The Male Hunter | Olympus' Traitor #1

Chapter 15: Offers and Escapes

Percy felt the happiest he had been in a long time. In the month he had been with the Hunt, he had been accepted by the Hunters. It was what he had been dreaming of for a few years now, he had a family again. At first, Percy had placed his tent away from the Hunt, just like the first time he had stayed with them. However, within a week the girls insisted that he be in the camp with them. Percy resisted at first, but eventually they convinced him by dragging his tent into the camp while he was sleeping. Now, he took up a spot next to Thalia.

Percy was sitting in a log outside his tent sharpening a bucket of arrows, a little ways away he could see Thalia with some of the younger girls practicing archery and giving some of the younger ones pointers. As he watched, he couldn't help but wonder when she had started growing her hair out. When he had first met Thalia it had been in a short, punk style, then when her and Artemis had caught up with him those months ago it had been at her shoulders. Now, when it wasn't in a ponytail or braid it reached just past her shoulder blades. Percy didn't mind though, he thought she looked good with long hair.

"Hey," Atalanta said as she sat down next to Percy, shaking him from his thoughts.

"What's up?" he asked.

"I just wanted to apologize, again. I jumped to conclusions before I knew who you were and-"

"Atalanta, seriously," Percy interrupted. "I've told you many times, I forgive you. I understand. I was a boy, and you had no idea who I was. It was only natural."

"I just feel so bad about what I did. You are a good man, probably the only one-" she was about to say something else, but was once again interrupted. This time, by a high-pitched scream near the edge of camp. The two jumped up, Percy pulling out Riptide. Percy and Atalanta immediately started sprinting towards the sound. On the way, they were met by Thalia who had already activated Aegis and pulled out her spear.

"I'll go gather the other girls!" Atalanta said, peeling off back towards camp. Nodding, Percy and Thalia continued towards the sound. As they got closer Liza came stumbling out of the trees, a group of maybe a dozen cyclops close behind.

"Get back to the others!" Thalia ordered.

"We'll take care of this!" Percy added.

Hefting big clubs, the monsters moved to encircle the two demigods before them. Seeing this, Percy and Thalia moved to be back to back. As the group charged, Percy and Thalia dodged, blocked, and counterattacked. They moved in perfect tandem, like they had been fighting together for yeasts and could read what the other was going to do. It wasn't long before Percy and Thalia were surrounded by piles of golden dust, standing together before a lone cyclops. Shifting nervously, it's eye flicked between the two demigods in front of him. With a quick burst of courage the cyclops lifted its club and bellowed, preparing to charge. However, before it could even take a step a silver arrow suddenly was sprouting from its eye. A quick look of surprise flashed across its face before the cyclops crumbled into dust.

Whirling around Percy and Thalia saw Atalanta with bow in hand, the rest of the girls close behind also holding their bows. "Couldn't let you have all the fun," she smirked. Laughing, the group of twenty demigods turned back towards their encampment, it was time to prepare for dinner.

Percy and Atalanta were walking back towards camp, wood piled in their arms for the fire. "Did you really mean what you said that night?" Atalanta suddenly blurted out. Percy gave her a confused look. "About being a failure?" she clarified.

Percy sighed. "I've seen too many friends die, and I just wish that I could have saved them. I wish that I had been able to do more."

"I understand," Atalanta said while nodding. "I've been part of the Hunt for a long time, and I've seen many sisters fall. Partial immortality is a blessing and a curse," she continued. "You watch those around you die, knowing that you could be next, I guess that's also the good part though. You live on, but know that, one day, you'll have a chance to see them again." The two continued on, chatting about the friends they had lost and the lives they had led. The pair came back to camp a lot closer than when they had left.