𝙇𝙐𝙉𝘼𝙈 ──── 𝗽𝗷𝗼 𝘅 𝗼𝗰𝘀 [1]

╰➤ 𝗰𝗵 𝗶. 𝗶 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻'𝘁 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝘂𝗽 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀

ah, yes. me publishing this story and then disappearing for two months and then coming back randomly, a classic.

╔═══════.·:·.★ ✦ ★･:･:═══════╗

" 𝖨'𝗆 𝗈𝗎𝗍𝗌𝗂𝖽𝖾, 𝗐𝗁𝗂𝗅𝖾 𝗂𝗍'𝗌 𝗌𝗇𝗈𝗐𝗂𝗇𝗀, 𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗆𝗂𝖽𝖽𝗅𝖾 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗇𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍. 𝖶𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝖼𝗈𝗎𝗅𝖽 𝗉𝗈𝗌𝗌𝗂𝖻𝗅𝗒 𝗀𝗈 𝗐𝗋𝗈𝗇𝗀? "

FOR THE RECORD, Luna Chang didn't want to be here.

But it wasn't really an option for her anyway, especially if it was a request from the goddess that raised her.

"Though you were raised under my ideals, you still have to interact with people outside of the Hunters of Artemis," her adoptive mother, Artemis, had told her. "Even I can't live in the shadows forever."

And so here she was, shooting at a huge manticore with the rest of the Hunters.
Her one and only shot hit the manticore right in the middle of its forehead. The other arrows from the Hunters showered down as well.

The manticore staggered back. "This is not the end, Huntress! You shall pay!" it cried. Then it turned and jumped off the cliff, with the blonde girl who jumped him still on its back.

"Annabeth!" the boy with dark curls yelled after her.

There was a sound from above, and bullet holes appeared in the snow in front of them. Most of the Hunters scattered, but Luna stayed rooted beside Artemis, who gazed up at the sky calmly.

"Mortals," she announced. "are not allowed to witness my hunt."

With a wave of her hand, the helicopter unraveled into a flock of ravens (that Luna could see thanks to her night vision) and scattered into the night.

The Hunters' lieutenant, Zoë Nightshade, glanced at the small group of people they just saved. When Zoë's eyes landed on one of the members of the other group, her expression soured.

"You," she said with distaste.

"Zoë Nightshade," the other girl returned, her voice fluctuating with anger. "Perfect timing, as usual."

Zoë ignored her and proceeded to scan the rest of the group. "Four half-bloods and a satyr, my lady," she informed Artemis.

"Yes," Artemis replied. "Some of Chiron's campers, I see."

Campers... oh. She was referring to Camp Half-Blood.

Luna had never been there before. She hated large groups of people. It was always too loud, too unbearable. Artemis said that once she'd gone to camp, she wouldn't want to leave.

Luna had disagreed (oh, how wrong she was...).

"Annabeth!" the boy continued to yell. "You have to let us save her!"