Meeting the Moon at war

Chapter 16

Percy had no idea where he was going next, though he guessed that it would be in another war, since Kronos is all about trying to get him killed so wars are the best thing to put someone in if you want them killed, which so far has failed thankfully. As he was falling to his next supposed death he kept thinking of how everyone was in the present time. He wished that he could've at least seen if Thalia, Grover and Annabeth were alright or close to ok at the very least, since the war did a huge number on them. 

He was too deep in though to notice that the portal had dispersed and dropped him off in a forest. Only when he heard footsteps coming his way did his train of thoughts stop and got a good look at his surroundings. The forest was thick, dense and damp and the feeling that he got from the forest was very depressing and terrifying, though he couldn't actually put a finger on it as to why he felt that way. 

He then heard the light steps again, and he knew from the direction and their positioning that they were trying to surround him, canceling any chance of escape that he could've had, though that didn't mean that he couldn't break through but he first wanted to know who had surrounded him and why. "You know that I can hear you right?'' he said, his voice still a bit hoarse from all of the shouting he did before. 

The hunters cursed under their breaths and muttering to themselves how this pig could've heard them, the highly trained women that have been training under the wing of Lady Artemis herself, in archery, dagger throwing and stealth but he could still hear them? Impossible. That's what every hunter was thinking, and convincing their selves that it was just a bluff and not knowing that they were actually there.

Percy sighed. He was exhausted form the war before and really wanted at least just a bit of rest before he got in another fight, but alas fate had another thing planned for him as the hairs on the back of his neck stood up, signaling that something was heading towards the back of his head, something fast and with deadly accuracy. He managed to spin around and catch the arrow with his right hand. Examining the silver colored arrow, his brain instantly clicked. He now realized why the auras he detected were so familiar and why their pattern was so easy for him to read. It was the hunters of Artemis, and they had no idea who he was, die to this whole time travel thingy. He, again, sighed and spoke with a clear calm voice, "You know I could keep dogging your arrows all day, no matter how much you shoot or at which velocity so just come out.'' He let some of his leader  voice to seep through forcing the young, or old, (you'd never know) hunters out, all with the look of disgust and hatred on their face. Phoebe, the red-headed, very hard to get along with hunter stepped up, snarling at Percy as if he was a piece of trash. Well Percy couldn't really disagree there, he did look like a mess his hair was uneven and flying everywhere, his clothing was thorn and he had large, purple bags under his eyes. Yeah, war did that kind of thing to people. 

"What are you doing here boy?'' she said, not kindly, snare still present on her face. Percy groaned, much louder than he meant to and Phoebe took that as something bad so naturally she shot him with and arrow to which he of course dogged, with a very annoyed expression. "Didn't I say that I could doge your arrows all day, or was I just thinking that?'' he said, raising an eyebrow towards the red-head. Phoebe snarled even harder  than before, if that were possible, and started shooting arrow after arrow, her fellow hunters doing the same. Percy did as he said he would, dogging every single one of their projectiles, catching some that would've hurt the hunter opposite of the arrow. 

This kept going on until the hunters were out of arrows, meaning that they were switching to their daggers, even though fighting with a dagger isn't their strong suit, but they were determined to cut the male in pieces, showing him what would happen if he disrespected any one of them. So they charged, full speed towards their target, confident that he wouldn't be able to walk out of this alive. 

Percy was getting seriously annoyed and pissed towards the hunters and even though they are friends in the future he really wanted to beat them to the ground but he controlled himself and instead he yelled "STOP!'' with all his might and his leader  voice was all out, making all the hunter stop in their tracks, some of the younger hunters had terrified looks on their faces. "Now that I've gotten your attention, finally, I have to ask you something." he said, his voice monotone. "What do you want boy?'' Snarled one of the hunters, Aurora he believed her name was, if memory serves correctly. "Welp just wanted to ask what year it is?'' he asked, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment. 

The hunters looked at each other in confusion but the youngest of the group, Jackie, who was only 11 years old, answered his question, her trembling voice betraying her attempt of a brave face "I-It's the 1940 b-b-boy" she said trying to sound fierce and terrifying, but failing to do  so. Percy looked at Jackie with his piercing sea-green eyes, making the young huntress shake even more violently then before. Before the hunters could scold Percy or even try to comfort the youngster in their group Percy offered a gentle smile and his eyes gave of a comforting feeling, one of the powers he got from the blast of Kronos, and Jackie instantly felt better, smiling a small smile back at him. 

Percy knew what a kind person Jackie was from the future and he knew that she was the first one to actually talk to him after helping directing new recruits towards the hunters camp. Breaking his daydreaming of the future, or was it the present...., any who he didn't want to confuse and hurt his brain trying to think of that so he straightened his back and looked in each and every pair of eyes that were present, stopping when they reached Phoebe's. "Take me to Lady Artemis, now.'' he commanded.