With Artemis gone, Zoe was now responsible for not just the hunters, but also that small little baby which she had no idea how to deal with.
He looked so small in Mai's arms. Too small. She doesn't remember what children that young are meant to do, so she was a little hesitant to watch over him while Artemis was away.
She tried to take the child from Mai, but it was clear that she had no idea how to hold him. Mai smiled, showing her how to properly position his neck.
"You always have to support the neck. He doesn't look old enough to hold it up himself."
"You have experience with children?"
"I have- I had two younger siblings back home." Mai smiled sadly, wiping a tear away with one hand and supporting the child's head with the other.
Mai offered to take the baby from Zoe, but she refused.
"Milady left him in my care. I can't bestow this responsibility on another."
Mai smirked, "Well, are you going to change his diaper?"
"I-" Zoe looked away, " perhaps I must ask you for your support."
Mai laughed as she took the child, calmly resting him in the nook of her elbow. She asked Zoe for her permission to send a few hunters out to get supplies from the town nearby.
"What sort of supplies?"
"Well, we need diapers in the 0-2 size, a few changes of clothes, some baby formula for the age group and bottles for him to feed. We also need a new swaddle while the one he is in gets washed," Mai lifted the end piece of the blanket, cringing at the awful state it was in, "or burnt."
"Is that all deemed necessary? I do not think the child will be in our care for long."
Mai glared. "This is the bare minimum. Anything less and we risk his well being."
It seemed like Zoe hit a sensitive spot. She sighed and called a few hunters over.
"Callum, Larissa, I ask you to head into town with instructions on what to purchase from Mai."
"Sure thing boss! We totally aren't gonna mess around town at all!" Callum smiled.
"Shh, you're gonna ruin it for us." Larissa whispered, elbowing her friend.
"Oopsie."
Zoe sighed and left them with Mai. She couldn't spend her day with a baby that she doesn't know how to care for, so she tended to her main duties as second in command.
Her work was interrupted by a baby's cry. She located the source rather quickly. From the outside of Mai's tent, she could hear the baby. Peeking in, she saw the three girls from earlier, surrounding him. Ugh.
"What is the matter with him?" Zoe asked them.
"I- I'm not sure. I was trying to close his buttons when he started crying and he isn't stopping."
"Has he been fed?"
"Yes, we gave him a bottle."
"Has he been entertained then?"
"Well, a baby his age usually doesn't play."
"Has he slept?"
"He's been asleep since the Hellhounds left. He only woke up when Larissa and Callum came back."
"Hmm. What could we do to make him stop crying?"
"Did you two not notice? He stopped crying when Zoe came in."
All four hunters looked at the baby, who was looking at them with his eyes wide open. By the gods, how are his eyes such a shade of green? The baby looked somewhat familiar now, with green eyes and hair dark as night, but Zoe couldn't quite put a finger on it.
Before she had a chance to think about it more, Artemis came into the tent, face pale and grim as she eyed the child.
"Milady, how was your journey?"
"My dears, forgive me, but I have to go. It is necessary to confirm a few more things about the child before I can return to you. However, I shall not be gone for long. You may rest in this camp here. I shall see you all soon."
And with that, Artemis turned to leave, the child secure in her arms.
"Milady, please wait!" Mai interrupted, rushing over with a bag that held all the baby's supplies.
"I don't know how long you'll have the baby, but just in case." She gave the goddess the bag. Artemis's face shifted into something both kind and grim.
"Thank you, Mai." She left without another word.
Zoe just wished things would be alright.
And that's Chapter 2. I made it longer by fixing the weird time skip for Artemis, so I hope y'all appreciate the dedication hah. For some context regarding the AN I had, I was feeling bad that no one was really engaging with my story so I said something about deleting the story. Then I removed that and put this note in: No more edgy emo-y comments anymore, okay?
YOU ARE READING
Percy Jackson, The Hunter of Artemis (Being Rewritten Oct 2021)
FanfictionArtemis never thought she would ever have to take in a boy as one of her hunters, but of course, fate had other plans. Its 2021, and I'm trying to fix this. Ch1-5 are now rewritten and up to standard. (Ch 5 as of Aug 29th)
