#phoebis

Story Text: There are days when the veil is thin when They have more influence. Those are days to avoid risks, to avoid Them. Days to hide in one’s dorm, hidden behind iron and salt and any other protection you have. Those are not days to be walking by yourself. Not days to be near the outskirts of campus, the edge of the Forest, alone, and with only an iron ring for protection. But four days with little to no sleep buried deep in research and writing means that one doesn’t necessarily think too clearly when you are finally done.

Artemis knew in the back of her mind this wasn’t a safe path but it was the quickest route back to her apartment and all she could think about was collapsing into her bed and sleeping for the next two days. Her research was done, her first draft submitted, all she wanted now was sleep.

Artemis stumbled down the path her head down, blinking every few steps to remind her eyes to stay open. She could hear whispers in the trees but three years at Elsewhere has trained her not to look or to reply. She could feel eyes watching her but she kept her eyes on the path. Normally focus was a good thing at Elsewhere but such a single-minded focus was dangerous; especially so on nights when the veil was thin, and even the Knights did not wander. This is foolish and one so touched by Them should’ve known better.

Artemis tripped over a tree root, one that had not been in the path before and fell to her knees, her bag spilled around her, scattering pens and papers, not hers, her students but still it is rude to cover your students work in the dirt, even if it is by accident. She swore under her breath and reached, stuffing the papers and pens back into her bag quickly. One paper was just out of reach and just as Artemis was getting to her feet to reach it another hand picked it up. Artemis froze, her body still hunched.

Have you ever been in the presence of a predator? Not like at the zoo where the lions are well fed and behind a sheet of glass. But walking in the woods and turn a corner on the trail and find a bear standing in front of you and realizing you somehow are between it and it’s cubs or be walking alone in the city at night and hear footsteps behind you, matching step for step and they’re getting closer and the street light above just shut off leaving you in the dark. That moment before you know exactly what the threat is when your lizard brain is screaming RUN! but your rational brain hasn’t yet caught up to what is going on. When you know you are in trouble and there is little that you can do about it.

Well, take that feeling and multiply it, by about one hundred, and maybe you’ll understand the amount of adrenaline rushing through Artemis at this point. The other being, it was clearly not human, no human had hands like that, just stood there holding the last loose paper watching, waiting. So before she could be mistaken for rude, Artemis straightened and looked at the being.

They had tilted their head watching her with obvious amusement, holding the paper loosely at their side. Artemis looked at their face before quickly averting their eyes, taking care to look submissive before this being. She waited for the being to address her.

“She of the Wild,” the being rasped. Artemis flinched slightly at the power behind the tone but said nothing. “Do you not know the day? Mistress of Animals, your protection is weak. Your arrows are not in the quiver and your torch snuffed out. Yet, you walk my paths. Why?”

“Your Grace,” Artemis started her eyes still on the ground, her head pounding from the effort to even look near the being. “I merely am returning to my dwelling, my studies have kept me from it for too long.”

The being hummed and Artemis’s ears rang. They watched her with a slight smile. “Your studies have kept you from your den, little wolf? Are they near completion then?”

“That is for the professors to know,” Artemis replied quickly. “And are one’s studies ever done, one is always learning something, Your Grace.”

“You speak carefully,” the being spoke its voice clearer as it avoided Artemis’s name and the titles of the goddess. The pounding in Artemis’s head got worse. “That is wise. Many of your yearmates do not, a boon to mine.”

The being stepped so it was now circling Artemis studying her. She stayed still, waiting. “Daughter of the Moon-” They started when there was a rustling from the underbrush and another stepped onto the path.

This one, was more powerful than the first and Artemis nearly buckled under the migraine now raging in her mind. They spoke first to the being still circling in a language that was old, older than Elsewhere, maybe older than time. Their voice was commanding and powerful and the circling being dropped the paper at her feet and fled into the Forest. If Artemis thought she was in the presence of a predator before, she was sure of it now. And now strongly doubted she was ever going to see her apartment again. She could feel the eyes of this more powerful being watching her.

“Huntress of Knowledge, Maiden, and Protector of those the same, Of the Moon, Torch Bearer, Arrow Ace, Artemis,” the being growled gently. Artemis could feel a shiver running up her back as this being said her chosen name and a pit forming low in her stomach. The forest around them had went dead still as if even the trees were holding their breath. “Would you like an escort home? Freely given of course.” It finished its tone shifting to a friendly one that she recognized.

Artemis looked up and there standing in front of her was her friend. “Phoebus,” she said with a smile straightening as her migraine started to ease. “I would appreciate that.”

She bent and picked up the last paper, slipping it into her bag and then slipping her hand through the crook of her friend’s arm, being mindful of the foliage armor that wrapped around it and together the pair continued down the path. Phoebus asking Artemis questions about her research as they walked. They escorted her to her door and left with a kiss on her wrist and a bow.