LoSP Side Story Ch. 10: Artemis' Hunt (Patreon)

Moonlight fell through the dark leaves upon Thalia’s tiara as she tramped through the forest, twigs breaking under her boots, the noise drifting in the wind over the chirps of the crickets, rising in the night.

“Can thou be quiet?” Iphigenia snapped and Zoe glanced at them over her shoulder, her obsidian eyes glinting like daggers in the moonlight. “Thine trampling shall alert the monster.” 

“Not everyone has been doing this forever, Grandma.” Thalia scowled and pulled her foot from a bramble. “Not all of us run in the forest, that too at night.”

“Thou art—”

“Peace, Iphigenia.” Artemis strode up beside them from behind the pack, her silvery eyes holding a hint of amusement as she looked at Thalia who shifted, trying to scrape away the mud-caked boots against a rock. “Your new sister has some things to learn, despite being crowned the second lieutenant. And we help those in need, no?”

“We do, my Lady,” Iphigenia bowed her head. “We should be kind whenever we can.”

“Thalia,” Artemis said. “Sister, instead of working with your eyes, work with your instincts. Feel the forest beneath you. Feel it and love it and the forest will love you back. Don’t see this as a task or a chore. Be as free as the wind. Be one with the forest, my huntress.”

“I was a tree for nearly a decade,” Thalia muttered, closing her eyes. “Shouldn’t be that hard.”

She took a few deep breaths, trudging ahead, her boots sinking into the wet soil below. Her hands rose as she stumbled slightly, moving around a bush without seeing.

“I can feel it, I think,” Thalia said, quickening her pace. “I can do it!”

“Should we tell her she is going in the wrong direction?” Liza leaned over to Artemis.

“She’ll realize it herself,” Artemis hid her smile behind her hand. “Rather painfully and right about… now.”

Thalia cursed loudly as she ran into a tree trunk, sprawling onto the ground. Birds flew into the air, over the trees, their enraged squeaks echoing through the forest.

“Thalia!” Annabeth helped her up. “You’re an idiot. Who walks in a forest with their eyes closed?”

“I was feeling the forest. The tree should’ve given me signals, I would think.” Thalia scowled, rubbing her forehead. “The little things did.”

“The little things are easier to detect because that is what you are avoiding, Thalia,” Artemis agreed. “You weren’t thinking of big obstacles because you always see them coming. Next time think of everything in your path.”

“Or just walk with your eyes open.” Annabeth rolled her eyes. “Honestly, Thalia.”

“Alright, alright,” she sighed. “I get your point.”

“Good.” Artemis beamed, the silver moonlight falling on her from above as she glanced over Liza’s shoulder. “Now, we have fallen back. Zoe has led the hunt ahead, toward our prey. If we wish to join, we must hurry.”

“Yes, my lady.” Iphigenia straightened. “The eagle shall not see tomorrow’s sun.”

“Let us hope so,” Artemis inclined her head. “There are only a few hours until my brother begins his ride across the sky. And once he does, the eagle would soar and disappear into the clouds as soon as it senses danger. We cannot allow this opportunity to slip through our fingers.” 

“It won’t know what hit it.” Thalia jumped over a log, turning to look at them. “I owe it several hits for the horrible journey it is making us take.”

“It is fun for the rest of us,” Iphigenia corrected. “It is only thee who has a problem.”

“Revenge, girls. Tonight, you shall witness it!” Thalia ignored her, the Aegis materializing on her arm. “Tonight, the Caucasian Eagle will die to my spear.”

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Long shadows fell across Medusa’s snarling face, moonlight glinting off the edge of the bronze shield, casting a faint, silvery reflection on the undergrowth in the forest. She crouched on the forest floor, the small stones pressing against her knee. The damp scent of the dew-veiled leaves clung to her nose and their rustle filled her ears.

A huge bird lay in the center of the clearing ahead, its head tucked under its long golden wings, its bronze beak gleaming in the moonlight. Its feathers rose and fell gently, 

A hint of silver moved to her left and she turned to see Zoe next to her. The daughter of Atlas dropped into a crouch. 

“I am having the monster surrounded,” she whispered. “Lady Artemis is atop the tree on the other side. My archers are spread across the woods. Now, it is your turn. What’s the plan?”

“We’ll attack it in three groups of two,” Thalia said. “Whichever way it turns, an attacker will be on its blind side while the archers will continue raining arrows. You target its wings and eyes while we try to kill it. It’ll try to fly away, but we must keep it pinned down.”

“It is good that the eagle can only fly from tall mountains or large clearings like these. Or we would’ve had trouble with this hunt.”

“If it flies, I will try my best to bring it down,” Thalia shifted her Aegis. “Do you have archers on the trees?”

“I do.” 

“Wonderful.” Thalia flicked open the mace of canister which elongated into a silver-bronze spear. “On my signal, give it Hades and turn it into a porcupine.”

“Alright. What will be the signal?”

Thalia smirked. “You’ll know.”

Zoe sighed and nodded. “Just be silent while approaching the eagle. Don’t ruin your hunt before you get started. I’ll pass on the message.”

Zoe disappeared amongst the bushes, as silent as the breeze, leaving Thalia with Atlanta who raised an eyebrow at her.

“You use a trident, right?” 

Atlanta removed a hairclip and a moment later, a trident sprung into her head, its prongs gleaming in the moonlight.

“And you any good at using that thing?”

“Our Lieutenant and Lady Artemis taught me and honed my skills ever since I got the weapon.” Atlanta tilted her head. “Even Phoebe has sparred with me on occasion.”

“Great,” Thalia muttered. “Let’s go then. We will target its chest or wings and kill it as soon as possible. Remember, we cannot let it take flight.”

“Understood.”

Thalia crept forward, Atlanta behind her, and waved. From her right, Phoebe emerged from the bushes, and to her left, Annabeth walked out, their spears pointed at the Eagle sleeping in the center of the clearing.

‘This is it.’ She tugged at her powers, a thrum of electricity shooting up her arms, into the spear, whose tip lit up with blue wisps of lightning. ‘Time to rock and roll.’

Thalia leaped up high, a flash of white bursting from her spear and smashing against the eagle, its crack drowned out by the screech of the monster. The bronze tip hit the eagle’s chest, drawing a thin line of gold through its white feathers as its wings unfurled.

Silver arrows soared through the air, sinking into the wings as Thalia landed on her feet. Next to her, Atlanta lunged, the tip of her trident sinking into the feathers, bouncing off the monster’s flesh.

Annabeth slid under its thrashing wing, driving her spear up through the feathers, the tip emerging on the other side in a spout of golden blood. The eagle’s screech echoed through the forest, ringing against Thalia’s ears and she winced.

The monster’s wing crashed into Phoebe on her other side, sending her sprawling onto the ground with a grunt. Wind buffeted through the clearing as the eagle flapped its wings, sending trees swaying.

‘No.’ Thalia felt a tug in her gut and leaped, the wind carrying her higher as her spear thrummed with electricity.

“HOLD!” 

The rain of arrows ceased as Thalia came down, the Eagle looking up with beady, black, baleful eyes. In a flash of white, the spear sunk through the Eagle’s skull, the bird flapping its wings, stumbling black. 

A moment later, it burst into golden dust, and Thalia fell to the ground in a pile of monster remains. Pain burst through her side, a grunt escaping her lips.

Someone stood over her and Thalia blinked the spots out of her eyes, to see Artemis’ concerned face hovering over hers. 

“Thalia? Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” Thalia felt pain flare in her ribs. “I am.”

A cheer rose amongst the hunters and Thalia smiled. The hunt had been successful.

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AND… DONE! Hope you all liked the chapter!

This story is set when Percy was in Atlantis in the main story. It is very much Thalia and Annabeth’s first hunt. Some of you might have noticed that I am focusing on Thalia for some of the side stories. This is because she is a rather wonderful character and her story was never told. 

She was the eldest of the Big Three children, the Lieutenant of the hunt, and capable of defeating and almost killing Luke who was as good as Percy was when it came to sword fighting (in canon at least). So, I did like to do her justice.

Also, in LoSP, Thalia is about as important a character as Artemis is. Her role is already substantial for a Percy-centric fic and it will only increase as the war wages on. Though, before you all go angry birds on me, I am saying this in regards to the importance of a character to a story, not in any other sense. She did be the main side character in a sense or a second hero.

A huge thanks to ShadowCheck and Mughil for betaing this story. 

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Stay Happy! Stay Safe! Keep Smiling! Keep Reading!

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