DA : Chapter 11: Siblings Reunited II

Atalanta was feeling great as she skipped through the camp on the way to the campfire. It had been nearly two weeks and they would soon arrive to Camp Jupiter just like her mommy said. In that time traveling she had gotten really close to Mira and her wolf, Umbra.

Every morning she would explore with him, sometimes even getting to ride on his back and hear all kinds of stories about the Lost Hero of Olympus.

At times she wondered why he sounded so sad and bitter when he mention that particular title but he usually brushed it off if she tried to ask more about it. Still, the stories were amazing. To think that one boy, at 12, had killed the Minotaur with no training and then had so many adventures.

He'd traveled to the Underworld, the Sea of Monsters, and the Old World. He fought Titans, sometimes alone or other times with help and saved the thrones of the gods. He'd held the sky up and rescued her mommy which made him super cool! That wasn't even the best part either!

Even after the Second Titan War, he fought again in the Second Giant War, became a praetor of Camp Jupiter, helped united the demigods fighting the Giants, and even defeated Gaea himself! She was so desperate to learn his name but Umbra never said it and she couldn't ask the other hunters since they weren't supposed to mention the name of that hero if they knew it.

Still, she was sure Umbra would keep his promise and tell her someday.

But for now she settled for sitting against Umbra's side, right next to Mira, as they listened to songs around the campfire.

As they sat Atalanta glanced around at the other hunters and couldn't help but feel like something was wrong. She wasn't sure why but she'd always had these migraines and nightmares that didn't make sense.

They were mostly of a woman and man that she couldn't place and screams. Then there was a face with the brightest, sea green eyes she'd ever seen. Of course, the first time she'd had the nightmares she told her mommy and then she called this other woman in.

She looked regal, with a white chiton, dark brown hair tied into a braid, and some fancy jewelry around her biceps and necks.

The woman had approached her and then she'd blacked out … but there were no more nightmares. However, on the same night Rhea and Umbra arrived, they started again. Just little snippets and that gave her small headaches but she didn't tell her mommy this time.

It was as if there was a soothing voice in the back of her head telling her to not let her mommy know … that those nightmares meant something more.

She'd decided to tell Umbra about it tonight instead, right after everyone went down for the night and mommy was gone to drive her chariot.

She waited patiently while half-way snuggling into Umbra's side as the girls sang their songs and joked around. It sometimes surprised her how these seemingly friendly girls could turn into scary and mean hunters whenever a boy appeared or was even mention.

So far, she was pretty sure only she, Mira since she was new, and Thalia didn't follow the trend. In fact, just recently she'd started to notice how some of the girls whisper about Thalia might not be the lieutenant if it wasn't for her being a daughter of Zeus since she didn't act like the rest of the Hunt.

Phoebe, that meanie, was the most upset about it but they hid it whenever Thalia was around. She'd even noticed that sometimes her mommy would listen in and not shut them up or tell them that they were wrong.

Aunty Thalia also looked sadder than usual and would spend more time alone unless Atalanta joined her or now, Mira and surprisingly Umbra would keep her silent company.

It made her sad to see her normally positive aunt like that but maybe Umbra could help her too. After all, he knew about that hero that her aunty called her brother, so maybe they could relate and help each other … but Umbra said that he would decide when to let Thalia know about him.

Soon the campfire songs finally ended and most of the hunters left to their tents without complaint.

Atalanta for her part remained snuggled to Umbra and Mira with a blanket draped over them that Thalia had brought specifically for them since this wouldn't be the first time they simply stayed out and slept under the stars together.

Atalanta occasionally opened an eye to peak around but saw that all the lights for the hunter tents were off which meant everyone was asleep. She then checked to see if Mira and Umbra were awake but nearly shrieked when two pairs of eyes were trained on her with clear amusement.

'Did you know you fidget a lot when you're antsy or excited?' Umbra asked with a wolf smirk.

"Someone wants to talk about something," Mira whispered with wagging eyebrows.

Atalanta faintly blushed in embarrassment but soon enough nodded. Silently the trio got up before both girls got onto Umbra's back since he was perfectly silent when he wanted to be and in the darkness not even her mommy could track him much to her displeasure.

Soon they were a fair distance from the camp allowing them to talk regularly and Atalanta noticed that the moon wasn't over them yet and wouldn't be for a few hours. Something in her gut told her that it wouldn't be good if mommy saw them speaking. She then glanced at Mira and Umbra only to see them patiently waiting for her to speak.

"Umm …" she started as her feet shuffled nervously. "So … I … um, have something to tell you both."

Mira raised an eyebrow while making a 'continue' motion with her hand.

"So, I've been having these … nightmares," she whispered as she looked at them. "And … sometimes it's a man and woman that I don't know.

They were screaming and … bloody. All I hear is the screaming and someone laughing but that's it. Then, sometimes it's a dream where I see this boy with sea green eyes looking at me … but I don't know him either."

As she spoke both Umbra and Mira gave her a sad look before Mira sighed. She then glanced at Umbra before turning back to her. "I think its best you and Umbra speak about this in private. I'll be nearby so shout if anything but otherwise, excuse me."

And with that, Mira walked off, out of the clearing and into the shadows of the forest while Umbra approached Atalanta until he was just a few inches away.

"So," he started, using his actual voice to let Atalanta know that this conversation was serious. "Would you like me to explain the nightmares … or show you?"

"What?" she asked nervously. "Did you know about them?"

"Not that you were having them but … I've dealt with something similar," he answered with a tired sigh. "And they aren't nightmares but memories. You're trying to remember something from your past that was taken away … but I can help it all come back."

"Y-you can?" she asked.

"Yes but it will change everything about your life and it will hurt … but know that I will always be here for you," Umbra replied as his snout inched closer. "So … are you ready?"

She looked at him hesitantly, wondering on what to do. What did he mean that it would change her life? Would it take her mommy and Thalia away? She didn't want to lose them but at the same time, she wanted to know what happened in her past.

Who were those people that felt so important to her? She had to know, regardless of what might change … but at least Umbra is with her. So she nodded and watched as Umbra closed the distance so that his snout was touching her forehead.

There was a faint glow before she suddenly felt a head splitting headache, making her knees buckle as she slammed her eyes shut and screamed. All the images and nightmares suddenly assaulted her again but this time in clarity …

...

She was sitting up in what looked like a crib. She was gurgling and squirming around until a light turned on and a beautiful woman with eyes and hair like her appeared. She gave her a warm smile and cooed at her, making her baby self giggle and reach out with her hands to the woman … no … her real mommy.

She could feel it in her bones that this was her true mommy, not Lady Artemis.

Her mommy was about to pick her up when there was a shout from somewhere outside the room making her mommy start as she turned around calling a name that she didn't catch. Her mommy left to check but soon ran back with terror in her eyes.

She was about to pick her up when she cried out in pain and fell short of the crib … a silver dagger imbedded in her back. Her baby self started to cry as a familiar 12 year old with auburn hair appeared, her hands bloody as she looked down at her mommy with contempt.

At the sight Atalanta felt her heart break at the betrayal and lies revealed to her. Umbra was right, everything would change with these memories and it hurt so much. How could she even think to look at Artemis or any of her hunters after this, how could she even stay? Did Thalia know any of this? All those thoughts raced through her head and she continued to watch with growing dread.

She walked past her sobbing mommy and picked up her baby self, not caring how much she was crying, before glancing back at her mommy as she bled out. She grimaced before walking out with her baby self and entered a living room.

There she saw another familiar child of Ares sitting on who she knew to be her daddy's stomach, slowly dragging a dagger across his face as he screamed. She also noticed that his waist was bleeding profusely and it looked like his legs were broken.

Artemis exchanged some words with Phoebe before pointing to where her mommy was. Phoebe nodded with a smirk and then, in a flash of silver, they were gone. Then the scene changed into the ones from Atalanta's dreams. This time she was in her mommy's arms as she smiled down at her and now, Atalanta could hear her.

"My little baby," her mommy cooed in such a warm tone that it made Atalanta's heart ache with want. "This is your big, goofy brother." She turned her as she said that and Atalanta saw the boy with sea green eyes looking at her with a huge smile.

Soon she was in his arms as he looked at her with love and care, making her giggle happily as she touched his face with her chubby hands.

"Hey little sis," he said in a gentle voice as he looked at her, "I'm your goofy brother … and my name is …"

================

if you want to support me or just to read ahead of the public release, you can join my p@treon :

p atreon/Moonhorse