw the Ares kid walking away with blood on his shoes. The son of Nike stood up in fury and threw a dagger at the child of war. The blade sank into the kid and dropped him with ease as Austin took off for where Kodee was. Dear Zeus why was there so much trouble happening now? Quickly Austin picked up Kodee and called Seraph down from the sky. The white Pegasus landed and Austin mounted the flying horse with his nephew in his arms.

Austin stopped before he could tell Seraph to take off just as Anna said to wait because she could heal Kodee. Kodee was his little nephew and as Austin looked at the boy in his arms, tears began to fall from the corners of his eyes. I hope you're right because he doesn't have very long. A wound like this hurts and it can get deadly very quickly. Please help Kodee, for everyone who cares about him. Austin dismounted and laid Kodee down on the ground carefully before stepping back to wait.

Kodee blinked his eyes open in a sort of confused manner before seeing Austin crying and Anna looking rather sick while he was lying on the ground in a small blood covered area of grass. Why is everyone so sad all of a sudden? Did someone die? The son of Thanatos stood up and realized his shirt was cut in half just below his pectoral muscles.

Austin smiled at his nearly exact replica. If Austin hadn't known Kodee before he met Ashley then the son of Nike would've thought that Kodee was exactly like him in every way. The blatant disregard for the fact that he had just about died didn't seem to faze Kodee in the least and that made Austin extremely proud. No one died today, thanks to Anna.

Austin saw the look of pure shock on the Ares kid's face as he woke up and laughed when the kid ran away with Anna glaring at him. This was funny and interesting but when Anna turned around and looked at Kodee, he really busted up laughing. She was crushing on Kodee and he was already in a relationship. Austin waited but when Anna kissed Kodee he couldn't help it. He swept his nephew into his arms and raised him into a bear hug. Welcome to the family, Dettkoden Rastlin Greene! You just showed you have the makings of a fine playa and breaker of hearts. I am proud of you nephew, and I don't say that to most people. Austin put Kodee back on the ground and stepped back with a huge grin on his face.

Kodee was just standing up when he looked at Anna and saw the look in her eyes. She had that look he had seen in Ashley's eyes before they had kissed. Still he wasn't prepared for the next thing that came, Anna kissed him and Kodee felt himself freeze up in fear. He actually enjoyed the kiss! But he was dating Ashley and even still he loved her and wouldn't hurt her with this situation. Kodee freed himself from Austin's grip and sprinted for Camp, looking for Ashley.

Kodee ran into Camp just in time to see an Apollo boy carrying what looked like Anna in his arms while she bled from two daggers in her chest and leg. He stopped before shaking his head in fear and frustration and continued toward the Ares cabin. That cabin wasn't exactly safe ground for him but Kodee really needed to talk to Ashley just so she knew he was still in love with her and didn't kiss Anna. Just as the Ares cabin came into view, Kodee saw something that made his blood run cold and his heart stop with fear. The larger Ares boy was standing there watching him run up while he spun a sword in his hand. "You survived the first cut to your stomach but I will make sure you die this time." The Ares kid stepped forward slowly but Kodee was ready. Instantly he had his swords in his hands and his head spun with anger. The boy dispatched the Ares kid with four slashes, two of which left him with no hands and the other two left him with an x cut on his chest. You taught me well now go to Hades as a disgraced hero.

Kodee bolted into the Ares cabin and looked around until he saw Ashley. He sighed and walked over to her while trying to catch his breath. Ashley...why...did you...attack...Anna? She was... Kodee wasn't sure how to continue so he walked up to the girl and kissed her softly but persistently. I love you and only you Ashley. Don't forget that and don't kill your friends because they do stupid things. I will never leave you for someone else because of something stupid like that.

Kodee bit his lip before shaking his head sadly and looking away from Ashley. There was a lot of blood and another Apollo kid was carrying her toward the infirmary. I'm not sure if she is okay after that but even if she lives, you hurt her and all she did was kiss me after saving my life. I was close to dead and you just basically killed the person who saved me. He refused to look at Ashley because even if Kodee wasn't in love with Anna, he still felt close to her for her saving his life twice. There wasn't much he could do to change that but right now he had to see if she was safe. Kodee pulled out a small cell phone and flipped it open. Quickly he dialed in the number that belonged to Austin and explained the situation before hanging up and looking at Ashley. Austin said he will try his best to save her. We should go see her anyhow though.

Austin hung up the phone and rode Seraph into Camp while knowing what he had to do. Already he was thinking about how he seemed to be a healer more than a warrior now. Austin reined in Seraph just at the door to the infirmary and dismounted. Zeus Almighty, why do these young demi gods have to get injured so much? Austin walked in and immediately pushed the Apollo kid aside. He got to work and within ten minutes had both wounds cleaned and stitched up as well as bandages wrapped around them. He poured Nectar into Anna's mouth and sat down while preparing a small piece of Ambrosia for her to eat.

Kodee laughed and pointed to his still slightly bloody boots where the kid's hand had hit his foot. That buffoon isn't going to be lifting a sword, much less teaching how to use one, anymore since he tried to attack me before I could talk to Ashley. Besides, you seem to be the one who needs to watch out for who you upset now a days. The son of Thanatos wouldn't say specifically what had happened but he knew that all of them knew and so he didn't have to feel embarrassed.

Austin glanced up as Ashley and Kodee walked in and he nodded at his nephew who obviously had just calmed his girl friend down and told her that he would stay with her forever. He respected Kodee for that and just handed the Ambrosia to Anna as she woke up before leaning back and he listened to the conversation.

Kodee rolled his eyes and looked at Ashley with a small smile playing across his lips. One of your brothers decided it would be funny to attack me because I was late to a sword fighting practice. So when one of Anna's sisters beat him senseless he exacted revenge by running his sword through my gut. The pain in the butt over there healed me right before she kissed me and then when I ran to the Ares cabin the kid attacked me again. That time I dealt him a crippling blow by cutting both of his hands off and leaving him with an x scar on his chest. As for the lake thing, I don't know since I wasn't there. Kodee grinned at Ashley and then at Anna who had obviously tried to hide the information from her friend.

And I never did hear an apology for assaulting my lips right afterwards! You want to play it that way then we can always go to the fact that you went completely overboard with that move. Kodee rolled his eyes again and kissed Ashley again. I already have a girl friend who I plan to stay with for as long as she will let me. Those words he spoke while staring into the girl's eyes and smiling softly and warmly.