Artemis

03

"I don't care who you are. I want you to leave." she said with gritted teeth, still trying to control her temper and the man named Light frowned in curiosity.

"Why are you asking me to leave? Do you own this land?" Light asks and the woman stood in silence.

She took a deep sigh and answered.

"No, I don't own this land or this forest, no one does, but I will do whatever it takes just to protect my family from heartless poachers out there." She answered with pride and dedication and that made Light stun. The woman's eyes are filled with desire to protect her love ones and by the looks of it, she's not giving him a penny of her trust, probably.

"May I at least know your name?" Light ask eagerly and the woman stared at him from head to foot and vice versa.

She sighed as the way that Light stands and his belongings are not of a poacher but just a plain explorer.

"I'm Artemis Serene Helmsley." She shortly introduces herself before starring at the tall and handsome man in front of her as if observing him.

"You're an explorer." She concluded and that made Light eye on his things. It's all a mess, it's like someone just scanned his belongings and that someone is the goddess standing in front of her.

"Actually, I'm a mountain climber, and also as you said, an explorer." Light explained and started to pick up his things.

"Mountain climber?" Artemis asked looking so confused.

She started to ask various questions and Light just answered all of it without hesitation, they sat on a big rock, he felt relaxed and comfortable with Artemis by his side and so he told his reasons of going to the forest when she asked, it is to unwind, to forget about his past lover and it seems like she believes him, she saw it in his eyes, she saw his pain. And it seems like Artemis is starting to get fond of the stranger she's with.

"How about you? Why are you here?" he asked and Artemis looked at him before looking at the lion then started to rub its mane.

"This is Liger, he's halflion and half tiger, a fortune for the poachers, my father is a researcher,Ligers are not common, even in sanctuaries, they found it difficult to breeddifferent animals, and many poachers are after their kind, my father brought mehere and decided to protect the endangered animals in this forest, mostimportantly, Liger, he's the last one on their family tree, after my father diedten years ago, I decided to continue what he started."