Snowfall

Grain Free

"What do you mean you're on strike?" Percy said incredulously. "You can do that?"

"Duh," the dark pegasus nickered. "We made our choice. Fix your mistakes or we will not be serving the campers."

"You need to tell me my mistake," Percy said blankly. "I won't know unless you tell me."

"The grain!" Blackjack whinnied, throwing his head up. "It's insulting!"

"Yeah!" Jaki snorted, shaking her flaxen head. "This isn't acceptable!"

"What's wrong with the grain?" Percy asked. "It's your food. What else should we give you?"

"This is exactly why!" Guido neighed. "You treat us like horses!"

"Intolerable!" A dapple grey mare grunted; Percy recognized her to be named Strell. "I thought you better than this, Lord!"

"Alright, guys, listen," Percy said, holding his hands up in surrender. "I'll see what I can do. What do you want?"

"No grain!" Porkpie whickered. "No horse feed!"

"Yes, I get that," Percy said. "Anything specific?"

"Doughnuts?" Blackjack suggested. The other pegasi nickered in agreement.

"Not doughnuts," Percy replied, ignoring the sad sighs. "Something more healthy?"

"Boss, we're more or less immortals," Blackjack stated. "Sugar doesn't bother us."

"I know firsthand that it does, actually," Percy responded. "So no, not doughnuts. Try again."

"Chocolate!" An, ironically, chocolate brown bay stallion whinnied. "How 'bout that?"

"Again, no," Percy sighed. "We could do, like, a salad mix or something."

"Your ideas suck," Blackjack said matter-of-factly. "No help."

"I'll tell you what," Percy began. "I was planning on making a visit to the hunt. If a few of you come with me, you can try and negotiate with the huntresses. They probably know what's good for you better than I do."

"Could we play with the deer?" Guido asked. "I like the deer."

"They're Artemis's deer," Percy answered. "I can ask her."

"Alright, let's go!" Blackjack neighed. "Who's coming?"

"We are!" Guido and Porkpie chorused.

"I'll take two more," Percy said to the rest of the pegasi. "That's it."

He selected the chocolate bay and another palomino mare. Within a few minutes of selection, the small group of pegasi were off, Percy mounted upon his loyal steed's back. With the incredible speeds of the pegasi, they arrived in the hunter's camp within three hours despite the fact that they were all the way in California.

They landed just inside the borders of the huntresses. Percy dismounted Blackjack and held up Riptide to the approaching hunters. They recognised his sword and put away their bows, beckoning him over. He obeyed, the pegasi following behind him.

"Hey, Perce," Thalia greeted. He grinned at her and returned a greeting. "Why do you have a whole herd of pegasi with you?"

"They're going on strike because they want less 'horse-like' food," Percy explained. "I thought the hunt could do better than I could. I was already coming, might as well bring them along."

"Reasonable, I guess," Thalia agreed. "Come on, then. Continue with patrol," Thalia instructed to the other hunters in her group. Percy followed Thalia back to camp, the pegasi on his heels.

"So, are the pegasi just going to roam around?" Percy asked. "Is there somewhere you want them?"

"They're fine doing whatever," Thalia replied, much to the happiness of the pegasi. "We can discuss with them later. For now, just come back to camp. We'll get you situated and go from there." Blackjack whinnied, tossing his head, and Percy knew he was about to do something.

"Freetime! Let's go!" Then off they went, most likely to cause havoc. Percy sighed.

Maybe bringing them wasn't such a good idea.