Chapter 2 (Percy) The Hunt

"Percy…" Thalia whispered. I was crying. She put a comforting hand on my shoulder. "It's Lady Artemis." I got up from the ground, sniffed, and bowed awkwardly.

Artemis studied me. 'I'm sorry for your friend, Annabeth."

I nodded numbly. Before I could say anything, Bianca di Angelo raised her hands.

"Woah. Hang on. What's going on here? Who… Who are you people?"

Artemis looked at her. "I think the question is who you are."

"I'm Bianca di Angelo and this is my brother Nico."

"What about your parents?" asked Artemis.

Bianca faltered. "They... They're dead."

The Hunter girl called Zoë butted in. "You are a half-blood. One of thy parents is an Olympian. One of the Gods."

Nico jumped up and down. "That's so cool!"

Bianca snapped at her brother. "This is not cool." Nico fell silent under the stern gaze of his sister. Thalia stepped forward.

"I know it's hard to believe but it's true. Believe me, being a half-blood isn't fun at all. I sometimes wish I were a mortal, not having to worry about monsters and dangerous things."

Bianca looked at her. "Dangerous… Like the girl who fell."

Thalia looked down. Even Artemis looked pained. I stood there silent, trying to sense Annabeth in the rapids below. Nothing. I wanted to scream. I wanted to cry again but I couldn't. Thalia put a hand on Bianca's shoulder. "You need to come with us to train. You need to train to survive. You need to come with us to Camp Half-Blood."

"Yay. When do we go?" asked Nico.

"No. We're not going anywhere." Said Bianca.

Zoë looked at Artemis. "There is another way to survive."

"No there isn't." Thalia glared at Zoë.

"Yes there is."

The two of them were glaring at each other. I didn't know why but they hated each other. Artemis quickly intervened. "Enough. Hunters, we'll camp here for the night. Bianca, come with me. I want to talk to you about something." She looked up at the stars. I suddenly remembered that she was also the goddess of the moon.

"What about me?" asked Nico.

The goddess considered him. "Maybe you would like to show Percy and Grover your card game?"

Grover looked excited and the two of them started talking about hit points and special moves and stuff. Thalia came over. I looked at her.

"I'm sorry for thinking I could handle the manticore."

She shook her head. "No. It isn't your fault. I would've done the same thing." She paused. "A-Adrian would've done the same as well." She gulped. I forgot that she used to like Adrian. Ever since Annabeth told her that Adrian was being possessed by Kronos, she was mad at Luke. Now Annabeth was gone too. I looked at Nico. He was laughing and playing with a bunch of cards in his hand. I stood up.

"You want to join them?" I asked Thalia. She nods and gets up. We walk over. Grover waves at us.

"Percy!"

I smile faintly. Nico looked at me. "Do you fight with Thalia?"

I look at Thalia. She laughs and punches me in the arm. "Yeah. Not all the time though."

Nico looked ecstatic. "Is it true that the girl that fell is called Annabeth?" I nod.

"Grover told me her mum is Athena. If her mum is Athena, the wisdom goddess, shouldn't Annabeth know better than jumping off a cliff."

"She was trying to save us." Thalia said. "She didn't jump off."

Nico nods. "Is it true that Annabeth is your girlfriend?" he asks me. I wanted to throw the kid off the cliff. Thalia giggles. Nico turns to her.

"Grover told you have a boyfriend called Adrian. Is that true?"

It was my turn to laugh. Thalia was very red. She glares at Grover who puts up his hand.

"I was just trying to tell Nico a bit about us."

"Percy Jackson." I turned around and saw the Hunter Zoë standing behind me with a look of disgust on her face. "Lady Artemis wishes to see you." She turns around and walks away. I get up and follow her. Thalia grabs my arm.

"Don't let her get to you." She warns. I give her a smile and a shrug. I follow Zoë to the largest tent. I go in and my jaw drops. The inside of the tent was much larger than I had anticipated. Artemis was sitting crossed-legged on the floor. Bianca was next to her.

"Sit down, Percy Jackson." Artemis waves her hand at the ground. I sit. Bianca gives me a little smile. Artemis continues. "Bianca has just told me the strange things that the manticore said but she didn't understand a lot of the things. Will you tell me what the beast said?"

I started talking. After I finished, Artemis's eyes were worried. She cast a glance at Zoë who was pale.

"The General…" Artemis mutters.

"He lies. The General cannot be free." Zoë says.

"I'm not lying." I say. Artemis puts her hand up.

"Let us not think about the General anymore but I must hunt this beast that you mentioned." She turns to look at Bianca. "Have you made up your mind?"

"What?" I blurt out.

Bianca smiles again. "Well, they've asked me to join the Hunt."

I stare. "What? You can't. What about camp? What about your brother?"

Zoë sniffs. "Boys. It isn't the only way for a girl."

I couldn't believe this. "What do you even get if you join?"

Zoë answers. "First of all, immortality."

I gasp. She smirks at me. Artemis nods. "That is until they break their oath or fall in battle."

"What oath?"

"To forswear romantic love forever. To never grow up, never get married. To remain a maiden forever."

"Like you?"

Artemis nods. "Your brother, Nico, will be in good hands. I trust Chiron, even after that ahh small fiasco."

I shake my head at Bianca. "This is nuts. You can't do this."

"Free of responsibility. A new family. A new life." Zoë says. Bianca's eyes were dreamy.

"What do I have to do to join?"

"Repeat after me: "I pledge myself to the goddess Artemis. I turn my back on the company of men, accept eternal maidenhood and join the hunt."

Bianca repeats it. "That's it? That was easy." She turns to Artemis. "So… I'm a Hunter now?"

"I accept you to join the Hunt, Bianca di Angelo." Artemis says. Bianca glows silver, like moonlight.

"Welcome sister." Zoë smiles. "Do we break camp, my Lady?" She turned to Artemis. The goddess nods. "Come with me Bianca." Zoë says.

I'm left alone with Artemis.

"Don't be worried, Percy."

I look up at the goddess. "How are we going to get to camp?" I said, trying to find another topic.

Artemis grins. "My brother." I blink.

She laughs for the first time. "Bianca di Angelo isn't the only person with an annoying brother. I think it's time for you to meet my brother. The always irresponsible Apollo."