The Wolves of Artemis (Percy Jackson Fanfiction)

Chapter Six

Okay, let's see how this one is, my lovely readers! Oh, and remember to think very tiny voice for when he speaks until he grows older!

Chapter Six: A Content and Learning Puppy of the Past

Point of View: Ebony

The girls giggle when Phoebe comes in.

"How do you feel, Phoebe?" Artemis asks.

"Phoebe feels nice." I answer and Artemis giggles, stopping Phoebe right when she was about to answer. "Was that question for Phoebe?"

"Yes, it was for Phoebe, little one." Artemis smiles.

"Happier, milady." Phoebe answers.

She sits down and I hop onto the table. I sniff at her food and then sit flat down next to her plate. I watch her and she smiles. She offers me a carrot and I take it from her. I paw it on the table, attacking it. I turn it to kibble and watch her as she eats. I feel the little clicking motion in my soul when I know she can hear me after a few minutes. But she doesn't, apparently, because she's still eating.

"You are pretty, Phoebe. And you smell nice. Like apple cinnamon and sugar." I tell her and she almost chokes on her food, causing Thalia to rub her back until she stops coughing.

"What?" Phoebe looks at me.

"I said you smell nice." I tell her.

"No, before that." Phoebe says and Artemis is trying her best to stifle giggles.

"Oh, I said you're pretty. Very pretty. Beautiful. You look lovely." I smile at her in a wolfish way.

"Why?" She asks.

Artemis bursts out laughing. "It's not funny, my lady. She doesn't believe me." I tell her and Artemis nods but doesn't stop, then I look back at Phoebe. "You have to believe me because you are. I don't see you in the funny way, I see you in a different way. Your skin shines brighter for me than the other girls. Like Lady Artemis's. You smell like the apple cinnamon and sugar while she smells more like silver, deer, and some kind of spice I can't name." I tell her and her eyes are still wide. "Oh, yeah. Congratulations! You now speak wolf! Yay! Now I can talk to you! Isn't it great?!" I spin around and then sit down again.

"You got a hyper one, Phoebe." One says.

"Yeah, the other ones just watched." Another whispers.

"What's your name?" Phoebe asks.

"I'll tell you if you believe me when I say you are pretty and very much so." My tail thumps against the table, causing giggles to go through the tent.

Phoebe sighs. "I guess I believe it when you say it."

"Great. If another guy touches you, I'll bite them. No touching Phoebe. Bad." I tell her and she giggles now. I bark at her giggle, proud I could make her happy.

"That's reassuring. And sweet. Thank you." Phoebe pets me, and I nuzzle her hand.

"But I bite before you shoot." I lick her hand and she nods.

"Okay, as long as I get to." She agrees. "What is your name, though?"

"Lady Artemis named me Ebony." I tell her and bark in glee.

"That's a neat name for you. Do you like it?" Phoebe smiles as she feeds me a piece of her venison. Yum.

As I gnaw on the bite of meat, I answer, it is through my head. I am used to it now. "Of course I like it, Lady Artemis gave it to me. A gift from the Moon herself. Unless you want to call me something else."

"Ebony is a good name. What about a nickname?" She says.

"Whatever you want as long as it isn't silly. No silly." I put a paw on her hand that isn't helping her eat. She smiles as she thinks.

"Eb?" She asks.

"Ew, girlie." I huff and it sounds like I sneezed and then I do.

Phoebe laughs, looking cheerful. "Bless you."

"Thank you." I bark.

"How about...Ebon?" She suggests but I can tell even she doesn't like it.

"Nope. Nope, nope, nope." I chase my tail before stretching and eating more venison she hands me. Attacking it on the table.

"Let's see. Black fur, silver eyes, white tipped ears, and-" Phoebe starts listing.

I perked up at the mention of my eye color. "My ears are white?" I now try to see this and Phoebe laughs. Artemis summons a mirror for her to hold and I paw at it as I study the features. Half my ears are white. Maybe it's from the gray strand in my hair that was fading or something. Weird.

I set my paws down on the table and Phoebe hands the mirror back. She feeds me more food.

"Phoebe, he has to be with you for a whole week before going back to Aroen. He needs to be with you so he learns to really love you and develop the bond as he grows into his full form. He'll stop at the age he was bitten at. Keep an eye on him. He's very curious and excited. More so than the others. He will run off." Artemis informs her.

"Okay." Phoebe grins. "What age were you frozen at?"

I paw at the table as I chew on another carrot. "I think I was eighteen."

Phoebe stiffens. "Oh." She squeaks.

"Phoebe is nice. I like Phoebe." I bark and crawl back into her lap. I make a circle a couple times before plopping down and drifting off.

Here's hoping it was a good one, my lovely readers!