Wow, it's been a while. I really want to update, but if no one reviews then how can I know if anyone's reading this? Pleeeeeease review! I own nothing.

January 5, 2012

Yeah, I got in trouble. Artemis flipped out, and I wasn't allowed to go anywhere alone for the next two weeks. I didn't see what the big deal was. It was just one monster. But apparently getting attacked close to camp is a big thing. The way everyone was acting scared me though. And then, of course, it happened.

~Enter Flashback~

Krissetta sat, once again, by the fire. Her leg had been healing well, but it was still sore. She still wasn't allowed to go anywhere on her own. With a sigh, she glanced at the sky, waiting for the dawn. Dawn meant that they would get moving. Krissetta hoped they would be going somewhere warmer; she didn't like all this cold and snow. What she liked were hot, sandy beaches, where there was no snow and the only relatively cold thing was the water. She could almost feel the sunshine hitting her face. She blinked, opening her eyes. She really could feel the sunshine. The sun was rising, and it was coming towards them at an alarming rate.

"Close your eyes until he parks," one of the hunters advised. Krissetta did as she was told, confused. Suddenly, the heat and bright light disappeared. Krissetta opened her eyes and found the rest of the hunters glaring at a car now parked next to their camp. The snow had melted around it, leaving a bright green circle. A young man stepped out, probably about seventeen. He had sandy blond hair and bright eyes, and looked a whole lot like Artemis. So that's Apollo, Krissetta thought. She understood now why the hunters were glaring at him. She went with the tide and glared too.

"Hey girls!" Apollo shouted, waving. He continued to grin even after none of the hunters returned his greeting. His smile was almost as blinding as his sun-car, a bright red Ferrari. Krissetta smirked. If she ever got a car, she knew she wouldn't want something that flashy. A nice, plain old pickup truck would suffice.

"Any of you young ladies seen my dear sister lately?" Apollo asked.

"She went off this morning to figure out where a dracaena that attacked one of us came from," Gina said, somewhat bitterly.

"A dracaena, huh?" Apollo asked thoughtfully. "Should I have a look at the girl then, make sure she doesn't die on us?"

"We've taken care of it," Sam and Katie said in stereo. Krissetta looked away, trying not to be noticed.

"Ah, the new girl, was it?" Apollo asked, looking directly at her. She frowned and turned around. How did he know that?

"Stop reading her mind, Brother," came Artemis' voice. Krissetta looked around, but she couldn't see the goddess. Finally, she followed everyone's eyes until she noticed the mist screen over the fire. Inside, she could see Artemis' face. The goddess looked almost worried. "Girls, break camp. Now!" she ordered. Her tone of voice made it clear that there would be no argument. The hunters exchanged a few worried glances, then slowly started to break camp. Krissetta looked for something to do and ended up helping pack the tents.

Once she was sure the hunters were distracted, Artemis turned to her brother. He could tell she was worried. She had that brooding look, like she knew something was dangerous. "I need you to take them to Camp," she said.

"Are you kidding? You expect them to not only to listen to me, but to listen to me when I'm telling them to go to Camp?" Apollo asked.

"Apollo, I need you to do this for me. As my brother, not as another Olympian. Show them that you are serious and if they still don't listen then Iris Message me and I will tell them to. I have to go. See you soon." Artemis waved her hand through the mist and the image disappeared.

Apollo sighed. When he looked up, the hunters were just finishing breaking camp. He clapped his hands together once and looked at them. "Okay, listen up. You girls are gonna ride with me for a little while, and then I'm going to drop you off at Camp."

The hunters glared at him. A few of them actually hissed when he mentioned Camp.

"Apollo, what reason do we have to listen to you?" one of the hunters, a girl Krissetta hadn't met, demanded.

"Because I am Artemis' brother, and right now I wish you to treat me as such, not as another Olympian. She has asked me to transport you girls to Camp, and she didn't tell me why." Apollo looked at them each in turn, trying to make them understand that he was serious. "Artemis told me to Iris Message her if you didn't believe me."

The hunters looked at each other. A silent conversation seemed to pass between all of them except Krissetta. She couldn't wait until she could participate in one of those conversations, too. The same girl looked up. "Iris Message her then," she said.

Apollo sighed and looked around. He walked back over to his car and pulled a water bottle out of the cup holder. He poured the contents over the dying fire, creating a misty haze full of rainbows, and pulled a drachma out of his pocked. "Oh Iris, goddess of the rainbow, show me Artemis," he said. The mist shimmered for a moment, but nothing happened. He frowned. "O Iris, please, show me my sister, Artemis." Still, nothing happened. The mist hovered a moment more, then disappeared. The hunters exchanged worried glances. Apollo looked at them. "There, see? Can't even reach her on Iris Message. Now will you listen?"

The hunters looked at each other. Finally, they nodded. "We'll go with you," the girl said. "Until Artemis contacts us."

Apollo nodded. "Works for me!" He turned around and walked toward the car. Just as Krissetta was about to ask how they would fit, he held his hand up, holding the car keys. "Ye of little faith." He pressed one of the buttons, and the car glowed brightly for a moment. When the bright light faded, the car had changed into one of those big transport vans summer camps use. On the side was an insignia with the words 'Camp Half-Blood' on the side.

The hunters began picking up their gear. Apollo leaned down to help one girl, the girl that had spoken earlier. She turned and hissed vehemently at him and he backed up, hands raised.

"Down Ari, down," Gina said. Ari huffed and turned on her heel, walking into the van and cramming herself as far into the back as she could. The others followed, going as far back as possible. Krissetta followed, wondering what the big deal was. Apollo was practically their uncle, right? She shook the thought out of her head before Apollo had a chance to read it. There was no need, though. Apollo was focused on taking off. He floored the pedal and they sped off, gaining altitude at an alarming rate. Krissetta was forced back into her seat.

"Holy cow!" she shouted. The hunters nodded as best they could.

"Now do you understand why we don't particularly like him?" Ari asked. Eventually Apollo leveled out, and the driving turned smooth. The hunters all breathed a sigh of relief. They rode in silence for a few minutes until one of the hunters looked out the window.

"We're here," she said, disgust evident in her tone. Krissetta looked out the window. There was a small collection of Greek buildings in a valley clearing. She looked confused as they started descending.

"Where are we?" she asked.

"Camp half-Blood," Ari said, her face looking like she wanted to kill someone. "Not the best place to be."