9 DA : Chapter 9: Reclaiming Family III

Mortal World

It was nighttime in California. The night air was cool and soothing as light breezes caressed the tree leaves, the moon shining brightly with a cold light. In a clearing the shadows started to coil and condense in the center, an eerie aura of cold and darkness suffocating the air. 

All animals went silent, from the crickets to the few deer out in this evening. 

Soon the darkness formed a shape of a hulking wolf and rider before it dissipated to reveal Percy and Rhea. Percy's fur made him next to invisible in the lingering shadows as even the light of the moon touching him seemed to be soaked up, never to be seen again.

Rhea looked like a 12 year old girl, her clothes changed to simple jean shorts and a snug brown shirt, all ruffled up and looking a little dirty for extra effect. 

Her eyes were also changed to a soft green to not give away her power and with a small obsidian earing made by Nyx, Artemis would think that Rhea is little more than a demigod of a minor god. 

Percy also had a collar made of the same material that would make his power feel like a wolf from Lupa's pack. Their backstory wasn't that sound, especially his size, but it would have to do.

"So where are they exactly?" Rhea asked as Percy took off in a light jog (gallop?) towards the south.

'I can sense them about a mile away,' he thought back since he couldn't risk anyone knowing he could speak in this form.

He could sense anything with a shadow within several miles of him thanks to his partial domain so he knew exactly where the Hunt was currently camped. Rhea held on tight as he picked up speed, his form looking like a shadow gliding along the forest floor. 

He loved the feeling of the night and darkness around him as he ran at speeds even Artemis' hunters wouldn't be able to keep up, the cool wind in his face as Rhea snuggled into his soft fur.

He was glad he was a wolf, otherwise she might have seen him blushing at the contact. He really couldn't get the heiress and to make matters worse, he was pretty sure he liked her … but he also liked her daughter! What is he supposed to do in that situation!? 

To make matters worse he had no idea if either would return his affections and that thought made his normally stony heart hurt even more than it had for years after he left this world behind.

He gave a wolf's equivalent of a sigh as he trudged on, trying to focus more on finding the Hunt rather than his jumbled feelings. However, the thought of that group, especially Artemis and Phoebe, made his frigid blood boil. 

He would see those two ripped apart … but not before taking away everything they hold dear and having them literally begging for any form of death. 

His thoughts continued to the point he released a bloodcurdling growl while the ground beneath him froze on contact with his paws.

"Percy," Rhea whispered gently as she hugged his neck from behind.

Just her voice was enough to calm him down, his entire frame relaxing as he sent her a mental thank you. He felt her nod into his neck as he continued to move through the forest nearly soundless, his senses picking up every scent, sight, and sound around him. 

Soon he picked up the sound of chatter and laughing along with the scents of cooked meat, marshmallows, and a campfire. 'Found them,' he told Rhea as he turned in their direction.

Soon he arrived at the edge of their camp, just out of the fire light as Rhea dismounted him. With that Percy backed up a few feet, letting the darkness envelop him, presence and all. With him hidden, Rhea continued on to the next part of the plan.

"H-hello!" she called in a tired and timid voice making the laughter abruptly stop.

Soon the hunters appeared, a solid 30 of them ranging from 6 to 17 year olds, all with bows in hand but no arms notched yet. Soon a familiar hunter wearing a tiara stepped up, her electric blue eyes looking at Rhea intently.

"Who are you?" she asked with stern though not unkind tone.

"M-Mira," Rhea answered while fiddling with the hem of her shirt.

"Well Mira, what are you doing here?" Thalia asked as she stepped closer but kept one hand in her pocket, obviously gripping her hidden spear in case 'Mira' turned out to be a threat. Oh if only she knew.

"I'm lost," Rhea replied nervously while looking at Thalia with pleading eyes. "My mom said I had to run south … something about a camp … and they would tell me who my dad is."

"A demigod huh?" Thalia commented before she glanced back to the group of gathered girls.

Soon a particular 12 year old approached with auburn hair and silvery-yellow eyes. 'Artemis,' Percy growled in his mind as she approached Rhea. 

Oh how he wanted to simply attack now and tear her throat out, to make her scream and cry as she forced to watch him destroy the Hunt. He kept himself in check however as he carefully watched the hunters behind her. It didn't take him long to spot her.

Obviously the youngest one. A little girl with dark brown hair and bright blue eyes, his mother's cheeks and nose, and a scent that was slightly similar to his own. 

There was his sister, Andromeda Jackson. He'd only managed to see her once, when she was little more than a year old. All before Hera initiated her plan and took eight months of his life away. 

He wished with all his heart he could just walk up to her and hug her but for now he needed to remain silent.

"What is your story girl?" Artemis asked after inspecting Rhea and subtly reaching out with her own power to get a read on Rhea's. Luckily Nyx's charms worked like … well, charms.

"Umm … a week ago a tall man with one eye appeared and attacked my house. My m-mom … was hurt," Rhea started to sniffle before continuing, "There was too much blood but before the monster could get me my mom threw this dagger at it." Rhea pulled out a small celestial bronze dagger with dried blood on it from her back pocket. 

"It hit the monster in the head and he exploded into gold dust. Then my mom told me about a camp and to run away … and to leave her behind." Rhea was fully crying now, rubbing one of her hands into her eye as she pitifully looked at Artemis. 

"But … he kept me safe and helped me travel here."

"He?" Artemis asked venomously as she suddenly had her bow in hand and the other hunters copied her while scanning around. "Where is the boy that accompanied you? Did he take advantage of you?"

'Tch. Typical. She didn't say anything bad about me and Artemis already thinks I'm the reason bad shit happened,' Percy thought while rolling his eyes from the shadows.

"No … he's my companion," Rhea muttered softly. "He was hunting when the attack happened but he's kept me safe ever since I got him."

"Companion?" Thalia asked this time as she lowered her spear though she kept scanning the trees.

"Mhm … Umbra," Rhea answered while clearing her face before asking in a hopeful voice, "Want to meet him? He's big and strong and … well … the only thing my dad left for me when I was five."

Artemis and Thalia glanced at each other before Thalia slowly nodded while Artemis maintained a steady grip on her bow.

Rhea gave them a faint smile before turning around to face him and called excitedly, "Umbra! Come here boy!"

Percy waited a few moments before making any movement. He then slowly crept out of the shadows, the hunters gasping and taking steps back at his sheer size as he towered beside Rhea.

"Big ass wolf," Thalia muttered as she looked at him with wide eyes.

"Yep," was Rhea's peppy reply as she hugged his leg since she couldn't reach his shoulder. "He's big and fluffy."

"Still a damned male," Phoebe sneered with an arrow aimed straight at him.

He would have growled at her but doing that would get the entire Hunt into aiming at him and killing them all wasn't the plan … yet.

"No!" Rhea shouted as she stood in front of him with her arms spread. "I won't let you hurt him. I've had him since he was a puppy. He's a good boy and really nice and protective."

They were at a standoff, some of the hunters keeping an arrow aimed at him while others glanced nervously at Artemis. She seemed to be thinking about it before looking at Rhea intently.

"And you. Are you planning to join the Hunt?"

Rhea shuffled her feet as she looked as if thinking about it. In all honesty she wouldn't be caught dead swearing into Artemis' Hunt. After a while she looked back at Artemis and spoke shyly, "Umm … my mom wanted me to go to the camp. Can I at least see it before deciding?"

"Hmm …" Artemis hummed as she scratched her chin, occasionally glancing at him. After a while she nodded. 

"Very well, I shall allow you to travel with us since we were heading in that direction anyways. It will take up to a two weeks or so but that should give you more than enough time to see the how the Hunt is the right choice. 

Now, as for your companion … should he show any typical male behavior or try anything on our wolves, I will skin him alive."

'As if you could,' they both thought through their mental connection while Rhea smiled and nodded. With that Artemis waved the Hunt off and all returned to the campfire except for Thalia and Andromeda, who walked up to Artemis and lightly tugged at her shirt to get her attention.

"Mommy …" she said in a gentle voice.

At her words Percy felt his cold hatred return with a vengeance as he looked at the goddess. How dare she try to take Sally's place after she murdered their family!? If it hadn't been for Rhea hugging his leg he would have pounced and mauled Artemis to a bloody stain. 

'Calm down,' Rhea said soothingly in his mind making him take a deep breath as he watched his little sister.

"… C-can … I pet him?" she asked shyly as she looked at him.

Artemis had a conflicted look at the request, probably something about males and being pigs but after she glanced at Rhea and got an assuring nod, she looked back at Andromeda.

"Yes you may, Atalanta …"

Percy suppressed a growl again. Artemis then left after sharing a glance with Thalia while Andromeda looked at them nervously but Rhea simply walked up to her and took her hand before gently pulling her towards Percy. 

Percy on his part laid down so that he didn't look so imposing, even going as far as to lowering his head onto the ground and throwing out some puppy eyes at her. Andromeda giggled, a musical sound that filled Percy's heart with joy, as she got a little closer before tentatively reaching out with a shaky hand.

Percy slowly brought his snout up to nuzzle her hand, even licking it affectionately to get more giggles out of her. 

Soon enough she worked up the courage to come to Percy's side and begin to pet and hug him, making his tail wag while he continued to nuzzle her from time to time. While doing that he paid close attention to the conversation Thalia and Rhea were having.

"I didn't know Lady Artemis had a daughter," Rhea said as she looked at Thalia curiously.

"She's adopted," Thalia whispered too low for Andromeda to hear.

"From who?" Rhea persisted through innocent questioning.

"No idea," Thalia replied with a frown. "She just showed up with her one night five years ago covered in blood. Said that her mother had been killed by an abusive father and that Lady Artemis rescued her before it was too late."

"I … see," Rhea answered with a brief flash of anger in her eyes while glancing at Percy.

His thoughts were the same. Now he had confirmation that Thalia wasn't a part of the murder and that Andromeda was already being manipulated … that much easier to show her the truth really. 

Now he just hand to plan on how to do it … but for now he focused on enjoying the contact with his little sister as Rhea and Thalia continued to speak.

...

"Finally alone," Rhea murmured as she rested on top of Percy, using his fur as a blanket and pillow in one.

'So … what do you think?' he asked while giving a once over to the tent they'd been given.

He could tell it had minor privacy charms built in so they didn't have to worry about being overheard. It was also well furnished with a twin bed, dresser, desk, and a chest at the foot of the bed. Only problem Rhea had was all the clothes they gave her is for hunters.

"Hera's work … no doubt," Rhea answered as she rolled off his back only to curl up into his side.

'You're enjoying this too much,' he chuckled only to receive a cheeky grin. 'But … what are we going to do about it? If Hera did anything, then Andromeda doesn't even have any baby memories we could use to tell her the truth.'

"Not exactly," Rhea retorted with a raised finger. "Hera may have mind abilities but they don't compare to my sister's."

'Mnemosyne,' Percy thought while looking at Rhea intently. That was one Titan that again, had not been set free after Percy's request since he didn't even know about her. Rhea actually helped Nyx free her a year or so ago in mortal time and she'd been in Tartarus with them ever since.

"Yep," Rhea replied while shuffling around to get comfortable. "I'll just pray to her for a small blessing so we can correct the damage done and return the memories. 

Hera can sever and hide them but she's not good actually taking them away permanently. Now we just have to work quickly before we get to the camp."

'Agreed,' Percy replied as he set his head down and closed his eyes. 

'I'll get you back Andromeda … we'll be a family again, just you wait …'

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