The Child of Artemis

Chapter 11

When Jason woke up, he panicked.

"Am I dead?" He wondered aloud.
"Did we die?"

"Not quite." He blinked, and Piper came into focus. She was bending over him, with a relieved smile. "Good morning, sleepyhead."

"What? It's morning?" He sat up, and for the first time noticed that he was in a cave. "Where are we?"

"You're in my home."

Jason and Piper startled as a shadow dropped down from a ledge overhead. She was shorter than Hazel, and wore dark clothing. A ponytail as black as the night swung down her back. She glared at Jason with silver eyes, giving him the feeling that they were intruding on her turf. Which, technically, they kind of were.

"How do you do that?" Piper asked with a shiver.  The girl raised an eyebrow.

"Do what?"

"That thing. It's like you just... appear."

The girl snorted. "It's no magic trick, if that's what you're implying." She looked at Jason, who frowned. This couldn't be his attacker. She was only twelve. Yet her voice sounded the same as the one who'd tackled him.

"Where is the person who kidnapped us last night?" He asked. "I want to see him. Now."

The girl snorted again. She was beginning to get on his nerves.

"Why, son of Zeus, you are dumber than I thought." She bent down in front of him and pulled out a gold coin. His gold coin.

"You smell like she does," the girl made an offhand gesture to Piper, who looked confused. "But this weapon isn't like theirs." She stared at him, her silver gaze piercing through him. "I have a lot of questions for you, and you had better hope you have the answers." She stood abruptly, and tossed the coin back to Jason. He caught it and slipped it in his pocket.

"Why does she do that?" He asked quietly as the girl stalked off. "She's a bit... unnerving."

"I know. But she said she's the daughter of the moon. And we need her to hold up the sky, for whatever reason. So right now, all we can do is tolerate her." Piper whispered back.

Jason nodded. "You're right Pipes." He leaned forward and gently kissed her.

"Geez, get a room guys."

The two of them broke apart and looked to see Leo sitting up, smirking crookedly at them.

"Leo, you're awake!" Piper exclaimed. She got up and ran to hug him. "How are you feeling? You were out for a while."

Leo nodded. "I'm fine, if a little sore." He rubbed his neck. "Hey, wait. I was just in the woods and then..." he trailed off, trying to recollect what happened.

"Dude, you got kidnapped. We all did." Percy finished. He was walking over with the others.

"Cool." Leo grasped a stalagmite and stood up. "So, who got kidnapped first? I mean, after me of course."

"I did." Frank answered. "Then Percy, then Jason, and then the girls."

"Actually, we didn't get captured. More like, Luna told us that she had you and let us come back to get you." Hazel explained. She had wrapped her arm through Frank's and was leaning against him. "So yeah, that's pretty much what happened."

"Breakfast is ready, if you're all done sharing stories." Luna called from the back of the cave. The Seven all glanced at each other, then raced for the food.

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"Luna, did you make all of this yourself?" Hazel asked as she eyed the table laden with food. Their questions and distrust had been set aside at the sight of fresh food. Hot bacon, ham, and deer venison, followed by fresh fruit and two wooden jugs of juice.
"We never even saw you cook!"

"Well, I didn't make all of this myself." Luna answered as they piled their wooden plates high. "My guardians and I have food stored up in the cellar." She pointed to the back of the cave, where Annabeth could make out a wooden door in the rocks. She shrugged and helped herself to some bacon.

They all sat down, and were about to eat, when an odd cry erupted outside the cave. The Seven were immediately on their feet, weapons at the ready. Well, minus Leo. He brandished a wooden fork threateningly.

"Wait. Stop!" Luna ran in front of them, hands up in a surrender gesture.  "It is only my guardians. Look." She pointed toward the entrance.

Annabeth gasped as two bright, flaming spheres, one blue, one red, flew into the cave. "They... they're Phoenix." She whispered reverently. "I thought those were all gone!"

The two Phoenix landed on the floor of the cave and began to glow. They stretched their wings, growing taller, and took on human forms.

The blue one was a girl of about eighteen. She had a blue shirt with a black skirt and leggings. A hood was pulled over her head, and a black cloth covered her face from the nose down. Silver-blue eyes took in the group, framed by a braid of dark blonde hair.

The male was dressed somewhat identically. His shirt was red, and he wore black shorts. A similar mask covered half his face, save the hazel eyes staring at them. Ebony bangs swept across his forehead, half covering his eyes. He could have passed for nineteen. They both wore black combat boots and had bows and quivers strung across their backs. They carried themselves with an identical aura of warriors at rest.

"May I introduce Pyron and Azura, my guardians and the only existing Phoenix."

The two now-human Phoenix bowed.
"It is an honor, demigods." The female, Azura, said. They straightened up and pulled their masks down, showing faces that were serious, but not unkind.

Annabeth gaped at them. "But you're-, how did-, how did you do that?" She asked finally. The Phoenix looked at each other and chuckled.

"We apologize. The Mist is layered heavily around us, and it can often muddle even the sharpest of minds." Pyron nodded to the group. "We will try to answer any questions that Luna has not. Now come." He pointed to the still full table and barely touched plates. "I believe breakfast is ready."
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-SilverQuillsandRoses