Claiming:Camp/Matthew Hawke

Name: Matthew Hawke

Age: 12

Concept: Young Shepherd, Friend of the Bees

Mortal Parent: Allyson Hawke

Godly Parent: Aristaeus

Personality:

Matty's your average kid in a lot of ways. He's lived a rather sheltered life on the station and this is his first time, living around other people, and especially demigods. As a result he's very eager to meet people and be liked, perhaps a little too much. He likes to play practical jokes and be silly but doesn't quite know how to get away with it. However, he's also intelligent for his age and is extremely knowledgeable about bees, sheep, medicinal plants, anything which falls in his father's (admittedly inflated) sphere.

Sometimes he tends to ramble when all these topics are brought up. The sheep and the bees are his friends though, and Matthew delights in being able to know and take care of them. He's introverted and quirky but he's ready and eager to seek adventures at camp and learn what he needs to return home. His flock will need him soon.

History:

Allyson Hawke was a brilliant student who left college with straight A's. She wanted to go for a career in agricultural science but left early to look after her parent's farm in South Australia when they became older. She met Aristaeus in the summer of what would've been her senior year at university. He was tired of the dreary winters he spent in the Northern Hemisphere with little to do. So he spent time in Australia under the guise of Ari, a farmhand working for the farm. He was immediately attracted to her. Running a sheep station was hard work but it was natural for Allyson. She was pretty in her own tomboyish way, unafraid to get her hands dirty and help out with the farmhands, capable at handling and guiding the flock of sheep on the station.

Aristaeus was smitten but Allyson didn't feel the same way. He'd try to chat her up but in truth, the God of Rural Crafts was way out of his depth. After a few unhelpful suggestions by Zeus and Apollo (running after her till she turns into a tree, chasing her as a bull or a shower of gold), Aristaeus just settled for working on the station. Both of them got close when a sheep separated from the flock in a thunderstorm. It was his time to act. Aristaeus guided the lone sheep back to safety so he and Allyson could return home. They spent all night watching the thunderstorm, drinking hot tea while she talked about her life and dreams for the future. After that, the two were inseparable. Allyson soon discovered she was pregnant with Aristaeus’ child.

Aristaeus realised and told her his real identity. It wasn't the most graceful introduction. Telling someone you're a Greek God, never mind the obscure god of bee-keeping, cattle, fruit trees, hunting and sheep-herding was awkward at the best of times. Allyson didn't bee-lieve him at first, but she laughed and said she loved him no matter what. Aristaeus stayed until Matthew was born. He loved Allyson and the new baby, but his cattle needed herding, his bees needed tending and Apollo wanted him back on Mount Olympus.

Aristaeus left shortly after, leaving a shepherd's crook for Matt when he became of age. He also told Allyson how to best protect him till he was old enough to go to Camp Half-Blood, a place where kids like him would be safe from danger. Allyson did her best to make Matt’s life normal as possible.

He grew up on the sheep station with his mom, his elderly grandparents and the farmhands. It was quite an isolated area so Matt didn't have anyone his own age around. However, even as a toddler, Matt was out with the sheep. Several of the ewes had taken him for one of their own, and he was allowed to play with their lambs. It was a common sight to see him running in the fields with them. Luckily for Matt, the farm was large enough for him to move freely but in a rural location where he was less likely to run into any trouble.

Allyson offered to take Matt to a normal school, but it was far away and he didn't really want to travel. So he asked to be homeschooled. Matt got up early to do schoolwork and then helped tend to the sheep. He learned a lot by himself, and more from the farmhands. Allyson thought it was important for him to learn more about his father's work, installing a couple of beehives on the property, planting some fruit trees with Matt and doing everything she could. He understood it quicker than she could've ever hoped. By the young age of ten, Matt was a major influence in running the farm. He had to make sure his bee and sheep friends were well looked after. Matt loved it.

That was until his first monster attack. It was a hot day. Matt was out with the sheep when they started to flee rapidly, calling for him to join them. From the distance, Matt struggled to make it out. It looked like a pair of wild mustangs, running through the plains. That wasn’t terribly scary except that they were on-fire and running full-speed for him! He immediately ran. Being able to see the horses so far away gave him a massive head-start. Matt sprinted away from his flock of sheep, climbing up a large tree out of sheer desperation. The good news, they couldn’t reach up there. The bad news, they were on FIRE! Hearing his calls to stay away, a swarm of bees from the hives came to investigate. Seeing that Matt was in trouble, they swung into action, stinging these flaming monsters with everything they could. Many brave bees were instantly trampled or incinerated. This gave Matt enough time to leap away, as a giant bronze boomerang went bang smack into one of the horses. Another boy, older than him, jumped right into action. In a flash, Matt’s shepherd crook also tuned into a new, shiny spear. Matt was confused, but angry and sad. He didn’t want any more of his friends hurt.

So he fought, his natural-born instincts as a son of Aristaeus helping him avoid their fire breath. Together, with the help of the remaining bees, and several sheep who decided to join late, and nip at the horses, Matt was able to take the horses down. Yet, he felt sad. Many of his friends had died to protect him. Running back to the main station, Matt bumped into Allyson. Quickly, she poured honey tea for himself, and mead for the other kid, a son of Dionysus called Digger. Luckily he was in the area, (probably to sample said mead) and heard the commotion. They explained the truth about demigods, that he would be safe at Camp Half-Blood.

Matt didn’t want to go. It was halfway around the world, he’d be leaving his mom alone to run the farm and he’d miss his animal friends. But it was for the best. His animal friends would be a target, and it was probably a good time to go. With Allyson’s blessing, he set off to camp. Digger was mostly good, except for a few eccentricities and he arrived safely in Camp Half-Blood a couple of days later. On arrival, Matt could smell the sweet scent of honey, heard the buzz of bees and the noises of livestock and sheep. A glowing honeycomb appeared over his head. He was claimed as a son of Aristaeus.