The hunters set up their entire camping site in mere minutes. Seven large tents that looked to be made out of pure moonlight were curved into a crescent shape around a large bonfire. Oh, the Hephaestus kids back at camp would be jealous, Daphne chuckled to herself.
One of the girls blew a silver dog whistle and a dozen white wolves emerged from the woods. They circled the campsite like guard dogs. The raven that belonged to Kyrene flew onto one of the wolves' head, and it didn't seem to mind at all. Occasionally, the hunters would walk among the wolves and feed them treats, or gave them pets. Falcons circled above them or watched from the trees, eyeing them intently.
Percy didn't look too anxious to get close to the wolves, so he stuck around the tents. So did Daphne, she sat as close as she could to the fire, wanting nothing more than to warm up. She felt a lot more content once a hunter came over and treated minor injuries. With a few bites of ambrosia and some nectar, she was good as new, with the addition of a split ear. Totally cool.
Thalia's words must've stuck with Percy, he now looked more gloomy and miserable than ever. Not at all how he was when he first walked into Westover. He and Daphne watched silently as Thalia paced back and forth near the edge of camp, walking amongst the wolves like they weren't even there. She paused and turned to stare at Westover, which had gone completely dark, looming on the hillside beyond the woods.
She stood so still you could've thought she was a tree again. It was odd, she did that once in a while back at camp.
Daphne snuck a glance to a sulking Percy, who was staring at the bonfire quietly. She looked away, grew bored, and willed dandelions to grow from the snowy ground, carefully plucking and making a flower crown out of them. She overlapped the first two stems, looped the top flower over and around the second, and repeated the looping process to her desired length.
She examined her work, and placed it on her head.
By the time she nearly finished her second crown, some of the hunters returned from the school with their stuff. Kyrene dropped Daphne and Percy's packs at their feet, sending them a curt nod. It was good timing, because Grover and Nico came back from their walk, and Grover started helping Percy out with his cut.
"It's green!" Nico beamed, fascinated by it, somehow. Daphne laughed while placing the flower crown on his head. It was a little big, but he didn't seem to mind.
"Hold still," Grover instructed, "here, eat some ambrosia squares while I clean this out." Percy winced as Grover cleaned and dressed his wound, but within a few minutes he visibly seemed a lot more relaxed.
Nico rummaged through his own pack, which the hunters must've packed for him. He started to lay out his entire collection of figurines in the snow—little replicas of Greek gods and heroes. Some were easily recognizable—Zeus with his lightning bolt, Ares with his spear, Dionysus with his thyrsus, and Apollo with his sun chariot. The cards he left behind in the gym were also in his hand.
Percy eyed the figurines with half interest. "Big collection," he commented.
Nico grinned. "I've got almost all of them and their holographic cards too! Well, except for some really rare ones."
"You've been playing a long time?"
"Yeah! And before that I...i . . ." Nico faltered as he knit his eyebrows.
"You okay Nico?" Grover asked.
"Uh huh. That's weird, I forgot..." He looked unsettled, but it didn't last too long. He looked to Percy, "Hey, can I see that sword you were using?" Percy obliged, and showed him Riptide. He explained to Nico how it turned from a pen to a sword — by just taking off the pens cap.
"Cool!" Nico exclaimed, "Does it ever run out of ink?"
"Uh. I don't . . . actually write with it." Percy replied.
'Was there a way for him to write with Riptide?' Daphne pondered, on her third flower crown now. 'Surely the ink inside wasn't just for show. if it can turn into a sword . . . there must've been a way for it to turn back into a writable pen.'
"Are you really the son of Poseidon?" Nico inquired.
"Well, yeah."
"Can you surf really well then?"
Percy sent Grover an exasperated look, who was trying his hardest not to laugh. "Jeez, Nico. I've never tried." Nico, despite Percy's growing annoyance, kept bombarding him with questions. Did he fight a lot with Thalia, since she was a daughter of Zeus? (Percy didn't answer.) Okay... Could he talk to underwater animals? (Percy nodded.) If he could do that, could he breathe underwater? ( "Yeah. it was freaky at first, but i got used to it.") If Annabeth's mother was Athena, why didn't she know better than falling off the cliff? (Daphne discreetly sent him a warning look. Percy looked just about ready to strangle him.) Were him and Daphne like... a thing? ("No, Nico." Daphne sighed. Percy said nothing as he pursed his lips.)
Nico's attention shifted to Daphne. "How'd you do that vine trick? To keep the manticore from moving, I mean."
"One of my powers," She replied flatly, securing another flower in place. "My dad's Dionysus, god of wine, theatre, festivity, vegetation, insanity . . ."
"The wine dude?"—she snickered, he hated being called that—"Awesome! I think I've got his holographic card! Have you ever turned someone insane before?"
"Nope, never tried."
"Do you fight with any weapons or just your powers?"
"Both. I'm still training with my powers, so I like to rely on my skills rather than my weapon."
Kyrene's raven landed on her head, and it looked like it was surveying the four. Daphne looked up, then looked at Grover. He shrugged in response, not bothered by its presence.
Nico stared at the bird, looking conflicted. It stared back, silently.
He turned to Percy. He had begun to say something, but before he could ask how many hit points he had, or something that'd totally make him lose his cool completely, Zoë Nightshade approached them. She studied Daphne, and nodded her head. "Daphne Williams." She studied Percy and Grover distastefully. "...and Percy Jackson. Lady Artemis requests to speak to thee."
Daphne quickly finished her third flower crown, handing it to Grover, who smiled in response. The raven fluttered onto Zoë's shoulder, and stared the girl in the eye. Okay, this was beginning to creep her out. Zoë didn't seem to care though, for some reason no one did.
Zoë led the two into the last tent, which was indifferent from the others, and waved them inside. As they entered, they saw Kyrene seated next to Artemis, who had her auburn hair tied away from her face. Next to Kyrene was Bianca, who shifted nervously. Percy looked like he was having trouble thinking of Artemis in the form of a twelve-year old girl.
The tent was warm and cozy; silk pillows and rugs coated the floor, in the center of the tent, there was a brazier of fire that burned without fuel or smoke. Way to go, Artemis. Not contributing to pollution. Behind her, on a polished oak display stand, was her huge, silver bow. The walls were hung with pelts of a range of animals; moose, black bear, tiger, (daphne tried to refrain from wincing, Dionysus had a liking for big cats, especially leopard and panthers.) and a ton others Daphne couldn't recognize, and ones she refused to recognize.
A live (surprisingly) deer rested its head on Artemis' lap. "Join us, Daphne Williams, Perseus Jackson." Artemis beckoned. Percy grumbled "it's just Percy," and sat across from her on the tent floor with Daphne. She studied them, which was kind of startling at first, her silver eyes looked much older.
"Are you surprised by my age?" The question is more directed to Percy.
"Uh...a little." Percy says honestly.
Daphne teetered on the question. "Not really."
She smiled. "I could appear as a grown woman, or a blazing fire, or anything else that I wish to be. But this is what I prefer, the average age of my hunters and all young maidens, for whom I am patron, before they go astray."
Percy blinked. "Go astray?"
"Grow up. Become smitten with boys and become preoccupied, silly, insecure. Forgetting themselves." Artemis elaborated.
"Oh."
"Ah."
Zoë sat down on Artemis' right. She glared at Percy sharply, like his mere presence just ticked her off, and it likely did. "You must forgive my hunters if they do not welcome you, Percy Jackson. It is very rare we have a boy in camp, as they are usually forbidden. The last one to see this camp ah . . ." She trailed off, and turned to Zoë, "Which one was it?"
"That boy in Colorado," Zoë added, "You turned him into a jackalope."
Daphne made a face.
"Ah," Artemis nodded contently, pleased with that answer, "Yes. I enjoy making jackalopes. At any rate, Percy, Daphne, I have asked you both here so you might tell me more of the. . mmm.... disturbing things, the manticore said. Bianca has reported it, but she might not have understood."
So they told her. (Mostly Percy. Daphne just chipped in from time to time when she was paying attention.) When they were done, Artemis put her hand thoughtfully on her bow. Her face looked distressed. "I feared this would happen."
Kyrene leaned forward. "The scent, my lady?" She prompted.
"Yes."
"What . . 'scent'?" Percy asked.
"Things that stir that I have not hunted in millenna." Artemis murmured. "Prey so old I have nearly forgotten." She stared at the duo intently. "We came here tonight sensing the manticore, but he is not the one that i seek. Tell me again, exactly what Doctor Thorn said."
"Uhm, 'I hate middle school dances.' " Percy recited. Daphne refrained from sending him a sideways glance.
"No, no. After that."
"He said someone called the general would 'enlighten me.'"
Zoë's face paled. She turned to Artemis and began to speak, but Artemis held up her hand. The words died efficiently on her tongue. Kyrene shuffled towards Zoë and took her hands in her own, providing silent comfort.
"Go on, Percy." Artemis urged.
"Well, then Thorn was talking about the 'Great stir pot—"
"Stirring. The Great stirring." Daphne corrected.
"Yeah, that. And he said, 'Soon we will have the most powerful monster—the one that will bring the downfall of olympus!' " Artemis sat so still that she could've been a statue. "Maybe he was lying." Percy suggested after the uncomfortable silence.
"No." Artemis shook her head. "No, he was not. I've been too slow to see the signs. I must hunt this monster."
Zoë looked like she was trying hard not to show her fear, but nodded. "Yes, we will leave right away, my lady."
"No, Zoë. This is not we, I must do this alone."
"But Artemis—" Zoë and Kyrene began to protest, but the goddess quickly cut in.
"This task is too dangerous, even for the hunters. You"—she directed this to Zoë—"know where I must start my search. And you cannot go there with me." Zoë and Kyrene shared a look of disturbance.
"As . . as you wish, my lady." Kyrene murmured. She was elegant and soft-spoken. And really, really pretty, Daphne noted. Zoë looked distraught, hesitant on her words, but nodded firmly. She respected Artemis' wishes.
"I will find this creature," Artemis vowed, "and I will bring it back to Olympus by the winter solstice. It will be all the proof I need to convince the council of how much danger we are in."
"So you know what this monster is?" Daphne asked.
Artemis gripped her bow a little tighter. "Let us pray that I am wrong."
"Can a goddess pray?" Percy asked rhetorically.
A flicker of a smile appeared on Artemis' lips, but didn't answer Percy's question. "Before I go, Percy Jackson, I have a small task for you."
"Does it involve getting turned into a jackalope?"
"Sadly, no. I want you to escort my hunters to Camp Half-Blood. They can stay there until I return."
"What?" Zoë blurted out, "But, Artemis, we hate that place! Last time we stayed there—"
"Yes, I know." Artemis interrupted, "But I'm sure Dionysus will not hold a grudge just because of an . . ah, misunderstanding." She looked at the brown-eyed girl briefly, maybe hoping she'd pass the message along, but she just shrugged. Her father was her father. She was pretty sure he would let a petty grudge go. 75% sure. "It is your right to use cabin eight whenever you are in need."
"Besides," Daphne chirped, "We rebuilt all those cabins you burned down. It's cool."
Zoë murmured something about campers. Kyrene grimaced.
"And now there is another decision to make." The goddess turned to Bianca, "Have you made up your mind, my girl?"
"Uh..? About what?" Daphne turned to her too.
"I'm still thinking about it..." Bianca said hesitantly, directing her gaze to the floor.
"Wait," Percy cut in, "thinking about what?"
"They've . . they've invited me to join the hunt." Bianca answered sheepishly.
"Wait, really? That's- that's awesome B!" Daphne grinned, and the two girls high-fived.
"What? But you can't! You have to come to camp so Chiron can train you. It's the only way you learn to survive."
"It is not the only way for a girl," Zoë argued, crossing her arms.
Percy ignored her. "Bianca, camp is cool! It's got a pegasus stable and a sword fighting arena and—" He continued to ramble about Camp Half-Blood. He seemed rather unhappy with the whole hunter of Artemis thing. Finally, he huffed. "I mean, what do you get by joining the hunters?"
"To begin with," Zoë spoke sharply, "Immortality."
"She's kidding right?" Percy deadpanned.
"Zoë rarely kids about anything." Artemis hummed. "My hunters follow me on adventures. They are my maid servant, my companions, my sister-in-arms. Once they swear their loyalty to me, they are indeed immortal. . . unless they fall in battle, which is unlikely, or break their oath."
"What 'oath'?"
"To forswear romantic love forever. To never grow up, never get married. Become a maiden eternally."
"Like you." Daphne muttered blissfully.
Artemis nodded.
Daphne thought about it. To have sisters, to be free of the responsibility of a demigod forever, to hang out with girls her age. That was cool. But then she thought about Nico, and then Bianca. Oh.. she wouldn't do that to Nico, right?
"So you go around and recruit half-bloods—"
"Not just half-bloods." Zoë interrupted Percy, "Lady Artemis does not discriminate by birth. All who honor the goddess may join. Half-bloods, nymphs, mortals—"
"Which are you, then?"
Zoë's eyes flashed dangerously. "That is not thy concern, boy. The point is Bianca may join if she so wishes. It is her choice."
"Bianca. What about Nico? He can't become a hunter." Percy inquired.
"Certainly not." Artemis agreed. "He will head to camp. That's the best boys can do, I'm afraid."
"Hey!" Percy protested.
"You can see him from time to time," Artemis assured Bianca, "But you will be free of responsibility. He will have the camper counselors to look after him. And you will have a new family. Us."
"A new family." Bianca hummed dreamily. Daphne had to hand it to her, Artemis' persuading skills were top tier. "Free of responsibility."
"Bianca. You can't do this. It's nuts!" Percy argued.
"Not completely," Daphne muttered.
Bianca ignored their bickering, she glanced between Zoë and Kyrene. "Is it worth it?"
They nodded in unison. "It is." Zoë said firmly. That caused Bianca to hesitate.
Eventually, she caved in. "Okay. What do I need to do?"
"Repeat after me," Zoë instructed, "I pledge myself to the goddess Artemis,"
"I . . i pledge myself to the goddess Artemis."
"I turn my back on the company of men, accept eternal maidenhood and join the hunt.'"
"I turn my back on the company of men, accept eternal maidenhood and join the hunt."A beat of silence. "That's it?"
"If lady Artemis accepts thy pledge, it is binding." Zoë responded.
"I accept it." The flames in the brazier brightened, casting a silver glow over the tent. Bianca didn't look too different . . physically, but she took in a deep breath and opened her eyes wide. Like she was stabbed with an epipen.
"I feel . . stronger."
"Welcome, sister." Zoë said. Kyrene flashed her a cheery smile.
"Remember your pledge," Artemis reminded, "It is now your life." the goddess turned to the brown-eyed girl sitting next to Percy, her silvery eyes bore into her. Daphne shifted under the sudden attention. "Daphne Williams, the offer stands for you as well. Do you wish to join the hunt?"
For a moment, Daphne was stunned, being put on the spot was not something she wished for. Bianca looked over to her giddily, and was grinning from ear-to-ear. When she thought about Artemis ever inviting her to be a hunter, she thought she would quickly turn her down. But, how could she? Bianca was so happy with her choice and wanted her to become her sister-in-arms as well. As Daphne stuttered like an idiot, Percy watched her carefully.
"Uhm . . ." she said stupidly.
"You have wits. Quick thinking. You would need that if you were to become a hunter. We saw how you restrained the manticore, with the right training, and getting you used to a bow, you would be your best self." Her words were soothing.
Daphne's mouth went dry like sandpaper. Did Artemis just compliment her?
She hesitated. Part of her wanted to say yes, to not let Bianca down, though... she thought back on her life at camp. Her brothers, friends, Aerith, Nate. Too many goodbyes. And, she wanted to look for Melantha; she couldn't just run off whenever, if she had joined the hunters. "Im- im not sure," She stammered, "i mean, I want to—and don't get me wrong i'm super flattered and everything—but I can't just get up and leave my life like that. You know?"
Artemis hummed quietly. "I understand, my girl. Just keep in mind, the hunters could always use someone like you."
"Thank you, Lady Artemis."
Bianca looked a little crestfallen, but nonetheless flashed her a bright smile. Daphne sent her a nervous smile back. Percy poked the inside of his cheek with his tongue, frustrated with the ordeal.
"Do not despair Percy Jackson. You will still get to tour the Di Angelo's around your camp. And if Nico so chooses, he can stay there." Artemis chided.
"Great." Percy mumbled sourly, "And how are we supposed to get there?"
Artemis closed her eyes. "Dawn is approaching. Zoë and Kyrene, break camp. You must get to Long Island quickly and safely. To ensure that, I must summon a ride from my brother." She said the last bit like it was the last thing she wanted to do.
Neither of the senior hunters looked too happy, but nodded and beckoned Bianca to follow them. As they were leaving, Bianca stopped in front of the duo. "I'm sorry, guys. But I really, really want this." She paused, then looked directly at Daphne, "Pinky promise to keep Nico safe at camp?"
"Yeah. Pinky promise." They linked pinkies, and then she was gone. Daphne and Percy were now left with Artemis.
"So," Percy mumbled glumly, "We're getting a ride from your brother huh?"
"Yes, boy. You see, Bianca Di Angelo is not the only one with an annoying brother. It is time for you to meet my irresponsible twin, Apollo."