Breathing heavily, Melantho looked behind her. There was nothing in sight but the road and the forest. Good. No pursuit.

It's all because of Miss Goody Two Shoes Eurycleia, the former servant thought bitterly. She thinks she's sooooooo great, just because she believed Odysseus would return. Melantho grimaced. Just my luck he actually did. And I was having the time of my life!

While Melantho and her girlfriends had been dumping the bodies—Don't beat yourself up about it, girl, all the suitors were jerks anyhow—she realized that the king also planned to kill the twelve of them. So when Odysseus' back was turned, Melantho left her girlfriends behind and escaped to the countryside. She planned to lie low for a week, then head to the village to work as a prostitute.

The maid sat on a nearby cairn to catch her breath—and found herself facing two shining grey eyes. "Ah!" she exclaimed in surprise, falling to the ground.

"So this is the high-and-mighty Melantho," Athena (for it was she) said. "I am honored to make your acquaintance."

Melantho caught the sarcasm. "Um, hi," she said stupidly.

Athena raised an eyebrow. "Is that how you talk to a goddess?"

"No, wise Athena!" the maid hurriedly apologized. "Pray, why do you wish to speak with me?"

The goddess of wisdom leaned forward. "You serve in the royal house of Ithaca, correct? Tell me, why are you not attending the wife of the great Odysseus, his queen?"

Melantho barked out a laugh. "Who, Penelope? The woman is a lost cause. Everyday, it's Odysseus this, Odysseus that, the idiot woman—"

Oh, crud.

Athena's eyes flashed. "Just what I thought! Your pride spoils your judgement, maid! Thrice you were called a bitch, so a bitch you shall be!" Athena struck the maid on the cheek and vanished in a swirl of silver light.

Melantho touched her cheek—with a furry paw. Horrified, she looked down and saw a long tail poking out from her tunic, which was suddenly too big for her, and hung limply from her now tiny shoulders. "I really am a bitch," she tried to say, but all that came out was a canine howl.

A/N Hope y'all enjoyed that! Not necessarily my best work, but I'd had a 300-word limit when I first wrote this, and I can't remember all of what I'd originally had. But any reviews are greatly appreciated!