The Titan's Curse

pile of enormous deer droppings, but Chiron wouldn’t let us call the place the Poop Pile, especially after it had been named for Zeus, who doesn’t have much of a sense of humor.
    Anyway, it was a good place to set the flag. The top boulder was twenty feet tall and really hard to climb, so the flag was clearly visible, like the rules said it had to be, and it didn’t matter that the guards weren’t allowed to stand within ten yards of it.
    I set Nico on guard duty with Beckendorf and the Stoll brothers, figuring he’d be safely out of the way.
    “We’ll send out a decoy to the left,” Thalia told the team. “Silena, you lead that.”
    “Got it!”
    “Take Laurel and Jason. They’re good runners. Make a wide arc around the Hunters, attract as many as you can. I’ll take the main raiding party around to the right and catch them by surprise.”
    Everybody nodded. It sounded good, and Thalia said it with such confidence you couldn’t help but believe it would work.
    Thalia looked at me. “Anything to add, Percy?”
    “Um, yeah. Keep sharp on defense. We’ve got four guards, two scouts. That’s not much for a big forest. I’ll be roving. Yell if you need help.”
    “And don’t leave your post!” Thalia said.
    “Unless you see a golden opportunity,” I added.
    Thalia scowled. “Just don’t leave your post.”
    “Right, unless—”
    “Percy!” She touched my arm and shocked me. I mean, everybody can give static shocks in the winter, but when Thalia does, it hurts. I guess it’s because her dad is the god of lightning. She’s been known to fry off people’s eyebrows.
    “Sorry,” Thalia said, though she didn’t sound particularly sorry. “Now, is everybody clear?”
    Everybody nodded. We broke into our smaller groups. The horn sounded, and the game began.
    Silena’s group disappeared into the woods on the left. Thalia’s group gave it a few seconds, then darted off toward the right.
    I waited for something to happen. I climbed Zeus’s Fist and had a good view over the forest. I remembered how the Hunters had stormed out of the woods when they fought the manticore, and I was prepared for something like that— one huge charge that could overwhelm us. But nothing happened.
    I caught a glimpse of Silena and her two scouts. They ran through a clearing, followed by five of the Hunters, leading them deep into the woods and away from Thalia. The plan seemed to be working. Then I spotted another clump of Hunters heading to the right, bows ready. They must’ve spotted Thalia.
    “What’s happening?” Nico demanded, trying to climb up next to me.
    My mind was racing. Thalia would never get through, but the Hunters were divided. With that many on either flank, their center had to be wide open. If I moved fast . . .
    I looked at Beckendorf. “Can you guys hold the fort?”
    Beckendorf snorted. “Of course.”
    “I’m going in.”
    The Stoll brothers and Nico cheered as I raced toward the boundary line.
    I was running at top speed and I felt great. I leaped over the creek into enemy territory. I could see their silver flag up ahead, only one guard, who wasn’t even looking in my direction. I heard fighting to my left and right, somewhere in the woods. I had it made.
    The guard turned at the last minute. It was Bianca di Angelo. Her eyes widened as I slammed into her and she went sprawling in the snow.
    “Sorry!” I yelled. I ripped down the silver silk flag from the tree and took off.
    I was ten yards away before Bianca managed to yell for help. I thought I was home free.
    ZIP! A silvery cord raced across my ankles and fastened to the tree next to me. A trip wire, fired from a bow! Before I could even think about stopping, I went down hard, sprawling in the snow.
    “Percy!” Thalia yelled, off to my left. “What are you doing ?”
    Before she reached me, an arrow exploded at her feet and a cloud of yellow smoke billowed around her team. They started coughing and gagging. I could smell the gas from across the woods—the horrible smell of sulfur.
    “No fair!” Thalia gasped. “Fart arrows are unsportsmanlike!”
    I got up and started running again. Only a few more yards to the creek and I had the game. More arrows whizzed past my ears. A Hunter came out of nowhere and slashed at me with her knife, but I parried and kept running.
    I heard yelling from our side of the creek. Beckendorf and Nico were running toward me. I thought they were coming to welcome me back, but then I saw they