The Child of Artemis

Chapter 13

Piper pushed aside the vine curtain and stood outside the cave. The forest looked peaceful, but with no sign of Luna.

Piper took a deep breath and shouted: "LUNA. I NEED YOU." She waited until a slight rustling could be heard in the trees. She looked up and saw Luna glaring down at her, hanging off a high branch.

"What do you want?" She asked in a low growl. With her dark clothes and scowl, she reminded Piper of a panther, poised and ready to maul. Piper sighed. "I have something to tell you. And you might want to be on the ground for this one."

Luna frowned but did as she suggested. She shimmied down the tree with the ease of a squirrel. "This had better be important."

Piper waited until she was ready before explaining. She gave Luna a quick explanation of Camp Half-Blood and the prophecy, and explained that Luna was a part of it. She monitored Luna's expression carefully, but the demigoddess held the same, stoic face the entire time.

When Piper finished, Luna sighed. "So I have to hold up the sky?" She asked.

Piper nodded. "And it will do what exactly?"

"It will allow Atlas, your father, to defeat Prometheus. We think he's holding a goddesses captive and is stealing her strength."

Luna nodded resolutely. "Very well. I will do this." She stood up and made for the cave entrance. "We must leave immediately. I will start packing." Luna certainly didn't like to waste time.

"Wow." Piper muttered to herself. "That was easier than I thought." She followed Luna into the cave.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Percy was getting thirsty. The juice at breakfast had been sweet, but he needed water. And unfortunately, his canteen was back at camp with the rest of their supplies.

He got up and made his way to the back of the cave, where he found the girl Phoenix in a lotus position, meditating.

"Uh, Miss Blue Phoenix?"

The Phoenix raised her eyebrow but kept her eyes closed. "My name," she said slowly, "Is Azura. What do you need?"

He blinked. "Do you guys have any water? I'm kind of thirsty."

Azura pointed past him to the cave exit. "Out that way and to the left there's a stream. It is safe to drink."

"Oh. Thanks." As he turned to leave, Azura called after him, "And I believe the Roman woman is already there."

Percy exited the cave and turned left. There was a little path, which led to the stream she had spoke of. Percy bent down and scooped water into his hands. He drank until his thirst was quenched.

The son of Posideon stood and wiped his mouth. Azura had said Hazel was down here, but there was no sign of her. Percy frowned. Had the Phoenix been wrong?

Then he heard it. An odd sound, coming from across the stream, deep in the woods.

Choking.

Percy pulled out Riptide and uncapped it. Three feet of celestial bronze sprang forward. Brandishing his sword, he ventured forward.

"Hazel," he called. "Hazel are you there?" He waited, and started to move on, when he heard her. The woods offered no answer, other then a Whipper-Will calling from the branches above. He turned in a full circle, until he heard her voice.

"I'm over here." Hazel called softly. She was on her knees by a tree, looking nauseous. Percy put away his sword and jogged over to her.

"Hazel, are you alright?" He asked. Hazel opened her mouth to reply, then turned away and threw up in the bushes. He winced as she vomited.