Poseidon's Daughter; A Percy Jackson Fanfiction

A Gathering of the Head Counsellors

Y/n's POV

Council meetings were never my favorite because they usually caused arguments. The head counsellors of the cabins only met to discuss import events, like prophecies and other camp activities, but they seemed to be happening more often. Even a small decision like deciding on the end of summer bead design led to bickering between the counsellors. And with the Hunters present, I knew things would get even more out of hand. The council was held around a ping-pong table in the rec room. There was Cheez Whiz and crackers, and several bottles of Diet Coke, but no one touched the food. Mr. D and Chiron sat at one head of the table while Zoe and Bianca took the other, leaving the rest of us counsellors to fill in. Since it was winter, there weren't as many counselors as usual. Percy and I were the co-counsellors for the Poseidon cabin, and then there were the Stoll Brothers, Beckendorf, Silena Beauregard, and Thalia. Oh, and Grover was here too.

"This is pointless," Zoe noted. "There is no time for talk. Our goddess needs us. The Hunters must leave immediately."

"And go where?" Chiron asked.

"West!" Bianca replied. "You heard the prophecy. 'Six shall go west to the goddess in chains'. We can get six hunters and go."

"Yes," Zoë agreed. "Artemis is being held hostage! We must find her and free her."

"You're missing something, as usual," Thalia butted in. "'Campers and Hunters combined prevail'. We're supposed to do this together."

"No!" Zoë disagreed. "The Hunters do not need thy help."

"I fear the prophecy says you do need our help," Chiron concurred with Thalia. "Campers and Hunters must cooperate."

"Or do they? 'One shall be lost'. 'One shall perish'" Mr. D recalled. "That sounds rather nasty, doesn't it? What if you fail because you try to cooperate?"

Chiron sighed. "Mr. D, with all due respect, whose side are you on?"

Dionysus raised his eyebrows. "Sorry, my dear centaur. Just trying to be helpful."

"We're supposed to work together," Thalia spoke stubbornly. "I don't like it either, Zoë, but you know prophecies. You want to fight against one?"

"We must not delay," Chiron warned. "Today is Sunday. This very Friday, December 21st, is the winter solstice."

"Artemis must be present at the solstice," Zoë insisted. "She has been one of the most vocal on the council arguing for action against Kronos's minions. If she is absent, the gods will decide nothing. We will lose another year of war preparations."

"I must agree with Zoë. Artemis's presence at the winter council is critical. We have only a week to find her. And possibly even more important: to locate the monster she was hunting. Now, we must decide who goes on this quest," Chiron declared.

"Three and three," Percy figured. "Three Hunters, three from Camp Half-Blood. That's more than fair. But um, Artemis mentioned that she was tracking the scent of a rare monster. Chiron, do you have any ideas about the monster?"

Chiron pursed his lips. "I have several ideas, none of them good. And none of them quite make sense. Typhon, for instance, could fit this description. He was truly a bane of Olympus. Or the sea monster Ketos. But if either of these were stirring, we would know it. They are ocean monsters the size of skyscrapers. Your father Poseidon would already have sounded the alarm. I fear this monster may be more elusive. Perhaps even more powerful."

"That's some serious danger you're facing. It sounds like at least two of the six are going to die," Connor guessed.

"'One shall be lost in the land without rain'," Beckendorf recited. "If I were you, I'd stay out of the desert."

"'And the Titan's curse must one withstand',' Silena brought up. "What could that mean?"

"'One shall perish by a parent's hand'. How is that possible? Whose parent would kill them?" Grover inquired.

"There will be deaths," Chiron decided. "That much we know."

"Percy is right," Silena chimed in. "Three campers should go."

"And I suppose you wish to volunteer?" Zoe retorted.

Silena shook her head. "I'm not going anywhere with the Hunters."

"Let's start with the Hunters," Beckendorf interjected. "Which three of you will go?"

"I shall go, of course," Zoe volunteered. "And I will take Phoebe. She is our best tracker."

"The big girl who likes to hit people on the head?" Travis questioned cautiously.

"And the one who put the arrows in my helmet?" Connor added.

"Yes," Zoë snapped. "Why?"

"Oh, nothing. We just have a T-shirt for her from the camp store. Look," Travis directed and held up a big silver T-shirt that said 'Artemis the Moon Goddess, Hunting Tour 2002', with a huge list of national parks and stuff underneath. "It's a collector's item. She was admiring it. You want to give it to her?"

"I suppose," Zoe muttered and took the shirt. "As I was saying, I will take Phoebe. And I wish Bianca to go."

"M-me?" Bianca stuttered. "But I'm so new. I wouldn't be any good."

"You will do fine," Zoë assured her. "There is no better way to prove thyself."

"And for campers?" Chiron implored.

"I'll go," Grover offered and stood up. "Anything to help Artemis!"

Zoe wrinkled her nose. "Very well. And the second camper?"

'I could go," Thalia proposed.

"For the third member, I would like to make a suggestion. I would like Y/n to accompany us," Zoe put forth.

I laughed. "Yeah, no thanks. I've gone on enough quests the past two years. I'd like a break. And whatever is going on with Artemis is not my business. No offense."

"Chiron told me that you are one of his best fighters. And I saw thy skills with a bow during Capture the Flag. You might just be as skilled as my Hunters," Zoe commented. "So, would you accompany me on this quest?"

"Like I said before, no," I respond. "I'm sorry. You'll have to pick someone else. Perhaps you should ask Percy."

"I will not go on a quest with a boy," Zoe admitted. "Having a satyr come along is already pushing it."

"Y/n, she's not budging, and if I can't go on this quest, I'd feel a lot better if you went. You want to find Annabeth, right? So do this for her. Please," Percy begged.

"I hate you," I grumble to Percy before turning to face the group. "Fine. I'll go. We'll meet at Half Blood Hill at first light. As for now, I'm starving. Dinner is well underway in the dining pavilion, and I don't want to miss it."