Odyssey

Ambush

                        Percy, Nico and his sister Bianca, surfaced in from a salt water river. It was night time now, and they were in the middle of the wilderness.

"What the hell?" Percy sighed. "I thought we were cool Zoe!"

"Who's Zoe?" Nico said.

"Where are we?" Bianca said, looking around to the unfamiliar night time landscape.

"Who the hell knows?" Percy sighed. "Follow me I guess."

Together they walked along the river, Percy walked in the river, that allowed him to see where the water led to. After awhile and constant complaining from the two siblings. Percy gave in and called for them to make camp. They set up a little spot near the river, inside of a small cave big enough to fit them. Bianca made beds for them to sleep while Nico made a fire, and Percy caught fish for their dinner. After they ate, Nico passed out on his hastily made bed. Bianca sat up staring at the fire, Percy sitting on a log keeping guard.

"Mr. Jackson?" Bianca said.

"You can call me Percy," Percy said, not turning to her and keeping an eye out on the cave's entrance.

"Who are you?" Bianca said.

"I don't know," Percy said, half sarcastically.

"Seriously, how can you control water and blind a cyclops like that. And take hits from the cyclops. I saw him turn men into paste with one hit!" Bianca said.

"I'm just built different," Percy said. He could practically hear Bianca's eye's roll behind him. "I'm a Demigod, son of Poseidon, so I guess that let's me control water and make me stronger. I'm not really sure how all this works yet."

"Why did you come to save us?" Bianca said, sitting down next to Percy on the log. He scootched over so she could have more room.

"My father told me to save Nico," Percy said. "Then Nico wouldn't go, until I saved you."

"Oh..." Bianca said.

"I'm guessing, Nico is the son of a god, maybe you too, I don't know," Percy said. "Can I ask? Why did you abandon him?"

"Our mom died when we were young, and we never knew our father," Bianca started. "I've been taking care of Nico my entire life, never being able to live for myself and do want I want because of him."

"So you basically abandoned your only family left in the world just so you can what? Have a little fun?" Percy said, anger rising in his chest.

"It's not like that—"

"It's exactly like that," Percy said, his voice rising. "I would have killed to have family, instead I grew up alone and in the streets, fighting every single day of my life for a roll of bread. And that's exactly what you wanted to do for your brother, leave him in the streets, and hope he doesn't starve to death or get himself murdered my animals or raiders or in the war."

"I didn't want—"

"You should go to bed, we start moving again at first light," Percy said, looking away from her.

Bianca stood up, and slowly scuffled back to the cave. Percy stayed watch, thinking about Annabeth, and if she was ok, or awake and worried about him. The sun peaked over the trees, and Percy woke the other two up. Nico looked like a mess who slept for 40 hours, but Bianca looked like a mess for a whole other reason. Her eyes were heavy, and red, her nose was red too. "Come on, let's keep moving."

A few more hours in, they are still walking down the river when Percy feels eyes watching him. "Stop." He said, Bianca and Nico bumping into the back of him. They were in a small valley, thick tress lined each side of the large hills surrounding them. Suddenly, silver arrows flew from each side of the valley, coming directly at them.

"Get down!" Percy shouted and pushed Nico behind a rock and talked Bianca to the ground. An arrow nearly hit Percy right in the back as he fell. Percy stood up, Bianca slide over to Nico then Percy pulled the hair clip from his head and clicked it. Riptide erupted into his palm just in time for Percy to slash and cut an arrow right in half. The two halves of the arrow fell to the ground, and clicked against the rocks. It was metal, and silver. Percy had never seen arrows like this before.

"Percy..." Bianca said.

"What?" Percy said looking up, they were surrounded by a group of girls. Each one of them glaring at them, and holding silver bows. A familiar face in the group. "Zoe?" Percy asked.

"Who are you?" A tall well built beautiful woman with black hair spoke to Percy.

"Percy Jackson," Percy said. "Who are you?" he said snarkly.

The group of girls gasped at his words, and pulled their bows up ready to kill him. But the beautiful woman raised her hand, settling them down. "It would be wise for you to speak politely to me, I am the goddess of the hunt, Artemis."

"So," Percy scoffed.

The group of girls gasped again. And once again, the lady waved them off. "Who do you think you are? Talking to a goddess like that!" Artemis said.

"Son of Poseidon," Percy said. The girls eyes went wide, Zoe looked sadly at Percy. "What are you doing with her?" Percy asked to Zoe.

"M'lady has granted me immortality in return of me joining the Hunters of Artemis," Zoe said shyly. "Forgive me Percy, I did want to tell you I was leaving, but Lord Poseidon forbade me."

"Well... as long as your happy with it," Percy said, flashing a smile. Zoe seemed to perk up, which earned her glares from the other girls. "And for you goddess of the hunt or whatever. What gives you the right to shoot at a group of people with no reason!"

"Forgive me, I thought you were poachers," Atemis said.

"We don't even have bows! As far as you knew, we didn't even have a single weapon!" Percy shouted, the ground trembling a little bit. Fear flashed in each of the girls eyes. "We are leaving now, are all the gods this annoying..." Percy said, lifting Nico to his feet. "Zoe, I wish you the best in your new line of work, and... many successful hunts."

"Wait," Bianca said. "I want to join the Hunters."