Olympus' Biggest Mistake

Chapter 7

Artemis and her hunters arrived in the packed woods of the lovely San Francisco in the evening just as she stated they would. As a hunter Artemis knew Percy would be somewhere monsters would gladly give chase and most likely caught in battle. With that thought in mind and her distaste for men, the moon goddess ordered her hunters to search the woods for the 'male.'

Split into teams of three, the hunters traveled the branches high up on the trees scouring the forest. Lieutenant Thalia Grace of the hunters, daughter of Zues, keeper of Thalia's pine tree, a girl who lost a cousin. She led her team which consisted of Phoebe, newcomer Kayla, and herself in the search for her cousin. However, she was also in search of a campsite, always exceeding her lady's expectations and setting an example for the girls.

After searching the forest with their supernatural speed, the hunters met up with their lieutenant in search of an area to set up camp for the unknown stay. Thalia's hyperactive tension did not go unnoticed by her hunters, after all , she was desperate to find her cousin. As annoying and childish as Percy can be, she finds herself drawing her strength from admiring all he has given to protect those he loves. The daughter of Zeus was fully alert, aware of her surroundings, ready for any monster attacks or ambushes. The hunters of Artemis tread the woods slowly and quietly in search of a decent clearing. All of them were growing slowly suspicious of both the lack of predators, and the facts that the woods they traveled through were much too peaceful.

At some point, the lieutenant stepped onto a natural dirt path and began to walk in the direction it led to. The hunters would have continued on if a bright silver flash hadn't stopped them.

Directly behind Thalia, Artemis appeared with her bow drawn, an arrow notched, and a look of terror on her face. "Where is she?" Artemis demanded, drawing confused faces from her hunters. "I can't feel or see Thalia. What happened? Where is she?"

"Right here my lady." Thalia responded hearing the worry in her lady's voice. "Whats's wrong?"

Artemis snapped her attention behind her finding her lieutenant in perfect condition with a look of worry mixed with confusion. The goddess gripped her lieutenant's shoulder tightly checking her over. "How is it I can see you before me, yet I cannot feel your presence?"

"The path." Thalia whispered.

Artemis looked at her with confusion. "What about a path?"

Thalia pointed beneath herself and where Artemis appeared with each hand. "Lady Artemis. You flashed in behind me but in front of the rest of the hunters. It's no coincidence that you flash in the moment I step on this path."

Artemis looked on in disbelief at the path before her. "I can't see inside." Her face contorted into one of focus, "This is one of a few last natural locations in which celestials cannot peer into nor can monsters inhabit. It feels ancient, and seems to ward off monsters."

"Is it a safe location to camp my lady?" Phoebe piped in, eager to get the day over with. Artemis only nodded in silence as she looked on into the forest.

Kayla, the newcomer, glanced around at her fellow hunters, "So should we head in and find a good place to set up camp?"

"Yes. I think it might be best if lady Artemis agrees." Thalia answered placing a hand on Kayla's shoulder to help  calm her nerves. "Lady Artemis?"

"Right, yes, it would be best." Artemis looked at her hunters and in one smooth motion, shouldered her bow. "There's something about this forest area that piques my interest."

The hunters nodded putting away their bows and following their mistress on the path. Thalia felt that interest however, she felt drawn to something that sent chills down her back like a winter shiver. Perhaps this is what the moon goddess feels as well, or maybe she's just stressed from looking for her cousin.

None the less, they continued to follow the path while also searching for a clearing or decent area to camp. About half an hour into their walk, the moonlight seemed to appear brighter ahead of them. Thalia thought they found a decent camp, Phoebe hoped for a large clearing, and Kayla silently wished it was the exit of the forest.

All of them were wrong when they approached the area. The end of the path left them at the edge of a small clearing lit by the bright moon as if calling to the goddess. They spotted a small hill with three beautiful trees of multicolored leaves and headed towards it.

Thalia couldn't help but feel as if she was getting colder the more she stepped into the clearing. She simply moved forward without thinking, being drawn towards whatever was making her feel colder the closer she got. Silence settled on the group except for the sound of their footsteps and gear moving as they walked. Until they stood at a complete stop and stared at what lay before them in utter shock and silence.

One dark haired teen lay on the ground in the middle of the trees, his back towards them. The cool late evening breeze caressed his tan skin, the grass swayed around him, branches parted to let a small amount of moonlight in. Mossy patches of thick grass cushioned him like a bed. As if illuminated by a spotlight the boy lay peacefully in a gorgeous scenario.

The full moon rose to its peak above the boy. Suddenly, the entire group gasped as raven colored hair or fur covered the young man in his entirety. The girls all stepped back, including Artemis, except for Kayla and Thalia who looked on in wonder.

His body grew, his legs configured themselves differently, his bones silently broke, skin stretched to form something else. What lay before Thalia was no longer hope of being her missing cousin, but a rather large dark wolf. An enormous mass of black with white streaks slowly breathed in peaceful sleep.

It shifted slightly causing Artemis to notch an arrow, her hunters following her lead ready for it to pounce only to fall. Thalia and Kayla simply jumped taking a step back to observe safely. Artemis knew this was no ordinary wolf, not by mortal nor mythological standards. Perhaps it could be the guardian of this ancient location, they were the trespassers and should therefore be cautious how they act.

Slowly but surely the large beast awoke and stood before stretching and revealing a pair of gorgeous bright green eyes. As the eyes fell on all the hunters before them Artemis could tell they were eyes filled with power unlike any wolf or lycanthrope. The wolf glanced at everyone present, lingering on Thalia and Kayla before setting on Artemis bowing his head.