The Daughter of Artemis

Chapter 7

     The cities were always filthy. Trash littered the streets and every restaurant serves food slathered in grease. This then made me hungry, rabbit stew, or made just a venison steak. Gwynn must have heard my stomach growl, because she smirked and said "Me too." For a while we kicked around a soda can before all of us needed something to eat. We came across a small park around dusk. Xander kicked back on a park bench while Gwynn and I search for sustenance. I pulled out three cans of stew. Ha! Rabbit stew!!! Better served hot, but it's better than those greasy potato slices you can purchase for a dollar across the street. Everyone was on high alert, it was hard to not be. Those low lives we constantly stumbling out of bars and crawling around trying to sniff out an extra dollar. Gwynn didn't know these things, but was already antsy. I would be too, I couldn't even begin to imagine what it was like to have the weight of Olympus on your shoulders.
     The sun set and we decided to camp here. We didn't pitch a tent, we just grabbed a few blankets and arranged a sleeping a schedule. I volunteered for first watch. It didn't take them long to fall asleep. I wished for my soft cot and my warm tent. For fresh food and clean clothes. We haven't been out here long but I was overcome with homesick. Nothing happened while I was on watch, the trees rustling and the noise of city traffic were the only sounds made. I sat and watched and listened and strummed the string of my bow. No wolves out tonight.
      "Xander, wake up," I whispered. I shook him a couple time before he came to.
      "What?" He asked groggily.
      "Your turn, don't get us killed." So there we were Gwynn sleeping, Xander watching, and me nestled up to Gwynn without a wink of sleep. I couldn't sleep, I had to stay awake. No way this boy was in charge. He didn't seem all that bad, but regardless he was a boy. Boys are forbidden, especially for Gwynn, if we get caught I'll be killed and left to erode in the River Styx. I was almost asleep when I heard it. A small quiet whistle. Of course Xander didn't think anything of it, if he even heard it. This whistle was a signal is hunters used in the woods.
      "I can't sleep, I'm going to take a walk," I said standing up.
      "Ok but be careful, I don't want to be found alone with her." He meant that in the best way possible. I walk around the park until I saw the slightest movement in the trees.
     "You're lucky I'm not a deer, or you would have lost dinner." Rosen's head popped out from behind the trunk of the tree. Her blonde hair shone in the light of the streetlights. Rosen is one of my actual sisters. We are the only two daughter of Apollo in the Hunt.
      "I'm lucky I caught the stow aways," she said smirking.
      "Where's Brina?"
      "Snooping around the boys cabin, she was looking for clues. I, however, wasn't even looking for you. I'm supposed to be on a mission to find those stinkin' dogs. When I ran into you."
      "Well we're not wolves so keep on with the mission."
      "I can't, not with you being here."
      "Please! You have no idea how much this means to her. Let her have this, believe me, she'll be back soon."
      "How can you be so sure?"
      "I know her." She shrugged her shoulders and hopped out the trees. "If Brina finds you, you never saw me and I will have never seen you." I nodded and she left. I couldn't believe how lucky I was, if it wasn't Lydia, Artemis would be here within seconds. I returned to Xander staring at me.
      "What?"
      "Who was that?"
      "Lydia, daughter of Apollo, sister of Artemis. She won't turn us in. I think."
      "You think?!"
      "95% sure!"
      "Guys," Gwynn interjected. "Were we found?"
      "Technically yes, but it was only Rosen. She said she wouldn't tell." This didn't seem to calm me her nerves. She suggested moving but traveling at night isn't safe, however now that I thought about it, staying here wasn't safe anymore either. So without another word, we packed up and traveled in the shadows. I wanted badly to sleep, to find somewhere to crash so I could sleep all day. But safety first and sleeping for more than a few hours wasn't safe.

______Rosen_____
     Dad? Hey dude! I need you, right about now. I prayed slightly. I walked deeper into the city waited for him to appear. DAD!!! Nothing. I crossed the street to enter a gas station when someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around hoping to see dad, but it was a huge werewolf staring down at me. Adrenaline kicked in and without hesitation I whipped a knife out of my belt and hurled into his chest. It barely missed his heart but the silver was slowly melting his flesh.
      "I've got a message for you girl," he hissed. He coughed up blood and continued talking. "You find your huntress and tell her that her daughter will be in Lycaon's hands before tomorrow night. Tell her to come alone." I grabbed him by the throat and twisted the knife in deeper. He howled in pain.
      "I'm not a delivery girl. Why don't you tell her." The wolf smiled a wicked smile. "She won't believe me, but she'll believe a half wolf half hunter." He caught me off guard and with his last breath he ripped out of my grasp and bit me. We both slump over, him dead, and me in excoriating pain. I felt the infection spread throughout my veins. I fought the sickness but lost. Before I blackout, I disappeared into a bright patch of sunlight.
      The vision that I saw was awful. A young man was setting up a dinner for very esteemed guests. A large party walked into the dining hall. It didn't take me to long to realize you the party was. It was twelve gods of the council. Zeus, Hera, Poisedon, Hades, Artemis and Apollo, Hephaestus, and Demeter and Hestia too. I was to groggy to remember the others. The young man laughed and served the gods their first course. Zeus liked this man and even invited him to Olympus. The young man smiled and called for the main course. A steaming plate came out bearing a sweet smelling meat. The gods looked pleased, surely this meal had to be promising.
     Zeus proposed a toast in the young man's honor and took a large bite. The man tried to suppress a smile. Before any of the other gods could partake in the meal, Athena leaped out of her chair and screamed.
     "Zeus stop!!! This is not what you think!!!" The others gods looked perplexed, Athena was wise, has her wisdom turned her mad.         
     "Lord Zeus, this man has served us human flesh!" Zeus laughed.
     "This can't be this young king is most welcoming." The young man's face turned as white as snow. Zeus's smile faded into hatred. "How dare you disrespect your gods! You filthy beast! What a good idea. BEAST!" The young king shriveled in pain and that same pain racked my body. The kings face formed into a hideous beast, slowly and painfully. His body spazzed and shriveled. When the pain stopped, the king unfolded to reveal a hideous beast. Zeus laughed a deep laugh. "Be gone, Lycaon!" Zeus continued laughing while the other gods looked at the king in fear. With a loud pop, the gods disappeared and I woke up. My body was full of hate for the gods. I pulled at my face and against the restraints around my wrist and feet. After my hands and ankles and face were covered in blood, my hatred subsided. It was replace by sadness. I cried through the blood. I didn't dare cross the white room to look in the mirror.
     "Rosen," a voice called out. "Are you alright." It was my dad. He looked tired. For an immortal, he appeared to have aged a few years, worry lines contorted his face.
      "What happened," I cried. His face fell.
      "You were bitten. You have been turned into a beast." I cried even more. Father turned his head away. I caught my breath and looked myself in the eye. My face wasn't as horrid as I thought it would be. However my hair was matted and I had ears and large k-nine teeth. "Are you going to kill me?"
      "No. However I can't keep you here. The others consider you a monster and I was out voted. I'm sorry." I am a monster. I was foolish. He stood up and left. A few moments after he left Artemis entered the room. The sight of her in all of sparkling silver burned. I had to turn away.
      "Kill me, my lady."
      "No. You have managed to be turned savage, but I will never kill an unarmed opponent. You still have worth, though." The hatred returned. She didn't want to save me she wanted to use me.
      "I saw her you know. Gwynn. She was in good shape, if it hadn't been for me, you would be looking into a savage daughter. Not a savage sister. I won't let you use me to sniff her out and I won't join the other beast. I'm merely infected with an incurable disease, and I will not let you use me in such a way." Artemis slapped me across the face. I screamed in agony. My face felt like it was melting off.
      "You will not speak to your lady like that again!"
      "I am still chaste, but my blood has been infected. My blood is impure. The moment the venom entered my veins, I lost my right into the Hunt. I am not your sister, you are not my lady," I yelled. This anger wasn't usual for me, the venom seemed to take away my filter. There was no holding back. But I had to, if I attack her I would melt into a pile of fur, nothing left of the savage daughter of Apollo.

____Lydia___
     Out of no where a crippling sadness overtook me. I double over holding my heart. Gwynn did the same.
     "What was that," Gwynn asked her eyes full of fear.
     "We lost a sister." Gwynn began to open her mouth to speak, but Xander hushed her. I sensed it too, we were being watched.
     "Circle up," I whispered. We slowly moved into a circle, shoulder to shoulder facing the dimly lit ally. A shadow began to move.
     "Show yourself beast," I shouted. Gwynn had an arrow notched and Xander and I were armed to the teeth with all sorts of silver blades. The shadow began to change shape, from a huge dog to a tall man.
     "No need to yell, child. I'm not deaf." An evil grin spread across his face. "I simply want to make a trade. Life for the girl."
     "Never," Xander and I said at the same time. He began to laugh, but it was cut short. Gwynn whipped around and shot an arrow headed for his heart. Only the laughter stopped, not his breath. He caught the arrow and tossed it way. He tried to not cry out, however; it came out in a grunt. More shadows became to turn human.
     "I said life for girl. Now we take both!"