Skylan Chronicles

Chapter 1

The arrow landed right where I wanted it to. The bullseye. The other girls around me who are just starting out admire my work. It helps that my mom is the leader of the Hunters, and I've been around long enough to learn all her tricks. There are so many it took at least a century.
Yes. I said a century. I'm at least as old as my mom. Just about one hundred years younger. I've been through a lot of stuff throughout my life. Helped in the Trojan War, recruited more Hunters, helped raise the best heroes of all time.
     That's another thing. I am normally asked to literally help raise children of the gods. Normally they're really important for the gods and me and themselves. Hercules? That was me, teaching him the skills he needed to save, you know, the world and Olympus. I also helped with Perseus, Odysseus, and some more but it's a long list. I'll probably get my next "assignment" shortly.
     I racked my bow and set my arrows down. A girl named Zoë followed me out. "Hello, Skye."
     "Hey, Zoë. What are you looking to do?"
     "I have no clue, maybe hunt. Your mother is out on a mission today. We could track what she's doing."
     "Sounds good. We will leave in a couple minutes. Let me shower or bathe or whatever."
     Zoë nodded and ran off. Ah. Zoë. One of my first recruits. She is the lieutenant for my moms group of Hunters. I am pretty much the captain if my mom is gone. If she's here, I don't have a functioning role. She doesn't want to be biased.
     I stopped by the Hunters bunk and grabbed a fresh pair of jeans and a t-shirt. I pointed out that we needed to look modern, because it's 21st century modern. Or 1990's. I don't really pay attention to the years so much as the fashion. We can't wear our normal cloth robes. It would set us apart from society.
I went to the bathing room and turned on a shower. Olympus has done some good with their updating of facilities. Trust me, I've begged and begged on my knees to Hephaestus to upgrade things for a while.
The water came out cold, the way I like it. I stood under the water and thought about whether I should go with Zoë or not. I haven't really been on good terms with my mom lately and this would just piss her off.
     I started muttering under my breath. I shut off the water and grabbed the towel I had. I dried myself and put on the jeans and t-shirt. I left my hair messy. Best way to talk to the gods.
                                  ***********
"A girl?" I asked. I was talking to Zeus and I could feel his judgement about my hair. Actually, I could hear it in his head.
     "Yes, Skye, a girl. You'll raise her just like you did the boys. It's not that different. Except for pubescent matters. But you're a girl. You'll have to converse with Athena for more details."
     "When am I supposed to leave?"
     "She said to start packing tonight because you leave in the morning." I groaned because I didn't really want to pack tonight. I thanked him and walked the opposite way to Athena's weaving area.
      "Hello, Athena. Where am I going for your daughter?"
      "To Richmond. Not too far. You could probably drive there."
      "Okay. What's her name?"
      "Annabeth." She looked up, setting down her needle.
      "Is she important? Like, super important?"
      "Unless you would like to die completely in the future, then no. Otherwise, you better raise her better than those other ones."
      I looked at her, acknowledging the fact that it's Athena, and she'd probably figure out any sarcastic comment I could make. I started to open my mouth but she cut me off. "It's not worth it, Skye. I can take this opportunity away from you."
With that, I shut my mouth and stared at the tapestry being created. It showed a blond girl and a dark haired boy facing a large, dark silhouette on top of Olympus. My eyes widened at the sight of it. "Is that what you were talking about?"
She grabbed the tapestry and shoved it into a chest nearby. She shook her head. "It could happen. It might not. It doesn't matter." I could hear her voice quaver.
I decided to get up and hug her, which seemed a little too compassionate but it needs to be done. She enveloped me with a tight hug when she felt my arms wrap around her.
"Alright," I said, pulling away," I have a hunting mission to go on... I will pack when I come back, okay?" Athena nodded and started to work on a new tapestry. I looked back to see her shoulders shaking ever so slightly, and as I walked out, I found that tears formed in my eyes. I hurried down the hallways to the bunker.
     I grabbed my bow off the wall and a small backpack and carried on to the normal meeting area with Zoë. I tried to shake my mind of the tapestry. It's just a prophecy... It can't happen, can it?
     "I know your mother is headed towards upstate New York," Zoë said. She had a silver bow, nothing compared to my platinum bow equipped with a draw knife and explosives. Not that I need or use them. I have my special gloves.
     "I guess that's where we are headed for, too," I reply, happy to get going. "You might have to go to the stables this time. I need a little time alone, and with you riding it might make things worse, no offense." She nodded her head as if she understood. It's one of my rules, if I'm having a hard time, just digest it and get moving.
     She headed off to an area where a lot of neighs and whinnies were coming from. I headed off to the runway, or at least what we call the runway. Don't go too far, maybe a mile at most. I need to be able to keep you in my sights, I said to Zoë. She responded quickly and said she was just about to launch down the runway when I saw her pull up. I smiled and got a running start and went at a full sprint towards the drop. I could hear the hooves of the pegasus behind me stop abruptly as it took flight.
     As I free fell, I let my body take over, changing shape into an eagle. It never really bothers me anymore, shrinking and growing and widening. I got used to it over the years. It just comes naturally.
     I caught sight of Zoë above me and opened my wings to catch a draft. As I soared up, I completely forgot the day's events and let everything loose. I wasn't going to let anything bother me anymore.