ARROWS¹ - PERCY JACKSON

III - THALIA TORCHES NEW ENGLAND

The Hunters broke camp as quickly as they'd set it up. I oversaw the girls doing their jobs, and gave help where it was needed.

I looked to my right and saw Thalia, Percy, and Grover anxiously conversing, presumably about my mother. I felt a pang of jealousy, seeing their friendships and bonds. I longed for something like that.

Finally, we were done breaking camp, and the sky began to lighten. I walked up to my mother, who was engaging in conversation with a few of the demigods. 

"You're, um, waiting for sunrise?" I heard Percy ask.

"For my brother. Yes." 

"It's not exactly as you think," Artemis added, like she was reading his mind. She had always done that to me, too, and I'm lying if I say it doesn't freak me out.

 "Oh, okay. So, it's not like he'll be pulling up in a—" 

There was a sudden burst of light on the horizon. A blast of warmth. 

"Don't look," Artemis advised. "Not until he parks."

I expertly averted my eyes, having gone through this a million times before. 

I looked. And there it was, Uncle Apollo's big ole sports car.

The uncle, in question, got out, smiling. He looked about seventeen or eighteen. Apollo had sandy hair and outdoorsy good looks. He was tall, and his smile was bright and playful. He wore jeans and loafers and a sleeveless T-shirt.

"Wow," Thalia muttered. "Apollo is hot."

"He's the sun god," Percy said.

"That's not what I meant." I said, glaring at Thalia. I mean, gross. That was my uncle.

"Little sister!" Apollo called. If his teeth were any whiter he could've blinded us without the sun car. "What's up? You never call. You never write. I was getting worried!"

Artemis sighed. "I'm fine, Apollo. And I am not your little sister." 

"Hey, I was born first."

"We're twins! How many millennia do we have to argue—"

"So what's up?" he interrupted. "Got all the girls with you, I see. Oh- Lena! I've been wanting to talk to you!"

He winked at me, his eyes going between Percy and I.

Artemis grit her teeth. "It can wait. I need a favor. I have some hunting to do, alone. I need you to take my companions to Camp Half-Blood."

"Sure, sis!" Then he raised his hands in a 'stop everything!' gesture. "I feel a haiku coming on."

The Hunters, including me, all groaned.

"Green grass breaks through snow. 

Artemis pleads for my help.

I am so cool."

He grinned at us, waiting for applause.

"That last line was only four syllables," Artemis said.

Apollo frowned. "Was it?"
"Yes. What about I am so big-headed?"

"No, no, that's six syllables. Hmm." He started muttering to himself.

I turned to the demigods, explaining. "Apollo's been going through this, um, haiku phase ever since he visited Japan. It's not as bad as the time he visited Limerick, though. I swear, If I'd had to hear one more poem that started with, There once was a goddess from Sparta—"