Chapter Text
Crytect had made it clear to Artemis that all she needed was another set of red deer antlers for her next jackalope. Artemis understood but asked why Crytect even wanted to make another jackalope. Crytect replied that she wanted to show it off to her father, Epimetheus. Artemis scoffed, “That foolish man raised you? I’m surprised you’re not dead.”
“Well he’s not that foolish, he was able to raise me.” Crytect explained.
“Well I’ll give him that. But he was foolish in the war.” Artemis said.
“The war?” Crytect asked.
“Yes, in the war. Titans vs us Olympian’s.” Artemis explained.
“Oh, but he’s a titan. Wouldn’t that mean you were fighting him?” Crytect questioned.
“Yes, but some titans teamed up with the us Olympian’s. Shouldn’t you know this? Did Epimetheus not explain this to you?” Artemis asked.
“No, he just taught me about the animals and how he’d made them. I don’t think he even remembers being in a war” Crytect responded.
“Not surprising—so you sculpt?” Artemis asked.
“No, I sew. That’s how I made that hare creature.” Crytect responded.
“Well it’s impressive. I’ll say.” Artemis said.
“Thank you,”Crytect blushed. “It’s big getting a compliment from the goddess of wild animals.” Crytect looked down at the ground as she walked with Artemis and her hunters. Crytect wondered if Artemis actually meant her compliment. As Crytect had taken a wild animal and augmented it. Maybe then Artemis wouldn’t see the hare as “wild”and wouldn’t try to protect it. Maybe then Artemis would purposely hunt Crytect’s creatures. Crytect shook her head. No, Artemis couldn’t be capable of that. Could she? Crytect thought.
The hare is still a hare! I just added antlers! Wait… would Artemis come after me?! Maybe she’d see me as some sort of monster for changing the hare without its permission! Maybe she’s bringing me back to her camp so she can kill me! I have to leave! I need an excuse to le-
Crytect’s thoughts are cut off by Artemis’s voice. “Hey, we’re here.” Crytect looked up. She was at the camp that it seemed Artemis and her hunters stayed.
“Oh, right.” Crytect saw all the hunters go their separate ways in the camp. Crytect, not knowing what to do, just followed Artemis, who was going into, what looked like, the biggest tent of the camp. All the hunters gave Crytect a strange look. Crytect felt as if she was doing something forbidden, but decided to keep following Artemis.
“So… when are you planning to go hunt for another red deer?” Crytect asked.
“When we go out to hunt, and if we even find a red deer.” Artemis said.
“Can’t you just go find one right now?” Crytect asked.
“Yes, but I don’t want to.” Artemis laughed.
“Don’t want to? Aren’t you the goddess of hunting? Why don’t you want to hunt?!” Crytect asked.
“Because someone is telling me to go hunt for them.” Artemis explained.
“Well I’m asking so I can make something to impress my father!” Crytect exclaimed.
“But do you really need his approval? He’s just a man.”
“But he’s my father! Everybody wants to impress their father!”
“Well he’s not really your dad…”
“He’s my adoptive father! Whatever! I still want to impress him!” Crytect exclaimed.
“Well still, why impress him? He’s boring, and not much else. Just sew, do whatever you want.”
“Well I want to impress him, and be better than him!”
“Oh, ok.” Artemis said in a nonchalant tone.
“So you’ll go hunt for me?” Crytect asked with a smile.
“No,” Artemis said flatly. “I don’t hunt when someone asks me to hunt for their personal benefit. If you really need the antlers just hunt yourself.”
“Well I don’t know how to hunt…”
“Then join us hunters. You could learn in no time.”
“Um, no thank you. I don’t think I could be a virgin forever. No offense.” Crytect explained. Artemis’s face fell. “Oh, so you’re interested in a man?”
“Uh, no, just-… never mind. I just want to experience a relationship, both romantic and sexual, with someone one day.” Crytect explained.
“Oh, with a man, or a woman…?” Artemis asked.
“Does that matter?! I thought relationships were banned by you!” Crytect exclaimed.
“Just sexual ones. I had a thing for Orion, and me and Callisto were close. But Orion was a prick, and Callisto slept with my father.” Artemis explained.
“Callisto slept with Zeus? Why? Didn’t she know that would get her kicked out?” Crytect asked.
“Well yes, but he disguised himself as me, so-“ Artemis was cut off.
“Wait, so Zeus disguised himself as you, and Callisto slept with him thinking it was you? Why would she do that? Unless…” Crytect paused.
“Me and Callisto were simply friends, nothing more, nothing less.” Artemis explained with a blush.
“Mhm, right,” Crytect said sarcastically. “So if you’re not going hunting for a while. What I’m I supposed to do?”
“You’re good at sewing, right?” Artemis asked. “You could sew up anything we need sewed, and I suppose you should introduce yourself to anyone who approaches you, kid.”
“I’m not a kid! I’m 23…”
“And you’ve lived with your father for all those years? You’re a lost cause.” Artemis laughed.
“Whatever, and where I’m I supposed to sleep? I see a bunch of tents. So where do I sleep?” Crytect asked.
“Whoever lets you sleep in their tent I guess! Now get out, I have… stuff to do.”
“What stuff?” Crytect asked.
“Just… stuff! Now get out!” Artemis exclaimed. Crytect blushed, and scurried out of Artemis’s tent. Crytect looked around the camp looking at everyone there. It was mostly nymphs. Crytect thought about approaching one of them, but realized she’d probably catch feelings for one if she talked too long with them. So she decided against talking to anyone and instead sat on a log that surrounded a fire.
Crytect felt as if the hunters were gossiping about her, they were all whispering in their groups of about 2-5. Crytect thought of going to talk to Artemis again, but remembered that Artemis said she had “stuff” to do.
Hmm, what “stuff” Artemis is doing? Why did she seem so annoyed? It’s not like she has to make her arrows… So what is she doing? Maybe I heard her tone of voice wrong and she was actually embarrassed…. But what would she be embarrassed about? Maybe she’s reading, or maybe she’s writing? Maybe she’s writing about someone? But who could she be writing about? That is if she is writing about someone! There are a mountain of possibilities of what she could be doing! She could be… now why would she be doing that? Artemis is the virgin goddess, she couldn’t possibly be doing that, right? If she was doing that then she wouldn’t be a virgin, right? Does that even count as… *that*? Or maybe she’s doing something with her hunters? But I didn’t see anyone else in there, and I haven’t seen anyone go in…. But I mean it would make sense… why else would Callisto sleep with Zeus when he was disgusted as Artemis?
Crytect’s thoughts are interrupted by a huntress coming up to her.
“Who the hell are you?” The huntress asked.
“Crytect! I am 23… and that’s about it.”
“Why are you here? Artemis pick up another woman?”
“Huh?”
“Uhh, never mind. Names Danae. I’ve been a part of Artemis’s companions for a while.”
“Can you remember exactly?”
“No, why would I?”
“I don’t know? Just to celebrate how long you’ve been a part of this great band of hunters?”
“I celebrate by hunting, and by being able to be in the presence of Artemis.”
“Oh, ok…. Is it nice?”
“What?”
“Hunting, or I guess just being in a great group of people.”
“I suppose. It’s better than having to be taking care of a family.”
Crytect didn’t know what to say to that, so she looked away from Danae and just looked at the fire. She kept looking at the fire, she just couldn’t take her eyes off the flames. The way they danced, it was beautiful.
She softly smiled, thinking about how her uncle, Prometheus, who had stolen fire from the Gods for the humans. She looked up from the fire, and turned to Danae… or where she thought Danae would be. She looked around at the tents, and realized that every hunter had gone to sleep… expect one. One tent still had a lamp lit in it, that being Artemis’s tent….
Oh great! Just great! I got to caught up on the stupid fire and now I’m tentless! I’m bedless! Curse you uncle! I never even liked you in the first place!… Well… I guess if I want to sleep somewhere… I have to go talk to Artemis….
Crytect gets up off the log and goes to the tent. She’s about to tap on the fabric until she sees Artemis’s shadow move in the tent. Crytect steps back, while debating whether or not she really needs a tent and where the most comfortable spot on the ground would be.
Though Crytect’s attention is moved when she sees a stag just outside the camps perimeter. “Oh why now Zeus…?!” She quietly exclaims to the god.