Chapter 13.
When they arrived, the girls were waiting for Artemis to go into her room with Percy so they could change for dinner. Once they had entered Artemis's room, Percy flew up to his stand before settling down on it.
Artemis had gone into her bathroom to freshen up, So Percy stayed in the bedroom, thinking to himself. He was glad that he was bonding well with Zoe and Artemis, even though he knew he wouldn't be around forever, as he was sure his mom would want him to help the campers with their missions until the war ended.
Still, Percy felt grateful for Artemis's concern for him, even if he suspected that his friendship with Zoe played a significant role in it. Nevertheless, he appreciated it deeply. He held onto the hope that over time, the other hunters would warm up to him, or at the very least, refrain from attacking him on sight.
He was broken out of his thoughts by Artemis's return from the bedroom. She settled on the edge of the bed and beckoned to him, her eyes fixed on his form. "Percy, come here," she requested softly. Percy swiftly fluttered down, alighting on her arm glove which she still wore even after changing clothes.
"What do you think are our chances of recovering Hermes?" she inquired, her gaze searching. Sensing her invitation, Percy delved into her mind before responding, "Well, I technically could go get him from wherever he is, but something tells me Fate wouldn't be happy if I did that, if the last couple of years are anything to go by."
She nodded thoughtfully, her expression reflecting her concern. "I'm just worried that we might lose hunters in the process of saving him. We need Hermes for the final fight, but still. The girls mean everything to me. Losing them, even gods forbid Zoe, would devastate me."
Percy nodded empathetically, acknowledging her worry. "I will not let Zoe die. She's coming home after this war. I promise," he asserted firmly. Artemis smiled at him, her eyes softening with gratitude, before nodding in acceptance of his promise.
With that, Percy cawed softly as he withdrew from her mind. Artemis stood up, briefly poking her head out the door to ensure everyone was ready. Once satisfied, they all proceeded to dinner.
As they arrived at the dining area, the hunters performed their customary sacrifices to Artemis, a ritual that Percy observed with curiosity. He hopped off her arm, allowing her to partake in the meal, before transforming into his wolf form and curling up behind her. Artemis chuckled softly at his antics,happy he stayed close by.
Percy remained vigilant, his senses attuned to the surroundings as they ate. Suddenly, he noticed bushes rustling a short distance away. Instinctively, he stood up, his muscles tensing as he slowly approached the source of the disturbance. Stretching out his senses, he attempted to figure out what was lurking in the bushes. Unable to identify the creature, he emitted a low growl, his hackles raised in warning, before charging toward the bushes.
Right before Percy collided with the unknown entity, he was forcefully blasted backward, crashing through a nearby cabin wall. Dazed and disoriented, he struggled to his feet, his vision swimming as he emerged from the debris. Artemis and Zoe came rushing towards him, concern etched on their faces as they approached.
"Percy, are you okay?" Zoe's voice cut through the haze as she reached him. Percy nodded, shaking debris out of his fur, his gaze fixed on the rustling bushes as he emitted a low growl.
Artemis and Zoe followed his gaze, their eyes widening in surprise as a mummy emerged from the foliage and began making its way toward the dining pavilion. Behind it, Apollo appeared, bow drawn and aimed at Percy.
"Sorry, Artemis, but I couldn't let your wolf destroy my oracle's body," Apollo remarked, a smirk playing on his lips. Percy growled menacingly, baring his teeth at the sun god, who responded with a narrowed glare. "Now now, dog, don't do anything you'll regret," Apollo warned, irritation evident in his tone.
At Apollo's warning, Percy's patience snapped, and he launched himself forward in a furious charge, hurtling straight toward the sun god. Apollo's annoyance quickly turned to shock as Percy effortlessly bit through the arrow he fired, his momentum unbroken.
With a growl of anger, Percy continued his relentless assault. Apollo's expression shifted from surprise to alarm as Percy closed the distance between them. Reacting swiftly, Apollo swung his bow like a makeshift club, aiming to bash Percy as he drew near.
Undeterred, Percy seized the bow in his jaws, wrenching it from Apollo's grasp with a powerful tug before continuing with his momentum and pinning the god to the ground. Apollo looked shocked before he summoned a dagger.
As Apollo's dagger plunged into Percy's side, a sharp cry of pain escaped the wolf's lips as Apollo kicked Percy in the stomach. Flying backwards, Percy released his hold on the bow, his body crashing to the ground with a sickening thud.
Agony lanced through him as he attempted to rise, but his strength faltered, and he collapsed once more. He may be a primordial, but a godly weapon was still deadly to him. Desperation surged within him as he reached for the shadows, attempting to utilize them to extract the dagger embedded in his side. However, his efforts were in vain, his movements feeble and strained as he struggled to draw breath, the pain overwhelming him as darkness threatened to engulf his senses.
"Percy!" Zoe's voice pierced through the haze of pain as she sprinted to his side. With blurred vision, Percy strained to focus on her approaching figure. Weakly, Percy attempted to rise again, but his strength waned, and he stumbled, collapsing once more. Zoe's cries of anguish echoed in his ears as Artemis swiftly reached them. With gentle hands, she lifted Percy from the ground, a sense of urgency and fear driving them forward.
As they hurried toward the safety of the Artemis cabin, Percy could feel the presence of the other hunters falling in behind them, their concern radiating in the air. In the distance, Apollo limped over to his bow before picking it up and vanishing in a golden light.
As they reached the safety of the cabin, Artemis wasted no time in ushering Percy and Zoe into her room, shutting the door behind them. With a sense of urgency, she instructed the other hunters to remain in their area, emphasizing the need for privacy as she tended to Percy's injuries.
"What were you thinking, Percy?" Artemis's voice was laced with worry as she summoned supplies to treat the wound. Percy whimpered softly in response, his eyes reflecting his pain and remorse.
With practiced hands, Artemis carefully prepared a mixture of nectar and ambrosia, her movements precise and efficient. Gently, she extracted the dagger from Percy's side before applying the healing concoction to the wound. Zoe gasped audibly at the sight of Percy's silver blood, a testament to his primordial heritage.
"He really is a primordial," Zoe murmured in awe, her eyes wide with realization. Artemis nodded in agreement, her attention focused on the wound as she watched it begin to mend under her care.
As the healing magic took effect, Percy felt the pain gradually ebb away, replaced by a soothing sense of relief. With a wolfish sigh, he slowly rose to his feet, testing his strength until he could stand tall once more. With a series of barks, he expressed his gratitude to Artemis and Zoe before gently nudging Artemis's legs with his head, eliciting laughter from the goddess.
"You're welcome, Percy," Artemis said with a warm smile, her hand coming down to ruffle his fur affectionately. Percy wagged his tail in response, his eyes shining with appreciation, before he turned and padded to a cozy corner of the room. Curling up, he tucked his muzzle beneath his tail, finding comfort and security in the familiar surroundings.
As he settled onto a dog bed sized perfectly for him, Percy let out a contented bark, his gratitude evident as he drifted into a peaceful slumber.
When Percy awoke, he found Artemis absent from the cabin, her door closed. With a stretch, he rose from his bed and glanced around before deciding to shadow travel outside.
Emerging into the open air, Percy wasted no time in scouring the surroundings for any sign of the hunters. It wasn't long before he spotted Artemis engaged in conversation with Chiron. Running over, he slowed his pace as he approached, before gently brushing against Artemis's leg.
She glanced down in surprise, her confusion quickly melting into a smile as she recognized Percy. "Oh, you're awake. Hello, Percy," she greeted warmly, reaching down to pat his head, eliciting delighted tail wags from the wolf. Chiron, observing the scene with bemusement, couldn't help but interject.
"I thought Percy was a bird?" he inquired, his curiosity evident in his tone. Percy barked in response before enveloping himself in shadow, transforming into his eagle form. With a graceful flap of his wings, he soared into the air before returning to the ground and morphing once again, this time into his stag form. Finally, with a joyful bleat, he returned to his familiar wolf form, his form versatility on full display.
Artemis's warm smile persisted at Percy's display of versatility, while Chiron remained stunned by the unfolding scene. After a brief moment of contemplation, he shook his head in wonder.
"That's quite the friend you have there, Lady Artemis," Chiron remarked, his tone tinged with awe. Artemis nodded in agreement, her appreciation for Percy evident in her expression. "He truly is. He brought Zoe to me and is helping us in the war, so I'm quite fond of him," she explained, her voice filled with affection and gratitude.
Chiron's confusion only deepened at her words. "How has he lived that long?" he inquired once more, his curiosity unabated. Percy, understanding the question, responded by barking softly before using his teeth to nudge his paw, revealing his unique silver blood to Chiron's astonished gaze.
Chiron's eyes widened in realization. "You have a primordial wolf?" he exclaimed incredulously. Artemis chuckled in response, nodding in confirmation as Percy healed the wound on his paw before gently placing it back on the ground.
"I have so many questions, but I'll leave that alone for now. I'm not sure I want the answers," Chiron admitted, shaking his head in wonder. Artemis chuckled softly, understanding his sentiment, and nodded in response.
Percy, sensing the shift in the conversation, barked before settling down at Artemis's feet.
Chiron turned his attention back to Artemis, his demeanor becoming more serious. "Well, my lady, the campers should have left by now to start their quest to save Lord Hermes. If you're going to help, I suggest you leave soon," he advised, his tone carrying a sense of urgency.
Percy, hearing that the quest had already begun, sprang to his feet, panic evident in his eyes as he turned to look at Artemis. Artemis met his gaze with confusion, before her own eyes widened in realization. Percy was supposed to be accompanying them on the quest, but they had departed without him.
With a nod of understanding, Artemis wasted no time. She turned and sprinted towards the archery range, Percy close behind. As they arrived, Artemis immediately began addressing the hunters with urgency in her voice.
"Girls, we have to go," she exclaimed, her tone commanding. "Percy is needed to shadow the quest to save Hermes, and they left this morning while he was recovering." Her words sparked a flurry of activity as the hunters quickly gathered their gear, ready to embark on the mission alongside Percy.