A First Taste of City Life

SAPHIRA

"So, how long are you in camp for?"

"Until we find the child. Once she has been safely brought here, Lykos and I will be rejoining the Hunt."

Terry leads Saphira and Lykos through the camp towards the Mess Hall. He had wanted to take a minute to bid someone farewell before they left to begin the quest, and Saphira is not someone to deny anyone the right to say goodbye to a friend before departure. Despite his apparent anxiety and lack of courage, he is a nice enough character; polite and friendly. Besides, she figures she owes him one after letting Lykos give him the fright that he did.

"Oh. You know, I was kind of expecting you to not be so nice. Usually Hunters don't like any of us here at CHP," Terry says.

"I am not like my sisters, though I do not blame them. You know, a lot of girls that enlist with Artemis were victims of abuse and such. They don't trust men easily, and we get mocked for that a lot," Saphira replies. "However, I'd say our relations with you campers have improved with these past couple of wars."

"I guess. I'm one of the younger satyrs here, so I don't really have any bad feelings towards Hunters. Some of the older satyrs, though, really still don't like you guys." Terry smiles apologetically at her. "I know Bacillus definitely doesn't. He's a grumpy old goat."

"Well, we won't be staying here forever. I'm sure he can put up with my single presence for a few days," Saphira says.

They approach the Mess Hall; a lovely courtyard that overlooks the sea of Long Island Sound. Some people are already here, sitting at tables and chatting away while they enjoy their meals. Saphira frowns at this.

"I thought you could only eat here during the appropriate times," she comments.

"That's what the rules are, though nobody has really followed them since Kronos was stopped. Mr. D doesn't care at all and Chiron is too busy with other things to really enforce it either," Terry says. He points to one of the tables where a couple of other young satyrs are sitting with what appears to be a few nymphs. "My friend is there. I'll tell her goodbye and then we'll be off!"

Her?

Saphira and Lykos trail after him as he races ahead. She had been expecting him to engage with one of the other satyrs, but instead he greets one of the nymphs; she appears to be about his age, with light green skin and pointed, elven ears. She is a petite girl, even smaller than Saphira herself. The nymph looks happy to see him and hops up to give him a hug before they begin to converse.

"How long will you be gone for?" the nymph is asking when Saphira gets within earshot.

"Just until we find the kid and bring her back," Terry replies. He grasps her shoulders and smiles when she looks crestfallen. "Hey, don't worry! I'll be back before you know it. The Hunter who is helping us is said to be one of the best. She'll make this a breeze."

"Can't believe they brought a Hunter here," one of the other satyrs mutters. "As if we couldn't do this ourselves."

The satyr who spoke hadn't noticed her or Lykos yet, as his back is turned to them. It's not until Terry's eyes go wide and he's staring at them that his fellow satyr seems to notice something is wrong and turns around. Upon seeing them, the satyr gasps and scoots further down the table away from them.

"Why didn't you tell me she was right here?! And with that thing!" the satyr squeaks, pointing at Lykos. Lykos flattens his eyes and throws back a gruff sigh through his nose. Saphira's starting to get the impression that perhaps their relations aren't so much better after all. The other satyr who has not spoken yet also seems fearful of the Wolf, and a couple of the other nymphs seem nervous as well. Some of the demigods that were at the Mess Hall are paying attention to them now too.

"From what I heard, the reason I am here is because you could not do it yourselves," Saphira states, keeping her voice even. "And do not refer to my friend as 'that thing,' again, please. Neither of us appreciate it."

"I, uh… sorry," the satyr stammers.

"Apology accepted." Saphira turns her attention to the nymph that Terry was speaking to. "You are Terry's friend, I assume?"

The nymph seems a little intimidated, but she nods her head. "Yeah. My name's Rosie."

"I'm Saphira. This is Lykos, Guardian of the Hunt." Upon his introduction, Lykos throws a nod their way. The satyrs shuffle a little bit farther away.

"Nice to meet you, Saphira," Rosie replies with a shy wave.

"Saphira? Well, I'll be damned. I didn't expect to see you here, girl."

A new female voice, loud and confident, rings out and grabs their attention. Saphira turns to see none other than the daughter of war, Clarisse La Rue herself. Ares' child is fast approaching her from the Mess Hall's entrance, flanked by two boys, one Hispanic and the other caucasian. She recognizes the latter to be Kieran, the gloomy feminine boy who had been involved in the battle against Orion and Lycaon last year.

"Hello, Clarisse," Saphira greets her with a warm smile. She didn't forget that Clarisse had stood up for her in defense of Lykos before Artemis, and that act won the war child a special place in her heart.

Clarisse replies with a firm handshake, followed by a very rough, though welcoming hug. "It's good to see you again. You too, you absolute beast of a Wolf. Two of my favorite badasses right here." She looks to the other individuals present within the Mess Hall. "I hope y'all are showing these two some respect. Lykos here fought against his own kind and killed Lycaon himself. Saphira took on the bastard Orion and helped to kill his ass too. If any of you give them a hard time, you'll be sorry, because if they don't handle you themselves, I will. Understand?"

The campers, satyrs, and nymphs regard her and Lykos with a newfound air of respect and awe, and perhaps still a healthy dose of fear, at least for Clarisse's threat. Saphira smiles and fights the soft blush creeping into her cheeks.

"Thanks, Clarisse," she says.

"Don't mention it. I make it a point to ensure that people who deserve respect get that respect," Clarisse declares.

"Unless it's Percy," Kieran mutters with his gaze glued to his phone.

The daughter of Ares scoffs. "Pfft. Prissy may be the big hero here, but he's still a wimp every time we face each other on the wrestling mat. Besides, all that fame can get to his head. Somebody has to keep his ass in check."

"Isn't that why he has Annabeth?" the other boy replies.

"Chris, don't even get me started on Owl Head."

The mention catches Saphira's interest. Everyone knows those two names. The hero of the prophecy, Poseidon' son, and the heroine who fought beside him. She knows the stories of their feats, mainly through Thalia; braving the Sea of Monsters, exploring the Labyrinth, the defeat of the Titan of Time, and fighting their way through Tartarus itself. But what she knows them best for, is what they did five years ago.

"Are they here?" Saphira asks in hope.

Clarisse shakes her head. "No. They've been attending school together in Manhattan, but they'll be coming by this weekend for spring break. Most demigods do."

This weekend. That starts tomorrow. Perhaps there is hope that she can meet them. There was something she had wanted to say, and had a chance to during the Battles of Manhattan, when the Titan Lord attempted to siege Olympus. She was there, but she was often on sentry and scout duty, and she was also still emotionally broken. It never occurred to her to reach out to them until it was too late.

"Ugh, I hope Annabeth realizes how lucky she is. There isn't anything I wouldn't do to get my hands on her man," Kieran grumbles. This earns him a look from everyone within earshot, and he shrugs. "What? Have you seen that boy? My gods. He is so my type."

"Kieran, control your hormones please," Clarisse jabs at him.

"No can do."

Saphira awkwardly clears her throat.

"I see. Very well. Terry, are you ready to leave now?" she asks the satyr.

"Yeah! Argus will give us a ride to the city," he replies, then turns to Rosie. "I'll see you later."

"Please be safe out there, Terry," Rosie pleads.

"Rosie, please. It's hardly my first time going out of the camp."

The nymph sighs. "I know, but you're kind of a wimp… sorry, but you know it's true! I worry about you!"

Terry looks mildly offended by the comment, but he hangs his head in acceptance. At least he knows when a less than flattering statement is true. Rosie looks to Saphira with a pleading expression.

"If it's not too much trouble, can you please look after him and make sure he comes back safely?"

Saphira studies her for a moment. While they may just be friends now, she suspects that there may be deeper feelings between the nymph and the satyr, feelings that likely haven't been admitted to each other yet.

"I will," she assures the nymph.

Rosie smiles at her with gratitude. "Thank you so much!"

Terry is blushing hard, but he doesn't protest it. Instead, he gives Rosie one final hug before he parts away and moves to rejoin Saphira and Lykos.

"Bye, guys!" he calls as they begin to leave.

"Watch yourself out there, Saph," Clarisse calls after her.

Saphira nods, her party already heading back the way they had come. They pass back by the cabins, then the volleyball court, until they make it back to the Big House. Outside on the front lawn is a trio; Chiron, Dionysus, and the many-eyed head of security, Argus. Dionysus is lounging on a lawn chair, stretched out with a pair of sunglasses on and a can of diet coke in his hand. Argus is seated on a stool, while Chiron is simply standing by.

"-I am simply saying that turning the children into dolphins is no longer an acceptable form of discipline. Discipline is meant to show them the consequences of their actions so that they can learn from their mistakes and perform better in the future," Chiron is saying as they get within earshot.

Dionysus waves his hand dismissively. "Who says that turning them into dolphins doesn't make them learn?"

"Mr. D, if they are turned into dolphins then they cannot be able to choose a better path for their future- oh! Hello, Saphira, Lykos! Greetings, Oakleaf." Chiron canters in place to face them.

"Hello, Chiron. We're ready to head on our way!" Terry announces.

"Good. Argus, would you be so kind as to take them to the city in the van?" the centaur asks.

Argus nods his head in silence. The mute stands from his stool and gestures for the trio to follow him.

"Be careful out there, and good luck!" Chiron calls after them.

"Try not to die, Sofia. Moonshine will be all over my case if you do, and I really don't want to deal with her attitude," Dionysus adds without even casting them a glance.

Saphira rolls her eyes and calls back over her shoulder. "That's not my name!"

"Whatever!"

She bites back her retort and instead, continues on her way, following Argus with the others. Secretly, she hopes that one day, Lady Artemis will teach that obnoxious god a serious lesson in manners. He may be an Olympian, and she may be biased here, but she's fairly certain the wine god poses little challenge to the goddess of the wild, hunting, archery, and of course, the moon itself; power over the night, to know when it shall have light to illuminate it, when it will not. As far as Olympians go and as far as Saphira is concerned, Artemis is one of the most powerful. Without a doubt, she could take on Ares and Athena in a fight, despite not being a war goddess. It would take one of the Big Three to be able to overcome her with their raw power.

"How long will it take to get to the city?" Saphira asks once they reach Argus' van.

"Just a couple hours. Normally a day or so since we'd usually travel on foot," Terry replies as he opens the back doors and hops inside.

Saphira climbs in after him while Argus heads around to the driver's side. Lykos climbs up after her as she seats herself on the side-seating, laying down in the center of the van. Terry squirms in his seat, as if trying to give the Wolf as much room as possible, despite the van being more than large enough. Saphira hopes he won't stay this nervous the entire time they'll be working together. That would only make her job more difficult, even if only slightly.

Argus starts the van, and she can feel them begin to move, hearing the tires crunch over gravel. After a few minutes, Terry is fiddling with what appears to be a set of reed pipes, every now and again looking out of the rear window with a longing expression. Saphira guesses at what he could be thinking about. Perhaps conversation will distract and ease his mind from the fact that his natural predator is laying only a few feet from him.

"So, does Rosie know you have feelings for her?" she asks.

Terry snaps his attention to her with wide eyes and a fearful expression. "What? No! Who told you I have- I mean, I don't, er, not that I don't but she's a really good friend and-"

"So that's a no," she interrupts his stammering. Terry looks almost ashamed of himself, though she can't think of a reason as to why. "Don't be embarrassed. I don't see why it's something to look ashamed of."

"She's my best friend. She was one of the first people to ever be really nice to me," Terry admits. "She's really nice, and sweet, and pretty, and..."

"Why not just tell her?" Saphira suggests when he drifts off. The satyr looks terrified by the idea.

"Oh gods, no! There's no way she feels the same and I don't want to ruin our friendship by making it awkward," he says.

Saphira giggles and shakes her head. "I doubt that would happen, seeing as she clearly likes you too."

"H-how do you know that?" he asks.

"I may be sworn off romance, satyr, but that doesn't mean I don't recognize it when I see it. It's not hard to read people's behavior. Trust me. Rosie definitely has feelings for you."

Terry stares at her with doubt in his eyes, though she can see he's mulling over her words.

"Hang on, why are you so keen on helping me with this? I thought Hunters hated stuff like this," he says.

Saphira rolls her eyes. "Perhaps some of us do, but again, Terry, I am only sworn off romance. As long as I run with Artemis and the Hunt, I will adhere to my oath, for that is where my heart lies… but that doesn't mean I am sickened by the idea of romantic love. I think it is a beautiful thing. Beautiful and pure, and it should be cherished. You are a nice boy, and even though we only just met, I can tell you are of faith and heart. You would be a good partner to someone like Rosie."

The satyr wipes at his eyes, seeming to get emotional over her words. "You really think so?"

"I do," Saphira declares with a nod. Terry smiles, clearly touched by this. She wonders if it's a rare thing for him to have such a one-on-one talk like this. Feeling a little mischievous, she decides to add onto her statement. "Because if you aren't a good partner, and if you hurt Rosie, just remember. A Hunter of Artemis now knows you personally."

Fear flashes through his eyes as Terry swallows hard and shivers. "I- I…"

"It was a joke." She really should reconsider her sense of humor while away from the Hunt.

"Oh! Well um… I guess it was kinda funny?" Terry says, his tone making it into a question rather than a statement.

Lykos rumbling laughter vibrates through the floor of the van as he looks up at Saphira. At least one of them really thought it was funny.

"So, uh, how does Artemis feel about your opinions on romance?" the satyr asks.

Saphira takes a moment to ponder the question. She had discussions over this very topic several times with her sisters and with her mistress present. While a few had been neutral or understanding, some of the girls seemed rather repulsed by the idea of romance. Granted, those girls were ancient, the oldest of the Hunt and therefore, the most overzealous in their feelings towards men. Xenia was one of them. Some had been in love before joining and it hadn't gone well. Amaris is one of those girls. Only Chloe, Thalia, and Laura are the most tolerant and accepting of males, though they are very recently-joined members.

Saphira may have been with the Hunters for a couple thousand years, but she doesn't feel the way the other older girls do. Before joining Artemis, she had been exposed to the cruelties of this world, but it didn't start with men. It didn't start with a romance that turned painful. It started with a woman, and that is forever a lesson and a reminder to her that men are not the only ones to blame. It's for that reason that Artemis knows her feelings and accepts them as they are.

"She accepts my thoughts. She may not entirely agree with everything, but she accepts them," Saphira says. Perhaps a few years ago, the goddess would have been a bit more zealous. "She used to be a lot less understanding, but she's changed. Someone was able to help her see that not all men are evil, and that romance is not always something to shun."

"Who in Hades managed to do that?" Terry asks, sounding astonished.

"Perseus Jackson."

Saphira brings her knees up to her chest. The first ever boy to earn Artemis' respect since Orion - not that the giant has it any longer, of course - and show her that some men are truly good and pure. He traveled a great distance and fought many battles to rescue his best friend and partner, Annabeth. He held up the sky, taking the burden from Artemis so that she could fight the titan Atlas. But most significantly to Saphira, he was there for a certain Hunter, through all of their quest and he was there for her in her final breaths.

"Wow. That guy's done everything," Terry says in awe.

"I suppose he has," she replies.

"He'd make one hell of a god. Him and Annabeth."

Saphira is in agreement, however, the sea god's son turned down immortality for his girlfriend. That act also did not go unnoticed by Lady Artemis, and in private, she had confided in her girls that he truly is the best man of this age. Annabeth had also apparently rejected the offer of joining the Hunt for him, though that was before the pair had become a couple. Saphira wonders that if perhaps she had someone in her life to consider, would she have rejected the Hunt a couple thousand years ago. Not that she has any regrets or doubts about joining them. She was given a home, family, friends, and a future. It's only a thought. She can imagine someone like Chloe possibly rejecting them over love. Xenia… definitely not. She was a warrior, down to her very core, plus she already had bad experiences with men mistreating her because she was a female combatant.

Thalia? Who knows. She didn't join the Hunters because of men or the pain of bad love, she joined to escape the Prophecy. Perhaps she would have reconsidered if she had someone in her corner.

By now, Lykos has dozed off. His chin rests on his paws with his tail curled up to his side. With the Wolf asleep, Terry seems a little more relaxed when he looks at him. His glance switches from him to her several times before he speaks again.

"How did you manage to get a pet Wolf of Lycaon?" he finally asks after a minute or so.

Saphira frowns at this wording. "Lykos is not a pet. That would imply that he's just an animal, but he isn't. He has the mind, heart, and soul of a person like you and I."

"Sorry," Terry quickly apologizes.

"It's alright. Just don't refer to him like that again," she says. Her gaze drifts to the sleeping Wolf. "He is my friend and my companion."

"Well, how did you two become friends?"

"I shot him."

The satyr gawks at her.

"And nurtured him back to health," she adds quickly. "When we first met, it was as enemies. We were raiding a monster encampment, and he was among them. I shot him when he was trying to escape, but it wasn't a lethal shot. I found him the next morning caught in one of our traps. I was going to kill him, but…"

She watches the rise and fall of Lykos' back with each soft breath he takes.

"I looked in his eyes. I didn't see a vicious beast. I didn't see evil or malice. I saw sadness, loneliness, and pain… I saw myself. In that moment, I couldn't bring myself to kill him. I freed him from the trap."

She smiles as she remembers the first thing he did upon being freed.

"His way of showing gratitude left a lot to be desired, but he did spare me. I followed him until we got to a place where I was able to heal his wounds. It wasn't easy, as he didn't trust me yet, but soon enough he did, and we started forging our friendship in secret."

"How did Artemis and the Hunters respond to this?" Terry asks.

"It was almost a disaster," she admits. "Wolves raided our camp, along with some hyperboreans and the Calydonian Boar. The Boar almost killed me, but Lykos appeared to save me. He chased it off, but he got subdued by Clarisse. That's when Artemis appeared. Thankfully, she listened to me and gave Lykos a chance to prove himself by showing us where the Wolves were hiding so that we could attack and end that war."

"Is that when you fought Lycaon and Orion?"

"Yes. I fought Lycaon first, but I couldn't defeat him. He would have killed me if not for Lykos. He almost died for me, but in the end, it was Lycaon who fell. It took the combined efforts of myself, Artemis, Thalia, and others to bring down Orion, with Artemis delivering the final blow. I was almost killed in the avalanche that followed, but Lykos saved me once again. Because of his actions, Artemis named him Guardian of the Hunt, and he's been with us since."

Terry nods, showing his attentiveness. "I see. So, he really is good then."

"Absolutely."

"Well, that helps me to not be so afraid of him. I guess it's just the primal instincts in me. We satyrs are not particularly courageous creatures," he says.

"Courage isn't something that is determined by your species," Saphira says. "Like kindness or ruthlessness, cowardice or recklessness. What you are does not determine how you act. Lykos and I are proof of that."

The satyr frowns at her. "You explained about him, but you? Are you not human or demigod?"

She shakes her head. "No. I am a Hesperide, nymph of the sunset, granddaughter of a titan."

Terry's eyes go wide, almost as large as dinner plates. "Granddaughter of a titan?"

Damn! She didn't mean to let that part of her heritage slip… though anyone could have figured that just with that part of her being a Hesperide. With a deep breath, she continues.

"Yes. I was born in the Garden of Hesperides, and the four sisters who dwell in and protect that garden are the daughters of a titan," she says.

"The titan Atlas," he murmurs.

She despises that name and the being of whom it speaks of.

"Yes."

"Well," Terry clears his throat. "You uh, certainly are not cruel as a titan, so I suppose you're right about all that stuff about species not mattering. Anyway, we still have about an hour and a half before we get there, so I'm gonna take a nap until then."

Saphira nods but she doesn't reply. Terry turns over onto his side against the back of the seat and in a matter of seconds, he's snoring away. Lykos hasn't yet stirred. It is almost complete silence, save for the hum of the van's engine… and it's already driving her a little crazy. Sitting in the peaceful quiet nights of the woods is one thing -open space, fresh air- but being enclosed in the back of a van is another. She hasn't spent much time in the modern world at all. She's been to cities before, a few times, but that was for hunting monsters, and they were never huge, bustling cities like Manhattan. She knows that some of the younger girls in the Hunt have been. Chloe, Laura, and Thalia all come from the modern world.

She isn't sure what to expect, but Saphira is thinking it likely won't be a very pleasant experience. Towers of concrete and glass instead of trees and mountains, millions of people rushing around, congesting the streets, and not to mention the smells. She's too used to living in the wilderness. She hopes it won't take too long to find the child so she and Lykos can get back to the place she loves so much.

Deciding that a nap would pass the time faster, she curls up on the seat and rests her head against the wall. With a deep breath, she finds herself able to at enough ease to begin drifting away. Closing her eyes, Saphira's consciousness fades as she steps into the realm of Morpheus.

. . . . . . .

"Saphira? Wake up."

Terry's voice reaches Saphira through her slumber. She's a pretty light sleeper -most Hunters are- and she's stirring at his first words. Her eyes flutter open to see the satyr awake. They're still inside the van and Lykos is still asleep, but the noise is no longer just the humming of the van. She hears a great many people outside, mostly shouts and rushed tones, along with blaring car horns.

"Are we there?" she asks, sitting up straight to look out of the back window. She gets her answer with the view of a busy city street crowded with mortals rushing about on the sidewalks while vehicles congest the roads. Giant buildings loom on either side of the street, blocking out much of the direct sunlight.

"Yeah, Argus is taking us to a parking lot to drop us off. He'll wait for us until eight o'clock tonight but if we're not ready by then, he'll have to take off," Terry says. "No worries though. Once we find the kid, we can IM Chiron and Argus will come right back to pick us up."

"Okay." Saphira glances down at the dozing Wolf and slides off her seat to kneel beside him. Placing a hand on his forehead, she gently rouses him. "Lykos, we are here. Time to get up."

Lykos' ear twitches at her voice and his icy eyes open. With a deep inhale, his body tenses and he releases a deep yawn that shows off his fearsome fangs and teeth. Lifting his head to bump her chin with his muzzle as a way of greeting, he begins to rise, stretching out and scraping his claws against the floor of the van. Saphira scoots back to give him space as he leans up to peer out the window.

"Have you been in a place like this before?" she asks. He replies with a double-tap of his paw on the floor; he has been to a city like this twice.

The van pulls off the street into the driveway for an empty parking lot, closed off by a tall, chain-link fence. The engine goes silent. Terry opens the back doors of the van and hops out. At some point in her sleep, he must have put on his jeans and fake footed-shoes; his human disguise. That makes Saphira think about her own appearance. While she is technically a nymph and demi-titan, her appearance is close to a human's. Aside from her attire, she'll blend in quite well.

Lykos on the other hand…

"Will the Mist cover you?" she asks him.

Lykos looks at her and gives a roll of his shoulders; a shrug. He steps down out of the van and shakes out his pelt. Saphira pulls up the hood of her cloak and follows him out to join Terry on the smell of the city is unpleasant, not quite smoggy but definitely nowhere near as clean as the fresh, crisp air of the wilds.

"Okay. Let's try to do this as quickly as possible," she declares and turns to the satyr. "You said you would take us to the last place you came close to her?"

Terry nods. "Yeah. It's not far from here. When I tracked her there, it was only a few days ago so you might still be able to pick up her trail."

Saphira shoulders her bow and quiver, fastens her belt which holds her beloved silver knives. She takes one last look around the parking lot, ensuring she memorizes where it is and what it looks like just in case anything happens. Only when she's satisfied with her attention to details does she respond.

"Very well. Let's go."

. . . . . . .

A/N

Hello, readers and welcome back to the series! You have no idea how good it feels to see so many returning readers and to see your kind words on the first two chapters. I'm super excited to be back and writing again, to continue the journey of Saphira and Lykos. Characters we already know and new ones will be coming to the fray soon enough, so be sure to stick around for that!

One last thing I want to address is someone's question about how updates will be handled.

I work by piece, not hour, and so that means that sometimes my schedule can be a little hectic. I will do my best to try to update at least once every two weeks, though hopefully I'll be able to do so more frequently than that.

That's all from me for now. I hope you guys enjoyed the third chapter and I will see you all next time. Peace!