"Artemis," a child asked, holding her fingers in his little chubby hand. "Did you get a tooth?"
Artemis looked down at the guppy who throughout the whole hunt, stuck close by her side. "No, but it's okay Finnick." She replied.
The little kid stopped and pulled out a handful of teeth from his rucksack, and then swam to catch up. "Take one. I have plenty!"
Artemis looked at the Cetus teeth in his palm.
"No take one of mine!" Another guppy named Scalia, interrupted, thrusting her hand towards Artemis.
"It's fine guys, really." Artemis replied.
"No take one!" Scalia insisted.
And suddenly all fourteen of the hunters Artemis had taken had swarmed around her with handfuls of teeth.
"Take mine!" Screeched a little one name Velora. Her hair adorned with a broken arrow.
"Shut up Lotus! She doesn't want your teeth!" A boy named Astor shouted.
"Enough!" Artemis shouted, quieting the group. "We're almost home! When we arrive, then everyone can give me a tooth if they want, okay?"
The group replied with disgruntled murmurs and put their cetus away.
"Good. Back Into line," she instructed. And the guppies did. Talking amongst each other. Finnick once more taking her fingers.
Artemis looked ahead at the barren ocean floor, the continental shelf in sight. Very little life was around, except for mantarays swimming above, and stone fish waiting for pray.
Suddenly, the floor rose and Artemis and the group crashed onto the sea floor. A giant stingray rose above them. The stingray regarded them for a minute and then drew back it's venomous tail.
"Move back!" Artemis shouted, blocking the group. The hunters did as instructed and moved away quickly.
Artemis tore her circlet off turning into her silver bow, and released her silver arrow.
Right in its eye, the stingray releasing its tail in defense.
Artemis narrowly dodging it, but not completely. The poisonous barb knicking her shoulder.
Artemis reloaded her bow, but the monsterous stingray swam away. The large creature settling down once more when it was a good distance away.
"Lets go," Artemis instructed her troops, tears in her eyes from the pain.
"You told us to always pursue the prey!" Lotus, one of her hunters pointed out.
"It wasn't prey," Artemis snapped. "It was a normal sea creature. I hunt monsters."
"Then why'd you shoot it?" Scalia asked.
"Because it was going to attack. That's the only exception! Now enough questions!" Artemis did a quick head count.
Thirteen. Thirteen?
Artemis quickly counted the heads of her hunters again.
"Finnick." She muttered. "Finnick!" She shouted out loud. Helplessly she looked around for the missing child.
There. Artemis saw the little boy, his bow out, approaching the stingray.
Fear coursing through her veins, she swam toward the boy as fast as she possible could. Too late. She watched in horror as the stingray arose and drew back it's tail. And she knew she'd never make it in time, but she continued to swim, racing faster and faster. And then Finnick swam back and dodged the tail.
Thank the gods. Artemis thought, moving forward. She moved towards Finnick who slowly approached, his bow still drawn.
The tail went back and Artemis raced closer towards the boy, her hearing suddenly gone. And just as the tail went down, Artemis pushed Finnick out of his way.
The stinging sensation began in her abdomen, and ran through her body. The painful currents numbing her body. Her vision clouded with splotches of black and red. She saw a large creature move away, and suddenly her hunters surrounded her.
"You saved him," a cool female voice spoke kindly, relieving her brain of the pain. "You saved a child. You've represented me well. Sadly, I cannot save you, you have failed to serve your full time. You would've been a wonderful Hunter. Goodbye."
"Please m'lady. I can do better." Artemis muttered as the relief went away. The goddess Artemis no longer listening. "I can do better."
As the pain filled her, her final thoughts were of how she had failed the goddess, and herself.
