Mind over Matter

Meeting the hunters

Percy POV

I walked out of the coliseum and began looking at the camp. I saw that there were even more cabins for the minor gods and goddesses then last time as well as more demigods roaming around the space. I walked towards the side building that had been placed next to the cabin of Artemis. I walked towards it and peered inside. It held a simple hammock for sleep as well as spare arrows and weapons all around the room. It had silver walls, grassy terrain lay in place of floorboards and the roof showed the different constellations.

"This room has not been used in many years. Last person to use it was also a son of Poseidon, I believe you have heard of Orion? There are many different tales dictating what happened with Orion, but only me and him knew the truth. I had been fascinated by his hunting abilities and prowess and decided to hire him. See I used to have male hunters too, not just female. I was not always so biased. But I failed to sense the prideful competitive side of Orion. He was obsessed with beating my hunters, proving himself as the best. And by my bow he was. Even my lieutenant Zoë could not beat him in archery.

But he grew power hungry. He wanted more. He started rallying the male hunters, readying them, convincing them that men were superior. He started tormenting my hunters, stealing their prey and even attaching them. But it was when Apollo arrived that I had to end him. You see Apollo had come to visit as us two would often go on solo hunts that my hunters could not handle. When Apollo explained that to Orion who insisted on going, Orion became aggressive. He began shooting arrows at Apollo and all his followers joined. They would have killed him had I not intervened. I shot them all. And it was then that I swore to never have male hunters. Apollo forgot the whole ordeal. Whether it be fear or embarrassment I don't know but he forgot."

Artemis recounted the story with so much raw emotion that I couldn't help be ashamed. I was not the one who did it. But I was related to him. "M'Lady, if it is okay with you I wish to not stay in this room. I am unfortunate enough to have to be related to such a horrendous human, I will not share anything more in common with him. I will sleep outside the hunts cabin, by your permission of course?" I asked, adamant on getting far away from the memory of another horrible relative. First Antaeus, then Scipio, then Douglas and now Orion. I pray that I shall not wind up like my brothers before me.

I looked at Artemis and saw what looked like pride twinkling in her eyes. "Very well Perseus, but please call me Artemis, I shall have no more of this M'Lady nonsense. I also would like to introduce you to the hunters." I nodded to her request and she led me inside of her cabin. There were 8 hunters in total, many had been lost in the war with Gaia.

"Ladies, you are all aware that Perseus is our guardian. You have all heard of his exploits and adventures, but he is yet to hear of you. I would like you all to formally introduce yourself to Perseus." The hunters began to line up at the request of their Leader, patron and friend.

"Sup kelp head, you know me, Thalia daughter of Zeus." She waved half heartedly before walking back over to her bed.

"Phoebe, daughter of Ares." She grunted before returning back to sharpen her knives.

"Layla, daughter of Apollo." She was a quiet girl with straight blonde hair which had a black hairband. She had blue eyes that were soft unlike Thalia's electric blue. She appeared to be about 12 but with the hunters you never know for sure.

"Elizabeth, daughter of Janus." She had two different coloured eyes, one brown and one blue. Her hair was done in two pig tails and was also a muddy brown colour.

"Cassidy McConville, daughter of Urania." She had a mixture of blond and brown hair that fell slightly more then the shoulders. Her eyes were also a mixture of colours, grey, brown, black and green. She was beautiful but I could sense she had a strong love for others.

"Heidi Bailey, daughter of Athena." She had blonde hair that was straight unlike the princess curls of another Athenian child I knew. Her eyes were grey and showed wisdom but also a cold cunningness.

"Holley Brabble, also a daughter of Apollo." Her hair was brown and curly and her eyes held a sense of laughter and joy.

"Hermione, daughter of Hecate." Her eyes also held a sense of intelligence and power, and her brown hair was bushy yet not unflattering.

"Well as you all know, my name is Percy Jackson, please call me Percy and not Perseus. I'm a son of Poseidon but I was blessed by every member of the Olympian council. Now I know that chances are you're not comfortable with a male around. Please if at any point you feel like I am stepping over the line or you are put off by my presence. Tell me. I can tell when a family is strong and loving together and I am getting that heavily with you. I will not come in and ruin the family you have all made so if you have an issue please bring it to my attention and I will do whatever I can to help. If my being here is the problem you need only ask and I will leave." Having said that I walked out of the cabin and sat down on a stool in front of the cabin. The sky had turned to night as the moon travelled across the sky and I smiled a genuine smile as my eyes slowly closed and I felt the familiar comfort of unconsciousness consume me.