Lieutenant

Chapter 3

Artemis lingered for a moment or two, staring at the brush which blocked Zoë's path. She was curious, always had been, and the curiosity got the best of her. She wondered what her new acquaintance would encounter if monsters did indeed prowl about.

Pushing through the scruffy brush, Artemis studied the ground, the sun drifting low in the sky, her brother at work. Soft footprints graced the ground, hardly noticeable to a mortal eye, but sharp in her silver eyes.

Artemis set off at a quick pace. The terrain was never much of a problem. She was built solely for the purpose of running. Her frame was lanky and lithe, one would not know her strength, yet the muscles beneath her skin were iron-like, strong sinewy cables capable of an intense amount of physical exertion.

Hair fluttering loosely behind her and arms pumping, the pain of her injuries no longer a problem, she navigated the wilderness. Eyes scanning the ground intently, Artemis made her way down Zoe's path until she saw the glittering fires of the village.

The houses and huts looked like ghostly skeletons in the growing dark, both terrifying and intriguing. Artemis broke through the tree line separating the village from the wilderness. It was like an invisible line was drawn along the ground. One could not cross into the other.

Studying the barren landscape where the villagers were huddled inside keeping warm with their families, Artemis spotted nothing out of the ordinary. It all looked blissfully cozy, sweet aromas of food wafted into the air, small pillars of smoke from the fires made clouded towers.

Artemis walked calmly about, smiling to herself as she studied the mortal world. It was fantastic as far as she could tell. Very different from Olympus. The familial relations were much stronger, deeper, full of affection. She paused for a moment, gazing through a window at a family crowded around a small table.

They were all smiling, talking animatedly, while a set of brothers teased one another. A slight discomfort blossomed in Artemis' chest. She didn't know what to call it at first, but beneath it was a nagging sense of longing. What she wouldn't give for such a wonderful experience.

Shaking her head, Artemis turned, grudgingly peeling her eyes away from the scene. It did not do well to dwell on things that caused such discomfort. The sounds of bats fluttering in the dark was the only sound in the sky. Artemis watched as night took over. The stars being vibrant and gorgeous in their making.

"I thought you were going to remain behind." Artemis jumped slightly at the voice and turned curtly on her heel to see Zoë perched on the edge of a riff with a bow resting on her lap and what looked to be the dead form of a rabbit next to her.

"I see you found food," Artemis said, ignoring the statement and climbing up lithely and with ease.

"Indeed. It will be for later," Zoë explained. A silence passed between the two girls. "In the morning, you may return home."

Artemis nodded, a question nagging in her pretty head. With a sigh, she spoke at last. "Are all families so intimate?"

Zoë spared her a sideways glance and studied Artemis's expression. A deep-rooted concern, it was a curious thing to see on a Goddesses's face. "Most. Some families are not nearly as close as one would assume."

"I see." Artemis nodded, storing that information away in the back of her mind. "Was your family close?"

Artemis noted the other girl's shift in demeanor. Her strong shoulders tensed and her spine straightened, a look of pain flashing across her features.

"Yes. Once, long ago. Before I was cast out," Zoë admitted after careful consideration. "I loved my sisters dearly. But...even siblings can turn against you. Sometimes your family may become your worst enemy. I am certain if I were to ever try and return I would be nothing more than a poisonous presence to them."