The Huntress and her Lion

Eight

Arriving back at the van, the group decided that it was best to leave as there was nothing more that could help them find Lady Artemis at the museum. This time Percy tagged along as he sat in the back with the other campers.

"Percy, tell Skye what you have seen," Zoe commanded him as she wanted everyone to be on the same page.

"I think it would be best if I tell you from the beginning..." Percy said as he began his story up until he met up with the questers sans Skye.

The story was rather bizarre yet amazing. She will give him that. He had saved some sort of marine-like cow early in the morning only to find the group had left without him. He then followed them on the back of a Pegasus - 'that must be what she smelled earlier in the day' - to D.C. After arriving and finding the abandoned van, Percy then spotted Mr. Thorn, the manticore she had seen before she met Artemis and the girls. It was then that his story became prudent to the quest. As he followed the manticore using a cap of invisibility he borrowed from Annabeth that he overheard a conversation between "the General'', causing Zoe to cringe-making a mental note to ask her about it later – and some boy named Luke. Apparently, the General summoned such skeleton warriors to prevent the quest from succeeding.

The rest of his story was about him fleeing after being detected and finding them.

"Does anyone have something to say or ask?" Zoe asked from the driver's seat of the van, getting positive reactions from the others, it was obvious that they had quite a few questions that they wanted answers to.

The first was Annabeth who looked straight at her. "I have a question for Skye if you don't mind?"

Seeing her shake her head, Annabeth continued. - "What did the lion mean that you had human blood on your hands?"

This question placed her in a tight spot and caused Bianca and Zoe both to glare at Annabeth. She did not want to think back to that day.

"This is something that I would rather not answer – not yet I would like to speak to the huntresses first about that," Skye said, looking away from Annabeth into Bianca and Zoe's eyes, respectively.

Percy however did not accept this and pressed on. "And how should we know if we can trust you if you won't even answer a simple question?"

This got Thalia going, not liking how her friends were ganging up on Skye like this. - "In what way was that a simple question Percy, and Annabeth, why would you believe that she would answer your question if you have been treating her with such distaste?"

"How about this, I Skye Ariel Potter swear on the river Styx that I am loyal to Lady Artemis and the hunt and that I will do everything in my power to make sure this quest succeeds." Following Skye's words was a rumble of thunder that sealed her oath.

"That's enough questioning Skye about her past," Zoe said sharply, stopping any arguments in that direction.

The occupations soon turned their attention towards Bianca. "So, Bianca, do you have any idea who your godly parent would be?" Percy asked her.

"I don't know," Bianca said unsure.

"That is okay, Bianca we still need to figure out what abilities are linked to your godly powers before we can guess who your godly parent is," Skye said to Bianca softly, stopping all discussion about Bianca's heritage.

~~~~~~~~

All conversations soon came to a stop when they spotted a helicopter overhead that was following them just as they crossed the Potomac, a large river on their way out of D.C.

"They know the van," Thalia noted as the helicopter kept following them closely from behind.

"How can the General use mortals?" Percy asked bewildered.