Percy POV
I thought about why the Chimera would attack the Hunter's camp. It just didn't make sense. A monster going to a group of very powerful demigods that are watched over by a goddess. Even the Minotaur knows better. It was as if I was being tested. But what deity would want to test me? Gaea was already bested by me, so the Primordials wouldn't get involved. Kronos was defeated, so the titans wouldn't get involved. I saved Olympus so they have no need to test me. Who could it be?
As if on cue exactly 2 hours after the crack of dawn, the Huntresses awoke to me cooking eggs and bacon. Luckily duck eggs are pretty common and deer meat can be cooked as bacon, venison and jerky. Twenty minutes later, they were all around and about, some playing Mythomagic and other card games, others arm wrestling on tree stumps, and others racing around camp. Overall a fairly calm morning with me cooking and Artemis and Thalia watching me. Each were about to ask me a question, but Artemis spoke first.
"How did you have time to get these eggs and this deer meat together? I thought you slept like a rock." Lady Artemis asked.
"I was up for several hours, I cooked myself some venison and started some jerky making in my spare hours after killing a deer. After that, I went scavenging for eggs and only found duck eggs. I never took from nests, only the eggs that rolled away." I responded. Thalia's turn next as Artemis processed that information.
"Are you going to share the food?"
"Probably not. I intend to take my fill and then turn the remainder over to the Hunt. I am not your chef, I am your chore boy, apparently." I relied. Thalia didn't seem to know that I was given many of their chores to do. Ah well, Artemis has a question to ask.
"Why were you up so early? Of course you slept at night, and didn't just stand guard all night, right? Or have you slept at all?"
"I had to fend a Chimera off from attacking you all as you slept. I woke after two or three hours of sleep before my two AM battle." I lied. Artemis seemed to be attempting to see if I was lying, before deciding I was telling the truth.
At that time my food had finished cooking and I waked away from the cooking fire with my food. The bacon was just crispy to the point of deliciousness and the eggs were perfectly fried. It was as if I had made breakfast heaven on a plate.
I spent the day doing the rest of my chores; washing the mountain of laundry, drying, and folding the laundry and setting it outside the tents, and that was all before lunch. I cooked my own lunch, as I became accustomed to doing, consisting of venison jerky, from this morning, and a quick and easy nettle soup. It was simple; I boiled the nettles, then chopped them up and added some dandelion and clover, all of which are readily available. The soup had and envious Thalia bugging me for the simple recipe, which I refused to give to anyone who asked.
After lunch, I went to the archery range and checked all of the arrows and sharpened the ones in need of sharpening. Leaving me all of three hours before sentry duty again. I had intended to go bathing, but in stead, Artemis called me to speak with her.
The hunter that she sent told me to go to the mess tent, just beside the cooking fire. It was not huge, but large enough to be tall and fit three dinner tables in, with walking and seating space between. All in all, a it was very homely place where I would happily eat a meal. I still preferred to walk on a small deer trail about half a mile north of camp and sit by a stream surrounded by tall oak trees and elderberry bushes or sit on a rock on the side of a pond. The whole forest had a spacious canopy feel, as if you were always in a tent, unless you were in the clearing. The clearing had some of our camp in it, namely the makeshift amphitheater, and the archery range with a few benches and water stations that I set up here and there. Every day, the hunt felt less like a punishment or a hunt, and more like a summer camp with an archery theme. But back to Artemis.
I found her sitting at the table farthest away from either entrance; the middle table. That was where I always saw huntresses making deals or talking secrets. Wonder what she needed to talk about. I sat down at the table. The legs of the table looked like they had been cut straight from a tree and the tabletop looked like a large, thick piece of polished bark.
"Perseus, we have a very important matter to discuss..."