The Adventures of Thalia and Reyna: A Hunters of Artemis Tale

Chapter 3

Reyna had always figured that the hunters just walked everywhere.  Ya ...that's not true at all.  Turns out Artemis made these special portals that go from state to state just for her hunters.  She planted these special trees in each state of the U.S that only her hunters can enter.  
     
The trees look like any normal tree, but once one takes their huntress vows, they can feel the presence of the portals.  The California portal was near San Francisco.  The other huntresses were in Michigan waiting for them.  
     
Thalia led the way, running ahead with the wolves, while Reyna, Sky, Mia, Lani, and Daria trailed behind them.  So far Reyna felt as though she trusted these girls.  They seemed to have been doing this for many years, which could technically be a couple hundred since they are immortal.  Would she end up living for that long?  
   
“So how old are all of you?  If you don’t mind me asking, of course!”  The other girls laughed at this.  
   
“It’s okay.  We get asked that a lot by new recruits.”  Lani said.  “I have not been here for a long time.  If I can recall, it has been about a hundred years give or take.”  Reyna’s eyes widened.  Not that long?! One hundred years is a pretty long time in her book, but to an immortal it must not seem as long.  
   
“Mia has been here about the same.”  Sky said.  “She’s like two hundred and sixty five?  Ya I think that’s it.”  Reyna looked at Mia hoping she would say something, but she kept an expressionless face and looked ahead.  Sky took no notice though.  
   
“I am pretty new myself!  I joined around the 1980’s, so I’m like forty?  Daria is really old though!  She’s like four hundred!”  Reyna looked at Daria in surprise.  The small girl did not act that old, especially since she was currently chasing a toad hopping across the forest floor.  That would mean she is from around 1600 or maybe a bit later.  Woah. 
     
"Come on girls!  You guys are slower than a turtle trying to trek across a desert!  Let's show some hustle!"  Thalia ran ahead with the wolves again.  The girls followed their lieutenant, trailing just behind her.
     
A small breeze flew past Reyna's hair as she ran beside her fellow huntresses.  For some reason she did not get tired.  She felt as though she could run for miles.  It must be her immortality.  She had gone through many things in her life, but she never felt more alive than she did right then, running through the vast woods under the silver moonlight with the wolves howling.  
     
Thalia started to slow the pace.  She held her hand out for them to stop.  The wolves circled the girls protectively, their fur bristling,  as if something was going to jump them.  Reyna wanted to ask what was wrong, but she knew if she spoke, she could reveal them to whatever Thalia was sensing.  
     
Reyna's greyhounds started to growl and brushed her legs.  Thalia slowly crept forward, inching her knife from its sheath.  Mia started to push her way to her, but Thalia motioned for them to stay back.  Couldn't demigods get through one day without getting attacked by something?  
   
Thalia crept further into the trees.  The other girls fidgeted, their eyes not leaving where their leader went.  A rustling caught their attention, but it was only Thalia.  
   
“Hey girls come on!  I found the portal, and some friends too.  Reyna, I think I might need your help with this one.  You’re good with horses right?”  Reyna tilted her head in confusion.  Horses?  
   
Mia quickly returned to Thalia’s side, as if Thalia was going to be grabbed by a monster if she didn’t watch her.  Thalia didn’t seem to notice though, so Reyna just shrugged and followed Thalia through the trees.  On the other side, a single apple tree stood in the middle of a field.  The sun was coming up now, so the leaves glowed in the dawn’s light.  Surrounding the tree, a herd of pegasi grazed peacefully.  
   
The girls stood at the edge of the forest so as not to scare them.  “Well Reyna?  How do you suggest we get through all these pegasi?  I don’t want them to think we are a threat.  I know wild pegasi can get a bit protective of strangers getting too close to their herds.”  
   
Reyna was not listening to Thalia though.  She was too busy staring at an all too familiar looking mare.  She used to have a pegasus companion named Scipio, whom Reyna had loved dearly.  Unfortunately, she passed away after some nasty griffin scratches back in the war with Gaea, the earth mother.  Reyna had even gotten the chance to meet the original Pegasus, who had given her the name Horse Friend.  
   
Not a day has gone by where Reyna hasn’t missed her dear friend.  This mare looked exactly like Scipio, with her peanut butter colored coat and mane, however, she had a white stripe down her muzzle.  The mare seemed to stare straight into her soul, but she looked much older than Scipio did.  
   
“Ummm Reyna?  Are you okay?”  Lani put a hand on her shoulder.  Reyna couldn’t stop herself from walking right into the herd towards the mare.  
   
“Wait, Reyna!  What are you doing?”  The girls called to her in concern, not wanting to approach the easily spooked herd.  The pegasi parted for her, like they were welcoming an old friend.  The mare met her in the middle, and she placed her hand on her muzzle, stroking it gently.  Somehow, maybe from a blessing from pegasus, Reyna knew this was Scipio’s mother.  She doesn’t speak horse or anything like Percy Jackson does, but somehow she just knew.  The mare pressed her forehead to Reynas, and nuzzled her fondly.  
   
Reyna felt old wounds open in her heart, and tears filled her eyes as she did her best to resist the urge to throw her arms around the mare and tell her how sorry she was.  She had first met Scipio when she had found her in the woods all alone, and full of scrapes.  She figured something must have happened to her herd and mother, so she took in the foal and raised her in New Rome.  When Scipio had passed, she always felt as though it had been her fault.  But now, as Scipio’s mother nuzzled her lovingly, all Reyna’s guilt flooded away like a dam had broken.  Whatever reason Scipio’s mother had to leave her, she seemed to be grateful that Reyna had been there for her.  
   
The mare gave her one last grateful look, and nickered at the herd to move out of the way of the tree.  Thalia led the other girls forward to Reyna’s side.  
    
“Hey RARA, you okay?”  Thalia put a reassuring arm around her.  Reyna quickly wiped her eyes and nodded, glancing at the herd once more before the girls started to file into the apple tree.  It was strange, like they were going right through the bark in a flash of silver light.  Just as easily as they stepped in, they stepped right out, like going through a door.  Reyna looked behind her and noticed that she came out of a healthy looking Oak tree.  
   
“Wow, I thought that would be a weirder feeling.”  Reyna said.  
   
“You know, Artemis would have been very proud of what you just did.  Usually she is the one with a connection with wild animals.”  Miakoda looked at her with a gaze so full of respect, Reyna felt her chest fill with warmth.  This was the first time the girl had spoken a single word to her, and she was speechless, so she just grinned widely at her.  Daria gave her a hug, and Reyna returned it happily.  
   
“Come on guys!  Quit dilly-dallying!  We’ve got to get to the other hunters already.  They’re gonna be worried!”  Thalia ungracefully broke the moment, and skipped ahead with the wolves and greyhounds.