Prince of the Universe, Love of Artemis (On Hiatus)

Chapter 3: The Hunters of Artemis

(Percy POV)

After Artemis flashed the girls and I down, she turned to us. She explained what the girls were to do, but not me. So naturally...

"Lady Artemis, do mind if I come in as a wolf?"

She turned to me, shocked. "And why would you like to do that, Perseus?"

"Please don't call me Perseus. And I want to do that because Thalia still thinks that I dyed her hair while you visited Camp Half-Hell." 

She looked at me for a moment and then said okay. I transformed into a wolf, and Piper and Camille started staring at me. I tried asking what was wrong, but then I realized that I was a wolf. Artemis summoned a mirror so that I could see myself, and then I saw why the girls were staring.

My fur coat was the exact shade of raven black as my hair. My eyes were an even more piercing sea green if that's even possible. Besides all of that, I was huge. I came up to Artemis' hip while she was in her 20-year-old form. I nodded at her, and she took away the mirror.

"What will we call you?" Piper questioned.

I had a feeling Artemis could read my thoughts, so I thought to myself Prodoménos. You can say Prod for short.

Artemis looked at me and told the girls. Ha, so I was right, she can hear me. I'll have to be careful about what I think. At that thought, she shot me a glare.

"Let's go, everyone. Don't want to keep the Hunt waiting!" Camille said, a little too cheerfully.

We walked the few short minutes to camp in silence. The Hunters were all gathered around the campfire. 

Artemis cleared her throat. "Girls! We have some new members joining us! This is Camille," my sister stepped forward, "and Piper," Piper stood up next to Cam. Thalia screamed.

"Lady Artemis! How could you! You know what they did to me! I couldn't get the dye out for a week! And--" she paused and looked at me, "Who's the wolf?"

Artemis looked down at her side and smiled at me. "This is Prodoménos. He will be our guardian, per Zeus' orders."

"Prodoménos?" Pheobe, one of the oldest hunters asked. "In Greek, that means--"

"Betrayed. Yes, I know Pheobe," Artemis cut her off. "Prodoménos is actually a boy, I mean man, and he has been betrayed. He wishes to keep his identity a secret, and I agree with him."

"A werewolf?" one of the younger girls screeched. "We are trying to kill werewolves!"

"Sabrina, he's not a werewolf. He came to the council today looking for a place to go, and I blessed him with the ability to transform into my sacred animal." Artemis explained to the camp, thankfully not letting anything slip about my identity.

"Wait a moment M'lady," Thalia said. "You keep referring to Prodoménos as a man. That means, that the Guardian of the Hunt when in human form, is a male?" she screeched.

"Yes," Artemis said calmly. "I know how strange this must sound, but I feel sorry for him. He suffered much, and I took pity."

Someone scoffed at her. "You, Artemis, the man-hater, have taken pity on a male?"

Artemis glared at the hunter. "Yes, and that is my choice. As I said, he suffered much. No matter the gender of a person, they should receive care if worthy of it. He has not gotten such treatment where he is from, and he is certainly worthy." She swiftly changed the subject. "Alright, that is enough questions for tonight, get to bed. Piper, Camille, and Prodoménos will be getting their own tent from me, so will the three of you come with me?" she gestured for us to follow.

Thank you, M'lady, I said in my mind.

She smiled at me and then gestured for us all to follow her to her tent again.

We arrived at her tent and she zipped it up from the inside, effectively locking the door. I transformed back into my human form so that I could talk to the girls without Artemis having to translate.

"M'lady, is this tent soundproof?" Piper asked so that if it wasn't, I wouldn't have to risk revealing myself.

"Yes Piper, the tent is soundproof." I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding. "Why do you ask?"

"I asked for Percy, M'lady. I don't want him to have to reveal himself before he is ready," Piper explained.

"Thanks, Pipes," I said as I smiled at her. She smiled back before continuing the conversation.

"So, M'lady, where will we be lodging for the night?"

Artemis looked at her confused. "In your tent. That's why I called you all here, to give you your tents." She looked at me. "Pers-Percy, your tent is special, I'll show you when I'm finished with the girls." I nodded at her and stepped off to the side.

"Piper, Camille, repeat after me. I pledge myself to the goddess Artemis, turn my back on the company of men, and join the Hunt." After the girls recited the oath, Artemis nodded. "I accept your oath. Welcome to the Hunt." Handing them each a square of silver fabric, she said, "These are your tents. Shake it once and it will open, tap the outer right side twice to get it to close." The girls nodded and filed out. Artemis looked at me. "Follow me, Percy."

I followed her out of the tent, and she led me to an empty space right next to hers. Thalia's tent was to her right, and mine seemed like it was to be put to her left. I stared at her, shocked. "M'lady, I cannot camp here. I am a male, and the hunters will not tolerate this," I told her quietly, so that no one will wake up and find out who I am.

She shook her head at me. "But you are also my guardian. If you camped near the edge of the camp, you would not be able to hear me if I cry out for your help. I have enchanted my tent so that you can only get in if you have the password," she told me.

It made sense, I suppose. But then she surprised me. "The password is Apóllon."

"That's Apollo's name in Greek!" I whisper shouted. She looked at the ground sheepishly. "No matter how much you bicker, you really do love him, don't you?" I realized.

She looked up and nodded at me, still embarrassed. "I think it's great," I told her.

She smiled at me, and then handed me a piece of fabric similar to what the girls got, except theirs was silver, and mine is black. "Open the tent the same way that I told the girls, and once you're inside, say whatever word you want the passcode to be. I figure that will help quite a bit with the hunter's pranks. Most of them involve placing the victim's mattress on the closest body of water," Artemis told me. "Sleep well, my guardian," she said to me before walking off.

Well, I've met the Hunters of Artemis. Now they have to learn to trust me.