'It's been 3 years since you were gone, Bianca. I still miss you so much...'

"Lady Artemis, Phoebe said you called for me." The girl said, peeking in just her head.

"Yes, my lieutenant. Please, sit down Thalia." The younger girl replied. The girl named Thalia walked briskly and sat in front of her.

"I was thinking of making The Hunt stay at Camp for a few weeks while a discuss, well, private yet very irritating matters with Apollo. However, I will let you and The Hunt decide whether you wish to stay." Artemis said calmly.

"I will try to ask them after dinner. But, personally, my lady, I wish to stay. It's been a while since I've seen Annabeth and Rachel. But, of course, everybody's opinion matters." Thalia said meekly.

"Good, we shall see later. For now, let's have dinner."

Their camp was composed of tents and a big fire in the middle. All who were present were female. Huntresses. And slowly, they came together in a circle around the fire, each throwing in food to the fire while praying to the Lady Artemis. Reciting their prayers quietly, the goddess savoured the good smell and her powers being rejuvenated.

It took them a short amount of time to eat, for they needed rest. But before the goddess dismissed them, Thalia announced the matter concerning Camp Half-Blood.

"Lady Artemis needs to discuss matters with Apollo on Olympus, and she might take a few weeks. She was thinking of making us stay at Camp Half-blood for the meantime she's gone. But, if you have better ideas, you can just raise your hand and say it."

"I'd like to stay at Camp for a while, there are good grounds for practicing archery and swordfighting." A girl named Phoebe said.

"Yeah, and we could also use Cabin 8, too. And I think Chiron and the others would welcome us." Another Huntress named Teresa chimed in. At that statement, everybody was nodding their heads in agreement and were whispering to one another.

"Well then, I guess that settles it. We leave at the crack of dawn tomorrow. It'll take us a while, New York's quite far from Arizona." The Goddess had said. "My Lady, should I Iris-Message Percy and the others?" asked Thalia. "Wouldn't you wish to keep it a surprise for your friends? Some things are better off spontaneous at times. However, you're conscious of your own actions." Artemis responded back.

"You're probably right. Maybe it's best to keep the excitement withheld. Good Night, my lady. We hope to see you at Camp as soon as possible." Thalia chimed in. Maybe Artemis was right, surprising the rest. Thalia's not very fond of surprises, but I guess there's a first time for everything.

"Likewise, my dear Huntresses. I must hurry before Apollo attends to unplanned engagements." With a blink of an eye, a gust of wind passed the Hunt, and Artemis and her tent, disappeared into night like an iridescent moon beam.

Thalia and the rest were watching her leave, but Thalia had to make sure the Hunt would be sound and safe, so she turned back. All pairs of eyes went to look at her own. "Alright! Everyone, get in your tents and get some rest. We have a long route to follow tomorrow!"

Everyone followed her, but unlike little children sent off to bed, they didn't so hastily. They somehow learned to respect Thalia, even if she was only a fresh age of 16. There was a reason Artemis had put her as her most trusted lieutenant. A reason she didn't completely know. But even if she was the current lieutenant; she knew nobody could replace Zoe in the eyes of Artemis, and the whole Hunt itself.

She went on thinking like this, and she had lost track of time. When she snapped out of her trance, she saw that none of the Hunt remained outside their tents, and she was guessing she spent quite a long time thinking about Zoe, for the fire had dwindled down, and had only left a few embers emanating a faint orange glow. That wasn't enough light to find her way towards her tent, but the moon's light had helped her anyway.

She began to think about Camp. Chiron, the wonderful forest, her tree, most of all, her friends. 'I wonder how Percy and Annabeth are. I wonder if Athena has fried his butt or put snakes in his bed... Travis and Connor totally need to do that!' With that thought, Thalia let out a little chuckle. She supported Percy and Annabeth's relationship, but she still can't forget the fact that their godly parents are practically after each other necks. And she can't forget the fact that extremely smart Annabeth is unexpected and trouble-magnet Percy's girlfriend. Sometimes, she thinks it may not work out, but it did anyway. That's a really strange fact she'll have to live with, although, she doesn't mind. Both of them are her friends, and she wouldn't like it any other way.

She was part of The Hunt, and anything dealing with love shouldn't be her concern, she knew that. But she didn't know why Aphrodite worked so peculiarly. Why'd she have to make two people fall in love when obviously, if they did, they'd die? Why did she have to make two different people love each other so much they'd die without each other? Why did she ever coin the term 'soulmate' or maybe, 'the right one' or possibly 'other half'? Those are stupid. Love like that is stupid. Her thinking about it is stupid. She knew better.

This was why she was part of The Hunt. The Lieutenant, even. She knew she had no chance at understanding love, and that she planned keeping it that way. She didn't need love like that. And in a world full of other people who were so desperate for it, she only truly found one true oasis. A place and a home built and hardwired for only the most independent women, where they would become better individuals each day. The Hunt.

"Percy and Annabeth can be happy together. I'm sure they really will be." She whispered to herself.

But she was different.

'I don't need anybody else to live. I can handle myself on my own. I don't need love like that.'

I hope it's not too OOC. I really tried my best keeping Thalia in character. And if you guys couldn't guess, this chapter is in Thalia's POV. Next chapter POV will be quite different. But here's a little hint.

"Look sis, I really didn't mean it! It's just so boring up here and I got distracted and I couldn't tell you!"

Hope you guys liked it! Click the review button!

Cescaloca out!