Pertemis: A Wolf’s Tale

Third person Point of View

They both fell into unconscious on the wet and mossy floor in that dark cavern.

As time passed, for the Fates to know who would be the one to be awakened, and the dead. Artemis slowly opened her eyes.

She felt as if her bones had been cracked, her head had hit a rock that she started to see stars dancing around. Slowly, little by little, everything came flooding back to her. Artemis stared down at the lifeless body of who supposed to be her half-brother. Lucky, his features still remained the same or else she would be now sitting on a pancake Perseus.

His eyes were closed. A line of dried red blood ran down from the edge of his mouth. The situation and position of her on him seemed unacceptable, but she didn't mind that for now. All she cared now was his survival.

Her hands shook as she gently set her palm on his chest, feeling no beat, she began to panic. What would Leo do when she came back with a dead Perseus? She knew she didn't physical kill him, but she was the cause of his death. Not only that, would Leo ever forgive her. Artemis didn't want her mother to say 'I never want to see you again.'

Then she heard something. It was gentle and quite, but with her sharp ears, of course she would've heard it better than human. Slowly she leaned closer to his nose and turn her ear on it. To her delight and surprise, the sensation of hot and weak air made her shiver from him.

She leaned back and grinned. Perseus was still alive, which mean she wouldn't get into any trouble at home. But soon she realised that he was dying. She had to do something quick.

"Perseus, open your eyes Perseus!" She slapped his cheek, shook his head to get his eyes open. Again and again, it still shut close.

She started to look around, trying to find some herbs that could help. The cave was pretty dark by now. The sun hadn't gone down yet, but the gems had already stopped glowing and the lake didn't glitter any longer. It seemed so quite and spooky.

She anxiously got off his side and walked around the cave. There must be something to make nectar or ambrosia in here. She knew that was gods food and only grow on Olympus, but this island was considered not to be normal also.

She tried to catch the smell, but nothing seemed to catch her attention. Then, when she glanced at the water source of the stream, a strange purple herd like moss flourished between the cracks. It looked just like ambrosia and immediately Artemis rushed to it. She picked as much as she could and ran back to where Perseus was laying.

As she was running, a grin appeared on her face. She was so delightful and something suddenly crashed down and she came to a stop.

The creature she had fought in the lake somehow had crawled up the surface. It was sniffing at Perseus shoes and Artemis just had time to shoved the herds in her pocket and summoned the bow. The hellhound sensed danger as it bared its fangs and growled at her. It leaned backwards, ready to attack.

Artemis gave it a stern look as she pulled the string. It might've defeated her under that water, but now, she would send it to Tartarus in any moment.

Right when the fight was about to explode, a sudden groan came out and froze everything. She stared back at Perseus and surprisingly the creature glanced at him in happiness. It surprised her even more when hellhound came nudging at his side and licked his hand.

It then looked up to her with that red eyes as telling her to do something. Artemis didn't understand when did she come to cooperate with beasts, but she did listen to it anyway.

She moved closer, got on her knee at Perseus side. She took out the herd in her pocket and stared at it in her palm. It wasn't ambrosia until another ingredient was added and she went on to work with it immediately. She took out the dagger and cut her finger slightly, enough to drop blood. Artemis then mixed the Ichor and the strange herd she had found, now it was ambrosia.

She didn't know why she knew this. It just suddenly popped up inside her head. Perhaps from many time coming to Apollo place had taught her quite a bit of knowledge.

Artemis crouched lower and force Perseus to open his mouth by pressing her finger on his cheeks. She poor the mixture in, waiting for him to wake. But the moment she tried, Perseus just couldn't swallow it down.

Of course he wouldn't, he was unconscious, what was I thinking? Artemis kicked herself. The monster looked at her expectedly, it nudged at her arm.

"I know, I know. I'm trying to save him ok!" She sighed.

She stared at Perseus. Something seeing him in this stage had made her heart quench a bit. It wasn't about getting into trouble, but something more personal. She didn't know what it was, but surely she felt it. And with each beat of her heart, it grew stronger.

so weak now that she barely noticed

the ambrosia. Her ever first kiss didn't feel that bad for her consideration. The feeling was so strange and yet pleasurable at the same time that she nearly swallowed the ambrosia in her mouth. Realising her initial

she was assured all the mixture was delivered in his body, she slowly moved away from him. A line of saliva connected her and his lips finally cut and Artemis was free from

space in amusement and disorientation. She didn't know her oath was alternatively and physically broken. Not forcefully nor accidentally, she had allowed it to happen.

the kiss bounced back. She swept her face, rubbing her eyes hoping it was just

out from Perseus made her shoulders dropped. Suddenly she didn't care

She shook him until his eyes

He said.

word struck her like a lightning bolt that her anger erupted.

him. "I went to all that trouble and you got me

"How about nice to see you

shrugged. "You know what!? Screw you and all this! I've had enough of your jokes ok! I'm being all serious

up and once he was on his feet, the knees gave up as he fell backwards. With Artemis's quick reflection, she spun around him and he fell right into her arms. She slowly lower herself and he laid back on the

"You just came back from a fatal injury you know? I don't want

"I just wanted to say thank you for saving

it at ease. She couldn't understand how could he do such impossible thing and

everything. If Perseus didn't bring her here, this wouldn't have happened. Then again, why did he even save

those impulsive and heroic moves Perseus! You just threw your

told me to protect you"

fall could've killed you idiot" she yelled. "I'm a god, I can't die from that

been hurt right?" He asked in that soft voice and

did really care about her after all. To prevent her from hurting, he ready to threw away his life. Does man like this really exist? Yet there was one lying between her arms. She didn't make anymore eye contact with him, but instead playing with the button of his shirt that she felt so

"Hey" Artemis suddenly spoke.

was still staring at her and made her

muttering. "About what I said

hard words had finally came out from her after three thousand years. To a male that she met only few hours. To a male that irritated her most and to a male that cared about her more than his life. She felt so released, a loads had been taken off from her shoulder. She didn't know

when their antagonisms just washed away. The cave, suddenly lit up again. It was dark outside, and Artemis had

flowers lit up like the chandeliers as if their yellow pistils was being blessed by magic itself. The sweet and warm air came again as the sound of water flowing into the lake returned. It started to shimmer

hellhound barked as it jumped around, trying to reach

he opened his arms. The creature ran at him immediately as both of us was covered in its grey fur. It tried to lick him, but Artemis had to stop or

and stared at her with

his arm around the

I forgot to introduce you to my pet" he said.

your dog Mrs. How ridiculous is

besides," he shrugged. "We are

did you manage to find this huge dog

she came to me" he said. "I didn't come to

hellhounds were dangerous creatures. But this seemed to be able to cooperate with others were rare. Or perhaps, something about Perseus drew its attention that he had control over it. Artemis didn't

with it" Artemis warned him, still vigilant about the monster. "Hellhounds are independent beasts. They would attack anyone who dares to take their food. It nearly snapped