Forgotten prophecy

Chapter 71

"You know, this attire does not make very much sense." Ryker observed, studying his sleeves and his pants. He looked at himself over the shoulder of a Hunter as she adjusted her silver necklace. "Yours at least offers you something in the way of maneuverability. Your upper body is unencumbered for the most part. Excellent for aiding your reflexes."

"For the last time, these clothes aren't meant for fighting." Thalia said, marching into the tent with little black clips in her mouth. Her hands were behind her head as she attempted to do something that Ryker did not understand. "They are meant to look good."

"I am afraid that I still do not understand that concept." Ryker shrugged, drawing more than one angry glare from the Hunters around him. He frowned at them in response. "What?"

Thalia rolled her eyes and muttered something that Ryker didn't quite catch. "Nothing, Ryker. Now make yourself useful and help me zip up my dress." She turned her back to him as she continued to fuss with her hair. "Come on, I don't have all day."

Ryker yanked the dress's zipper a bit harder than necessary and the zipper's tab snapped off when it reached the top of Thalia's dress. He frowned and stared down at the little piece of metal, somewhat concerned that he had just done something that would get him into trouble. When Thalia began to turn around he discreetly slipped it into the pocket of his pants and affected a bored look. "Anything else?" He asked, looking around at the girls as they slipped in and out of the main room.

"Nothing you can help with." Thalia said firmly, grabbing him from behind by the shoulders and steering him out of the tent. "Only girl stuff left, and you aren't allowed to be in here for that. You've seen what happens when you interrupt girl time."

"That was not my fault." Ryker snapped back irritably. It had become a running joke among the Hunters that he had actually been trying to sneak a peek at them. It was not a joke he was a fan of, nor was the nickname that they gave him. He neither knew who this Tom character was nor why Peeping was in his title. There were far better verbs that one could use instead. Thalia winked at him as she pulled the tent flap closed and, from within, there was a muffled zipping sound as she sealed the tent from anyone who attempted to get inside. "Hunters." He said the word like a curse, kicking irritably at a stone that was poking up from the earth.

"I suppose that it can only be expected that there would be some... difficulties that must be dealt with or overcome." Artemis said, striding up to Ryker in her adult form. Like her Hunters she wore a brilliant silver dress, though hers was much plainer than some of the others. "Give it time, I am sure that they will grow accustomed to you."

"Not sure I want them to grow any more accustomed to me than they already are." Ryker said gruffly, examining his sleeves once more. They were terribly itchy and uncomfortable. He already yearned for the much more simple attire he usually wore. "This kindness they have been showing me is... disconcerting. I fear they are secretly planning some manner of revenge."

"No, no." Artemis said reassuringly. "To my knowledge they are not planning any form of vengeance against you. Well, not in the way you are thinking. You will find that they are quite friendly to their compatriots. You have only seen them when you were unwanted or when they have been around the camps. When it is just us in the wilderness they are far more relaxed and fun-loving."

"Uh-huh."

"You sound surprised."

"Do I?" Ryker inquired, considering his tone. He hadn't thought that he conveyed anything. He had been working on that since he had woken up. Conveying more emotions than simple disdain or contempt. It was harder than he had thought, especially since emotions such as happiness and sadness were not useful in the wild. Generally speaking too much of either led to one becoming prey. He had learned from a very young age that controlling emotions was tantamount to survival. "Hm. I need to work on that then."