The Hunters of Artemis

Disclaimer: I do not own any of Rick Riordan's characters, books, or awesomeness.

Note: I revived some Rick Riordan's characters and mythological characters that died in Blood of Olympus. The T-rating is for violence.

Chapter 1

An arrow hissed though the air and slammed into the center of a target mounted on an old fence, which shook with the force. The girl in the silver parka, her hood pulled close around her head, drew two arrows from the quiver on her back. Her breath steamed out in front of her. She nocked both arrows, aimed, and fired. The simultaneous thud was muffled by the snow, which was slowly drifting down.

"Nice shot," said a voice behind her.

Thalia Grace, daughter of Zeus and the lieutenant of Artemis, spun around. She spun around so fast that her hood slipped off, revealing black, spiky, punk style hair, a silver circlet on her head, and electric blue eyes. "Phoebe," she addressed the girl with ginger hair that was shaved on the sides. She also wore a silvery parka, but no circlet. "I was just letting off steam."

"The campsite is ready. We have peppermint marshmallows Anya grabbed in Boulder. You should change as well. "

"Okay, tell the other hunters I'll be coming soon."

Phoebe nodded and walked back toward a ring of grey tents.

Thalia walked slowly to the target to yank the arrows out. All three arrows had landed in the center ring. They were set so close together that all she had to do was reach out one hand to grabbed them to yank them all out at once. The target folded up into the size of a quarter, which Thalia stuffed into her pocket.

She trudged up to ring of tents where she could see the flickers of a campfire. Usually target practice helped calm her nerves in the evenings, but for several nights now, it hadn't helped the turmoil in her heart. One of her hunters had died a few days ago and it was her fault.

Her tent was larger than the other hunters and Thalia went inside to change into dry clothes. Snow fell in clumps off her pants. She slipped into dry ones, and instantly felt a little better.

She came out of her tent and approached the open shelter, which the hunters had erected over themselves and their campfire. The hunters looked tired and beat up around the fire. For hours they had been chased by evil prairie dogs, who had unfortunately been blessed by Demeter, or she would have shot them. One moment there were prairie dog free grass lands, the next moment one of their wolves were snacking on six prairie dogs. Screeching had pierced the air and a dozen or so small furry beasts had popped out of the ground. Prairie dogs were suppose to be cute, but not these. Their glowing red eyes, sharp claws, and short temper had caused the hunters to flee across miles of frosted prairie. Ten or so prairie dogs (probably with rabies) would pop out of their holes and chase them for about five-hundred meters. They would scratch at the hunters' ankles, leap up and try to bit their arms and faces. Then they would stop and run back to their homes, letting the "local neighbor prairie dogs" give a go at eating immortal maidens. Wave after wave of evil prairie dogs chased them for a while, and then let new prairie dogs in to area take over. Thalia thought how unfair it was that the prairie dogs had only targeted the hunters. It was the wolves, who were suppose to guard them, that had cause the trouble, so much for understanding the food chain, stupid prairie dogs.

These small creatures were also way too fast for their size. Several hunters had gotten bitten and scratched. One hunter had had to be carried when she had twisted her ankle stepping into a prairie dog hole as she fled. It was only until they were deep into the foot hills had the beasts all given up. They would need more ambrosia after today.

But it wasn't just tiredness that made the hunters' faces look so grim. They too were still mourning the death of their fellow sister. Thalia picked up several marshmallows and two hot dogs. She threw two marshmallows and half of one hot dog into the fire. "For the gods, and well you're enjoying this. Restock our ambrosia supply."

As Thalia roasted her hot dog and a half, Kelly came over. Her red hair was in its usual rats nest, falling all over her face. Thalia glanced at the bandage around her leg. "How are you? How's your leg?"

"Tired, my leg is healing up fine, but I might be a little slower tomorrow."

Thalia glanced around at the exhausted girls, then at the wolves guarding the camp. "I think everyone might be slower after today's events. Who knew prairie dogs were so vicious?"

"Those red eyes did not fit with their cute faces." Kelley agreed.

Thalia looked up at the roof of their shelter and said loud enough to startle several hunters, "Your taste in animals needs improving Demeter!"

Thunder boomed from the sky. A hot dog bun flew out of its plastic bag and smacked her across the face. Laughter rippled around the campfire. Even the daughter of Demeter, Alona cracked a smile. Neither she nor the other daughters of Demeter or Ceres had escaped the prairie dogs' wrath.

Finishing her hot dog, Thalia stood up. Instantly, the talking stopped and all eyes were upon her. "All right hunters, tomorrow I hope to reach the forest where the three nymphs who said they were ready with a favorable answer live. So early start again tomorrow. To those who got bitten, wash the wounds again before bed. That's all."

The hunters got up and began to pack the shelter and food away.

The fire began to die away to coals, and lamps were lit outside tents and Thalia still sat on her log. She didn't want to sleep, afraid of what dreams would. Finally all the hunters had retired to their tents. All but Thalia and Phoebe. "You need to get some sleep. You said yourself that we would be getting an early start."

Thalia stared moodily at the coals. "So should you."

Phoebe dumped snow on the coals to avoid an unlikely flare up that would cause the camp to burn down. But with crazy mythical creatures running amuck, one could never be too careful. "Oh I will, I just don't think you will." She put a heavy emphasis on "I" and "you".

A scowl appeared on Thalia's face, "I can take care of myself."

"I know, but you shouldn't blame yourself for everything that happened with Masha."

There, it was out in the open. A spark of electricity buzzed its way around her finger tips. She closed them into fists, and said nothing.

"Sasha doesn't blame you either." Sasha, Masha's sibling, the girl with black rings under her eyes, the one with puffy eyes in the morning from crying all night.

"She shouldn't have died. It was my fault if only I had realized the trap earlier. I know she would have made it if it weren't for me. She was only with us for eight months."

Phoebe grabbed Thalia's shoulders and shook her. "Look, we all could have realized the wretched place was a trap. I have lived far longer. Mistakes happen. Masha was brave. A true hunter, and more of us would be dead if it wasn't for her. Don't ruin her sacrifice. You've done a good job. You've led us through the Titian War and the Giant War. Just learn from this. Zoë would have said the same thing."

Zoë, Zoë Nightshade. She had been the previous lieutenant of Artemis who had died on Mount Tamaulipas when she, Thalia, Grover, Bianca, and Percy had gone to save Annabeth and Artemis from Luke/Kronos. Along the way both hunters, Zoë and Bianca had died, and Thalia had been made a hunter and the lieutenant.

"Yes, your right."

Phoebe smiled, "I love when you say that."

"I am going to bed. See you in the morning." Thalia stood up and walked to her tent.

As she lay in bed, Thalia thought about what Phoebe had said, that anyone of the hunter could have realized the trap. Perhaps that was true, and that thought did lift the burden from her should a little bit. But what Phoebe didn't know, nor did any of the other hunters know, was that she had faced that exact same monster before. Not the same type of monster, that exact same monster that had the same exact terrible smell, same exact ugly face, and the exact same ability. She should have prevented that monster from killing Masha, for she, Luke, Annabeth and Grover had faced him in Brooklyn. She should have seen through his tricks and traps. Instead, she had fallen for the same traps she ad fallen into when she was twelve years old.

Thalia closed her eyes and tried to steady her breathing. She braced her self for the sleep she desperately needed, but most definitely did not want.

Okay, kind of a slow start, but bear with me, the next few chapters get very exciting with lots of new mythology woven in.