The Hunt for Life (Fem Percy Guardian of the Hunt)

Chapter Nine

"This is not why I was assigned to the Hunt," I said and crossed my arms. The girls ignored me and continued to plan their strategy. I sighed. Under any other circumstances, I wouldn't be paying too much attention. Capture the Flag, as serious as it might be for us, was a game, with about the same risk of getting stabbed as Monopoly. It didn't deserve the same level of care as a strike against an army. It wouldn't, if I didn't have a bone to pick with the Hunters, and if I wasn't a camper through and through.

"Guardian, you round out the defense as our flag guard."

No response. Heads turned towards me, eyes narrowed and jaws clenched. A small smile tugged at my lips, as Thalia stared me down for my silence. It wouldn't drag an answer from me, and if anything the sparks beginning to flicker around her wrists only made it a more appealing situation. Dad could be mad all he wanted, but I wouldn't stop.

"We better not lose this because of you," she said.

I rolled my eyes. "You won't. If you do, it'll be because of your own incompetence rather than anything I do." I turned with a wave of my hand and stalked away towards the flag. The fabric snapped in the breeze. Trees stood tall, and one offered me a branch to rest in. A loud sound, the conch, echoed through the forest. I sighed, and I closed my eyes when a bird with intelligent eyes landed on my knee. "That hurts, Dad."

"Stop trying to get them to kill you."

"Thalia's fun to piss off."

"She's her father's daughter. Which is why I'm worried."

"You can worry, just stop trying to control my life."

"Am I the one who begged my father to kill me? Oh, wait, no sorry, my father ate me and my siblings in an attempt to keep us from overthrowing him. I know full well about people trying to control your life, I play second fiddle to my brother, but–" he waved a wing. "--that doesn't change that I want to keep you safe. Like a parent should." In a fluid movement, Dad leapt onto my shoulder.

"Could've done that earlier," I grumbled.

"If your mother had taken my offer, maybe. I don't think I would have let you out of my sight. Even now I'm hesitant, so I can only imagine how much I would have doted on you as a babe-in-arms. Triton would've played dolls with you, and I could've taught you how to use a trident."

"That second one doesn't feel like it's exclusive to being raised by you."

"Maybe it's not, but it's the point," huffed Dad. "Maybe grounding you would've worked out better than this."

"The sea doesn't like being contained."

"Don't use my own words against me. I know you want to die, I don't understand it, but I know you do. What you seem to fail at getting through that thick skull of yours is that you're in fact my child, and I rather like my children alive."

"It's not like grounding me would change anything." I poked Dad and yanked my hand away when he nuzzled his head against it. "And you can't really get Mom involved in this." I sighed. "You're not going to leave me alone, are you?"

"That wouldn't make me a good father, now would it?" Quieter, he added, "You can't blame me for wanting this. If you were in my position, wouldn't you be doing the same thing?"

"I can blame you for bothering me. Why are you even here?"

The wind rustled the leaves, making them sound like water rushing over sand. Twigs cracked. Someone was making their way toward the flag, and they didn't care about being quiet. I stared down as Clarisse snatched it up. The fabric billowed behind her. I made no move, and Dad stared at me curiously.

"Aren't you going to stop her?"

"Why would I? Camp's due for a win."

"Stop trying to piss her off."

"Is she really that bad of a loser that she'd kill someone when they lose her a game?"

"Have you met a god?"

I breathed out. "I wasn't expecting you to admit to that." We sat in silence, the only sounds the fighting echoing back through the woods. It was nice, but it was nice by being something I should've had a long time ago. It shouldn't have taken wanting to die and Dad being a bird to have this. He stretched his wings out. He settled down and stared at me. I blinked. Lifting one hand, I poked his head.

"I could heal them," he said, out of nowhere. Staring at him, I couldn't speak. Heal them? "The scars. I want you to get better, and seeing those–" He bit back whatever word he was about to say. "It can't be good for you, Percy."

I gritted my teeth. Why couldn't he just do what he's done for most of my life and leave me alone? He had no right to care about this, no right at all to get involved and yet here he was. "I don't care about them. They're proof I've survived."

"The ones from battles aren't the ones I'm talking about, and I think you know that."

I should have went after Clarisse. Maybe there was still time? My skin burned when the bark scraped against it, even through my clothes. A jolt shot up through my joints. "Surprised these boots don't cancel shock, since you're oh so concerned about my well being."

Dad flew down, and his form was back to normal before his feet even hit the ground. Two steps forward and he had me in a hug. "I love you" He kissed my head. I found myself leaning into him, letting my arms come up around him. "Your mother loves you as well."

"Congratulations. Now would you please let me go?"

"Perseus," he said. "I am not keeping you here. You can pull away at any time."

"This isn't going to help keep my identity secret."

Dad tilted my head back and kissed my forehead. His beard scratched against my skin. "No, it isn't. But being able to interact with you is a novelty I plan to revel in. You're my favorite child, and well, we gods can be selfish."

"Not like I have much competition. Tyson's the only one who might qualify, and I'm not sure why he isn't. I mean, he hasn't gotten everyone around him killed," I said. Dad's arms tightened around me. The conch blew.

"Beach or cabin, one of the two." He glanced over his shoulder.

I didn't get a chance to speak before he disappeared. And I didn't get a chance to react before Artemis and Thalia started scolding me. My cloak billowed behind me.

"I'm going to sleep," I said. Wandering back to the Hunter's cabin, I had time to wonder and think. And the question that kept coming back to my mind was: what did he mean beach or cabin?

I have a bunch of homework to do woo, yay college

Update: I'll try to update this soon, but some things have come up so I don't know when I'll get the chance to

See yah