Percy Jackson and The Powers of Chaos

Chapter 22: The Calm before the Storm

Artemis PoV

"That was awesome! "

"Where did you learn to fight like that?"

I was surrounded by my ... I mean the Hunters ,celebrating our victory over the cyclops. An easy win I might say but never the less we got a warm welcome. Mrs. O'Leary was now in her puppy dog form and was patted by a group of girls. Thalia seemed to have fun, too.

I, however, looked into many familiar faces from far in the past and couldn't help a feeling of melancholy overcome me.

Many of those around me were already dead in the future... Most of them died in my arms. A sad smile graced my features before I was taken out of my thoughts.

"You fought well, girl." A bit of anger flared up inside of me, for nobody called me girl and lived long enough to tell about it, but as I turned around I came face to face with ... me.

I quickly bowed reluctantly my head in respect as Thalia, with a small smirk, did the same next to me.

"Lady Artemis."

"Rise, young one." How Ironic... I then noticed the white wolf next to... well me. The strange thing was ... I couldn't remember her. The she-wolf, however, gazed at me with knowing eyes, as if she could look right into my mind.

"You wish to join the Hunt?" Again I was taken out by my thoughts by myself. Thalia answered this time.

"Yes, my Lady." Artemis... that's just strange to talk about me by the way... looked at us with an appraising gaze and then nodded in approval.

"What are your names?"

"Thalia, my Lady."

"Diana... my Lady."

"Very well. You may accompany us on our way to camp and then we shall see."

There was a cheer running through the group of Hunters and I bowed again with a small smirk as I glanced towards the two wolves that stood quite a bit away from the group. I could already see the fear forming in their eyes...

We soon were on the move again and Thalia and I were forced to be introduced to the ways of the Hunters by Zoe while Mrs. O'Leary took a nap on top of Thalia's head. Zoe was quite cheerful and yet again I couldn't prevent a image of her last smile to appear in my mind.

"... guess that's all you have to know about our life." She gave us a shy smile, while I as so often glanced at the black wolf stalking through the trees far away from us.

"What about the wolves?" Thalia asked not knowing the old ways of the hunters.

"Well they are some kind of familiars for the Hunters of Artemis." I didn't concentrate on her explanation as I still searched for a way to get near Perseus to well... let justice prevail?

"So why don't you have one?" Thalia asked with a questioning look towards Zoe.

"I am not a real Hunter... yet." I heard sadness in her tone and looked over my shoulder to see Zoe look to the ground. Of course I knew the reason why she wasn't a Hunter yet. She was a daughter of a Titan, a daughter of Atlas and as such I didn't trust her. Looking back I felt a bit guilty about it and spoke up without looking back.

" Do not fear, you will become a Hunter of Artemis and you will be a great Heroine. I am sure of it."

Zoe responded with a warm smile and wiped away a few stray tears. I also could feel Thalia looking at me in awe but didn't comment.

"So how do we get a wolf?" I asked , faking interest, to break the silence.

"When you join the Hunt you shall tame a wolf yourself, for that wolf shall be forever yours." I remembered saying that very sentence to the young Zoe in the past... well around this time.