How I Became a Hunter/Amazon

Calista

It was a bitter cold morning near the end of November. A few feet of glistening white snow fell just the night before, causing a late start for school. School was going to start at 9:30 that morning, versus the usual 8:20 time.

Calista, or Callie as she preferred her friends to call her, slept in and was thankful for every minute of extra sleep she received. Calista would wake up at 5:30 every morning for school that started at 7:30. You see, she went to an advanced math and science school for the morning and a regular "home" school after 10 am.

This morning she obviously couldn't go to her advanced school, so she slept in and waited the morning out to go to her regular school. Calista walked into the office at precisely 9:22 and signed in. She waited for the bell to ring, so she could head to class. Since she had free period, Calista decided to help out and grade science presentations in Mrs. Sandin's class (Mrs. Sandin was a friend of her mom).

She walked into the classroom and sat down, pulling her red pen out of her binder. Calista then took the rubric and grading sheets and began to listen to the presentations. The first person up was a girl named Kaia. She was known to be the most quiet and unpopular girl in school. But from what I could see of her, she looked nice both inside and out. After a lot of "um's" and stuttering, Kaia suddenly stopped. Calista looked up and saw a weird purple fog surrounding the desks; it was only a few inches high. She looked at Kaia with fear and confusion in her eyes. Calista lifted her feet up and held her legs to her chest.

Time Skip because we all knew what happened after that.

Stunned after their encounter with a "Greek goddess" Calista and Kaia walked down the hallway. Missing lunch and most of their next period, the two girls decided to wait out until passing period began. They walked in silence for a moment as they tried to comprehend what had just happened. Calista was basically the Hermione Granger of her school. She was great in school, participated in class, and loved to learn. As a child she read mythological books to pass the time. She found them very interesting. Of course she never believed in them, for they seemed like the mere fairytales of ancient cultures.

Kaia and Calista made their way to the back of the school library and sat down. After staring at each other awkwardly, Kaia began to speak, "So what just happened back there? I mean, it's not everyday you run into a Greek goddess."

"I know," replied Calista. "In Greek mythology there was a goddess of the hunt, Artemis, who had a group of eternal maidens who hunted with her. I think that's what the women was speaking of."

"What about that terrible monster, and what are demigods?"

"That would be a fury. Basically, they work for Hades in the Underworld. As for the demigod part, they are half mortal, half god."

"And how exactly do you know this?" Kaia said, raising her left eyebrow.

"I read mythology when I was little. It just comes to me when I need the knowledge," Calista tried to explain. As she finished, a grey owl appeared about her head.

"Umm Calista," Kaia started.

"Hmmm?" Calista replied, distracted as she was lost in her thoughts.

"There's a grey owl above your head--"

"What?!" Calista looked up to see a wispy grey owl appear above her head; it looked like smoke had formed in only that particular location. She only had a few moments to gaze at the figure when it dissipated. "Okay... What was that?"

"I don't know," Kaia spoke lightly, still stunned from what just happened.

"Oh god," Calista began. "I think I know what this means." Calista thought long and hard about what she knew from Greek mythology. Every single god, monster, and spirit from the ancient stories passed through her head like a hurricane, and she was in the eye. As Calista was digging through her brain, one mythological being stood out from the rest--a demigod. They were half mortal and half-god brings in several mythologies. They could be claimed in many ways, including a godly symbol appearing over them. And an owl is the symbol of Athena. But this can't be real, Calista thought. It can't be.

"What?" Kaia

"We need to go find that girl we met after the monster attacked us."

"The lady whom we got the pamphlets from?"

"Yeah."

The girls rushed to their lockers to grab their things and left the school, glancing behind every once in a while to make sure they weren't going to be caught -- or followed.

The two ran across the road to the park near the school. It was a wooded area that would be able to conceal the two girls. Calista lead Kaia along the dirt path (she once ran on the path in cross country). They then went off the path father into the trees in order to be better hidden. Calista stopped as she could tell Kaia could not run for any longer. They took a seat on a nearby tree stump and continued to figure out their situation.

"So," Calista started. "I think we need to somehow summon that lady."

"How do we do that?" Kaia asked, attempting to figure it out herself.

Calista brushed her long dark brown hair out of her eyes and looked directly into Kaia's eyes; blue-grey on icy blue. "I think we need to say her name, or speak a prayer to her or something."

"Um okay..."

"Take my hand." Calista outstretched her arm towards Kaia. Hesitantly, Kaia took her hand. "Okay I'm going to start to, at least, attempt to pray to Artemis," Calista started nervously. Praying was kind of weird to her, for Calista was never really religious in her thirteen years of life. She took a deep breath. "Lady Artemis, goddess of the hunt, protector of childbirth and nature, please come to us and help us during this time. We don't know what's happening and need your guidance. Thank you."

They sat there waiting for something to happen. Kaia sent a doubtful look at Calista and opened her mouth to say something. At that moment, the girls heard footsteps behind them. They turned around to see the goddess emerge from the trees.

"Hello, children," Artemis greeted.

"Lady Artemis," Calista bowed and pulled Kaia down with her. "I read over the pamphlet. I would like to join your Hunters."

Kaia looked at her, astonished. "I would like to as well," she said.

Artemis looked pleased. "Repeat after me: 'I, [your name], pledge myself to the goddess Artemis. I turn my back on the company of men, accept eternal maidenhood, and join the hunt.'"

The girls repeated back the pledge and became the newest members of the Hunters of Artemis.