Annabeth and I were talking about the other two people we should ask to come with us.
"Chiron said that we would leave tomorrow morning. We have until then to gather supplies, as well as two more demigods to come with us." Annabeth told me. I nodded in agreement.
"Do they have to be demigods? Because I was hoping Aspen could come along, since he's my protector..." I mumbled.
"That's a smart move. I should ask Grover too. He's Percy's best friend and his protector. Plus he knows a great tracking song on his reed pipes." Annabeth pointed out. We started walking towards the forest. "Grover's most likely in the forest with Juniper. Juniper's his girlfriend, by the way." Then a satyr and a girl with green skin walked past, talking and giggling. Well, the girl was giggling. The satyr had small horns poking out from his fuzzy red curls, and with the bad case of acne he had, he looked like he could pass for a teenager.
"Grover!" Annabeth called. The satyr and the girl stopped, and the satyr trotted over to us.
"Hey Annabeth. How's it going?" He said. My eyes went wide, I recognised this satyr.
"You're the satyr Percy was sitting next to yesterday!" I exclaimed. The satyr Annabeth had called Grover nodded.
"Blah! Yes I am." He replied. Annabeth frowned.
"I'd love to say that everything's great, but Percy's—"
"Missing. Again." Grover said sadly. Annabeth looked at him strangely. "Hey, word gets around."
"Then could you come with us to find him?" Annabeth asked. Grover shook his head.
"I'd love to, but I've got preparations to make." Grover explained sullenly. By now the girl with green skin—I assumed it was Juniper—had joined us. She placed her hands on Grover's arm, like the way a wife would with her husband. Then I noticed a ring on Juniper's left hand.
"You're getting married." I said, slightly in shock. Juniper and Grover beamed and nodded.
"Grover honey, he is your best friend. You should go with them." Juniper said kindly.
"But the wedding..." Grover began, but Juniper placed a light kiss on his cheek, making his face go red.
"I will wait until you get back. It's ok." Juniper reassured. She gave him another kiss on the cheek, before walking away with a couple of other green-skinned girls. Annabeth was grinning, and she gave Grover a friendly hug.
"I'm so happy for you! Does... Percy know?" She asked slowly after letting go of Grover. He shook his head.
"I was gonna tell him this afternoon, but..." Grover hung his head mournfully. I moved over to him and patted his arm.
"We're going to bring him back." I said determinedly. Grover made a small smile, and murmured a quiet thank you.
"First stop: Hermes cabin." Grover announced.
"Why?" I asked. I racked my brain for memories of some of the things mum had told me when I was little. Hermes was the messenger of the gods, Roman equivalent was Mercury, and had flying sandals...
"He's the patron god of travellers. His kids would know something about what things we should take." Annabeth explained.
"Ohh." I said lamely.

*

Cabin eleven looked like a normal summer camp cabin, just really old. The reddish paint was choppy and peeling in most places, and there looked like there were a fair few kids in there. Outside was a well-built boy with dark skin, sharpening a bronze battle axe.
"Oban! Hey!" I called out. The boy looked up and smiled, and put down his axe before walking over to greet us.
"Hello Maddy. What brings you and your friends to the Hermes Cabin?" Oban asked calmly.
"We were wondering if you or one of your siblings could help us figure out what we should take on our quest." I explained. Oban nodded thoughtfully.
"I see. Well then you should probably talk to my brother Cecil. He is over there talking to Lou Ellen." He suggested, pointing to two demigods who were sitting against the cabin wall and chatting.
"Thanks Oban." I motioned Annabeth and Grover to follow.
"No problem Maddy." Oban replied as he resumed in sharpening his axe. Annabeth, Grover and I walked over to Cecil and Lou Ellen.
"Honestly Cecie, you are so thick sometimes!" Lou Ellen laughed. Cecil blushed and stammered.
"I a-am not-t. And stop calling me Cecie." He stuttered. Lou Ellen laughed again and noticed us. She stood up, and pulled Cecil up too.
"Hiya. What's up Annabeth?" Lou Ellen greeted us, ignoring me.
"We were wondering if Cecil would be so kind as to advise us on what we should take on our quest." Annabeth explained formally. Cecil perked up at the mention of his name.
"Well, you're gonna need food, a spare change of clothes, extra layers since it's winter, maybe emergency weapons, bandages, some money—American and drachmas that is, and some ambrosia and nectar." Cecil listed. He then looked at me, well rather Splitter, which was poking out of my outer coat pocket.
"Is that your weapon? May I see?" Cecil asked politely. I placed a protective hand over Splitter. Lou Ellen smiled.
"Good move. Cecie here may not be big on pinching other demigods' stuff, but the Stoll brothers are crafty enough to make up for that." Lou Ellen commented. "You also might wanna make sure you have someone who can manipulate the Mist. It's a helpful skill." She explained. Cecil made a huffing sound with his nose, a little puff of white air propelling out of his nostrils.
"You don't have to, she's just trying to subtly gloat about how good she is at manipulating the Mist." Cecil whispered to me. Lou Ellen looked both shocked and offended.
"I WAS NOT. It is a helpful skill!" She exclaimed. But then Lou Ellen looked at Cecil's face, and they both burst out into laughter. Annabeth tapped me on the shoulder.
"Hazel! She'd be perfect. But I'm not sure if she'd want to.. Hey why don't you go find Aspen and fill him in while I ask Hazel? Then we can start packing and then strategising." She whispered. I agreed wholeheartedly, since Annabeth's plan sounded logical. Annabeth repeated the plan to Grover, and we all went our separate ways to complete our tasks.