The Huntress's Tale

Chapter 1

Gasping, Zoë Solantine woke up from a dream– or rather a nightmare. Dreams from her usually didn't mean well. But they sometimes may steer from that.

This day was the day another Huntress will be chosen to hunt down the Lady Killer. A new moon means a new beginning. Most have failed. Zoë was determined to be the first chosen to successfully complete the task.

Not much is known about the Lady Killer– only that he hunts on innocent women. Cutting their lives short. Of course, Zoë had kept the fact that she was part of Artemis' Hunt a secret. She had never intended to tell her family nor her society she was a Huntress. Her family would have fainted in shock; their eldest daughter was not living up to their legacy.

Being late wasn't going to be a good reason for her to be chosen. She had to set an example for the rest of her comrades. Zoë quickly dressed up in her Huntress outfit and grabbed her bow and arrows. Hiding them under her cloak, she sprinted through the forest to the plains of where the Huntress of Artemis Camp was found. 

"You're late," a girl told her. Her curly, auburn hair was flying about, making her look like her head was on fire, but she acted as if it weren't even there. Abigail Netherfire was one of the newer huntresses, as well as a close friend to Zoë. "Lady Artemis wouldn't be happy," she scolded.

"Look Abigail, I'm sure this time I got the right clues and trails," Zoë said. She remembered her dreams vividly, as though it had actually happened. It played out in her head again. A loud gong had snapped her back to the real world.

"That's the gong! We've got to gather," Abigail said before dragging Zoë off to the main campsite. There stood the Huntresses of Artemis, all gathered around the goddess herself.

"As the new moon comes upon us, I now choose a new huntress to hunt down the Lady Killer," Artemis spoke. Her voice was loud and oddly calming.

Deep in her mind, Zoë wished to be chosen. She hadn't been in the hunt long, yet she knew she was suited and perfectly ready for this special task. But then her family crossed her mind. How would she be able to disappear for many days nights without them questioning it, if she were to be chosen?

The phoenix laid it's egg. Picking it up, Artemis cracked the egg and took out a piece of paper. She read out the name on it.

"As chosen by the phoenix, Zoë Solantine shall be the new chosen one for the hunt of the Lady Killer!"

Shaking, Zoë obliged. She stepped up and walked towards her goddess. There was whispering among the crowd of hunters. 'Is Zoë the right choice?' They asked. 'Should someone else be picked?'

"Silence," Artemis called out. "The phoenix has chosen her, and we must respect that." She turned to Zoë and said, "You must now prepare to hunt down the Lady Killer, and I trust you will be able to do so."

"Yes, my lady," Zoë answered, bowing down slightly. "Then go forth towards your mission," Artemis said. Zoë proceeded back to her place, glancing at Abigail, who was worried. Abigail clutched Zoë's arm. 

"Promise me you will take care, Zoë," she whispered. Zoë gave her an encouraging nod, hugged her, then walked away. 

In the forest, she draped her cloak over herself and began walking home. She dreaded the moment she would step in her house, since she hadn't thought of what to say to her family. When she arrived, however, she found a note on the table. 

"Zoë, meet me at the matchmaker's hut! I think we have a match for you! Please dress nicely!

P.S.  just look in my closet and grab the grey dress

Love,
Sunny

"Oh no, how do I tell Sunny?" Zoë asked herself. She sighed. "One last time..."

She entered her sister's room and looked in the closet. "Which grey dress?" She glanced at the note. Rolling her eyes, she grabbed a random dress and slipped into it. She hid the bow and arrows back into their hiding place and grabbed her cloak, and stalked out of the house.

Zoë ran to the Matchmaker's hut. When she arrived, Sunny hugged her excitedly, looked her up and down, then stared at her in annoyance. "I said the grey dress, not the silver one," Sunny said. Zoë stared at her sister in disbelief. "How was I supposed to tell the difference? They all look the same to me!" she retorted.

Sunny rolled her eyes and began pushing her sister inside the hut and through the biggest door. "Ms Kabob? My sister is here," Sunny asked meekly.

"Oh, yes. Of course. Sit, sit," Isa Kabob said. Her chair was faced to the window behind her desk and she wasn't looking at the two sisters.

Slowly she turned her chair, her eyes darkening when she saw Zoë. Sunny didn't notice, but Zoë did, and wavered under the matchmaker's gaze. She knew her sister absolutely worshipped the Matchmaker so she would never sense anything was off. 

"Sunny?" Matchmaker Isa turned to her, "would you kindly leave the room so I can speak to your sister alone?" she asked. Sunny nodded and left the room.

"So your name is Zoë Solantine. The chosen huntress of this moon cycle, am I right?" Isa Kabob said. Zoë nodded timidly. 

"How sad," the matchmaker chided. "Your sister, Sunny, has been working days and nights to find you a match. And yet, you repay her by being a Huntress of Artemis? Tsk tsk," Isa (Zoë had decided to call her by her first name in anger) spoke, shaking her head. 

"What she should do is find her own match without all this mumbo and force marriages you do," Zoë blurted out, slamming her hands on the porcelain desk in front of her.

"You offer her little things–"

"No, you are mistaken, little huntress. I offer her a lot more than this, you can see. You would do a great Matchmakian," she replied. "Oh well, you may go. You may say anything to your sister, but mark my words, you will fall in love Zoë Solantine." She turned the chair and faced the window once more.