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Ash watched his sister wandering what in Hades she could possibly be looking for. His thoughts were answered a few moments later as she pulled out a pair of gold earrings and put them on. He blinked. What exactly did she think they were hunting tonight? "Your bow Ali. You need your bow. We are hunting animals, not dates." He sighed and wondered if it would even do any good. Ali was a good hunter but Ash sometimes thought she had a few screws loose in the old noggin. How else could he explain when she got like this? "You did know we were hunting animals didn't you?"

"Five sounds like the perfect time. I'll go ahead and get everything ready for us as I should have a little time before then." His hands had not left hers since the sudden drop and he was reluctant to do so now but they were rapidly approaching the stables. "Unfortunately it looks like we've made the loop and I must return you to the place where we began our little ride." As he brought them in for a landing he took up the reins with both hands and guided Blue Sky carefully down to the stable yard in a gentle glide. It was his first landing and perhaps he could have handled things a bit better but for the most part the pegasus seemed to know what would be required of her and made thins easy enough. When they had landed Ash led the pegasus to a halt close to the stables and held her there so that Dakota could dismount. "I would say we had had a pretty successful first flight though and perhaps Blue Sky has earned a few of those sugar cubes don't you think?"

Ash returned with the broom and began cleaning up just in time to hear his little brother's half-hearted attempt at an apology. It was little more than he had come to expect from Lucas but he held his tongue as Charlotte whacked him upside the head. Personally he didn't really care about the skittles or the apology or anything. The bigger issue was Lucas' complete lack of discipline and disregard for those around him. He was still a child and most of it could be attributed to that but he was not so young that he could learn to respect others. Some would say he just expected too much of the boy but Ash was of the opinion that the very reason Lucas was such a terror was that the other campers and councilors expected nothing at all of the boy. The whack on the head was a good start but it wouldn't correct the deeper issue.

As Charlotte left them Ash sighed and walked over. He might as well at least try to salvage something of this interaction and since he needed to be the adult here he supposed it was up to him to do it. Hunkering down in front of the boy Ash fixed Lucas with a look of startling seriousness. "Lucas." He said with that scary intensity he had. "You need to learn that there are consequences for your actions. You cannot simply do whatever you want and expect others to go along with. There are more important things in life than candy and getting your own way."

Ash kept cleaning his kill all the while keeping one eye on the girl. He honestly didn't know if she was really going to attack him. All it would take was a single flick of her wrist and if she was any good with that dagger she seemed so fond of then he would be bleeding out on the ground. He wasn't putting up any resistance just going off his instincts and his instincts were telling him that this girl wouldn’t kill him...yet.

It was the smartest move honestly. Like it or not he had the advantage here. If he went missing people would look for him and questions would be asked. The girl might be able to get away with it, initially at least, but eventually she would be found out for what she was. It was much easier to wait for a more opportune time to get her ‘revenge’ and Ash had a good idea that this was what the girl was trying to do here.

He wasn't impressed. Even when he heard the dagger whoosh by and embed itself right next to his hand. It was the action of an upset child. Someone wishing to instill an image of authority and fear in others without doing anything to earn it. In actuality all it had done was mark the girl as someone to be watched closely in the coming weeks and months. There was something wrong with this girl and Ash was going to do everything in his power to find out more about her and what her deal was.

For now though there was the question of what to do next since the girl had taken her threatening to the next level. Ash wasn't really interested in escalating the incident any further at this moment and even though the girl probably was he still suspected she wouldn't. She just wanted to make her threats and that was fine. Ash had been threatened before. Glancing up at the girl he replied in that frighteningly emotionless voice he had. “I've called things by their rightful name all my life. I see no reason to change that for you. You are welcome to take your dagger and go if you aren't going to put it to better use.”

The girl stepped away from him and drew her knife. Ash had no doubt that the girl could or would attack him but by the way she was acting it seemed like she was looking for him a reason to. That was not something he was willing to give. If she was willing to attack him here she would have to show it. He would not be driven like some cow down a chute.

"You are behaving like a reckless fool. Attack me if that is what you are set on doing but if not I don't have time for reckless bullies throwing empty threats. I have a deer to gut and clean." Walking around so that the body of the deer was between them Ash drew his knife to begin cleaning his kill. This way he could keep an eye on her and still have some cover if needed.

Perhaps the girl would attack him in cold blood, she looked crazy enough to do it, but if she did she would have to realize that in doing so she would reveal herself as murderer and the last he checked the camp frowned on housing serial killers in its midst. That would be quite the risk even for a crazy person and Ash was calling her bluff.

He had caught Dakota by surprise just as he expected and he thought that was a good thing. She seemed to have enjoyed that little show of spontaneity and considering she still hadn't let go of him Ash took that as a good sign. Blue Sky was certainly handling things admirably and if the pegasus had any qualms about the stunt she wasn't giving any sign. In fact, Ash bet that the pegasus was enjoying the chance to stretch her wings.

The son of Apollo went back to concentrating on his riding again bringing them around over the lake and really putting Blue Sky through her paces. He was glad Dakota was okay and seemed to have warmed to him a bit. "I told you I could ride once I figured out how." He said in confirmation. "Besides, I wouldn't have let you drop. I've been enjoying our ride too much." He paused for a moment to let his hands stroke the pegasus' mane and then gently returned his hands to hers. "Blue Sky handled the stunt well also. Perhaps you should let her practice it more."

Ash couldn't tell if Dakota's screams were of fear or of excitement because for the most part they were drowned out by the rushing wind as the pegasus and her two riders dropped from the sky. He wondered for a moment if Dakota would be mad at him for this but wasn't particularly worried. Even if she hadn't tightened her hold on him he held her hands firmly in place as they fell and he would be lying if he said the thrill of the rapid plummet wasn’t exciting.

Ash’s smile remained as they began to quickly approach the ground. He would have never tried this stunt if he hadn't thought he could handle it but for the moment at least he was enjoying Dakota holding on to him. Still, the moment couldn’t last forever and just when it seemed like it would be too late he finally let up on the reins allowing Blue Sky to spread her wings and level them out into a speedy glide over the tree tops. “You alright back there?” He asked realizing for the first time that she was buried herself pretty comfortably into one of his shoulders. “Don't close your eyes. You might miss something.”