Chapter Five: I Call A Truce

Thalia Grace

Zoë looked especially shaken by the prophecy, and proved exactly how shaken when she collapsed, similar to how the Oracle-mummy had collapsed. The Hunters raced to her side, especially Bianca. Are they dating? Seems pretty soon for that, huh? Guess she's as much of a ladyplayer as I thought.

Chiron was looking down at the Oracle as attentively as the Hunters looked at Zoë. "Errr... I do hate to be a bother, but who is going to carry the Oracle back up to the attic?"

"I vote Percy," I said flatly.

"Percy," agreed Beckendorf.

The rest of the campers mumbled ascent.

"It's done," Chiron said. "Percy, you may have the honor of carrying the Oracle. Since she is rather... err, heavy... I recommend Grover to help you."

"What?" Groved bleated. I hadn't even noticed that he was there. "Why me?"

I cracked a smile. "Well, it is your job to help him."

Grover muttered something I couldn't hear, but he and Percy picked up the Oracle.

"The least Thalia could do is help," Percy whined as he strained under the weight.

I turned to the nearest person, the Hunter named Rose. "Tell him I'm not talking to him."

Rose laughed. "She's not talking to you."

The son of Poseidon shot me a glare and then began to walk. As soon as they were out of sight, Chiron clapped his hands. "All right. Everyone to your cabins, unless you are a cabin leader. If you are, meet me at the Big House in fifteen minutes. Zoë should be there as well, assuming she is recovered by then."

"I will be there," came Zoë's voice from the center of the Hunters, weakened but clear. "Count on it."

"Good, good." Chiron nodded. "And Thalia? Please walk with me. I'd like to discuss some things with you."

The campers and Hunters scattered as I walked alongside Chiron. As soon as we were relatively alone, he asked "What exactly is your relationship with Zoë?"

I opened my mouth to say "she's nothing to me" when he added "Not just now. What was your relationship with her?"

I shrugged. "I guess she was my girlfriend."

"Tell me about it. This could be important."

"Well... when I was traveling with Luke and Annabeth when I was twelve, we met the Hunters. Artemis had felt that there were female halfbloods in the area. They offered to sort of babysit us for Luke. And he told them okay. So we were traveling with them for a month while he went off and did his own thing."

"Why would Luke do that?" Chiron pressed.

"We had just had a fight. Annabeth was scared and homesick, and I suggested we do something... stop for a while at one of our safehouses, try to live as normal as we could, get her a few picture books to look at... just be a family. But Luke said we couldn't. Even our safe houses wouldn't be safe enough. And we fought and he blew up at me and I blew up at him- almost literally. So when Artemis and the Hunters offered us a temporary vacation, Annabeth and I parted from Luke gladly. It was only temporary, after all."

Chiron nodded. "So they planned to offer you a taste of Hunter life, then offer the full plate."

"Yep."

"How does your relationship with Zoë come into this?"

"Well, Annabeth was too young to be a Hunter. She was too young to be on her own and independent, so Artemis assigned Zoë to help her out and keep her close. And since I refused to be far from Annabeth, Zoë and I ended up spending a lot of time together. We talked when we ran, and we shared a tent when we camped, and slowly we started opening up to each other. And then one night, maybe a week and a half into our stay with the Hunters, I kissed her."

"We began to steadily grow into loving each other. Soon, I can safely say we were in love. But only a few days after that, Luke came back and apologized and begged for us to stay with him. At the same time, Zoë told me not to leave- he failed me once, he would do it again. When I made my choice, she was so mad. We fought. She said horrible things. I guess I did too. But she couldn't let me leave quietly, and now we can't even be friends. It makes me mad just looking at her, honestly."

"Too bad," Chiron said quietly. "I have a feeling that you two are going to be leading this quest. Together."

I looked him dead in the eyes. "Do you think I have to go on this?"

"I think... I think it's your destiny."

"Well then," I said. "I can't argue with that."

We were at the Big House, standing on the porch, by then. "Go get Percy from the attic," Chiron told me. "I'll tell Dionysus to officially call council."

"I really don't want to."

Chiron smiled slightly. "So, you can get over your aversion to your ex-girlfriend, but you can't get a single son of Poseidon downstairs?"

I sighed. "Fine," I said as I opened the door and started heading to the attic.

I tromped up three flights of stairs, then opened the trap door to the attic. Grover was still there with Percy. "Tell Percy to get his butt downstairs."

"Why?" said Seaweed Brain.

I turned back to Grover. "Did he say something?"

"Um, he asked why."

"Dionysus is calling a council of cabin leaders to discuss the prophecy. Unfortunately, that includes Percy."

I turned and headed back down. I could hear him following me, but I ignored him. Eventually, we walked into the rec room and Grover, Percy and I took the left side of the table. Zoë sat at one end, along with Bianca, who I was now without a doubt convinced was Zoë's new girlfriend. On the other side were Chiron and Dionysus. Beckendorf, Silena, Travis and Connor took the other end.

For a few minutes, we settled in. There was Cheez Whiz and Diet Coke, but only Grover was eating it. Zoë looked impatient, and eventually started the meeting on her own. "This is pointless. There is no time for talk. Our goddess needs us; the Hunters must leave immediately."

"And go where?" Chiron challenged.

"West!" Bianca answered immediately. "You heard the prophecy. 'Five shall go west to the goddess in chains.' We can get five Hunters and go."

"Yes. Artemis is being held hostage! We must find her and free her," Zoë agreed.

I rolled my eyes. "You're missing something... as usual. 'Campers and Hunters combined prevail.' We're supposed to do this together."

"No! The Hunters do not need thy help."

I blinked. "Your. Nobody has said 'thy' in like, three hundred years, Zoë. Get with the times."

Zoë's face changed into something odd, but familiar. It was the face she made when she was trying hard to please someone. I had only seen her make that face for two people- Artemis and me. Everyone else was beneath her, she didn't even put on a facade about caring for their opinions. I thought that I had rejoined the masses after our arguement. But... apparently not. "Yerrrrrr," she said eventually, her vowels wide and her face hopeful, looking for my approval. "We do not need yerrrrrrr help."

I smiled slightly and rolled my eyes. "Forget it."

Zoë caught my eye and shrugged, like "what can you do?" I smiled back, just a little.

"I fear the prophecy says you do need our help," Chiron reminded her. "Campers and Hunters must cooperate."

"Or do they?"

We looked at Dionysus. He was smelling his Diet Coke as if he was testing a fine wine. "One shall be lost; one shall perish. That sounds rather nasty, doesn't it? What if you fail because you try to cooperate?"

"Mr. D, with all due respect, whose side are you on?" Chiron sighed.

Dionysus made a face. "Sorry, my dear centaur, just trying to be helpful."

I slammed my hand on the ping-pong table. "We're supposed to work together. I don't like it either, Zoë, but you know prophecies. You want to fight against one?"

Zoë made her "I don't want to admit it but you just said something I didn't think of" face. I smiled a little; it wasn't often that I got that expression. In our relationship, Zoë had been the smart, strong one and I had been more of the loving one. That was something that had changed about me since we broke up- I learned that it wasn't always good to wait for someone to protect and take care of you. On the run with Luke and Annabeth, I had to be the one who could kick serious butt, just in case they couldn't.

"We must not delay. Today is Sunday," Chiron informed us. "This very Friday, December 21st, is the winter solstice."

"Oh joy, another dull annual meeting," muttered Dionysus. I glared at him.

"Artemis must be present at the solstice. She has been one of the most vocal on the council arguing for action against Kronos's minions. If she is absent, the gods will decide nothing. We will lose another year of war preparations," Zoë said urgently.

Dionysus frowned. "Are you suggesting that the gods have trouble acting together, young lady?"

Zoë looked him right in the eye. "Yes, Lord Dionysus," she said, her voice taking on a double-layered tone: frank on the top, but just underneath, if you searched for it, a little bit sarcastic and bold.

Mr. D nodded. "Just checking. You're right, of course. Carry on."

Chiron thought, then said "I must agree with Zoë. Artemis's presence at the winter council is critical. We only have a week to find her, and possibly even more important: to locate the monster she was hunting. Now, we must decide who goes on this quest."

"Three and two."

Everyone looked at Percy. He had been so quiet during the meeting, I had almost forgotten he was there.

"We're supposed to have five," he explained. "Three Hunters, two from Camp Half-Blood. That's more than fair."

Zoë and I looked at each other.

Well? her eyes asked me. What does thou think?"

I think it's what we have to do.

Can we?

Well, who says we'll be the ones who are going?

I have a feeling that it will come down to that, Thalia.

Yeah, so does Chiron. So…

So we must, once again, become temporary companions.

"Well," I said, "it does make sense."

Zoë "hmmphed." "I would prefer to take all the Hunters. We will need strength of numbers."

Chiron leaned forward. "You'll be retracing the goddess's path, moving quickly. No doubt Artemis tracked the scent of this rare monster, whatever it is, as she moved west. You will have to do the same. The prophecy was clear: 'the bane of Olympus shows the trail.' What would your mistress say? 'Too many Hunters spoil the scent.' A small group is best."

I saw Zoë make the "I didn't think of that" face again, this time accompanied by some fidgeting with a ping-pong paddle. Eventually, she spoke. "This monster, the bane of Olympus… I have hunted at Lady Artemis's side for many years, yet I have no idea what this beast might be."

I glanced at Dionysus, hoping for some clue. Everyone else seemed to have the same idea. "Well, don't look at me," he complained. "I'm a young god, remember? I don't keep track of all those ancient monsters and dusty titans. They make for terrible party conversation."

"Chiron, you don't have any ideas about the monster?" Percy asked, his voice desperately hoping for an answer.

But Chiron only pursed his lips and sighed. "I have several ideas- none of them good. And none of them quite make sense. Typhon, for instance, could fit this description. He was truly a bane of Olympus. Or the sea monster Keto. But if either of these were stirring, we would know it. They are ocean monsters, the size of skyscrapers. Your father Poseidon would have already sounded the alarm. I fear this monster may be more... elusive. Perhaps even more powerful."

Connor adjusted his weight in his seat. "That's some serious danger you're facing. It sounds like at least two of the five are going to die."

"'One shall be lost in the land without rain.' If I were you, I'd stay out of the desert," Beckendorf added. The council muttered their agreement.

Except for Silena, whose lovely face was furrowed in confusion. "And... 'The Titan's curse must one withstand.' What could that mean?"

Zoë looked sharply at Chiron, and he gazed at her intensely. It was similar to the silent conversation we had earlier, except for that this time, I was on the outside.

'One shall perish by a parent's hand,' Grover noted, except since his mouth was full of cheese and ping-pong ball, it came out more as "Mmm'll pmmerish ma pmarmen's hmmm." He swallowed, then added in a clearer voice "How is that possible? Whose parent would kill them?"

Nobody answered. Zoë looked a little bit sick.

"There will be deaths," Chiron said eventually. "That much, we know."

"Oh, goody!" Dionysus exclaimed.

Zoë began to rise, as if she wanted to pummel him, but the god quickly said, "Ah, pinot noir is making a comeback, don't mind me!"

"Percy is right, two campers should go," said Silena, redirecting us to our main vein of conversation.

Zoë swallowed hard and looked at Silena, appraising her. "Oh, I see. And I suppose you wish to volunteer?" she said in a nasty tone, similar to the one she used on me when we broke up.

Silena seemed to shrink. "I'm not going anywhere with the Hunters. Don't look at me."

"A daughter of Aphrodite does not wish to be looked at. What would thy mother say?"

"Stop it!" Beckendorf ordered, and the table quieted. Beckendorf was one of the older campers, a large, African-American, big-voiced, football-playing type. It also helped that he could make anything out of a hunk of metal. Everyone listened to him on fear of getting poked with one of those sharp swords. "Let's start with the Hunters. Which three of you will go?"

"I shall go, of course," Zoë volunteered. It would take someone who knew her well to notice that she was nervous, maybe scared. I shot a concerned glance at her, but she ignored me. "And I will take Phoebe. She is our best tracker."

"The big girl who likes to hit people on the head?" Travis asked.

Zoë frowned and nodded.

Connor got a mischievous look on his face. "The one who put the arrows in my helmet?"

"Yes, why?" Zoë asked.

"Oh, nothing," Travis said, which automatically made me know they were up to something. "Just that we have a tee shirt for her from the camp store. It's a collector's item. She was admiring it. You want to give it to her?"

Zoë sighed and took the shirt. "As I was saying... I will take Phoebe, and I wish Bianca to go.

What? She wants Bianca to go? Okay, there is definitely, definitely, completely something romantic going on there. I can't believe it. And just when I thought we might actually be friends again.

"Me? But I'm so new, I wouldn't be any good!" Bianca squealed, sounding half scared to death and half honored. Wish she was scared all the way to death.

Zoë smiled gently at her, and my wish intensified. "You will do fine. There is no better way to prove thyself."

"And for campers?" Chiron asked.

I opened my mouth to volunteer, but Grover was already waving his hand around, standing up so fast he nearly knocked the table over. "Me! Anything to help Artemis!"

"I think not, satyr. You are not even a half-blood!" Zoë scoffed. I had forgotten that she can be a little... racist... at times.

I stood. "But he is a camper. And he's got a satyr's senses and woodland magic. Can you play a tracker's song yet, Grover?"

"Absolutely!"

Zoë sighed, not a beaten sigh, just one that meant she was reconsidering her disgust. "Very well," she finally agreed. "And the second camper?"

"I'll go," I said. Zoë nodded.

"Whoa, wait a sec, I want to go to!" Percy whined.

"Oh! Whoa, yeah... I forgot Percy has to go! I didn't mean... I'll stay, Percy should go in my place."

"He cannot!" Zoë said sharply. "He is a boy. I won't have my Hunters traveling with a boy."

"You traveled here with me!"

"That was a short-term emergency, and it was ordered by the goddess. I will not go across country and fight many dangers in the company of a boy."

"What about Grover?"

"He does not count!" He's a satyr, he is not technically a boy!"

Grover protested.

"I have to go!" Percy complained. "I need to be on this quest!"

"Why, because of thy friend Annabeth?"

"No! I mean, partly... I just feel like I'm supposed to go!"

"No," Zoë said, and her tone was final. "I insist upon this. I will take a satyr if I must, but not a male hero."

"This quest is for Artemis. The Hunters should be allowed to approve their companions," Chiron noted, and he looked sympathetically at Percy. "So be it. Thalia and Grover will accompany Zoë, Bianca, and Phoebe. You shall leave at first light. And may the gods, present company included we hope, be with you."

As we walked out of the Big House, Zoë ran up to me. "Where's Bianca?" I asked, my voice with an edge.

"I sent her ahead. I wish to speak with thou."

"About what?"

"The quest. What are we going to do about it? We are the quest leaders, as I am the lieutenant of Artemis, and you are the most powerful camper. We must work together. We must have harmony."

"Alright. So what do you wanna do about this?"

She hesitated. "May we speak somewhere more private? Some things I do not wish Chiron to hear."

"Fine. How about the woods?"

"That is acceptable."

We walked to the woods in silence. When we were finally an acceptable distance in- actually, at the same creek we were earlier, when the Oracle showed up- Zoë began to speak. "Doest thou hate me?"

"No," I said flatly.

"Why did you say those things to me, Thalia?"

I gulped. I didn't want to answer. The truth was... I had been angry. And I had been reluctant to make my choice. The easiest way to make a choice was to make a clean break from Zoë, and that meant making her mad.

But now I was learning that I didn't make her angry. I only made her sad. And she never got over it.

She never got over me.

"Do not answer then," she said desperately. "At least, though, tell me that we can put this strife aside and lead this quest together. As partners."

"As partners," I agreed. I stuck my hand out, and Zoë took it easily. It was a true Ancient Greek handshake- a demonstration of peace. No weapons, no questions... just peace.

I was reluctant to let go, and from the fact that she lingered in our handshake, I felt she thought the same thing. So I didn't let go, and we walked back into camp holding hands. It wasn't until we saw Phoebe standing at the door of Cabin Eight that we quickly let go, releasing our grip at the exact same time. "I will see thou tomorrow," Zoë said quietly.

"Yeah. See you, Zo."

Her face looked a little shocked that I used my old nickname for her. Then she smiled, nodded. "Good dreams, Thalia."

Author's Note: I actually wasn't planning to write that last scene; it kind of happened on it's own. It was fun to write, though, even if it was short.

Next chapter is something I'm really excited for!