The Nature of a Demigod

(Not) Working Together

[Y/N's POV]

Obviously, going back to sleep after seeing that wasn't an option. As soon as the conch sounded for everyone to wake up, I found Percy and Grover and told them the dream I had. We were sitting in a meadow, watching satyrs chase the wood nymphs through the snow.

The nymphs always promised to kiss the satyrs if they got caught, but they rarely ever did. Usually what happened was that the nymph would let the satyr build some momentum, then turn into a tree and let the poor satyr concuss himself, and in this weather, they would always end up covered in snow from the nymph's branches.

In an unsettling turn, the nymphs would usually ask me to play these games. And I get the feeling that they would let me catch them. Ever since I could remember, the forest spirits here have always been way too into me. If I were a lesser man, I'd cave and go after them, but, my heart just wasn't in it at camp right now.

It felt wrong being here without Annabeth. She'd been a fixture at camp, and my life especially, for the better part of 7 or 8 years, and now she's in life threatening danger. It had been me and her at camp since she was seven. Now it was just me. I felt sick, like I was somewhere I wasn't supposed to be.

When I told Percy and Grover my dream, the satyr twirled his finger in his goat hair. Percy looked horrified.

"A cave ceiling collapsed on her?" Grover asked. "What the heck does that mean?" Percy asked aloud. "I don't know, man. Why do you think I'm talking to you guys?"

Grover shook his head. "It's hard to tell what this could mean. But after what Zoe dreamed-"

"Hang on. Zoe had a dream like that?" I asked, panicked. "I... I don't know, exactly." Grover said. "About three in the morning she came to the Big House and demanded to talk to Chiron. She looked really panicked."

I placed a hand on my face. "Grover... How do you know this?" Grover blushed. "I was sort of camped outside the Artemis cabin." A big sigh escaped my lips. Percy pushed Grover. "You're pathetic." he said. "Maybe..." Grover said. "Why were you there, Grover?" I asked the satyr. He stammered. "Just to be, you know, near them."

"You're a stalker with hooves." Percy said. "I am not!" he countered. "That's disturbing, man." I added. Grover blushed furiously, shaking his hands at us. "Anyway! I followed her to the Big House and hid in a bush and watched the whole thing. She got real upset when Argus wouldn't let her in. It was kind of a dangerous scene."

Argus. The head of camp security. He's a big blonde dude. He looked like a surfer. Not to mention that he has eyes all over his body. And that always bugged me. Why's he got so many eyes when some people can't see at all?

Anyway, Argus was rarely seen if something major wasn't going on. He also got fired last year in the whole poisoned tree incident. They brought him back once they reinstated Chiron though.

"What did Zoe say?" I asked. Grover cringed. "Well, she starts talking really old-fashioned when she gets upset, so it was kind of hard to understand. But something about Artemis being in trouble and needing the Hunters. And then she called Argus a boil-brained lout... I think that's a bad thing. And then he called her-"

"Hang on a dang minute. How could Artemis be in trouble?" Percy asked.

"I... well." Grover shuddered. "Finally Chiron came out in his pajamas and his horse tail in curlers and-"

"I'm sorry, he curls his tail?" Percy asked. Grover covered his mouth. I elbowed Percy hard. "Keep going, Grover."

"Well, Zoe said she needed permission to leave camp immediately. Chiron refused. He reminded Zoe that the Hunters were supposed to stay here until they received orders from Artemis. And she said... " Grover gulped. "She said 'How are we to get orders from Artemis if Artemis is lost?'"