𝓕𝓲𝓷𝓮 𝓛𝓲𝓷𝓮 // Clarisse La Rue

𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓣𝔀𝓮𝓷𝓽𝔂 𝓕𝓸𝓾𝓻

Percy walked into the tent moments later, looking just as uncomfortable as Florence felt. Florence remained silent as he and Artemis talked.

"Join us, Percy Jackson," the goddess said.

Percy sat across from her on the tent floor.

"Are you surprised by my age?" she asked.

"Uh... a little." Percu admitted.

"I could appear as a grown woman, or a blazing fire, or anything else I want, but this is what I prefer. This is the average age of my Hunters, and all young maidens for whom I am patron, before they go astray."

"Go astray?" Percy asked.

"Grow up. Become smitten with boys. Become silly, preoccupied, insecure. Forget themselves."

"Oh."

Zoë sat down to Artemis's right. She glared at Percy as if all the stuff Artemis had just said was his fault, like he'd invented the idea of being a guy.

"You must forgive my Hunters if they do not welcome you," Artemis said. "It is very rare that we would have boys in this camp. Boys are usually forbidden to have any contact with the Hunters. The last one to see this camp..." She looked at Zoë. "Which one was it?"

"That boy in Colorado," Zoë said. "You turned him into a jackalope."

"Ah, yes." Artemis nodded, satisfied. "I enjoy making jackalopes. At any rate, Percy, I've asked you here so that you might tell me more of the manticore. Bianca has reported some of the... mmm, disturbing things the monster said. But she may not have understood them. I'd like to hear them from you."

And so Percy told her. When he was done, Artemis put her hand thoughtfully on her silver bow.

"I feared this was the answer."

Zoë sat forward. "The scent, my lady?"

"Yes."

"What scent?" Percy asked.

"Things are stirring that I have not hunted in millennia," Artemis murmured. "Prey so old I have nearly forgotten." She stared at Percy intently. "We came here tonight sensing the manticore, but he was not the one I seek. Tell me again, exactly what Dr Thorn said."

"Um, "I hate middle school dances." I think."

"No, no. After that."

"He said somebody called the General was going to explain things to me."

Zoë's face paled and rivalry aside, Florence wanted to give her a hug. Zoë turned to Artemis and started to say something, but Artemis raised her hand.

"Go on, Percy," the goddess said.

"Well, then Thorn was talking about the Great Stir Pot –"

"Stirring," Bianca corrected.

"Yeah. And he said, "Soon we shall have the most important monster of all – the one that shall bring about the downfall of Olympus."."

The goddess was so still she could've been a statue.

"Maybe he was lying," Percy said.

Artemis shook her head. "No. He was not. I've been too slow to see the signs. I must hunt this monster."

Zoë looked like she was trying very hard not to be afraid, but she nodded.

"We will leave right away, my lady."

"No, Zoë. I must do this alone."

"But, Artemis –"

'This task is too dangerous even for the Hunters. You know where I must start my search. You cannot go there with me."