I recently re-read The Titan's Curse and decided that Zoë needed some recognition. I know, Bianca's awesome, but give Zoë some credit.

"... and if thou leavest, thou can never be part of our family again," one of Zoë's sisters said.

"That matters not," Zoë replied. "I have no wish to stay with our father Atlas. I shall join the Hunt."

"Very well," her sister cried. "Then hear my vow! Should thou ever again step foot in this garden, if these stones feel the weight of thy footsteps, would thine touch should ever brush a leaf on this mountain, may you perish in disgrace!" without another word or backward glance, the Hesperides walked away, their chitons swaying in the cool night breeze.

Zoë let herself glance back one more time at Ladon, guarding Hera's golden apples, then allowed her gaze to travel up the slopes of Mount Tam, to the place where Atlas struggled to lift the sky, the place where Hercules once stood. For a moment, Zoë was tempted to run and beg forgiveness from her sisters, to plead with them to allow her to rejoin their family. No, she thought. I have a new, better family now.

Zoë took a deep breath and recited the vow:

"I pledge myself to the goddess Artemis,

Turn my back on the company of men,

Accept eternal maidenhood,

And join the Hunt."

"I accept your vow," a voice spoke from behind her. Zoë gasped as a deep feeling of peace settled over her. She turned and knelt.

"Thank you, milady."

Artemis clasped the hand of her newest follower. "Come," she said, raising Zoë to her feet. The goddess' eyes gleamed, too old and wise for the twelve-year-old form she often took. Zoë smiled and allowed Artemis to lead her to her new family, her new life.

Days, months, centuries passed, and Zoë Nightshade was still hunting down monsters. She had seen one of her sisters-in-arms, Kallisto, turned into a bear for having an affair with Zeus. she observed as Jo and Emmis fell in love. She had wept when Hunters fell in combat. She had stood openmouthed in shock when Artemis had declared her, Zoë Nightshade, the disgraced daughter of Atlas, lieutenant of the Hunters of Artemis. But when the silver circlet had been placed on her head, she smiled contentedly. She was Zoë Nightshade, Hunter of Artemis.

"Two mating hydras twenty feet due west," Phoebe informed her lieutenant. "Three half-bloods, too."

"Sound the horn," Zoë said. Phoebe nodded and blew the hunting horn, it's clear notes ringing through the clear morning air. Around them, the Hunters readied their bows. A moment later, they burst out into the parking lot of a Taco Bell, where three demigods- two females and one male- were doing battle against a pair of hydras.

"Get out of the way!" Zoë yelled at the three demigods. They scrambled out of the way as the Hunters attacked the hydras with flaming arrows. In no time, the pair of monsters had disintegrated into twin piles of ash.

"Who are you?" the older of the two girls demanded. "And what do you think you're doing? We had it all under control!"

Zoë looked at her, analyzing her potential. "My name is Zoë Nightshade. These are my sisters, the Hunters of Artemis. And," she added, "you definitely did not have things under control."

"I thought Artemis didn't have kids," said the younger girl, her grey eyes peering at Zoë. Athena, she thought.

"My lady does not bear children, with mortals or immortals. We are her handmaidens, her sisters-in-arms, not her offspring." Zoë replied.

"Come on, Annabeth. We're leaving," the other girl said.

"Well, Thals," the male spoke. He was handsome, Zoë noticed. Mischievous. Definitely Hermes. "They kind of just saved our lives, like…" he trailed off when he saw the look this Thals was giving him.

"Don't call me Thals," Thals snapped. "For the millionth time, Luke, it's Thalia! And you," she rounded on Zoë, who regarded her with mild dislike. Ares, she thought. Or maybe Nemesis. "Can stay out of our business and shove your quiver up your…"

"Enough," Zoë said interrupting the blue-eyed girl. "You were about to be run over by those hydras. But we have an offer for you."

"Us?" Luke asked.

"No," Phoebe interjected. "Thalia." Luke looked slightly put out. "Wait…"

"We would like to offer thee a place in the Hunt," Zoë continued.

"What do you mean?" Thalia asked.

"I am offering thee a place among us," Zoë explained. "To be immortal. To never grow old. To never be a maiden forever."

Thalia looked conflicted. "But Luke…"

"He will not be permitted to join us," Zoë said. "But thy friend Annabeth will be allowed to join also."

"No," Thalia said. "I can't do that. Not doing that." she fiddled with a silver bracelet on her wrist. Turns into a shield, Zoë remembered.

"Thou art in love with this male," Zoë deduced. "Thou will regret this. This relationship, as you call it, will not end well. Beware." she gave a signal to her Hunters, who started to set up camp on a grassy area.

"Excuse me," Thalia said, giving Zoë an evil look. "Did you just curse me?"

"I did not. I merely told thee the truth."

"Get their things," Zoë said. Two of her Hunters nodded and went off to retrieve the di Angelos' things.

"Come," Artemis commanded Bianca, leading her into the tent at the forefront of the crescent of tents. Zoë liked her. The girl was strong, independent. Zoë glanced at Thalia, who seemed to be arguing with that boy, Percy Jackson. She was yelling at him, then glanced down and marched off, wiping tears from her eyes. Percy picked a battered hat off the ground. Annabeth's, Zoë remembered those grey, intelligent eyes that had stared at her so entranced so many years ago. Her gut wrenched painfully. A brave maiden if she ever met one. Zoë turned and slipped silently into Artemis' tent. Furs lined the walls and covered the floor of the tent; black bear, Burmese tiger, drakon… Zoë ran her fingers through a pelt of a leopard.

"Zoë," Artemis called her hame.

"Yes, milady," Zoë answered.

"Please fetch Perseus Jackson."

"Yes, milady." she slipped back out of the tent somewhat reluctantly. Zoë approached Percy, along with the satyr Grover, and the other kid, Bianca's little brother, Nico. She glanced at him distastefully. "Percy Jackson." He looked at her, slightly intimidated. "Come with me. Lady Artemis wishes to speak with thee."

She led him back into the tent, where Artemis sat, her golden stag resting its head on her lap. "Join us, Percy Jackson," Artemis said, studying him. "Are you surprised by my age?" she asked.

"Uh, a little," he said.

"I could appear as a grown woman, or a blazing fire, or anything else I want, but this is what I prefer. This is the average age of my Hunters and all young maidens for whom I am patron before they go astray."

"Go astray?" Percy asked. Zoë suppressed a snort of laughter. How dense could boys be?

"Grow up," Artemis explained dismissively. "Become smitten with boys. Become silly, preoccupied, insecure. Forget themselves." Zoë sat down at Artemis' side and glared at Percy. He carried the sword she had given to Hercules. She was sure he was just as dumb and arrogant.

"Oh," Percy said.

"You must forgive my Hunters if they do not welcome you," Artemis continued. "It is very rare that we would have boys in this camp. Boys are usually forbidden to have any contact with the Hunters. The last one to see this camp…" she glanced at Zoë. "which one was it?"

"That boy in Colorado," Zoë replied smugly. "You turned him into a jackalope." as you should do to him, she thought.

"Yes," Artemis said sagely. "I do enjoy making jackalopes."

And so the conversation went. Percy told them what Dr. Thorn had said. When he mentioned the General, Zoë paled, remembering her father's nickname, his wrath, his cruelty.

"My lady," she started, but Artemis cut her off. "I will hunt this monster alone, and you know you cannot accompany me." Zoë nodded, trying to hide her fear. She knew where Artemis was talking about. Meanwhile, Artemis charged Percy Jackson with the job of escorting the Hunters to Camp Half-Blood. Zoë stiffened.

"My lady," she protested, "you know we hate that place! Why, last time we went there,"

Artemis cut her off. "I'm sure Mr. D has repaired the cabins you burned down. Besides, it's your right to use cabin eight whenever the need arises."

Zoë scowled. "Those foolish campers shouldn't have asked us to play truth-or-dare in the first place," she grumbled.

"And now," Artemis continued, ignoring her lieutenant, "there is one last thing to address. Bianca? Have you made your decision?"

Bianca nodded, her dark hair swaying slightly. "I have."

That Perseus Jackson! Following them from that gods-forsaken camp! That idiot. But Zoë was not about to leave a member of her quest behind. A quest she knew would end with her death. But to save her Lady… it would be worth it. She would show them that she did not fear the gods, not Death. She had been alive for millennia. She had lived life to the fullest, in every sense of the word. If only Thalia Grace weren't so infuriating.

The wound in her side burned. Ladon's poison had sapped her strength. But the real poison was her father, Atlas' words, and even if she no longer considered him family, his insults stung.

She looked over at Perseus Jackson, carrying the sword she had gifted Hercules. For once, she didn't regret giving Anaklusmos away. "You spoke the truth. You are nothing like... like Hercules. I am honored that you carry this sword," she murmured.

Zoë shuddered. "Stars," she whispered. "I can see the stars again, my lady."

A tear trickled down Artemis' cheek. "Yes, my brave one. They are beautiful tonight."

"Stars," Zoë whispered, staring at the heavens, at Orion, Pegasus, and all the rest.

Artemis cupped her hand above Zoë's mouth and sent her dearest Lieutenant up into the heavens, to live forever in the stars.

Zoë opened her eyes, now stars, and winked at her lady below her. She would caress the Bear, ride the Pegasus, hunt the Scorpion, and by campfires, at night, her story would be told in the amphitheater of Camp Half-Blood, never to be forgotten.

THE END

I don't know why, but I have an obsession with making every single 'ë' in Zoë have the two dots on top. I'm a grammar freak. Fight me.

Good Hunting!

~HunterofArtemis01