Elizabeth Potter

Chapter 4

About a month later, Calla, Strider, and I were in Colorado. It was cold, and I lived in my coat, hat, and winter boots. As the snow fell, I began to miss the green grass. I tugged the hood of my jacket over my hat. Calla was sleeping on my shoulders, and I held Strider in my arms. He was asleep as well. I was worried that they would catch a cold or become badly ill. Luckily for us, we came across a town. I found that some people had sympathy for six-year-old girls all alone on the run with two kittens with her.

I hobbled down the hill and into the streets of the Colorado town. Snow covered the buildings, and people walked through the streets. I wove through the crowds, looking for someone who would give me something. I felt the water in the air move as someone approached behind me.

"Hey, little girl, where are your parents?" A voice from behind said. I spun around and immediately fell back in shock, dropping Strider. The man was glowing. Calla leaped from my shoulders at the last possible second, landing on her feet beside Strider. Both kittens assumed hunting positions.

"Calla, Strider, calm," I ordered. Calla gave one more adorable glare and then walked back over to me. Strider took a moment to consider following my orders before listening and waking up next to Calla. Standing up, I was finally able to look at the man. He had bright blonde hair, was probably 6 feet, and was wearing sandals, a tank top, and shorts. There was only one god who this could be.

"Lord Apollo," I said with a bow. Apollo waved me off.

"No need for formalities Elizabeth," Apollo said with a wink.

"Eliza," I corrected. Apollo looked at me, confused.

"Huh?"

"It's Eliza. Elizabeth sounds too formal and you said that there wasn't a need for formalities," I said with a shrug. Apollo thought about it for a moment, then continued on.

"Well, Eliza, I'm here to do two things. The first is to offer a bit of protection," Apollo said nonchalantly. He stepped forward toward me, but Calla and Strider moved in front of me, back in a crouch. Apollo stepped back, hands in the air, a smile working its way onto his face.

"Whoa there," He said. I gently picked the kittens up. Then, warily, I let Apollo approach. He placed his thumb against my forehead and muttered something I didn't understand. A soft yellow glow surrounded us and then faded.

"What did you do?" I asked curiously. I didn't feel any different. Apollo stepped back.

"You can't get hypothermia or freeze now. There isn't a lot I could do to keep you warm on your journey, but at least you won't freeze to death. It's not much, but it's something. Now, the other thing is to direct you to my sister. She doesn't know you're coming, but she won't refuse to help a young maiden. All you need to do is go that way," Apollo instructed, pointing to the woods. For a second, I saw a silver shimmer. I turned back to thank Apollo, but he was gone. I didn't even feel him leave.

I felt them before I saw them. Calla, Strider, and I had entered a small clearing. Calla and Strider sat up with their ears perked forward, and I felt the blood surrounding us. I flicked my daggers out and got into my defensive stance.

"I know you are there!" I called out. The people emerged. A group of female hunters Most were confused. Diana walked up to me and knelt to be at my height.

"Who are you young demigod?"

"I am Elizabeth, daughter of Salacia and Amphitrite."

All the hunters gasped. Salacia and Amphitrite have never sired half-bloods before. Diana did not seem surprised. Instead, she stood and turned to her hunters. She ordered the hunters to set up camp. Dogs appeared from the woods and circled the camp. On my shoulders, I felt Calla's claws extend and her fur bristle. Strider, on the other hand, was trying to shrink. His ears flattened themselves, and his eyes were opened wide.

"Your kittens are adorable," Diana told me.

"Thank you! But they aren't mine. Only my friends. This is Calla and this is Strider," I said with glee, not even noticing I was speaking in Roman. Diana laughed.

"Come with me young one," She held out her hand, and I gladly took it. She brought me to a tent where a girl was. Diana sat down with the girl at her side. The girl opened her mouth to say something, but Diana cut her off.

"Zoë, Elizabeth speaks only a little English. For right now, it will be easier if we speak Greek," Diana said. Something about her voice was different than when she spoke earlier.

"I don't speak Greek," I said, trying to match how she spoke. Diana merely chuckled.

"You just spoke Greek," She told me. I looked at her, confused. Diana shook her head with a smile.

"Your cats are gorgeous, and obviously protective of you. You are lucky," Zoë said, nodding to Calla on my shoulders and Strider in my lap.

"They're not mine, but thank you! This is Calla, this one is Strider," I said excitedly. Zoë turned to Diane.

"She is so cute, Lady Artemis. Elizabeth will make a great addition to the hunt," Zoë said confidently. Dian-no-Artemis shook her head gently, surprising Zoë.

"But, M'lady, you offer it to all young maidens and Elizabeth seems like she would join," Zoë said. Artemis looked at me.

"Yes, I do. And, Elizabeth would make a great addition, but I can not offer it. Elizabeth's fate has already been foretold. However...sad it may be. There is a place she needs to go when she is eleven and the hunt will hold her back. As much as it pains me to say, we must let this one go away." Zoë stared at Artemis with curiosity.

"We will accompany her and protect her on her journey to New York," Zoë said, "Right?" Artemis stared off into the distance, thinking.

"She will stay with us for a while, but when we get to Nebraska, we will split. The hunt is going to North Dakota and Elizabeth is going to New York," Artemis said sadly.

"But why, Lady Artemis? We must protect her. How can you let a young maiden go! She is young and has not been corrupted yet. She has yet to have a boy break her heart." Zoë pleaded. I didn't know why she wanted me to join the hunt so badly. Artemis seemed to look into my soul.

"And she never will, have a boy break her heart. Not in that way at least. I do not want to let her go, Zoë. But I must. She was blessed with a curse before she was born. Her fate is long since decided. Maybe one day, but for now, too many need her. This is her final test. Elizabeth is to get to Camp Half-Blood. We can not help her anymore than what we are doing now. Zoë, I know you want to help, but please, drop the subject," Artemis instructed. Zoë looked down and nodded. She was very sad. Artemis noticed and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Can you take Elizabeth to her tent? We leave at dawn," Artemis told Zoë. She nodded and stood up. Zoë extended her hand to me, and Calla tried to scratch it. Zoë pulled it back and laughed a little.

"Come along Elizabeth, let us go meet the hunt."

I was very popular amongst the hunters. They treated me like their very own. The hunters taught me the best ways to track an animal and shoot a bow and arrow. I learned that Zoë's mom was a water nymph, so she taught me some tricks she saw her mom do. While with the hunters, I figured out how to make water daggers and other weapons. I finally felt like I had a home. 

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Don't worry. There will be an explaining Eliza chapter if you guys want it. I think, later in the story, Eliza kinda covers it herself, but if you want one like before, let me know. Also, I love this chapter so much! And the beginning of the next one.

Love you all, and have an amazing day/night-Cae Cae