Hello, everyone! Quick disclaimer for anyone who read my Broken Vows series, I just want to inform you all of why I decided to delete/rewrite it. The simple truth is: I didn't like the direction it was going and thought I needed to change it. I was also getting complaints saying that I copied from other fanfic writers, which was justified. Seeing as how that's the case, I decided to just start over from scratch.

If you're angry or upset, I'm sorry, and I hope you like this new series better. All I ask is that you give this a chance. If you're new, then great! I hope that you too enjoy this series, and don't worry, I'll be reintroducing some of the characters from my old story so don't feel lost when you see that this is a rewrite.

With that being said, let's get started.

Chapter One

The Hunt

Zoe Nightshade cursed beneath her parka hood, ski mask and goggles.

The snowstorm had caught her completely by surprise, and now she and her companion, Phoebe, were blindly stumbling around in the raging storm of snow and hail. Lady Artemis had promised an easy hunt. She had caught the trail of a Laestrygonian heading north, and dispatched Zoe and Phoebe to track it down before it could harm anyone.

If it was still alive, it was probably hunkered down in a cave somewhere, safe and warm. The same couldn't be said for Zoe.

Her skin was soaked and the winds made it nearly impossible for her to see clearly. She had to keep her hands extended in front of her to avoid walking into a tree.

Zoe felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to find Phoebe pointing at something off to their right. Zoe squinted to focus better, and saw that her companion had managed to spot a small cave that dug into a cliffside. Zoe nodded and motioned to follow.

A few moments later, the two had managed to get far enough into the cave that they wouldn't be buried alive come morning. While Zoe peeled her frozen jacket, and mask off of her, Phoebe managed to get a small fire going.

They got as close as they could to the meager flame, shivering despite themselves. Blessing of Artemis or no, they would freeze if this kept up.

"W-w-we need to g-g-go," Phoebe said, still shivering. "S-storm won't let up f-f-for a few more h-h-hours."

"We can't," Zoe said. "If we can't another shelter, we'll freeze. I suggest we stay here and try and stay warm until morning."

"W-w-we'll be dead by m-m-morning!" Phoebe exclaimed.

Zoe sighed and rubbed her arms in an attempt to conserve body heat. "What does thee suggest we do? We'll never find another place to stay in time, and Lady Artemis needs us to-!"

A wolf howled nearby. It was close. Zoe and Phoebe summoned their bows and aimed their arrows at the cave entrance. Despite the fact that wolves were within their mistress's domain, not all were friendly. If Lycaon and his mutts had found them, it was very unlikely that they would escape. And to say nothing of Orion…

At the cave's door, a figure appeared. It was male, there was no doubt about that. The shoulders were too large to be female and the person's overall build and height was more masculine than feminine. In his hand he held a lantern with a small flicker of flame inside. His face and body were covered in a parka sweatshirt, ski mask and goggles. He wore blue jeans and black combat boots that were covered in snow.

Zoe and Phoebe held their bows tighter.

The figure raised his hands and approached slowly. When he got within a stone's throw of them he began to place his lantern down gently. "Woah, take it easy there," he said. His voice was muffled by his mask, though it sounded deep, yet also calming.

He set the lantern down and slowly rose again to remove the clothing covering his face. He had dark hair and striking silver eyes. Eyes Zoe had only seen on one other person before…

She shook her head to rid herself of those thoughts. "Who are you?" Zoe demanded. "State thy name and business!"

He held his hands up in a gesture of peace. "My name's Hunter, I'm here to help."

Phoebe scoffed. "We don't need your help, boy."

This boy-Hunter, he called himself, an insult to Zoe and those she served with-glanced at the auburn-haired girl pointing an arrow at his heart. "Yes, you do. You'll freeze if you stay out here much longer." When they didn't lower their bows, he sighed. "Look, I've got a cabin less than a mile north of here. You can either come with me and wait out the storm or you can grit your teeth and prey you aren't a popsicle by morning. What's it gonna be?"

Phoebe glanced at Zoe out of the corner of her eye. Zoe hesitated for a few seconds before she closed her eyes, sighed, and lowered her weapon. "Take us."

Hunter nodded and put his arms down. "Come on." He put his mask and goggles back on and made his way outside. Phoebe gave Zoe a look. The ebony haired girl gave a trust me look and began to put her snow gear back on. Phoebe followed suit and together they walked back into the storm.

Hunter was waiting for them, along with a pack of a dozen wolves. The largest one was a female with white-grey fur and pale blue eyes. She was so large that he back reached Hunter's waist. When they approached she growled and the surrounding wolves followed her lead.

Hunter stroked her backside. "Easy, girl. These are friends."

The wolf stopped growling, though she remained in a defensive stance. Hunter looked at them sheepishly. "Sorry about them. They don't really like strangers." He patted the wolf's head. "This is Winter. She's the alpha of this pack."

Phoebe stepped forward. "You can control them?"

Hunter looked down. "Not control them, no. More like…they help me out if I really need them, but they mostly stay to themselves. They actually led me to you guys."

Zoe stepped forward. "As much as I would love to stay and chat, we really must get going."

Hunter winced, though Zoe couldn't be sure through her goggles. "Right, sorry. Follow me."

-o-

"Are we there yet?" The redhaired girl called over my shoulder.

"Close!" I called back. "We'll be there soon!"

The storm was a nasty surprise, to be sure. I doubt many of the creatures out here had time to prepare before the onslaught began. Luckily for me I had a nice warm place to stay. Luckily for those girls I was close enough to find them.

Even though I could hardly see a thing, I still had a pretty good idea where I was going. I'd been living in this forest for as long as I could remember, so I'd spent most of my childhood hiking and hunting around here. I knew these woods like the back of my hand.

Soon we arrived at our destination: a small wooden cabin. I opened the door and ushered the girls inside. I turned around and gave Winter a small pat on the head. "Good job, girl. Go get some rest."

She turned around and howled. She and her pack bolted into the trees like ghosts. I went into my cabin and hung the lantern on the wall. My home was modest, with a single living room, a small dining room, and a hallway that connected to two bedrooms and a bathroom.

In the living room were several bookcases and a single coffee table. Surrounding the table were two long couches and a loveseat. A large window next to the door gave off a great view of the surrounding woods.

The dining room had a small table, several chairs, and cabinets that held plates, bowls, and glasses. The bedrooms contained beds (obviously), a small burau to hold clothing, and a small window. The bathroom contained a sink and a shower. An outhouse was outside, though there was no way we'd be able to reach it until the storm stopped.

"Leave your stuff by the fire," I said as I took my soaked jacket off and hung it above the fireplace. The two girls stripped down to their T-shirts and jeans and hung their wet apparel next to mine.

"You two hungry?" I asked as I bent down to examine the stew that was in a pot above the fire that I'd been making before Winter led me into the snow. I got weekly supply drops from my…host, and put them to good use when necessary. The stew contained vegetables like potatoes, carrots and corn with some venison mixed in.

Before they could answer, their stomachs growled. They both blushed. I smiled and said, "I'll go grab some bowls."

A few moments later I came back with three bowls, spoons and a ladle. I pulled the stew off the fire and poured its contents into the bowls. I held them out to the girls, though they looked less than grateful. "If I wanted to kill you, I would've left you in that cave."

They exchanged a quick glance but took the bowls nonetheless. It was quiet for a few minutes as we all ate. "So…what're your names?" I asked after a moment.

"Does it matter?" The redhead asked. "Well," I said, "I am letting you stay the night and eat my food, so I think the least you could do is open up a little. I don't bite."

"My name is Zoe," Said the black-haired girl after a moment. "This is Phoebe."

I nodded. "Nice to meet you."

We spent the rest of the meal in silence. When we were finished I took the dishes and put them in the sink and washed them. When I came back Zoe was examining the wall. "This place is protected by divine enchantments."

"You're perceptive," I said. "This place was built by my grandmother as a temple to Apollo. When my dad, Fred, was born Apollo blessed the place. Made it so monsters couldn't get in." Ok, that was a lie, but I couldn't go spouting the real reason this place was built…

"You're a half-blood?" Zoe asked with an arched eyebrow.

"I am," I said.

"Who is thy godly parent?" She asked. "You mentioned thy grandfather was Apollo, and thy father was a demigod as well, so who was thy mother?"

I shrugged. "No idea. Dear old Dad hasn't told me yet."

Zoe looked like she wanted to talk more, but I wasn't in a chatty mood. "Don't you guys think it's time for bed?"

They exchanged glances but nodded. "Great. Your bedroom's down the hall to the left," I said. "Mine's across from yours if you need anything."

"We won't," Phoebe said.

As they passed I muttered, "What crawled up your butt and died?" They didn't seem to hear me, so I just went to my own bedroom. I changed into my pajamas and crawled into bed. I watched the snow fall outside my window until I fell asleep.

The next morning, I woke up before dawn and saw that the storm had broken. I made my way into my guests' bedroom and found them curled up on the floor and bed. I crouched down and gave Phoebe's shoulder a shake. I had barely touched her when her eyes shot open and she pressed a hunting knife to my throat.

I held my hands up in surrender. "Easy, Clove, I just wanted to let you know it's time to rise and shine."

She glared at me for a minute before she sighed and put her knife down. She then got up and woke Zoe. We then helped ourselves to some of the food I had left and got dressed. "So," I asked as the girls put on their jackets, "what are you guys hunting?"

"How do you know we're hunting something?" Phoebe asked.

I rolled my eyes. "Please. My dad told me all about the Hunters of Artemis. How they follow the goddess on her adventures, and how they always have a silvery aura." I pointed at them with my middle and index fingers. "Just like you two."

They exchanged a glance. Zoe sighed and said, "A Laestrygonian. We're hunting a Laestrygonian."

I raised an eyebrow. "All the way out here?"

Zoe nodded. "From what Lady Artemis could gather, only one is here, though it could no doubt do serious harm on its own. We were dispatched to deal with this aberrant giant."

I nodded and looped my belt onto my pants. At the sides were two sheaths that contained my hunting knives; celestial bronze serrated blades that were about as long as my forearm. I'd gotten pretty good with using them in combat. (Though I had little experiences outside of training exercises and dealing with the occasional angry bear.) This worked out especially well in my favor, seeing as I preferred to move around when I fought and swords were too heavy for me to do that comfortably.

"What art thee doing?" Zoe asked.

I raised an eyebrow. "Coming with you?"

Phoebe shook her head. "Absolutely not. I refuse to let a boy like you join us. Besides, you'll just slow us down."

I scowled. "No, I won't! Besides, I think I have a right to tag along, especially considering that I live here." When they didn't look convinced I added, "If it really bothers you that much, how about if I just come as a sort of…backup? Y'know, make sure you don't get too banged up out there."

Zoe looked like she wanted to argue, but she just sighed and said, "We're wasting time. If thee does wish to join us, you will do what we say, when we say it; and thee will stay back whist we are dealing with it. Understand?"

I nodded enthusiastically. "You got it, boss!"

"Don't call me 'boss.'" She muttered as she opened the door. The snow came up to our knees, so we had to take large steps as we walked. "This is getting ridiculous," Phoebe said, "I have snow in my boots!"

"There is not much we can do about the snow," Zoe said.

I pursed my lips and pointed up. "What if we climbed through the trees?"

They looked at where I was pointing and saw what I saw: dozens of trees whose branches were sturdy enough to hold us. Zoe nodded approvingly. "Not a bad idea."

"Thanks!" I said.

"Don't get a swelled head," Phoebe muttered. "It wasn't that good."

I gave her a rather unflattering hand gesture when she turned around. Soon enough we were racing through the trees with the wind in our hair and not a care in the world. Experience allowed me to keep pace with them easily; after all, I'd been doing this since I could run.

We found the giant rather quickly. He was about eight feet tall with long brown hair and an underbite so severe his bottom teeth stuck out from his lips. He wore leather armor and a large club was braced on his shoulder.

Zoe and Phoebe wordlessly summoned their bows and nocked their arrows. Together, they let the arrows fly. The giant roared in outrage and stumbled back, arrows sticking out of the armor on his chest. More arrows flew. The giant swung his club at the tree Zoe was on and she was knocked from her perch into the snow below. Luckily the white substance broke her fall, but now the giant was baring down on her.

He raised his giant club, and I leapt from my tree. I landed on his shoulders and drove my knives into his ears. He screamed in agony and stumbled back. He jerked his shoulders and I was thrown off. I hit a tree and the wind was knocked out of me. The giant saw me, and grit his teeth. He looked like he was about to charge, but an arrow appeared in his eye. He crumbled to dust.

I saw Phoebe helping Zoe up before they walked over to where I was. I climbed to my feet, still gasping for air. When they reached me, Zoe looked highly uncomfortable. "T-thanks," She said after a second.

I nodded and finally caught my breath. "No problem. What now?"

Phoebe shouldered her bow. "Now, we leave. The monster's been taken care of, so there's no reason for us to stay."

I nodded. "Do you guys have a ride or do you need to walk?"

Zoe looked up. "Our 'ride' is here."

I looked at where she was and saw a bright ball of silver light descending upon us. I closed my eyes when the light became too intense and opened them again when the light faded. Standing before me was by far the strangest thing I'd ever see: a twelve-year-old girl with auburn hair and silver eyes was holding the reigns to a sleigh pulled by four reindeer. I probably would've made a Santa Claus joke if Zoe and Phoebe hadn't bowed their heads and said, "Lady Artemis."

The goddess inclined her head. "Zoe. Phoebe. I trust your hunt was successful?"

"Yes, my lady," Zoe said.

The goddess turned her head to look at me and I felt a small tug in my stomach. "Who is this?"

I thought it was pretty rude to talk about me as though I wasn't there, but I wasn't about to comment. I'd been told several times to always be respectful when in the presence of an immortal. Some of them had a tendency to get offended easily, and when that happened the mortals who'd offended them tended to blow up.

"This is Hunter, Lady Artemis," Phoebe said. "He…helped us." She said it like it was an unfortunate truth.

Artemis looked at me for a second. I saw her place a hand on her lower stomach. "Hmm. Come along, dears." Zoe and Phoebe climbed into the sleigh and the three girls disappeared in a flash of light.

And then I was alone in the middle of the woods. I felt a little bitter that goddess barely acknowledged me or at least thanked me for helping the girls. After all, they would've frozen to death if not for me. I shook my head and decided that I'd head back to my cabin and await my "father's" return.

-o-

A few hours later, the woods around my house were bathed in a bright light. I put my book down and sat back, eager for the conversation that was about to take place. I heard the sound of boots on the porch and a second later the door was flung open. In stepped a man with sandy blonde hair, blue eyes, and a perfect tan. He was around seventeen or eighteen and wore a sleeveless white T-shirt, jeans, and loafers. His stupid grin was so white I was nearly blind.

"Howdy, kiddo!" He said. I probably shouldn't be so exasperated with him, but after putting up with his nonsense for Thirteen years, I was kind of done.

"Hey, Apollo," I said. Apollo had taken me in as a baby and built this little cabin to make sure I stayed out of trouble. He'd taken it upon himself to raise me himself (with help from some of the local nymphs). Whenever I asked him who my parents were, he'd brush it off and switch the conversation to something else.

"What's up?" He asked.

I shrugged. "Not much. The storm was pretty violent last night."

He nodded. "Yeah, I saw. You good?"

"Yeah, although a monster came stumbling around."

His eyes were the size of dinner plates. "What!? Is it still out there?"

I shook my head. "I took care of it."

He narrowed his eyes. "By yourself?"

I shook my head. "No." I looked him dead in the eyes. "Two girls with silver bows and auras were tracking it. I led them to the giant, and we killed it."

I saw him swallow. "Is that so?"

I nodded. "Yep. I didn't tell them that you were here or anything; just that I lived out here with my 'dad'."

He nodded, looking nervous. "Good. Good."

"Oh, and I met your sister."

He paled so much he could've blended in with the snow. "What?"

"You heard me. She came to pick up her Hunters and then she left."

Apollo let out a breath. "Oh, good."

I stood up and walked over to him. "It was pretty strange, meeting another god. I got this weird feeling when I was around her." Apollo gulped. "Almost like we had some sort of special connection. Any idea why that is?"

Apollo sighed and sat down on the loveseat. "I knew this day was coming." I sat down on the couch and waited for him to go on. "You already have a guess, don't you?"

I nodded. "I do, but I'd rather hear you say it so I don't look stupid if I'm wrong."

Apollo gave a slight chuckle. "She's your mother."

I pursed my lips. "I knew it," I muttered. "Wait, if I'm her son, why didn't she say anything when she saw me?"

Apollo ran a hand through his hair. "She doesn't know you exist."

I raised an eyebrow. "Uh, you do know how babies are born, right? Mothers typically tend to know about that."

Apollo shook his head. "You were conceived immaculately. So immaculately that my sister never even knew you were made in the first place."

"And how is that?"

Apollo sighed. "Centuries ago, a woman named Niobe insulted our mother, Leto. In revenge, Artemis and I struck down her seven sons and daughters. Her husband later killed himself and Niobe disappeared. We assumed she died. Then, thirteen years ago, she reappeared and stole some of Artemis's divine essence and combined it with that of a mortal she'd killed, creating you."

I squinted. "How do you know this?"

"Niobe told me. She sought me out after the deed was done and asked that I deliver you to my sister. She disappeared again before I could question her further or apprehend her."

"So why didn't you?"

"Why didn't I what?"

"Bring me to her?" I crossed my arms.

Apollo gulped. "I wasn't sure how she would've reacted."

I raised an eyebrow. "Meaning?"

Apollo looked at me. "I wasn't sure if she would kill you or not."

I swallowed. Then I stood up and began to walk to the door.

"What are you doing?" Apollo asked.

"Going to find my mother," I said over my shoulder. "It's about time she found out."

"Wait!" Apollo called. "Didn't you hear what I said?"

I nodded. "I did, but if I'm going to die, I'd rather do it on my own terms, and you can't stop me, not forever, so if you'll excuse me."

My hand had just grabbed the doorknob when Apollo said, "Wait." I turned my head to look at him. "Let me do it."

"Apollo?"

He walked over and opened the door. "It was my responsibility, so I'll be the one to do it. You just go for a walk, clear your mind. I imagine she'll either be furious or curious. Or both."

I nodded. "How long will you be gone?"

He shrugged. "Maybe an hour or so."

I nodded. "Good luck."

He smiled. "You too." Then he jumped in his chariot and disappeared. I took a deep breath and ran into the woods. If I was going to die, I wanted to at least enjoy a hunt one final time.

-o-

Apollo sat in his chariot, contemplating what to do. Below him was Artemis's camp. From his seat he could see over a dozen girls in silver jackets milling around; sharpening weapons, eating, sparing, or firing arrows on a makeshift range.

Apollo pinched the bridge of his nose. He knew that he could back out; that he could drive off, erase Hunter's memories of the past two days and everything could go back to normal. But deep down, he knew that wasn't possible. Either his sister would find out some other way, or he'd feel so guilty that he'd undo his mistakes.

So, with a weary heart, Apollo set his chariot down in a small clearing just outside the camp. He opened the door and climbed out. A small group of Hunters had gathered to see who was intruding upon their haven. When they saw it was Apollo they didn't hide their disgust. Several groaned while the others simply scowled at him.

Apollo didn't give his usual greeting of "Sup, ladies?" Instead, he simply said, "Hello girls. Is my sister here?"

The girl in charge, Chloe, glanced back at her sisters with a confused look on her face. Naomi shrugged. "She's in her tent," Chloe said.

"Thank you," Apollo said. He began to walk toward the largest tent. Several of the girls looked up from what they were doing to stare at Apollo as he went. Apollo ignored them all, instead focusing his attention on his upcoming confrontation with his sister. When he reached his destination, he hesitated. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and pulled open the flap that served as a doorway.

The tent was fairly spacious, with silk rugs and pillows covering the floor. A golden brazier was set in the middle and burned without fuel. Off to one side, Artemis's silver bow hung on a polished oak display. On another side was a small bed with animal fur blankets and a feather pillow. Artemis was hunched over a table, studying a map. She hadn't noticed Apollo yet.

The sun god cleared his throat. Artemis turned toward him, her face blank. When she saw him, her face soured. "Apollo. What are you doing here?"

Apollo shuffled uncomfortably. "Can we sit down? I need to talk to you."

Artemis narrowed her eyes but nodded nonetheless. "What do you want, brother?" she asked after they took their seats.

Apollo licked his lips. "Do…do you remember the boy who helped Zoe and Phoebe?"

Artemis nodded slowly. "What about him?"

Apollo gulped. "I…I think it will be easier to show you than to try and explain," he held out his hand. "Trust me, Artemis."

She took his hand reluctantly and closed her eyes. Apollo closed his eyes as well and shared his memories of that black-haired boy with his sister. In a single moment, Artemis saw every one of Apollo's experiences with Hunter: how he'd found him, taken care of him, raised him, and kept him hidden from her.

Artemis screamed and flung herself away from her brother. For a moment her mind raced as doubt and confusion consumed her. The moment passed, and her confusion was replaced with a fury so intense that none could comprehend it. She snarled like a lion and tackled her brother, pinning him under her and pressing a knife to his jugular.

"You dare!" she breathed. "You dare hide this from me? Why?"

Apollo-to his credit-didn't show any signs of fear. "Because I had no idea how you'd react."

Artemis's eyes widened for a fraction of a second. "What are you saying?"

Apollo smiled slightly. "I think you know. He was never meant to exist. He was a glitch in the universe, and I had no idea if you'd take it upon yourself to 'fix' that glitch."

Artemis slowly slid off of her brother, an unreadable expression on her face. "You thought I would kill my own son," she whispered. Her face quickly flushed with anger. "I'm the goddess of childbirth, brother!"

Apollo nodded. "And he was born unnaturally. I assumed you'd see him as a violation of everything you represented. A humiliation to you that was so great you'd have no choice but to erase it."

Artemis's eyes turned downcast. "So, in the end, you did not trust me, and due to your lack of trust, you robbed me of something that was-is so fundamentally mine. Something that you had no right to take from me."

Apollo could only say, "I don't expect you to forgive me, but know that I was doing what I thought was right."

Artemis glared at him. "If you were so worried about me killing him, why tell me now?"

"He said that if I didn't tell you, then he would."

Artemis arched an eyebrow. "And you believed him?"

Apollo nodded. "Hunter isn't one to make idle threats. He would've found a way, and if you do intend to kill him, I wanted to be there to stop you."

Artemis gripped her bow. "I would never hurt him, Apollo. You should've known that."

Apollo sighed, "I suppose I should have."

Artemis stood up. "Take me to him."

Apollo shot to his feet. "What?"

"You heard me. Either take me to my son, or stand aside."

Apollo swallowed. "You promise you won't hurt him?"

Artemis glared over her shoulder. "I swear I won't."

Apollo nodded. "Then follow me."

Apollo began to lead Artemis out of the tent. Artemis told her girls that she would be gone for a few hours and that Zoe would be in charge. They climbed into Apollo's sun chariot and disappeared in a flash of bright light.

A moment later they reappeared in the large forest where Apollo had fostered his nephew. When the twins stepped out of the car, their eyes widened in horror. The cabin was on fire and its roof had collapsed.

"No!" Apollo cried. He ran to the front of the cabin. "Hunter?"

"Brother!" Artemis shouted. Apollo looked at where she was. She was crouching in the snow, examining a large indent. Apollo walked over and realized that it was a large footprint. Artemis cursed under her breath.

"What is it?" Apollo asked.

"Laestrygonians," Artemis snarled. "They went this way."

Apollo summoned his bow. "Come on!" Then he raced off in the direction of the footprints, Artemis hot on his heels.

-o-

I've got to say, on my top-ten-most-embarrassing-moments list, this ranked around three or four. So there I was, enjoying a leisurely stroll through the woods, enjoying the view and hoping to maybe score some dinner when out of nowhere, a giant flaming cannonball sailed over my head. I was able to avoid the projectile, but the same couldn't be said for my house. The cannonball shattered my front door and the cabin caught fire.

"Oh, come on!" I shouted.

I turned around to find half a dozen giants wading into view. I pulled out my knives (great decision, I know) and charged them. In my head I imagined dodging and weaving around them, slashing when necessary until they were all dead. That wasn't how it played out. I got one in the big toe when his buddy grabbed me from behind. My arms and legs were pinned so I couldn't break free.

"You ok, Spine Smasher?" One of them asked.

The guy I stabbed said, "Fine, just a little prick." Then he waded over to me. "Looks tasty." The rest of his friends nodded in agreement.

"Oh, you don't wanna eat lil' old me," I said. "I've got no protein, no nutritious value. Maybe you should just let me go and not waste your time."

The guy holding me barked, "Quiet!" and began to carry me through the trees, back to (presumably) their campsite.

So, here I am, struggling to free myself while a half dozen smelly giants argued which spices and vegetables would suit me best. (They were saying carrots and basil, which I found absolutely ridiculous.)

I could see a small fire brewing in the trees, and I assumed I would only have a few more minutes before it was chow time. I was about to begin begging for a miracle when a golden arrow pierced the left eye of the giant who was holding me. He crumbled to dust, and I was released from his hold. I hit the ground and rolled out of the way as a volley of silver and gold arrows found their marks in the giants' stomachs, chests, faces and arms. Pretty soon it was just me and several small piles of golden dust. Two figures emerged from the tree line. I recognized them as Apollo and…my mother. Ugh. Now that I say it, that really does feel weird.

"And look who finally shows up!" I said as I climbed to my feet. "Where were you an hour ago?"

Apollo glanced at his sister. "Fulfilling a promise."

I took a deep breath at the twelve-year-old next to him. Her bow was at her side, a quiver of arrows on her back. She looked just the same as when I had first seen her, and yet…there was something else in her eyes as well. Her gaze wasn't angry, or frustrated. More like…cautious. I figured that was to be expected considering she'd just recently found out she had an immaculately conceived child that her brother hid from her for Thirteen years.

I sighed. "Are you just gonna stare all day or are we gonna get this over with?"

Apollo's eyebrows shot up in surprise. I supposed that it was unwise to speak so frankly with an Olympian, but then again, if I was going to die I wanted to at least do it on my own terms.

Artemis didn't look angry, however. She looked me up and down a few times, as though determining whether or not I would make a good floor rug. I noticed her eyes were somewhat glistening as well, though that was probably just from the cold.

Slowly, she took a step forward. Apollo watched her closely as she approached, though I wasn't really sure if he could do anything if Artemis really wanted me dead. She got within arm's reach of me and I closed my eyes, expecting a sudden stab or to be turned into a furry creature. Instead, I felt a warm hand cup my cheek gently. I opened my eyes and found Artemis looking up at me, a small smile on her lips.

"My son," She said quietly. I noticed Apollo relax. I did so as well.

"Hi," I said after a minute. Artemis smiled wider and removed her hand from my cheek.

"You ok?" Apollo asked.

"Yeah, I'm good," I said. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to start rebuilding my house."

I began to walk in the direction of my former cabin when Apollo cleared his throat. "Um, Hunter?"

I turned around. "Yes?"

"I don't really think it's a good idea for you to stay here."

I raised my eyebrows. "What? Why?"

Apollo and Artemis exchanged nervous glances. "Now that my temple's been destroyed, it will take some time to fix it."

"How much time?"

Apollo shrugged. "However long until I get around to it."

I crossed my arms. "And where, per say, do you expect me to go until you get around to it?"

Artemis stepped forward. "I could offer you a spot in the Hunters, if you so wish. Zoe and Phoebe have reported your abilities in combating monsters, and if my brother has trained you since birth, you will be more than capable of handling your own."

I raised an eyebrow. "Thanks, but I'd rather not spend the rest of eternity parading around with a bunch of middle schoolers with a severe case of misandry." I quickly added "no offense."

"None taken," Artemis said.

"Then you'll be going to Camp Half-Blood," Apollo said. "It's a place where demigods like you can train while being kept safe from monsters and such."

I scoffed. "Can't you just wave your hand and fix my crib? It'd be a lot better than hanging around some summer camp."

Apollo shook his head. "No can do, kiddo, sorry."

I sighed. "Fine. How will I get there?"

"I'll call Chiron and have him send someone."

I nodded. "Ok. And, when you get a chance, can you send me some new clothes? All mine are kinda on fire."

Apollo sighed. "Yeah, sure."

I smiled. "Thanks."

He nodded and pulled out a cellphone. He pressed a few of the buttons and held it up to his ear before walking away. Just before he got out of range I could hear him say, "Chiron, my man! How've you been? Listen, I need you to send-"

I smiled before looking back at Artemis, who was looking at me again. I turned toward her and took a step forward.

"So…" I began, "how are you? With all this, I mean. I know this is kinda jarring, and all."

She smiled and gripped her bow with both hands. "It was…surprising, to say the least. I never believed I would find myself in a position of motherhood, but now that I am here…I am beginning to warm to the idea."

I smiled despite myself. At least she wasn't likely to kill me…I hope. A moment later, Apollo reappeared, smiling wildly. "Good news! Chiron will be sending someone along shortly."

I nodded. "How long?"

Apollo shrugged. "An hour, maybe."

"That's comforting," I muttered.

"I should be going," Artemis said. "The sun will set soon, and I must return to my Hunters."

"Don't forget to write," Apollo said cheerfully.

Artemis sighed and shook her head. Then she turned to me and said, "Good hunting, my child."

I nodded back and she turned and sprinted into the trees. Apollo went to leave as well but I grabbed his wrist. He turned his head. "Yes?"

I took a deep breath. "Before you go, I just wanted to say…thanks. For everything. You didn't have to take care of me or even keep me alive, but you did. I just want you to know how grateful I am for that."

Apollo smiled and gave me a hug, which I reluctantly returned. (What? I'm not a touchy-feely kind of guy.) When he pulled back he smiled and said, "It was my pleasure, kiddo." Then he turned, and teleported away.

I found a stump nearby and sat down, waiting for whoever was sent to fetch me.

-o-

By the time he arrived, the sun had dipped below the horizon and the temperature had begun to drop significantly. I was playing with one of my knives when he appeared, stumbling out of the thicket of trees. He was young, probably around twelve years old with brown hair, brown eyes and goat feet.

I stood up and began to walk toward him. He was pulling a small stick out of his fur when I got to him. "Stupid woods. Stupid forests. Stupid gorgeous nymphs. Oh!"

"You the guy?" I asked.

He nodded and offered his hand. "Yeah. I'm Grover. Grover Underwood."*

I took his hand and gave it a shake. "Nice to meet you. I'm Hunter."

He pulled his hand back and looked around. "So…you ready?"

I nodded. "I already got everything I need."

He looked nervous for a second before he smiled and said, "Great! Camp's not too far from here, so we should arrive just after dinner."**

I nodded. Together we began to make our way through the trees that had for so many years been my home.

Roughly an hour and a half later, we arrived in a large strawberry field that was covered with snow. In the distance I could see cabins in the distance and a large two-story house. The whole place looked deserted.

"Where is everyone?" I asked.

"Probably at dinner," Grover said. "Come on. I'll introduce you to Chiron."

"Well," I muttered to myself, "welcome to Camp Half-Blood."

* This story takes place a few months/during the Lightning Thief, so Grover, Percy and Annabeth will be much younger than they are right now.

** Since it's the middle of winter in the story, the sun sets much earlier than it would in the summer, so it would be dark when dinner is usually held.

A/N: If you enjoyed, please leave a review and if you want to be alerted to when I update then favorite/follow.