Chapter Three

Camp Half-Blood

*Third Person Point of View*

Over the next few days, the hunters had begun to warm up to their new guardian, even though some still felt insulted by the presence of the male. Even so, they couldn't use excuses of him being the common male, because he acted in such a way that surprised them all.

He was kind and caring in the least insulting way, and helped out when he felt that they needed it. He never gave them the impression that he thought that they couldn't handle themselves, which they were all grateful for.

On top of everything, he had volunteered himself to help out with their chores, still giving them their responsibilities, but also providing assistance to allow the jobs move along smoother, which in turn gave them more time to train and practise their archery.

All of his actions as guardian helped the hunters to accept him, but his true moment of trustworthiness was when they travelled to the Greek demigod camp, Camp Half-Blood.

***

When Artemis had announced their next destination to her hunters, they all groaned in annoyance.

For some, it was bad enough to have a male guardian, but even worse to be around other males as well. For the rest, while they didn't mind being around their guardian, they absolutely despised the males of Camp Half-Blood, because they usually ended up flirting with or otherwise bothering them during their stay.

They arrived, as grouchy as ever, and immediately made their way to their cabin, hoping to get there without any distractions.

Unfortunately, the Ares and Hermes cabins had other plans.

"Well hello, ladies," a voice called as the hunters walked across the central field.

They stopped, knowing that the torment wouldn't end unless they made it clear to the campers that they didn't want to be disturbed.

A large group of males－the ensemble nearly as large as the hunters themselves－approached. Many of them could be recognized as children of Ares, due to their bulky stature and crude-looking faces. The others, though few in numbers, were Hermes campers, easily recognized by their pointy, elfish ears and sly, impish grins.

Even though Artemis wasn't with them, the hunters knew that they could easily take down the group of males. Their guardian was among them, though he stood at the side, clearly giving them the idea that he would let them handle the situation, but if he felt that they needed him in any way, he would be there.

"What do you say that we go and... have a little fun?" the leader spoke again, eyeing one of the older huntresses. He had bulging muscles lining his arms and stomach, which he showed off by not wearing a camp shirt. He flexed his biceps, trying to show off.

The huntress－a girl by the name of Jessica, whom was a daughter of Athena－just crossed her arms, glaring back at him. "Not interested," she said dismissively.

He moved closer, causing the hunters to back away. Thalia decided to step in.

"She said she wasn't interested jerk. So just back off!"

The boy's face reddened in anger, clearly upset by being rejected and embarrassed in front of his friends.

"Yeah, well... I don't really care! You can all just go and－" he didn't get to finish his sentence however, as a fist nailed him in the jaw, snapping his mouth closed. He backed away, holding his face and sticking out his tongue, which had become very red as it was spewing out blood.

"Who di' tha'?" he asked, his voice distorted because of his rapidly swelling tongue. "I near'y bi' my tongue off! Who di' tha'?" His eyes dashed from face to face, trying to determine the culprit.

"She told you to back off, not keep talking. Clearly, you should have backed off," a calm voice said.

Everyone's attention turned to the person who spoke－the hunters' guardian.

"You di' this? You ba－"

He was cut off once again as the Guardian grabbed his tongue, causing him to yelp in pain, rearing backwards. The Guardian's grip did not relent however, holding the Ares boy there by his tongue.

"Watch your tongue, or I'm sure that the hunters will be glad to cut the rest of it off. These ladies have no interest in you or any of your friends. You are blind if you cannot see that, so I would recommend that you leave them alone, or next time, I won't be around to save you from their wrath."

The Guardian spoke calmly, but the seriousness of his words weighed down upon the boys. They all nodded, and as soon as the Guardian let go of the kid's tongue, he ran off, his friends close behind.

Wiping the blood off his hands as if nothing had happened, the guardian turned back to the hunters and bowed, one arm behind his back, and the other gesturing invitingly towards their cabin.

As soon as they reached the cabin, he opened the door, and held it as they walked in. Then, he closed it behind them and stood at the front of the cabin, his body so still, he could've been mistaken for a statue.

***

Later that evening, when Artemis returned to the cabin to collect the girls for dinner, she noticed the guardian outside the door.

"Good evening milady Artemis. I trust that your interaction with Chiron went well?" he greeted as she approached.

She nodded, "Yes, it did. We have sorted out the issue and tomorrow, we should be prepared to leave."

"Milady, I do not mean to question your orders, but what of the Capture the Flag game? I'm sure that the tradition is still active. Even though there may be discomfort in staying within the camp, the hunters must be tired from the recent travel and the recent mission. I'm sure that it would be excellently strategic to stay for a few days at most, in order to replenish our energy," the Guardian suggested.

Artemis paused as she reached the door, thinking about his suggestion. Finally, she nodded, "Very well. We shall stay a few days, and participate in the games. I'm sure that a leisurely competition will help the hunters to relax."

The Guardian nodded, opening the door for her.

As she entered, she turned back. "Will you not be resting? Surely you'd like to sleep in a bed for a change. You have been on night watch ever since I summoned you."

The Guardian shook his head. "I will respect the privacy of you and your hunters. Also, I am able to replenish my strength by being half-awake and half-asleep. It is an ability that is very useful while on missions. It may have the user in a trance-like state, but one can be easily awoken from this state, and freshly rejuvenated upon doing so," he explained.

His explanation left Artemis slightly confused, but she nodded anyway and headed inside, the Guardian shutting the door behind her.

***

The next day, Capture the Flag was on everyone's minds. At breakfast, the hunters could hear the campers before they saw them, as they were all discussing what strategies and traps they should use for the game.

After eating a healthy breakfast, the hunters gathered in their cabin, surrounding a large map of the forest which included the boundary line.

"I think we should set layers of traps for the campers, so we don't need to worry so much about defence, and can sneak across to steal their flag," one of the hunters suggested.

More ideas were exchanged, and eventually, the hunters all agreed upon their plans and set out to prepare.

***

The game was beginning to get underway. The campers were rustling, their armour clanking loudly as they waited. Their restless behaviour caused the hunters to smile, as they were calm and confident. They had spent the whole morning setting up their traps, and were ready to－once again－achieve victory over the campers.

Meanwhile, their patron, Artemis, stood with their guardian, not participating in the game. They would merely watch, as their skills would make the teams unfair.

Soon, the game was underway, and as soon as the campers crossed the boundary into the hunters' territory, all hell broke loose. Traps were sprung, nets were cast, and demigods hit the ground left and right. The hunters however, had no problems sneaking across the demigod's side of the forest. They swiftly avoided the carelessly placed traps and took down any enemy campers with ease.

All too soon, Thalia and two other hunters entered the clearing where the campers' flag was being kept. Thalia plucked it out of the ground, and together, the three of them ran back towards their side, flanked by several more hunters who were guarding their backs.

Seeing as the winner was quite obvious, Artemis and her guardian teleported back to the cabin, deciding to wait until the hunters returned.

The conch horn blew as soon as they cross the creek, and both the campers and the hunters sighed－the campers sighing in defeat, while the hunters with in disappointment.

"Usually, this lasts longer, but that was when Percy...that was when Percy was still alive," Thalia said, choking up at Percy's name. She threw the flag down in the dirt, and she and the hunters walked dejectedly back to the cabin, their mood spoiled.

"Let's go," Artemis told her hunters as they entered the cabin. "Pack up."

***

Word Count: 1570

Average Words Per Chapter: 2335

Word Total: 7005

Posted: Saturday, September 10th

Edited and Re-Posted: 3rd October 2016

~CSP2708~

*Dylan_Walts*