Percy Jackson: The Firstborn

Chapter 116: Chapter 116: Artemis Bitchin

In a clearing inside a forest, Artemis shot arrow after arrow at a wooden target. Every shot hit the center, and around the place several tents belonging to her Hunters could be seen. Each of them was doing her own thing. It was a normal scene for the hunt, but anyone who knew Artemis could tell that the goddess of the moon was in a bad mood.

Kaia was lying near one of the trees, watching the goddess with tiredness. ”So, Kaia,” Artemis finally said, releasing another arrow that buried itself violently in the center of the target. ”We’ve already spent a few days hunting together. I’m truly glad you came back, but I can’t help wondering what you were doing with that man.” The red-haired goddess frowned, taking another arrow from her quiver. ”I thought you were my companion.”

Kaia let out a heavy sigh, clearly exasperated by the stubbornness of the goddess of the moon. ”I already told you. I was away,” the wolf replied. ”Besides, stop referring to Lord Damon that way. Not only is he the leader of my pack, but he is also the king of Olympus. It’s starting to bother me that you treat him like some random enemy just because of your hatred toward men.”

Artemis clenched her jaw, but Kaia continued before she could respond. ”And about being your companion, look, we’re friends and all, but that doesn’t mean you’re my leader, my owner, or anything like that. I appreciate you a lot and I like hunting with you, so please stop insisting so much, Artemis,” the wolf said, getting up from the ground while shaking off some leaves that had gotten stuck in her fur.

Kaia did not seem angry. She simply was not comfortable with the goddess’s constant bad mood. She had already lost count of how many times Artemis had cursed men in the last few days.

”I don’t want you to take this the wrong way,” Kaia continued, with a firm tone. ”But you have to understand something, Artemis. Lord Damon is not just any man you can play with. The wolves respect you as a huntress, they even enjoy hunting with you, but they follow him. For us, there is a difference.”

Artemis narrowed her eyes, anger marked on her face as her hands tightened around the bow. The conversation had drawn the attention of several Hunters, who slowly stopped what they were doing to look toward their patron and the white wolf. No one said anything, but the tension in the clearing was hard to ignore.

”Are you threatening me?” Artemis asked, her voice filled with anger.

”Please, of course not, Artemis,” Kaia replied immediately. ”I’m only warning you for your own good. I don’t want this to end badly for you.”

The goddess did not dare say or do anything irrational, not out of fear, but because of the respect she had for the wolf. Kaia, for her part, did not back down either.

”If you keep going down this path, the pack will have no choice but to distance itself from you,” Kaia said. ”For the simple reason that no self-respecting wolf stays for long near someone who bares her teeth at their alpha for no reason.”

Artemis’s jaw tightened. ”And what do you expect me to do? He hit me as if I were a child. I am the goddess of the moon. At least a little respect, right?”

Kaia let out a sigh. ”First, listen to yourself,” the wolf said. ”Right now you sound like all those men you say you hate. Second, you’re lucky he only hit you. Besides, if I had been there, I would have done the same. You were the one who threw yourself at him. Did you expect him not to defend himself just because you’re a woman? Please, don’t be ridiculous.”

”You!” Artemis snapped, gritting her teeth. ”Don’t compare me to those men. I am nothing like them.”

”My lady, calm down,” Zoe tried to say, before being cut off by Artemis. ”Zoe, don’t get involved,” the redhead growled. At the outburst, the Hunters exchanged uncomfortable looks. None of them dared to intervene.

Artemis stabbed the arrow she had in her hand into the ground with anger. ”I don’t care what you say. That doesn’t change the fact that I’m right. All men are the same. Maybe you don’t see it now, but especially those who reach a high position always come with promises, pretty words, and sincere smiles, until later they stab you in the back,” the goddess said with venom, remembering what Orion had done.

”And I’m not saying you don’t have reasons to distrust,” Kaia admitted with exasperation. ”But the reality is that I know Damon better than you. If he had wanted to kill you, you would already be dead. He doesn’t need to be king of Olympus to do what he wants. He could have done things in many different ways, but in the end he chose the most passive way because you are his family,” the wolf replied with a growl.

A deathly silence fell over the clearing. Some of the smarter Hunters had to admit that Kaia was right. If Damon were even remotely like what their goddess said, he would have already shown it. Why wait? He had already defeated all of Olympus, hadn’t he?

Kaia’s gaze softened a little. ”Look, I’m not asking you to change from one day to the next. I’m only telling you to have a little more respect. Because Damon is not Zeus, or Ares, or any of the men you use as an example when you want to justify hating them all before knowing them. If that were the case, Damon would have already killed you or imprisoned you simply for being Zeus’s daughter.”

Artemis remained silent. She hated admitting that Kaia had some reason. But before she could say anything else, everyone’s senses were invaded by a new presence, one very well known by everyone in the camp.

From between the trees appeared Athena, with an eyebrow raised at the scene in front of her. It seemed as if a battle of arguments was taking place. The goddess wore a simple tunic under light armor, her dark hair tied back elegantly, and her gray eyes observing the camp with that analytical gaze typical of the goddess of wisdom.

”I see I arrived in the middle of something. Should I come back another time?” the goddess asked, with an eyebrow raised at the uncomfortable silence that had formed in the clearing.

Artemis let out a sigh, calming herself a little. ”That won’t be necessary,” she replied with a flat voice. ”Just a conversation with Kaia.”

”A rather intense conversation, from what I can see,” Athena replied, briefly looking at the wooden target full of arrows buried in the center. She had known Artemis since literally forever, so she knew when she was angry. Even so, she left those thoughts aside and gave a nod to the white wolf, who had sat back down near a tree. Kaia returned the gesture calmly.

The Hunters also went back to their own things, giving the two goddesses privacy.

Artemis placed her bow aside and crossed her arms. ”Well then, how can I help you, Athena? Did something happen in Olympus?”

”Can’t I visit my friend, especially when you literally haven’t returned to Olympus since Damon took the throne?” Athena replied with a small smile, walking a few steps into the clearing.

Artemis rolled her eyes. ”You and I both know you rarely come to my camp without warning.”

”I suppose you know me well,” Athena admitted, coughing a little. ”But yes, you’re right. I have my reasons for coming, aside from just visiting.”

”Then get to the point,” Artemis said, crossing her arms. Her tone was still dry, although a little calmer. The conversation with Kaia had left a bad taste in her mouth.

Athena noticed the irritation in her tone, although she let it pass. She had no desire to listen to Artemis’s personal problems. She already imagined it had to be something related to men. ”I just found out something interesting that happened at Camp Half-Blood.”

Artemis raised an eyebrow slightly. ”And why should I care about what is happening at Camp Half-Blood? It’s just another one of my least favorite places.”

Athena’s eyebrow twitched at the goddess’s closed attitude. ”As I was saying, Damon visited the camp and had a rather direct conversation with Chiron about the training of the demigods.”

Artemis’s face hardened a little at the sound of Damon’s name, but she said nothing.

”Apparently, he wasn’t very impressed with the current training system,” Athena continued. ”And I must say he is quite right. I’m even embarrassed I didn’t think of it before.”

That was the reason Athena had become so interested in the subject. She had always made an effort to know more than most, to see mistakes before others even noticed them. So when situations like this happened, when someone else pointed out something so obvious, she felt that, as the goddess of wisdom, she should have proposed it herself a long time ago.

Artemis let out a small dry laugh. ”You admitting someone else is right? Is it the end of the world?”

Athena looked at her without amusement. ”Very funny.”

Kaia, for her part, listened to the conversation with some interest from her place near the tree.

Athena continued. ”The demigods train too much against each other, which makes them deficient when it comes to facing real monsters. Besides, many do not know how to recognize signs of dangerous territory, tracks, ambushes, or basic hunting patterns. That is a problem.”

Artemis raised an eyebrow. Although she did not want to admit it out loud, she knew Athena was right. Most of the demigods she had seen outside the camp did not last very long. For the most part, they were just sacks of meat in her opinion.

”And what does that have to do with me?” she finally asked.

Athena held her gaze. ”You and your Hunters know how to hunt. You face monsters regularly and know how to move. That is why Damon believes it would be good if the Hunters helped the demigods with part of their training.”

The instant those words left the gray-eyed goddess’s mouth, Artemis was already shaking her head. ”Absolutely not. My Hunters are not babysitters meant to take care of a couple of brats in that camp.”

Athena narrowed her eyes. ”Hey, I remind you that I also have sons and daughters in that camp.”

Artemis shook her head again. ”I don’t care. I don’t want my Hunters near men who could make them uncomfortable. Besides, what will happen to my hunts? Will I now be confined to Camp Half-Blood like some ordinary instructor?”

Athena let out a sigh, clearly expecting a similar reaction. ”Artemis, I’m only telling you what is being discussed. I’m not giving you an order, and I’m not saying your Hunters have to abandon their hunts. The idea, for now, is to share knowledge.”

Artemis pressed her lips together, still not looking convinced.

”I’m sure sooner or later you’ll hear about this from Damon or in a meeting,” Athena continued. ”I only came so you would be prepared and not make a scene in the middle of all Olympus.” Kaia moved an ear from her place beside the tree, clearly agreeing with that last part.

”Whether you accept or not will be your decision,” Athena finished, crossing her arms. ”Although, to be honest, I’m pretty sure Damon will do his thing, so you probably won’t have many options in the matter.”

Artemis let out a short laugh, without humor. ”That is not reassuring at all, you know?”

Athena simply shrugged. ”If you ask me, I completely agree with Damon. In fact, I agree with almost everything he has done so far.”

Artemis rolled her eyes. ”You don’t say, huh?. Let me guess, now you want to have a child with Damon because you’re attracted to his intelligence.....”

Athena only raised an eyebrow. ”I never said that... I am only interested in his way of thinking,” she replied with her characteristic calm voice. ”That is all.”

”Of course. His way of thinking,” the red-haired goddess replied.... Athena wisely decided to ignore her. Seeing no reason to argue about that.

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Man, I don’t fuck with Artemis😂😂😂😂 ohhh sht lol

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P@treon: Brotato up to Chapter 127