The Daughter Of Night (Original Version)

70- Clazmonian Sow

Ri

"What exactly would we be hunting?" I asked Artemis.

"Oh I think you've heard of it, it reformed recently," Artemis said.

"So have I killed it before or what?" I frowned.

"No you haven't," she told me, "but I have never killed it and I want to add it to my list."

"Why not get the hunters to help then?" I pressed her for more answers.

"They are rather tied up saving my brother's ass."

"What?"

"We'll Zeus forbade me, you and Cai from helping him directly, so I sent the hunters to trail him and make sure he doesn't die." Artemis told me in a 'duh' tone.

"You're a genius," I commended her, "so what do you want to hunt?"

"The Clazmonian Sow." Said Artemis.

"The massive flying pig that Percy took down with a Hermes statue?" I asked.

"Yes that would be the one," She nodded.

"Isn't it easy to kill if a Hermes statue could do it?"

"Quite the opposite," Artemis replied, "the Sow has only been killed by two people in the entirety of history, one was Thesus, one was Percy."

"Oh," I blinked, "but you want to kill it as well."

"Exactly," she seemed happy that I had finally caught on, "so will you help me?"

"Yeah sure," I shrugged, "what's the harm in helping you."

********

It turned out that it could harm me quite a lot. By the end of the day I was bruised and was bleeding in several places and we hadn't even found the Sow.

"Ah well." Artemis pulled out a white cube and pulled at an edge of it, quickly transforming it into a large tent. "I am sure we will find it tomorrow."

"I haven't felt tired for almost two years." I face planted down on a camp bed inside the tent.

"Then go to sleep." Artemis suggested.

"If I wasn't so tired, I'd have a sarcastic comment for that." I murmured. But before I knew it I had fallen asleep.

My dreams were troubled. They featured Cai being swallowed over and over by a dark shadowy cloud, and then Apollo falling from the bronze dragon.

It felt like I hadn't slept at all when I awoke.

Artemis sat cross-legged close by. She was sharpening some of her hunting knives.

"So where is the bloody sow?" I asked as I sat up and rubbed my eyes.

"I can't be entirely sure." Artemis mused, "the pig is magically protected."

"So you're saying that you don't know." I shook my head.

"I know where it is approximately."

"How approximate?"

"Within ten miles of here."

"In any direction?" I growled.

"Now Ri. Let's not get testy." Artemis set her bow aside.

"Testy!" I scoffed, "you're taking me on a wild goose chase!"

"Well would you rather be sat alone on Olympus, or out here?" Artemis cocked her eyebrow.

"Okay, I'd rather be here!" I threw my hands in their air in defeat. "But if we don't find something to fight soon then I'll be mad."

Unfortunately, the next day we did find something to fight-correction, I found something to fight. I managed to sneak away from the campsite, leaving Artemis there alone. She was sleeping, which she hasn't done yet. It seemed like she was anticipating me running off.

So of course I took the first opportunity to do exactly that.

Not ten minutes later I found myself battling a hydra.

"Wow this is a relief," I laughed as I dodged some acid that the hydra spat at me. "Thank you Mr Hydra for this!" I went to duck away from the acid again, but something hit be from behind, and I felt a sharp pain in my stomach.

I looked down and saw blood spreading across my shirt, and worst of all, there was a sword sticking out of my stomach. I fell to my knees, dropping my sword at my side.

The hydra roared.

"Ri!" Artemis yelled.

"Here!" I coughed up some blood as I spoke.

The hydras roars were quickly silenced, but I hardly noticed. I fell onto my side, still clutching the sword sticking out of my stomach.

"Ri!" Artemis hurried to my side and pulled my head into her lap. She placed her hands on the sword, "this might hurt a bit."

I hardly heard what she was saying, my vision was going cloudy. Artemis yanked out the sword and placed her hands over the wound.

"Its not working!" Artemis exclaimed, "why isn't it working?"

"It's okay, I'll be fine." I assured her, coughing up some more blood.

"Ri, I hate to break it to you, but unless I can heal this, you're not going to be fine," Artemis said through gritted teeth. "Why in Hades is this not working."

"Because it's not supposed to," I blinked away the fog that was covering my vision, "just tell-"

"No you're not dying! Apollo will never forgive me if you die."

"Artemis, listen to me, please. Just tell Cai that-"

"Aridane you shut your mouth! You are not dying."

"Tell Cai to be careful," I managed finally.

My hand fell to the bloodstained grass beside me.

"Ri, don't you die, give me a minute!" Artemis continued to do everything that she could do.

But it was too late. I was long gone.

Uh, hello readers. Please no killing me after this chapter, I'm far too young to die!
Remember to vote, comment and not kill me!
~Em xx