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

Chapter 5

Reyna's P.O.V

Thalia and Lani carried the girl on the makeshift stretcher to the healer tent. The Hunter's camp seemed to be set up with a big fire in the middle, with tents almost making circle shapes around it. Daria had located the healers tent. Fortunately, it was still standing. A gold flag at the top with a caduceus symbol on it waved in the breeze. It was the symbol for medicine or doctors, which was strange because it is the staff of Hermes, who is definitely not Apollo the God of medicine.

"Our healer is Sara, a daughter of Apollo," Lani said. "We couldn't find her though, or anyone for that matter. Helena here must have been left for dead, I think she's been unconscious for a while."

Lani and Thalia lowered the tarp carefully onto the floor, where many spaces were kept tidy with a mattress and some colored pillows. The tent had a cozy feel. Like Thalia's, it was much bigger on the inside than it looked on the outside. It was lit with a soft yellow glow about it. Different labeled jars of herbs sat on some shelves in the corner.

Thalia sat down next to Helena and grabbed her hand and Mia frantically started to clean her bite wound.

"No teeth stuck in it, that's good." Thalia said. "But she's lost some blood, and I'm pretty sure this is infected." Reyna nodded, it was definitely infected. The skin around the bite was hot and swollen, and poor Helena was pale and sweaty with fever.

"How can we help her?" Reyna inquired. "She needs the healing power of a child of Apollo."

Helena's breathing became labored. Daria started to wipe her forehead with a damp cloth. Lani looked knowingly at Thalia. They seemed to speak silently with their eyes.

"She is turning," Thalia said, her voice full of worry.

"Turning?" Reyna asked. "What does that mean?"

The girls didn't answer her, they just looked at their boots like they were very interesting. Sky's face molded into a look of horror, and Daria just kept dabbing Helena's forehead with the cloth, tears forming in her eyes.

Thalia finally spoke. "Reyna, if what Mia has informed me is correct, and Lycoan attacked this camp, then that means Helena was bitten by him or one of his wolves. If that is the case, Helena is in serious trouble. What happens in the old stories if you're bitten by a werewolf?"

Reyna thought for a moment. Usually if you're bit by a werewolf, you are supposed to turn into one yourself every full moon.... Oh.

"There has to be a way we can help her!" Reyna knelt by Helena's side. Her bite wound had stopped bleeding now, but it wasn't natural looking. Some kind of blackness was seeping from the wound through the skin.

"We cannot let it reach her heart," Mia chewed a bundle of leaves in her mouth. She placed the poultice on the bite. "This herb will slow the poison, but only slow it. We must find a way to heal her fully before it is too late."

Reyna thought for a moment. A child of Apollo with healing powers could heal her, but the closest one she knew was Will Solace of Camp Half-blood, and that was all the way in Manhattan. It would take too long to reach the Lansing portal to get to Long Island.

"Wait a moment, can't we just heal her with nectar and ambrosia?" Reyna suggested. "That can heal wounds significantly."

Thalia shook her head. "It's a good idea Reyna, but Helena isn't a demigod. She's a descendant of Hecate on her mother's side, but she isn't a full on demigod, so nectar and ambrosia could kill her."

While the girls argued about how to help, Helena started to stir. "T-Thalia?" Helena opened her eyes just a crack.

"Shhh, it's okay Helena," Mia told her. "Don't try to talk. Save your strength."

Helena coughed violently, Daria steadied her. "L-Lieutenant..it was Lycoan. H-He was here."

Thalia squeezed Helena's hand tighter. "I know Helena. Don't worry he is gone now. You fought bravely."

"H-He took them," Helena spoke softly. "The others. He took them alive, he wants them for something.." Helena had another coughing fit. She winced with pain. "I am changing...aren't I?"

Sky blinked back tears. To Reyna's surprise, Sky put her head on her shoulder. Reyna put her arm around her in a half-hug.

"Yes Helena, but don't worry," Thalia told her. "We never give up on our sisters, right girls?" They all spoke their agreement. Reyna hardly knew this girl, but she felt an unwavering sense of loyalty toward her. Helena was going to live.

Reyna tried so hard to remember. New Rome had taught her a lot about wolves. She had even had to pass a bunch of tests from the wolf goddess, Lupa, to join the legion. Reyna gently left Sky and went over to the shelves of herbs.

The girls were arguing again, so Reyna took this opportunity to sneak around. She remembered her classes in New Rome. If you ever got bit by a werewolf...a plant. A plant with purple flowers that looks kind of like a snapdragon.

It has to be here. She searched through the jars and little packages. Then, she spotted it. In the corner, was a clear container. Inside were small, dried up purple flowers. It was labeled, WOLFSBANE. That was it. Wolfsbane was just a legend, but then again, if werewolves were real, why not the cure for the bites?

"Hey, girls! What about this?" Reyna hesitantly held up the container. Would they laugh at her? Mia's eyes widened. She sat up and snatched the container from Reyna's hand.

"Well done my friend! You are proving to be a valuable member to the hunt." Mia gave her a quick hug, and started to crush the flowers up in a bowl. Thalia nodded approvingly at her, and Sky wiped her eyes. She patted Reyna on the back.

Mia took a canteen out of her pack, and mixed some kind of water with the crushed flowers. It was perfectly clear, yet almost silver looking.

"What is that?" Reyna asked her.

"It is called Moonwater," Mia told her. "It is a magical drink. Only Hunters may drink it, and the occasional friend. It gives energy in equivalent to about six hours of sleep and a hot meal. Trust me Arrelano, you will live off of this stuff when we hunt a monster. We don't sleep very much on a hunt, we can't afford to."

Daria pointed to Reyna's pack that Thalia had given her when she joined. She hadn't thought to look inside yet. A canteen was right on top of her other supplies. She decided she didn't need that kind of energy yet.

Mia brought the bowl over to Helena, and put it to her lips. Once she drank it, the black lines beneath Helena's skin started to fade and color returned to her face. The bite did not fully heal, but it looked much less swollen and red.

"You did it Reyna!" Thalia smiled at her. "You saved her! How in the world did you know about wolfsbane?"

"I don't know," Reyna said. "I just have a lot of experience in the field. I may not be as old as all of you, but I lead the 12th Legion for a long time. I just have to remember that sometimes."

Helena tried to sit up. "Woah!" Thalia gently pushed Helena back down. "Easy there Troy. Just rest for a while. We won't leave you." She patted Helena's head.

"Troy?" Helena complained. "C'mon Thals, I thought we went over this. It's Helena not Helen. That chick from Troy has nothing to do with my name."

Even Mia had to snicker at that. The girls laughed and sat down for a well-deserved night's rest. They knew they had a ways to go if they were going to track the wolves who took their fellow sisters, before the Teumessian Fox destroyed more towns.