~ Prologue ~

CHIRON

"Have we found the child?"

"No, she continues to elude us somehow."

"How has she managed to elude some of our best sniffers for weeks like this?"

"I'm starting to think she doesn't even exist."

"We all read the stories by mortal reporters. She exists."

The bickering and arguing amongst the satyrs' council begins to grow heavy on Chiron's shoulders. It's several days since these meetings began, each one lasting for hours and never coming to a solution in the end. He swears, the Council of Cloven Elders can be just as bad if not worse than the Olympians when it comes to discussions. A room full of olden satyrs, but not a shred of wisdom to be found here.

"I still think we shouldn't bring her here if the rumors about those… accidents are true," one of the older satyrs, Bacillus, says grumpily. "We don't need that kind of trouble here."

"Do not be foolish, Bacillus," Chiron finally speaks up, tired of this nonsense. "We cannot leave a child of the gods out there unprotected, especially not one as young as we believe this one to be, and especially not after we all swore to reform by Perseus' request, and that includes the gods. We will not allow the gods' offspring to be forced to fend for themselves, lest we have another repeat of the titans' uprising."

"What do you suggest we do then? Our best sniffers cannot find her and if we are to uphold this new ideal, then we cannot be spending all our resources on her alone," another satyr named Philip asks.

Chiron rubs his temples in thought. He has a possible solution, one that he's been sitting on for some time but hesitant to propose it. Requesting help from the servants of the moon goddess may not bode well with the council, given the feud between them and the camp. However, if anyone can find the missing child, then the only beings alive that would stand a better chance than the satyrs, would be one of those girls.

"I propose that we request aid from Lady Artemis. Perhaps she can lend us one of her hunters to help us find the child," he finally says, then raises his hand to silence the uproar he knew was coming. "I know that many of you do not like them, and neither do many of the campers, however they are the best chance we have of locating the child. Besides, after all we have been through together, I believe it is time we put the past in the past and learn how to build better relations with our allies."

The satyrs still don't look happy, but none of them raise an argument against him. Chiron heaves a sigh. One would have thought that the previous two wars would have taught everyone how important it is that they come together in times of need, but alas, change is rarely something they seek to try. Perhaps in another few hundred years, they will learn.

"Very well. If there are no further objections, I will contact Lady Artemis and request for her aid in this matter," he concludes.

While the moon goddess used to not hold much love for Camp Half-blood, it seems her views changed ever since that dreadful quest a few years ago, in which Perseus Jackson had accompanied her Hunters on their mission to rescue her. It seems that there is no way to thank the young hero enough, as his actions clearly had a lasting impact on the goddess. By no means is she a sudden fan of the demigods, but she definitely no longer holds them in such contempt as she used to. Plus, he and Artemis have always had a healthy friendship, as she respected his skill with a bow, among other things. There is a good chance Artemis will heed his call.

With the meeting now adjourned and the satyrs clearing out, Chiron makes his way from the Big House to one of the new courtyard gardens located just outside; courtesy of a certain aspiring architect and some help from their new allies across the country. In the center of the garden, is a fountain that sprays mist from its spouts. It creates the perfect rainbow for him to use to get a message through, and luckily he has a drachma on hand as payment.

"Oh Iris, she who paints our skies with such lovely colors, please accept my offering," he chants before tossing the coin into the mist, where it dissolves with a shimmer.

"Oh Chiron, you sweet old horse. It always warms my heart so to hear such compliments from you," the rainbow goddess' voice suddenly replies. "With whom are you trying to connect?"

"I need to contact Lady Artemis, Lady Iris. If you would be so kind," Chiron answers.

"For you, always. One moment please."

True to her word, it takes only a moment for the image in the rainbow mist to shimmer and change until it reveals that of the moon goddess, joined by some of her fellow Hunters. They appear to be sitting around a campfire, somewhere in the woods, enjoying their morning meal.

"Greetings, Lady Artemis, girls," Chiron says, politely acknowledging the other individuals present.

"Chiron," Artemis greets him with a smile. "To what do I owe the pleasure for this call?"

"A request of your aid, milady, if you are willing to offer it."

Artemis cocks her head and nods for him to go on.

"There is a new child of the gods somewhere in New York; a little girl based on the descriptions by mortal sources. We know little else about her, but she is proving to be too elusive for the satyrs to locate. Every time they pick up her scent, she somehow evades them and if the stories told by the mortals are true, she is said to be quite powerful. You know that powerful children are always targeted the most by monsters. It is imperative that we find her as quickly as possible."

The goddess seems intrigued and concerned by this, as she frowns in her reply. "When you say she is described as powerful… how powerful are you talking about?"

"We are not sure, but she is definitely no child of Aphrodite, that is for certain," Chiron admits. "Will you help us find her?"

"Of course," Artemis replies immediately with a smile. "I would be failing in my duties as the protector of children if I were to knowingly leave a young girl to the mercy of this world. Besides, you did send my Hunters aid when it was asked of you. We are in debt to you."

"There is no debt between old friends," Chiron assures her. "Thank you for agreeing to this."

"It is no trouble at all. I know exactly who to send for this mission. One of my finest; she will locate your missing demigod in no time at all." Artemis glances around, looking somewhat confused. "Er, has anyone seen Saphira today?"

"This morning, milady," one of her girls, a young blonde with beautiful blue eyes responds as she hands a plate of food to one of her sisters.

"Where has she gone?"

"Where she always goes," the blonde replies with a pout. "To run wild with her new best friend."

Artemis chuckles and shakes her head. "She has become a free spirit, hasn't she? Both of them have. I'll have to track them down, it seems. Fear not, Chiron," she says, returning her attention to him. "She will be at your camp in no later than an hour!"

"Thank you, Lady Artemis. I will make preparations until then," Chiron says.

"See you soon."

Chiron disconnects the call with a wave of his hand through the mist. He wonders about the Hunter that the goddess intends to send his way. If she's one of Artemis' finest, then there is hope that she will find the child quickly. He thinks about her name; Saphira… he had heard such a name mentioned by Clarisse upon her return from leading a force of campers to heed Thalia Grace's call for aid. There was quite the tale behind her and it makes all more eager to meet her in person.

What kind of person would she turn out to be, he wonders.