Legend of the Moon

The legend said that whosoever stole from the Great Forest would face the wrath of the Goddess who loved and protected it from the top of the leafy trees to the bottom of the burrows of badgers and ferrets. Considered beautiful and wondrous to behold, none could best her in archery nor in flight. Faster than the hero Atalanta, stronger than Hercules, and with love and loyalty unmatched by Orpheus, she was desired by many and yet none could catch her.

Within the Great Forest she played and hunted, punishing those who did her forest wrong, and rewarding those who protected its vast rewards. Amidst that legend lay another, one far more secret to mere mortals, kept secret by her very brother, the sun himself. For the one who could steal the heart of the Moon herself would have her forever more. He would become a God to live alongside her, to forever protect the forest she loved, and in turn to protect her.

In the forest did Artemis slumber, dance, and flourish. Here she would wait for an eternity for a single man to brave the dangers of the wood, to conquer the heart that lay within. To be a God was the reward, to face the dangers sent by Apollo was the hardship, to convince the most free of women to cleave herself to you was the task. Are you the man to succeed?

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Slowly, a young woman made her way through the forest. In every way she appeared unremarkable. Her long brownish gold hair was plaited down her back, with only a few golden tendrils framing her face. In her hand was her trusty bow, fitted with an arrow to take down her prey. She wasn’t hunting deer or stag that day however. No, she was hunting a trespasser. A human who dared steal from the forest that Zeus himself and placed for the Gods alone to enjoy.

Soon she came upon him. The human hunter was roguish, his features calm and focused. His eyes aware and alert for anything, and his ears listening for any slight disturbance around him. As she began to pull back her bowstring getting ready to fire, he jumped into a defensive posture his hunting knife at the ready. She paused, the human intriguing her. Not many could hear her pull the string back on her hunters bow. It was such a small sound, subtle, and could blend into the natural sounds of the forest. Yet, this human could hear it and was trying to defend himself. He was no normal human hunter.

“Hold,” she called, her bow aimed. “I do not miss. State your business.”

((Yay! Someone joined! Welcome to Animagic!))

“What business have you here. I’ll not repeat myself again.” She said coldly, stepping forward into the clearing, her bow string taut and ready to fire.

The wind that seemed to sigh through the clearing lifted her hood from her face to expose her eagle like features. Her strong cheekbones were prominent on her face, giving her an angled look, with eyes that missed nothing. Her lips were full and a dark shade of red, standing out against her pale skin that seemed to shine from an inward light. She was obviously not human as she stood before him, and yet what else could she be?

“You carry the apple from one of my trees. I know you hunt for something.” She said, her eyes never wavering from his person.

Artemis was not amused by this strange man in her woods. She had heard of his kind. Hunters trained in taking down the creatures of the otherworld. Demons were their ultimate prey, but they would take down anything else that happened to cross their way as well. They were usually extremely good at what they did, they had to be to live for so long with so many years.

She made no move for the apple nor did she react to his tauntingly calling her a goddess. Such men could not be trusted. For all she knew he could turn around and try and destroy her, regardless of her divinity. What she didn’t understand was what he was doing in her forest to begin with. No one had dared enter her forest for almost four hundred years and as far as she knew there was nothing evil that lurked in the woods. She would have already found and hunted it down by now.

And there he was with the apple. He couldn’t possibly have just grabbed it from a tree without thinking about it, without knowing what it was? Eris, goddess of discord, had left her tree for Artemis to guard for a reason. Her apples were dangerous, and needed to be kept from humans or they would assuredly destroy each other and upset the balance of the world.

Knowing that she probably wouldn’t be able to grab it herself she whistled shrilly, her eyes still trained on the man before her. Before he could react a hawk flew down from a nearby tree and grabbed the apple from his outstretched hand and flew away with the apple locked in its talons. The bird knew where to return the seemingly innocent fruit.

“Who I am is of no consequence. There is nothing here for you hunter. I don’t know how you entered my forest, but you will leave now.”

While her eyes did not leave him, seeing the Sword of Corvus did alleviate some of her worries. Forged from the gods, such a blade could not harm her and so she was no longer concerned with being attacked. She could sense no lies in him either. If he truly was hunting something evil, something that might be hiding in her forest it was her job to assist him in any way that she could, if not kill the creature herself. She cared not for the humans that lived beside her forest, they were out of her domain of protection, but the animals and creatures that lived here? Yes, those she would defend.

“My name, is Artemis.” She said calmly, loosening the string on her bow, the arrow no longer a threat. “I am guardian of this forest and all it’s inhabitants. Tell me of this beast that may be stalking these woods.”

She had no qualms over giving her name. The worship of the old gods had faded over the years, the people forgetting the good that had once been done for them. It didn’t mean they no longer existed as any true hunter knew, but they had fallen out of grace and lost a lot of their power. Without prayers and sacrifices, the old gods were mere shells of their former selves. Artemis had not been a major god before and was sometimes overlooked even when they were all worshipped, now that most people didn’t even know their names anymore was not as hurtful to her as the others. She fully expected this hunter to think she was familiar maybe but not to know her.

Unlike some of her fellows Artemis was a guardian of something that would never stop worshipping her. The animals and plants in her care would always love her in their own way, and so her powers were mostly intact and unaffected by the humans turning away from the Pantheon.

Still ready to fight if she must, Artemis put away her arrow and strapped her bow back onto her back. By no means was she defenseless now. Just by looking at her every muscle in her body seemed to thrum with life and power, tensed to fight or run depending on the situation. She was obviously no longer afraid of him, and yet she was still ready for anything that may come after her.

“You know me mortal?” She asked curiously. It wasn’t every day that people recognized the name Artemis anymore.

As he described the brutality that this monster was employing she found herself trying to use the clues that were already there to try and determine what kind of monster it could possibly be. A demon seemed right at first but the more she thought about it the more the idea seemed off to her. Stealing children? That wasn’t usually a demons MO.

“What you are hunting is no demon. Demon’s cannot enter this sacred ground nor would they steal human children. You are hunting a monster, one that can hide itself amongst my animals and the creatures of the forest. It is no coincidence that you found your way to my forest.” She paused for a moment, and finally took her eyes away from him, looking instead towards the dark trees where a single wolf made its way out of the foliage, its golden eyes watching the warily while its mistress looked at him.

She reached down and stroked the animal’s massive head. He was obviously an Alpha wolf with his size and the way he carried himself. Suddenly, her voice changed into something far more vicious. She was actually speaking to the wild animal in front of her, the sounds issuing from her mouth coming out in grunts, growls, and occasionally a snarl as the wolf responded as well, turning his eyes away from the intruder to look into hers. It was only a few moments, before she turned her gaze back to the hunter.

“Nothing can enter this forest unless they have a purpose. What you search for is indeed within my wood. This creature has hidden among my charges, garnering my protection without my knowledge. Because it hunts outside my domain I did not know of its evil nature. You were hunting it and thus the magic that surrounds this place allowed you to enter. You will not be able to leave until it lies dead.”

“It won’t be an easy hunt.” Artemis said slowly, watching the wolf carefully. Understanding some secret message from his mistress the wolf stood an shook himself stiffly before walking over to the man. He stuck out his muzzle pointedly and touched the mans palm. A burning rose on his hand but before he could strike out at the wolf, the animal jumped back and without a backward glance disappeared into the depths of the forest.

“He has marked you as friend. None of my creatures will attack you now while you hunt down this creature. Should you harm any of them however, I can no longer protect you. Should you find yourself in dire straights merely touch the mark with your lips and you will be assisted. Do not use it unwisely.”

Artemis nodded, believing him at his word. She would know of course if he broke that promise, just as she had known that he’d taken something from the forest before. Now of course was a bit different then before. She would have to watch over this mortal she decided, and make sure that he accomplished this task.

“Good luck mortal. I shall be watching.” She said lightly, before she stepped back into the darkness of the trees. When she was gone from sight she changed forms, taking on the form of a small mouse. A tiny creature, one that was not given the credit as much of the rest of the animal kingdom, but a creature well suited for this venture. She would watch him from afar. See what he would do in her forest and help him if he required her assistance.

Slipping through the undergrowth in complete silence she followed him as he made his way through the trees of her home. Whatever stalked her woods would not escape alive.

((Feel free to jump wherever you want at this point. lol she's just gonna follow him around for a bit like a stalker. ^>^))

Artemis watched with horror as the children were killed slowly, their life draining before her very eyes. She had followed him as far as she was able, the village being right at the border of her woods and therefore her boundary lay just beyond his reach. She could not leave the woods. She’d been ordained to remain all of time buy Zeus himself, to guard the grounds of the gods. She could feel his binding pulling her back into the cool canopy of the trees and the comforting sounds of the creatures who lived there.

Yet she fought against it, pulling with each step to break past his barrier. If he would press his mark then she knew she could break it off. She knew she could push past Zeus for that moment. Frustrated she shifted forms again and howled in her wolf cry, her padded feet digging into the ground as she called her frustration and her anger at the sight she was seeing.

The three figures, their clawed hands clenching in nervousness, looked to the forest and realized exactly what that howl meant. The goddess knew they were there now. Though it meant very little to them. Just made life a little more difficult.

“I see she knows now.”

“He bears her mark.” Another mentioned, all three of their eyes zeroing in on his hand.

“No matter. She will not be trouble much longer.”

“Yes. She will be nothing more than a fable soon enough.” They said in unison, their smile widening as they looked on at their prey. For yes, that was what he was to them now. No longer the hunter but the hunted.

“Not much longer now hunter. Can you fight us all? We are only a small part of the many. Your mistress can’t protect her forest any longer. We come for her secret.”

Artemis heard the name. Heard what the creatures were and her fur stood on end. Shtrigu. Enemy of all living things and more destructive then demons. Hated by all. Demons could be reasoned with, a deal made. They didn’t kill indiscriminately and when they killed that was it, you were dead. Shtrigu was another thing entirely.

They literally sucked the life out of everything around them. Life force was how they survived, and only by stealing the life from others could they remain strong. They were the biggest affront to life as far as Artemis was concerned, and there was no way she was going to let them get away.

She ran along the edge of the barrier, her fur bristling as she chased after the Shtrigu. All it took was one foot over the boundary and she would have them. Lucky for her one of them did make that mistake. He was obviously trying to flee to whatever poor animal he was using to hide from her sight, but she caught him first. Her powerful jaws ripped into the creature, nearly ripping its arm off.

“Artemissss.” It breathed, holding its ground to fight the bristling she-wolf. It was obvious that she was not normal wolf. She was larger than the average wolf and her aura was too bright, the intelligence in her eyes too obvious.

She jumped back and ripped with her teeth, not in the mood for banter. The monster reached out and clawed her side, racking his talons across her rib cage. Unnervingly she didn’t seem to flinch from the blow that had blood flowing freely from her side. Savagely she snarled and jumped again, ripping and tearing at the creature, as he fought back just as savagely against her. When the battle was finally done the shtrigu lay in pieces before her, the other having escaped back into the dense forest and already gone to her senses. Hiding in one of her creatures already.

Artemis looked over at Aleksei and sniffed the air lightly. She could smell his blood permeating the air, and she could sense how much anger and betrayal reverberated throughout the forest. The wolves were howling their mourning song, keening for the loss of their pack member and their anger over being tricked by the Shtrigu.

Artemis slowly made her way over to the human, her long tongue hanging out of her mouth as she panted with her movement. She was a beautiful wolf, white as snow with blue piercing eyes. Each step she took seemed to leave no indent at all in the ground. When she stood before the man she jumped up and placed her two paws on his chest, her muzzle now level with his face. He looked startled for a moment, unsure what to do. It wasn’t everyday after all that a Goddess in a wolf form was essentially standing on your chest.

Without missing a beat Artemis lay her great head on the mans injured shoulder, a light beginning to flicker from within her. She licked the wound, and with every lick it began to seal itself shut, pushing out the poison from the monsters claws until his shoulder looked like it had never been injured at all.

Once he was healed she lifted her head again to look at him for a moment before landing on all fours again and taking a few steps before flopping onto the ground. She was still badly injured, her sides bleeding freely. Yet, she looked so serene lying there on the ground, the ground turning red from her blood.

Suddenly he could hear her voice as it reverberatled calmly throughout the clearing, though the wolf was still lying on the ground sedatly.

"I am a Goddess yes, but power comes in many forms. I can heal almost any wound but not my own. It is up to nature if I should live or die."

Artemis was surprised at his exclamation, and at how deftly he tried to stem the flow of blood from her side. She was safe from the poison of the Shtrigu claws as her body was divine, but she certainly could have bled to death on that cold ground had he not done something. What he didn’t understand however, was that he was a part of nature whether he realized it or not, and thus nature had saved her that night.

As he stood guard she studied him, her blue eyes watching him sedately as the fire crackled and burned, warming her fur nicely. She rarely ever set a fire, not needing one to keep herself warm or alive. However, it was nice to have one burning every once in a while. She had forgotten the warmth and good feeling a fire could exude when it was controlled.

Before long she lay her head down on her paws and fell asleep in the warm comfort of the fire, and the knowledge that he was guarding over her. For once she let herself relax and simply heal.

When the morning light began to filter through the tree’s she finally stood, her legs stiff and ungainly beneath her. Shaking herself softly she looked over at Aleksei and would have smiled if it was possible in her wolf form. He had finally fallen asleep. A light one from what she could tell.

She stepped over to him lightly, and sniffed his face, laughing in a barking way when he jumped awake. She watched him carefully before turning and walking towards the trees, showing him her half healed sides. Yes, she couldn’t heal herself like she’d healed him, but she could still heal pretty quickly, and with his help the night before she was doing nicely.

She turned to look at him again before taking another step forward and looking back once more. It was obvious she wanted him to follow. Where was the question.

Artemis led him deeper and deeper in to the woods, her silent foot falls making not a mark on the soft ground. Every once in a while she would stop and turn her majestic head to make sure he still followed her and once she caught sight of him would set off again. Her pace was quick but steady and it seemed like hours before she finally stopped.

Turning her muzzle to look at him again, she watched him carefully, her purpose hidden within her clear eyes. Suddenly a bright flash of light blinded the clearing. When his eyes finally readjusted she stood there once again in her human form, though this time her clothes were more fitting for a goddess rather than the huntress that had appeared to him before. Taking a step forward she kneeled on the ground, pulling out a young wolf pup.

The tiny thing mewled and cried out, his mother jumping over to his aid quickly before stopping dead in her tracks as she watched her mistress.

“Mother wolf I ask for your blessing.” She said serenely, speaking to the wolf in a human tongue and yet the she-wolf bowed her head as if she understood and withdrew.

“Aleksei, you showed courage and strength yesterday and I do not forget those who help me or my forest. His name is Takir. Raise him as you would your own child and he will be loyal and strong. Should you take him from my arms he will be no ordinary wolf but carry the intelligence and power that only I can bestow.”

((So I was thinking have him leave for a few years and then something draws him back, though he doesn't know what. He can either take the pup or no. lol. But he comes back and finds half the forest destroyed and stuffs like that. agree?))

She simply nodded at his words, knowing full well that she would always do her duty for it was one of love for these woods. It was he that she was concerned for. He tried to act so strong but she knew better than to believe that such a job was not taking a toll on the young man. With her keen eyes she could see the tension in his shoulders and feel the burden he carried with him. It was not easy for humans to be in contact with the supernatural world. Much healthier in fact for them to remain ignorant of the processes that happened around them.

Even if he didn't realize it yet she knew that Takir would help relieve that burden. Lighten his load so to speak. The wolf pup was naturally now intuned to his new master and would learn quickly without much effort on Aleksei's part. Takir would be like the human companion that the hunter refused to have, keeping him calm and collected and also saving him from himself when need be.

With a ghost of a smile on her face, Artemis changed forms, once gain taking the form of the graceful white wolf and joining the she-wolf whose pup she had taken.

Life went on as always for the Goddess. She took care of the forest with a humilty and grace that would have made Mother Nature proud, and defended the woods from outside threats of those who still remembered the old legends of Chaos's apple tree, and the fountian of eternal youth. She gaurded her many treasures valinatly, expecting people to hunt for them. She never excpected for them to hunt her.

Years had passed since Aleksei had left her woods but it had only been a year that she had enjoyed the peace. Then they had come. Socerers she could tell, though it took her a while to figure out what exactly they were hunting within her forest. She'd known the moment she had finally shown herself, much like she'd done to Aleksei a year previous. Quickly they had turned on her, throwing spell after spell. Harsh spells too, things she hadn't seen since the time that the Gods ruled the Pantheon. They were all sorts of incantions, though most were meant to entrapt and bind her. She wouldn't have made it out of there had not a deer jumped forward and taken the full blast and killing her on impact.

Thus began the game of cat and mouse that had lasted for the last few years. She had hidden herself well, continously changing forms as to not be detected. When they couldn't find her the normal way they began blasting apart the forest, killing so much life that she was enraged and desperate to harm those who had harmed her wood. Futily she tried and tried to muster an attack against them, each time they proved too strong. The more they destroyed the woods the weaker she got, until all she could do was hide. When Aleksei finally came upon the village it was to find it half destroyed as well, another feeble attempt to force her out of hiding, and of course to make her even weaker. Since the attacks on the young ones many in the village had started to pay homage to the Goddess of the forest, knowing in some way she had indeed helped save their children. Their dying screams broke the Goddess's heart, and effectivly stripped her of any desire to survive any longer.

The bodies taken from their graves had been risen by the group of men and women who had been hunting her, sent to retrieve her stricken and weakened form. What Aleksei found in that forest, was death and destruction, and a very anxious wolf who seemed to want to lead him somewhere desperatly.