Son of a Hunter

21

"Hello Leon. I have been expecting you."

Leon was startled beyond belief at the mention of his name. How did this creature know of him? He had never seen anything like it before.

"How do you know about me?" he asked.

Echidna just laughed, a strange snake-like laughter. It was actually very disturbing seeing a half-woman, half-snake laughing as hard as she was.

"Oh my dear, do you not think that a mother would not know what was killing off her children? I have known about you since you killed my son, the Nemean Lion. I hoped that my other child, the Hydra, would be able to do better. But you slew even him. And when I sent my Chimera to get you, your little friends just had to go and distract him. But that does not matter. I have you right where I want you, my sweet. And so I shall take care of you personally."

She smiled slowly, a very scary sight indeed. Her teeth were pointy, and her tongue, forked it seemed, slithered out and tasted the air around her, like it was savoring his fear. But Leon bit his tongue, and refused to show any sign of discomfort near this monstrosity.

Echidna slithered, yes slithered, a little closer to Leon, and Leon tried to casually lift his arms a little higher, to conceal the fact he was reaching for his blades at his back. Echidna smiled her snake-like smile.

"You really think you have a chance at killing me? I am the one who gave birth to those you slew. I am the mother of monsters! You honestly think I will get killed by some runt?"

"Never underestimate someone Echidna...Typhon was taken down by the Olympians, was he not?"

Echidna snarled in a reptilian way. But her eyes then locked on to something. Something shining on Leon's neck, just above his chest. And her eyes flew from Leon's eyes to the necklace on his neck.

"So it is true..." She muttered aloud.

"What is?" Leon asked, rasing his arms a little closer to his knives.

"The rumors. I didn't believe it until just now. But that necklace on you proves it. You really are the Son of the Huntress. Artemis broke her vow, hasn't she?"

Leon heard the insulting tone to his mother and his face became a mask of rage. He was not going to stand for that one...

"For you information, oh queen of monsters, there are several ways for a mother to have a kid besides sex."

Echidna grinned, realizing that she had hit a sore mark.

"Ah, so it IS true. You are the child of Artemis. A forbidden son...an abomination..."

"Your one to be talking, ya' damn snake!" Leon yelled in retalitation.

Echidna only chuckled. Leon wished she would stop doing that strange snake laugh, as it really was creepy...and really getting on his nerves. He was about to attack just to shut it up.

"And so the abomination of Half-bloods is going to try to kill the mother of all monsters? Tell me Leon, do you think the Olympians, or even better, the world itself will respect you? Knowing that you are an outcast of their whole society?"

"What do you mean?" Leon asked, his anger building.

"You should not have been born...at least not have been male? Do you think your mother really loves you? Artemis makes a pastime of turning men and boys into helpless jackolopes and other animals, so they can be hunted by predators in the wild. Do you really think that she loves you? You are, in her eyes, a disgusting boy. She could never love you! And the world around you scorns you for your bloodline. You are a forbidden child Leon...and the world will never accept you..."