The next morning I told Grover about my dream. We were sitting on a hill overlooking the meadows as satyrs chased the nymphs for a kiss.
When I told Grover my nightmare he twirled his finger around his goat fur around his shaggy goat fur nervously
"A cave ceiling collapsed on her?" he asked sniffling
This couldn't be any easier on Grover he had a special thing with Victoria and her two younger brothers. Mason and James.
"And you can't connect with her?" I asked
"She's blocked at first I thought it was because you know she was gone...but now I think something is purposely blocked me"
"But what the heck do you think all of this means?" I asked
Grover shook his head "I don't know. But after what Zoë dreamed..."
"Wait what do you mean Zoë had a dream like that?"
"I I....I don't know at like three a.m. she came to the Big House really panicked and she demanded to talk to Chiron"
"Wait, how do you know this?"
Grover blushed "I was sort of camped outside their cabin"
"What for?"
"Just to you know be near them"
"You’re a stalker with hooves!' I laughed
"I am not anyways the real picture here is she wanted permission to leave the camp like right away"
"Why what did she say?" I asked
"Well it was kind of hard to understand she was speaking real old English but she said something about Artemis in danger and then she called Argus a big trout lout and he called her a..
"Wait, wait, wait. Artemis is in trouble?"
"Well Zoë said 'lost"
"Lost?"
"Yes as in kidnapped"
I stared at him trying to get my mind around an all powerful goddess being kidnapped "Wait how can a goddess get kidnapped"
"Well it happened to Persephone"
"But she's the goddess of like what flowers"
"Springtime" he corrected
"Whatever isn't Artemis like way more powerful?" I asked "Who would be powerful enough to kidnap her?"
"Kronos maybe"
"He can't be that powerful yet can he?"
Last time we saw Kronos he was nothing but bits. Luke was working on fishing all his pieces from the abyss. I tried to imagine Artemis being kidnapped by evil bark mulch"
"Look I'm sure he's not reformed" Grover said "The gods would be more panicked but it's weird Zoë having a dream the same night as you it's almost like they're connected"
"Exactly"
I thought about Zoë having a nightmare right after me.
"I need to talk to Zoë"
"Mm she doesn't do to well with boys talking to her" Grover said pointing down below at the archery field.
It was Zander and Zoë and they looked like they were screaming in each others faces. We ran down and hid behind a tree to watch them.
"Listen Miss. I think am so much fucking better than everyone, I am not here to flirt who would your a bitch! All you do is nag I came down here to be nice you are my aunts hunters!" Zander screamed at Zoë.
Zoë was angry but I was amused I had never heard Zander cuss it was just more amusing that it was to Zoë.
"You are as bad as your father with his poems and such!' She shouted
"Oh yeah!" Zander shouted he went off making poems for Zoë. He was quite creative making all those cuss words rhyme
"Oh you worthless man!" Zoë screamed putting her bow and arrows into shooting position
"Bitchy old lady!" Zander shouted "Bring it!" he also brought his bow and arrow into position
Now it was sun vs. moon two different but equally beautiful weapons.
"No Zander stop!" Annabeth shouted pulling her boyfriend back
"Annabeth" Zander complained but he wasn't gonna argue with her everyone but well me and Victoria knew better.
"That was so cool Zander"
"Why can't we cuss?" I heard the Morris brothers ask
Zander clenched his fists realizing he wasn't putting the best example out there
"We'll settle this in Capture the Flag Nightshade" Zander warned
"Oh I am so frightened" Zoe teased
"That's what my brother means by old its Ooo I'm so scared" Mason corrected
"O o I wanna help hurt her!" James offered
"C'mon guys" Zander said ushering his brothers to their cabin.
After my failed visit to the oracle was the preparation for our nice game of Capture the Flag. All the Aphrodite kids were strapping in which surprised me to say the least they usually stand idly by looking at their reflections in the River.
“I’ll show them ‘love is worthless” Silena grumbled unhappily “I’ll pulverize them”
“Stupid old hag why would I want to flirt with her” Zander growled snapping his wrist band and adjusting his quiver he positioned his bow around his shoulder. He high-fived Selena and turned to Mason. Mason was wearing his fitted armor but was having a hard time adjusting the strap.
“Here” Zander said adjusting the strap and then threw Mason in the air and caught him. Mason burst into a fit of giggles and hugged Zander tightly. I smiled at them and turned to Thalia.
“I’ll take offense you take defense” Thalia commanded
“Oh” I hesitated “Don’t you think you’d make better defense with your shield?”
“No it’ll make better offense besides you have better practice with defense”
I was pretty sure that was teasing since on my fist capture the flag I was sent as bait and was only saved by Victoria’s archery. My heart sank about ten stories. Victoria loved Capture the Flag and I’m sure she’d like it better now that it was against the Hunters. The way the Hunters insulted Apollo I’m sure she wouldn’t like them.
Thalia turned to help some kids leaving me with Nico. His blue feathered helmet went over his eyes and his chest plate was about 6 sizes to big.
“Percy this is awesome!” he shouted lifting his huge sword. “Do we get to kill the other team?” he asked
“No”
“But aren’t the Hunters immortal?” he asked “It would be so cool if they just resurrected after we killed them and…”
“Nico, this is serious…these are real swords and they can kill”
He stared at me sadly and I realized how much I sounded like my mother.
“Hey we’ll have a blast” I assured patting his shoulder
After Chiron announced the rules Thalia marched us to Zeus’ Fist and placed our flag at the top.
“We’ll send out a decoy Silena you lead that” Thalia commanded
“Got it”
“Take um…Mason and Laurel they’ll make good runners. “ Thalia said making Mason smile at the compliment Make a wide arch around the Hunters attract as many as you can. Mason try singing that should put them in a trance .I’ll take the main raiding party around the right and catch them surprise. Any questions”
“Yes who’s on the main raiding party?” James asked hopefully. If Thalia picked you to be on the main raiding party it meant you’re good.
“Let’s see you” she decided making him smile proudly “Alexander, Jason and Tyler” she decided making me a bit upset that she choose an 11 year old boy to be part of the main raiding team and not me.
Silena’s group marched off and I waited for something to happen. I climbed the fist giving me a nice view of the forest. I was expecting a huge attack by the Hunters but nothing happened. I caught a glimpse of Silena’s group leading about five Hunters. Mason lifted his helmet and shouted something sticking out his tongue. This enraged the Hunters and they ran faster after them going deeper into the forest away from us.
The plan seemed to be working built to the right was a clump of Hunters bows and arrows into striking position. They must’ve spotted Thalia and now she would never get past.
I looked at Beckondorf “Think you guys can hold the fort?” I asked
“Of course”
“I’m going in”
The Stoll brothers and Nico cheered me on as I ran for the boundary. I jumped the creek into enemy territory and spotted the silver flag. They had one guard who wasn’t even looking at me. I charged at her and she turned just before I tackled her. It was Bianca I slammed into her then kept running “Sorry” I called. I grabbed the flag and took off sprinting
I was ten yards away when Bianca managed to yell for help.an arrow shout out a thin rope tripping me
“Percy what are you doing!” Thalia screamed
An arrow was shot at her and yellow smoke exploded at her feet “No fair fart arrows are unsportsmanlike”
I got up and kept running more arrows zipped past my ears. I heard shouting from my side and I thought it was my team welcoming me back but I realized they were chasing someone. Zoë Nightshade she was running full speed our flag in her hands. She was dodging campers easily. She ran past the boundary and won/
“The Hunters win for the 56th time in a row” Chiron muttered
“Perseus Jackson!” Thalia screamed
“What in the name of the gods were you THINKING?”
I balled my fists. I had enough crap in my life I didn’t need anymore from her.
“I got the flag I saw an opportunity and I took it!”
“I was there but the flag was gone if you hadn’t butted in we could’ve won!”
“You had too many on you!”
“Oh so it’s my fault”
“I didn’t say that!”
She shoved me sending a shock through my body sending me ten feet back. Campers gasped and Hunters stifled laughs.
“Sorry I didn’t mean to” she said paled
I growled and a giant wave erupted from the creek and doused Thalia from head to toe.
“I didn’t mean to either”
“You want some Seaweed brain!” she shouted
“Bring it Pinecone face!”
Lighting shot from the sky onto her spear hitting my chest. I caught the smell of something burning. My clothes
“That’s enough!” Chiron shouted
I got to my feet and willed the entire creek to rise.
“Percy” Chiron pleaded
I was about to throw it but something caught my attention I gasped and dropped the water. Thalia was shocked she looked towards where my attention was along with all the other campers. There standing in green mist was the Oracle.
A horrible shrieking sound and everyone covered their ears. “Zander!” Mason shrieked breaking down and crying.
I looked towards the Apollo boys. They looked pained. They were clutching the ears tighter than everyone else. Zander and James looked like they were trying their best not to cry. Zander embraced Mason tightly shielding him from whatever they were terrified of right now.
The mummy looked straight at Zoë “Approach seeker and ask”
“What must I do to help my goddess”
The mist poured out revealing a mountain with a girl holding something up. It was Artemis and she looked pained.
Six shall go west to the goddess in chains
One shall be lost in the land without rain
The bane of Olympus shows the trail
Campers and Hunters combined prevail
The Titan’s curse one must withstand
And one shall perish at a parent’s hand
Then we watched the mist go back into the mummy and she collapsed on the rock still like she had been in the attic for those millions of years.
A/N: Oh my gods 1,908 words YUSS