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[indent][indent][indent][indent][justify][color=808080]River didn’t sit in the stands or lay back down for a quick nap like Andy did. He paced around her conjured obstacle course at least three more times making sure everything [i]looked[/i] right. Back in Hawaii he had to make do with whatever he had at his disposal, trees, boulders, docks… He made it work but that left him with little to no knowledge when it came to an actual military training course. While he hated to admit it, he was thankful he sought out Andy’s help. Her military experience was a lucky coincidence that made the whole process of setting up a lot more seamless. It gave him time to pore over the camp roster he found in the office. It would take him more than an hour to put every name to each face, but it definitely helped. 

It had only been a couple minutes after he got comfortable leaning against one of the supports in the course when an unfamiliar demigod approached him, tall, blond and lanky. He held the clipboard in his left hand and was in the middle of flipping a page with his right when the guy’s voice cut through his thoughts. [color=808000]"Morning, I just wanted to quickly introduce myself. My name is Heath. I look forward to learning from you."[/color]

River’s eyes widened just a fraction. He expected more resentment or general avoidance, not someone coming at him head-on like that. Although after the introduction, he couldn’t help but wonder if Heath was one of those brown noser types. He had a fairly strong assumption that most of them weren’t looking forward to training, even less so at the prospect of a new leader. He had accepted that burden whether he liked it or not, but someone [i]actually[/i] interested in learning from him was something else entirely. He didn’t know if he should be flattered, anxious, or annoyed. 

[color=86a8ad]"Morning,"[/color] he replied with a curt nod of his head. River chuckled wryly, the smile seeming a little forced and not quite reaching his eyes. [color=86a8ad]"Give it time. You’ll change your mind."[/color] If his teaching ethic had even a fraction of what his father’s did, then it was a safe assumption that most of the campers would resent him by the end of the week. He sucked in a sharp and awkward breath knowing that being a callous prick like his dad wasn’t going to help matters either. With the best smile he could muster he attempted to be more friendly. [color=86a8ad]"...Thanks."[/color]

He hardly had the chance to catch his train of thought a second time before a loud voice cut through the comfortable peace of the arena like a foghorn. [color=f1724b]"Morning! Happy New Year!"[/color] 

River actually winced slightly from the sheer volume and tried his best not to let his annoyance show across his face. He replied with a simple nod. [color=86a8ad]"If everyone at camp wasn’t awake before…"[/color]

He did his best to not seem entirely disinterested in small talk, although River could think of about a million other things he’d rather do than play ‘get to know the demigod’ as he mentally prepared to run training and the likelihood of everyone hating him by the end of it. In the middle of flipping over a page, a strange tingle tugged at the back of his neck like a phantom thread beckoning him to turn his head. He looked up, gaze scanning the gathering crowd until it snapped on [i]her.[/i] 

His body tensed forgetting to breathe or blink or do any other basic functions he’d died without after a minute or two. River left her a note, coffee, medicine… but the note, that was the important part. He didn’t know how she’d react, mad, hurt, dejected. His mind cycled through every horrible scenario without ever considering it might not actually be that bad. He was at war with himself, body wanting to split in two so one piece could head right for her, while the other wanted to run without looking back. 

Anissa’s gaze met his and he froze. He was never good at reading people, so while he could see her face… He didn’t have a fucking clue what any of it meant, just that she was looking and he was looking… And was this getting weird? Should he look away? Maybe he should wait until she looks away first?

Then… [i]she waved.[/i]

All the tension slipped from River’s shoulders as he let out the breath he had been holding in. He focused on trying not to blush, but redness still tinted the tips of his ears as a faint lopsided smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. His right hand released its hold on the piece of paper, raising just a fraction to return her gesture with a small wave of his own. There was a second where she returned his smile, he might have even noticed her cheeks growing pink as well before she disappeared behind sunglasses and searched for a seat. 

[i]Well…[/i] He was in a significantly better mood, more anxious with a million more questions… [i]but better.[/i] Now he just needed to focus on—training. [i]Right.[/i] There was training.

River was significantly more distracted trying [i]very[/i] hard to focus on his clipboard and only his clipboard until it was time. When the clock hit 8:30 he could have started right then and there—it’s what his father would have done—but he decided to be moderately kind (he was in a better mood after all) and give any stragglers one more minute to find their way to the arena and take a seat.

With a begrudging sigh and a significant rise in his nerves, River pushed off the support he was leaning on and walked out into the center of the arena. He rapped his fingers along the back of the clipboard, steeling his nerves before he finally spoke up. [color=86a8ad]"Good morning everyone. If it wasn't already obvious, I am River, your new leader… And son of Poseidon, if that matters."[/color] He paused for laughing or sarcastic comments in regards to his name, not having the patience to talk over a roar of conversations. He started pacing the length of the stands as a way to keep his restlessness sated while he tried not to focus on any singular face for too long, especially not—[i]Nope. Focus.[/i]

[color=86a8ad]"Per my father’s orders I’m here to help get camp back on track. Ajax let camp fall into disarray and my late brother was not around long enough to accomplish much."[/color] River stopped for a second, sparing Andy a quick glance before sucking in a soft breath and continuing. [color=86a8ad]"Andy stepped up when no one else did and helped rebuild… Which isn’t a small feat and her efforts shouldn’t be overlooked."[/color] It was hard for him to admit he was an ass to her when he arrived at camp, harder still to give kudos where they were due. But just because his father sent him there to lead didn’t mean he had to be soulless in the process. 

River cleared his throat, trying to find his words before speaking. [color=86a8ad]"Now that everyone has had time to recover from the horrors of Pandora’s Box, my focus is going to be on training, the original purpose for camp… Not parties every night or the Greek tragedy that was the Valis’s chokehold on this place."[/color] He nodded his head, his pacing slowing until he turned to face everyone head on. [color=86a8ad]"No one likes training, but it’s important. The world won’t forget you’re demigods just because you ignore it. We can’t stop things from happening, but I can help prepare you all so [i]if[/i] the time comes, you can defend yourselves."[/color]

[color=86a8ad]"Alright."[/color] He tucked his clipboard under his left arm and clapped his hands together. [color=86a8ad]"Because half of us here are new and I don’t know your capabilities, the first three days of training will be assessments. This will help get a baseline for where everyone stands so I can better tailor the training to you specifically. Today’s test is agility."[/color] River held out his hand and motioned toward the obstacle course behind him.

[color=86a8ad]"There are ten obstacles, starting with the tires and ending with the long jump."[/color] He pointed at the associated locations as he spoke. There was a second where he contemplated if he should explain the course, but from where River was standing, it seemed fairly self explanatory. [color=86a8ad]"And while I could [i]try[/i] to explain each one to you, I feel leading by example might be the best approach."[/color]

River sucked in a breath and made his way over to where Andy sat beside who he could only assume was her boyfriend. He vaguely remembered the guy’s name from his sheet… [i]Matt? Mike?... Something with an ‘M.’[/i] He flashed them both an awkward smile before holding out his clipboard toward Andy. [color=86a8ad]"Do you mind tracking my time?"[/color] He asked her as he fished out a stop watch from his pocket with his other hand. 

She looked between him and her boyfriend for a second with an expression that looked like a mix of confusion and surprise. Andy hesitantly reached out to take both offered items with a small nod of her head. [color=bd1664]"Yeah, sure."[/color]

[color=86a8ad]"Just hit [i]that[/i] button to start it when I reach the tires."[/color] River gave her one final nod, skimmed his audience then turned around and headed for the course. He hated everything about being the center of attention. He was the type of guy that preferred to disappear in a crowd, or better yet, avoid the crowd entirely. All eyes focused on him was his worst nightmare. The thought of being watched intently by dozens of demigods ready to scrutinize his every move and laugh if he failed made the anxiety twist violently in his stomach. He focused on keeping his breaths deep and steady as he crossed the arena. 

When he closed in on the line of thirty tires, River reached over his head, grabbing a fist full of fabric and pulled off his shirt in a single swift move. He discarded the piece of clothing at his feet, then slowly approached while stretching each arm across his chest and rolling his neck to rid himself of any kinks and pop his joints. There was a strong temptation to delay, but rather than prolong the inevitable he inhaled one last deep breath then ran toward the line of tires. 

The first obstacle was easy. He kept his knees high as his feet quickly tip-toed back and forth between the two lines of tires. Next was a series of five long logs set up similar to hurdles getting progressively higher. The first three River hurdled with ease, although he nearly clipped his foot on the third. For the fourth he half mounted it, bracing his hands against the log and lifting himself up. Instead of jumping back down, he stood up, pushed off the log and leapt for the last one. He landed on it like he was hopping across stepping stones, then dropped down to face his next challenge. 

River didn’t hesitate before he fell to the ground and started the low crawl. He moved swiftly and efficiently, alternating pulling himself with his elbows and pushing with his feet. His heavy breaths stirred sand around him, while the dirt began clinging to the sweat that started to glisten along his torso. When he reached the end, he pushed off the ground and ran to the next obstacle that was a single rope dangling from a tall wooden support. He wiped off the dirt, sand, and sweat that clung to his palms onto his pants before grabbing a hold of the rope and jumping. Quick but with a methodical rhythm, River pulled himself up then pinched the rope tight between his feet and around his ankles. He climbed higher and repeated the process until he reached the top. He descended fast, making sure not to get rope burn on the way down, then dropped the final eight feet and continued onward. 

The rope bridge was another quick task, as long as he paced himself and made sure each step landed on a cross section, he traversed it with minimal hiccups or delays. The bridge ended in a platform with ropes at the ready to swing over a long shallow pool of water. River didn’t waste his time catching his breath or preparing. The second he reached the rope he grabbed hold, ran to the edge and jumped. He landed on the other side a little wobbly, but tucked and rolled his way through it. 

Next he came to a series of three balance beams that made the most precarious and unsafe looking bridge. Out of all the obstacles—while this one looked relatively harmless—it was also the one that made him the most concerned. River never had the best sense of balance, but before he could overthink it or psych himself out, he continued. Whether intentional or not, the moment he started up the incline, his arms extended out sideways to aid in his balance. He made it about halfway without incident before he started swaying and wobbling. His steps quickened, hurrying down the declining beam and jumping off just before gravity would have won. 

Stretching out before him was a sight that actually brought him some comfort… [i]the pool.[/i] River ran straight toward the edge, kicking off to give himself the biggest jumpstart he could get before diving into the water with an effortless grace that only a child of Poseidon could possess. The water rejuvenated him, recharging his energy and soothing his aching muscles. He slipped into a perfect freestyle stroke, crossing the pool at an astonishing speed and never once coming up for air. 

As he climbed out, River was met with a log ladder that extended straight up and looked like it was made for a giant. Unable to climb it like an ordinary ladder, he grabbed and mounted the lowest rung, pulling himself up until he could step on the log. He proceeded to follow a similar pattern of half hoisting himself up while he caught the next rung beneath his foot or knee. When he reached the top he rolled his body over the log, then descended quickly, skipping a step when he could until he was close enough to the ground that he could drop the rest of the way. There was only one obstacle left, so before he ran out of steam, he sprinted straight at the pool of water and jumped, clearing it with a few feet to spare.

River’s chest heaved with every deep breath he took. He gave himself a moment or two to be thankful it was over and attempt to calm down. He rested his hands on his hips as he crossed the arena to recover his abandoned shirt. Rather than putting it back on, he used it to wipe the sweat from his brow, then draped it over his shoulder. He returned to Andy without a word, still trying to catch his breath as he held out his hand for the clipboard and stopwatch. 

[color=bd1664]"9 minutes and 37 seconds,"[/color] she shared his time while handing everything over. 

He nodded his head in silent gratitude before turning his attention back to the rest of the campers that somehow looked even [i]less[/i] thrilled. [color=86a8ad]"You have 15 minutes to complete the course—"[/color] he took a deep breath, trying to steady his heart rate and stop panting so he could actually speak. [color=86a8ad]"—Because this is an assessment, there will be no skipping obstacles, no cheating, no powers, and no helping each other. Break any of the rules and it is an automatic failure."[/color]

River double checked his notes one last time then nodded his head when he was certain he covered everything. [color=86a8ad]"Alright then. You’ll run the course in groups of five. First up is Sloane, Sylas, Nate, Maylisse and Andy…"[/color][/color][/justify][/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent]

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