Out of Place Hunter

Part 2

Luna did something that took Artemis by surprise. 

She laughed. 

"What?" Luna laughed, "I-I have to kill it? Ha, very funny..." She trailed off awkwardly as she saw the goddess's expression. 

"Wait, you're serious?!" Luna exclaimed, her eyes widening. 

Artemis nodded, "Yes. Very."

"Why do I have to?" Luna questioned, "I mean, it's a great honor and all, but I've never- I'm not the best out of the hunters. I mean, you're the goddess of hunting! Why can't you kill it? No offense, by the way." 

"None taken," Artemis said, "But I cannot. It is physically impossible for a god or goddess to kill it." 

"Why?" 

Artemis froze, as if she was caught off guard by the question and then said, "I... do not know. But I do know who might. Athena-" 

"Hold up," Luna held her hands up, "You want me to go to my mom? The one that tells me how much a disappointment I am every time I see her, which was only twice?" 

"Yes," Artemis said, "She is the goddess of wisdom, as you know, so she might have the knowledge of the question you ask." 

Luna looked at the ground for a moment, thinking. 

"So, it's basically a quest, like they do at Camp?" Luna asked, looking back up after a moment. 

"Basically," Artemis said, "Because I am allowing you to invite one or two hunters with you. With one exception." 

Luna was already thinking of at least one person she would invite with her when Artemis added that last thought. 

"Yes?" 

"You cannot take your mother." 

Luna froze. That was the one she had been thinking of. Why couldn't she come with her? Was something wrong? Did she do something, and can't be let out of Artemis's sight?  Was she injured and hadn't told Luna?

"I want her to stay with the hunt because I have a job for her to help the rest of the hunters with while you are gone," Artemis said, starting to walk back towards the camp. 

Luna followed, nodding, and then said, "When do I leave?" 

"Tonight," Artemis said simply, "Pack your hunter things, and your demigod things, I have a nagging feeling you will need both." 

"Okay," Luna nodded again. Since she was Genderfluid, when she wasn't female she wasn't allowed to be a hunter, technically speaking, so she had her own stuff that the hunters referred to as her "demigod stuff". 

"You off somewhere?" Janice had walked up beside her and Artemis walked away, attending to something else. 

"Yeah," Luna answered, walking inside her tent, Janice following. 

"What are you suddenly a guy or something now?" Janice asked carefully. 

"Heh, no," Luna laughed a bit and grabbed her bag, putting some of her things into it. 

"Then where are you-" Janice paused with wide eyes, "Did you finally get picked to go somewhere with Artemis?" 

Luna frowned and shook her head, "No, it's a little bit more... Instense than that." 

Janice cocked her head to the side, "What you do mean? Hunting with Artemis is, like, the most intense thing you can do here on earth." 

"I have to go kill an unnamable monster, because a god or goddess can't kill them and so, for some reason, I was chosen to go and kill it." 

Janice's mouth popped open like it lost a screw and her face then lit up, "Are you allowed to bring someone? I would love to go but you should take your mom-" 

"My mom can't come," Luna interrupted, setting her packed back down next to her demigod bag. 

"Why?" 

Luna shrugged and was about to tell her what Artemis said when another hunter peeked her head into the tent. 

"I heard something about a quest?" Said the dark-skinned woman, curiosity evident on her face. She was the child of Pan who was in the hunt that morning. 

Luna rolled her eyes playfully and pulled her other friend into the tent. 

"I'm guessing you heard everything, Jazmine?" Luna asked. 

"Pretty much," Jazmine said with a small smile, "Who you taking with you?" 

"Well..." Luna thought for a moment, "How about you two?"