Chapter 19
Zoë's point of view:
It was around ten in the morning. My group of Hunters and I were doing a round around the temporary camp, making sure that nothing, and no one, could approach without being spotted first.
There were seven of us in total, with me in charge. Of course, other groups covered other areas to make sure no blind spots were exposed. Safety was something we, the Hunters of Artemis, never underestimated.
Today we were particularly on guard. Lady Artemis was away, resolving some matters with her brother, Apollo, the god of healing and the sun. To me, he was just a big idiot. In fact… all men were.
Honestly, I believe men and women should live in separate worlds. Men don't think; they're foolish. Just let them see a minimally attractive woman, and there they go, wagging their tails like dogs in heat.
"Just like him…" A fleeting thought about a certain person crossed my mind, causing a slight discomfort, but I quickly banished it. That memory didn't deserve space in my mind.
"Focus, Zoë!" I murmured aloud, accidentally startling some of the Hunters nearby.
"Huh?" One of them, on my left, muttered, looking around alertly as if expecting a threat.
"N-nothing. Just a cough!" I quickly covered up.
We continued the round for a few more hours until it was time to switch shifts. When we returned to camp, it was nearly noon, and I hoped something was being prepared for lunch.
We were halfway back when I caught a faint scent in the air.
"Someone's cooking… and is that rosemary?" I thought, intrigued. I gestured to my companions, and they took their positions, bows ready for any threat.
We approached carefully; the rough road took us a few minutes to reach a small clearing. A campfire burned, and around it sat a boy and… a hellhound.
"Wait… what is a child doing here? Was he… abandoned?" This idea, for a brief moment, awakened a slight pang of compassion in me.
Of course, I would never pity a man, but that there was not exactly a man… it was just a child.
Probably a demigod, judging by the hellhound by his side, but still a child. At most, seven years old, with battered clothes and pale, mud-stained skin. And what caught my attention the most… was his gaze.
Though he seemed relaxed, his eyes held a vigilant gleam, something I knew all too well in my fellow Hunters. It was the gaze of someone who had seen too much, the gaze of a warrior. In a child, it was unsettling.
I thought for a moment before making a decision. I looked at the Hunters around me, and they immediately surrounded the boy.
"Better safe than sorry…" I thought. But as soon as he noticed our presence, the boy assumed a defensive stance. He rolled to the side and stood up with… a pen?
I observed his stance with curiosity. It looked casual, but not so much for someone so young. He had good instincts; that was evident.
I stepped forward and faced him. "What's a boy like you doing in a forest?"
The boy took a moment to respond. He seemed to be considering if it was safe.
"I… have my reasons," he replied, his voice cold.
"Hmm…" I looked at him in a calculated way. "And what's your name?"
He studied me for a moment before speaking: "I'll answer after your archers lower their bows."
I analyzed him for another moment. There was something about him that sparked my curiosity, though I couldn't explain what. I nodded to the other Hunters, and they reluctantly lowered their weapons.
"Better now?" I asked.
"Much better," he muttered, relaxing his posture.
"So, what's your name?" I asked, trying not to show my growing interest.
The boy hesitated for a moment, then replied, "Percy… my name is Percy Jackson."
Percy's point of view:
"Percy… my name is Percy Jackson."
I spoke as if I'd announced Zeus's arrival himself.
"And what's your name?" I asked, though I already knew who was in front of me.
"You can call me Zoë. We are the Hunters of Artemis!" she said, the pride barely hidden in her voice.
"What a surprise…" I thought, holding back sarcasm.
"And what do you want with me? As far as I know, Hunters aren't exactly fond of men," I said.
She paused before replying. "Well, I don't see a man here, just a six-year-old… what about you, girls?" Zoë asked, looking around at the Hunters.
The others nodded with smiles. That hit me in a strange way, a pang of something I couldn't name.
"And?" I asked, trying to change the subject.
"And that we can give you some help, Percy Jackson. We have some clothes better than those… rags," Zoë said, staring at me.
I was surprised. I'd never expected kindness from anyone, much less from Zoë Nightshade. I thought about the offer. I had eaten, and though my clothes were in tatters, I didn't have any other options.
I knew from the books that the Hunters weren't as radical as they seemed. So, maybe there was no real danger. And, if I needed to, I still had my sword.
"All right, lead the way," I said, accepting.
End of Chapter 19