The first howls pierced the night, a familiar sound. The sound of wolves who had just come across the scent of their prey. That in itself was not anything to worry about. But what Ryker did find odd was the simple existence of wolves in this part of the forest. So what are you doing here Children of the Moon? He put a hand to the earth and closed his eyes, feeling through the ground for the wolves.
When he discovered them he immediately knew that there was something amiss. The wolves were not alone. They were running with a large group of people and moving far faster than any wolves or human should be able to. He was in the middle of a small clearing ringed by trees that were seemingly as old as the forest itself. He saw no reason to run from the wolves nor those that accompanied them. They most likely weren't there for him to begin with and even if they were he was confident that he could handle them easily. He was in his element well and truly. The forest was his home and the forest protected its own. No sense in not being prepared though. He walked up to one of the trees that he was surrounded by and put his hand against the bark. He felt the stirrings of the tree's power and smiled to himself. Do you mind, Old One? He asked.
For a moment he wondered if the tree would deny his request. It had happened before. The older a tree was the greater the aid it could offer, but the chance that the tree would deny his request was also higher. But it seemed that the tree didn't mind helping him then. A handle protruded from the tree and Ryker grasped it immediately, drawing a massive longbow from the tree. A dozen arrows fell out after the bow and Ryker gave a small sigh of annoyance as he bent to pick them up. Thanks. He told the tree.
He touched his hand to the ground again, listening through the earth or any sign of the wolves and their companions. Ryker knew something was wrong then as he could no longer sense either of the groups. He notched an arrow to the bow and set the others in a small leather quiver that hung at his lower back. With the bow and arrow held in his right hand he casually leaned against the tree he had just 'spoken' with and put his left hand against the bark. In this position Ryker was at his most dangerous.
The wolves entered the clearing first. They pawed quietly up to Ryker and formed a loose semicircle around him, their mouths twitching with snarls. He smiled at them with no animosity and narrowed his eyes. He had seen wolves before, he had even raised a few when their packs abandoned them. These were not natural wolves, at least not any sort that he had seen before. These wolves were snow white, every one of them. They were also all female. Odd. Usually a pack this big should have at least one male for breeding.
One of the wolves made to take a step towards Ryker. Before the paw had even hit the ground the wolf had an arrow sticking out of its chest. The beast was not even able to give a cry of pain as it slumped to the ground, dead. Hear me now Daughters of the Moon. Ryker warned. The wolves gave a worried whine in unison, but Ryker continued communicating with them. He wasn't speaking to them, not truly. He was sending them vague impressions and emotions that would convey the general meaning he had in mind. I want no part in your hunt. Go now, and you may leave in peace. Stay, and I will skin the pelts from your bodies.
They gave another long whine and they backed up several feet but they didn't slink away. "Fine." Ryker muttered, nocking another arrow. The body of the first wolf had vanished and her hide was the only thing left of her. He aimed at the wolf that was directly in front of him and that was when he heard the sound of footfalls coming from the woods behind him. They're good. He thought miserably. They're that close and I'm only just now hearing them.
Ryker took a deep breath and spun around suddenly. He sent three arrows flying at the unknown intruders in the blink of an eye and had another one nocked before the wolves had even registered his movement. Once their shock wore off they howled and lunged for him with the cohesion only a pack could boast. It was for naught however. Two went down in less than a second and the other six were sent tumbling away. Ryker drew back his bow and was about to release when a sudden overwhelming smell of ozone assaulted his nostrils. He looked up at the night sky in confusion, and was hit by a lightning bolt that seemed to come from the trees. He was sent tumbling back and his bow was wrested from his grip in the fall. He landed on his back, staring up at the stars. His chest ached from where the bolt of lightning had struck him and he could barely draw in breath. Ryker shrugged off the pain and got to his feet casting a quick glance at the area around him. They came from the woods, sauntering into the clearing with their bows drawn and superior expressions on their faces. They were all dressed in silver and white and they seemed to have some sort of glow about them that Ryker could not place. They drew their bows back as one and trained their arrows on him, none of them wavering so much as an inch. He backed up warily until he bumped into a tree. He put both of his hands to the tree like he had before when he had requested the tree for a bow, but he did not ask this time. He pulled a bow from the tree, ignoring the outrage that he felt from the wood. The girls seemed startled by the appearance of his weapon and Ryker allowed himself a feral grin. He held the bow in his right hand and very slowly reached into his quiver. An arrow grazed his shoulder and buried itself into the tree he had just taken his bow from. "Set your weapon down." One of the girls commanded, stepping forward. Unlike the others she wore a shield at her back, though she still had her bow in hand. "Now."
"I don't think so." Ryker said easily, pulling an arrow from the quiver and nocking into place. A second arrow shot by his neck, drawing a thin line in his flesh. He didn't wince or even blink at the sudden pain. None of the girls in the clearing had fired either arrow which told him that they still had others in the trees. "This is the forest. You are intruders."
"A boy like you can't have a forest." One of the girls spat. "The forests are the property of the gods."
Ryker considered the statement for a long moment before firing his arrow at the girl who had spoken. His arrow cut through her thin silver bowstring and the force of her bow's snapback sent her staggering back with blood flowing from her forehead. "This is my forest." He amended his statement. "Get out."
"Your thoughts, my lady?" The girl with the shield had turned around and was now speaking to one of the unknown girls in the trees. Ryker drew another arrow and aimed at the back of her neck. The wolves snarled and began to pace back and forth, agitated. "He is the one you sent us to find, correct?"
"That's right." A girl of no more than thirteen strolled into the clearing and Ryker immediately knew that she was their leader. She glowed with a vibrant silver aura and her skin seemed to have been forged from moonlight itself. She studied Ryker closely and he felt his hand begin to shake, though he could not begin to guess why.
She was dangerous, very dangerous. Ryker made a snap decision and fired three arrows at the leader as fast as he could. The second the first arrow was within an inch of her skin a piercing flash of white light illuminated the clearing, temporarily blinding Ryker. He threw up a hand to protect his eyes as they sudden light made them ache. While he was still blind he felt his bow being ripped from his grasp and something sharp put against his neck. His vision returned slowly and Ryker found that the girl he had fired at was now standing in front of him with a small dagger held firmly against his throat. "We were asked to bring you to camp Half-Blood as a favor. However, if you insist on acting so poorly I will kill you." She wasn't threatening in her tone, she merely thought it as a statement of fact. "Your mother very rarely asks for favors so I would rather not waste such an opportunity."
"My mother?" Ryker repeated with a harsh laugh. "Sorry kid,-" The knife at his throat pressed just a hair harder against his flesh. "But I've never met my mother. You got duped by whatever monster sent you here."
"Many half-bloods have never met their divine parent." The girl said reasonably. "Although with Jackson's interference that has become an ever rising number."
"I'm not leaving this forest." Ryker said simply. He grabbed the girl's hand and increased the blade's pressure on his neck until he felt blood begin to drip down his skin. "So either end this or leave me in peace."
The girl looked at him again with the same piercing gaze. "You don't know who I am, do you?"
"Not a clue." Ryker shrugged. "Don't care either."
"Why you impudent little…" The girl whose bowstring he had shot made to advance on him but the girl in front of Ryker raised a hand.
"That's enough Selecia." She said. She smiled then and Ryker felt his instincts screaming again at him, telling him just how dangerous she was. "His experience with the gods has been naught. I am surprised you have lasted as long as you have on your own. Listen well, boy, for I will only tell you this once. My name is Artemis. I am the Goddess of the Hunt and these are my followers."
"Uh huh." Clearly they expected her words to have some significance but they meant nothing to Ryker. He had heard the name whispered among the trees and the animals of course, but they were just that; whispers. "And?"
"You are quite the tiresome one to reason with." Artemis said. She withdrew her dagger and the weapon vanished in a shower of silver sparks. "You will come with us. Whether you like it or not, your fate has already been bound with others in a prophecy."
"Still not going." Ryker crossed his arms and gazed down at Artemis with disdain.
"Oh for the love of…" The girl with the shield raised her hand again but this time Ryker was ready when he smelled the ozone. He rolled to the side just as a bolt struck the place he had just been standing upon. "You order, Lady Artemis?"
"Capture him." She said as she stepped back and vanished into a beam of moonlight. Her voice echoed through the clearing after she had left. "And take him back to camp Half-blood."
"You heard her ladies." The girl said as she put away her bow and drew her shield and a sword. "Try not to hurt him too badly, eh? Chiron won't be too happy with us if we do."
"Come on then." Ryker cracked his knuckles in anticipation. "Come get me."
Later, as he was pushed forward with his gloved hands now bound behind his back, he reflected that it might not have been such a wise decision.
