DISCLAIMER: I do not own Percy Jackson, in which some of the ideas and characters were taken. I also do not own the Greek myths or the myth of Orion. I just made it modern; yet another idea from Rick Riordan.

Artemis and Orion

Leaves rustled in the midnight breeze; their gentle colors floating along the black-oil sky. The forest was dead silent; too silent. It made my heart come to my throat from adrenaline. Something howled in the distance; it was a warning call no doubt. Something was coming. I could tell it was; though the night was silent except for my steady breathing. My eyes darted back and forth, looking for the intruder.

Something rustled nearby. At first, I thought it was just more leaves. Then it began to louder, like it was getting closer to my location. Suzy, who was standing on my left flank, wandered from her post over to me.

"Wh-?" She was about to ask, but I shot my hand out. She got the idea and closed her mouth. Slowly, I steadied my bow. Drawing two arrows from my quiver, I knocked them both and aimed at the bush. A low huff came from behind and I felt it watching me. Stalking me. Suzy froze, realizing the danger we where in.

Something stepped out from behind the bush. It looked like a mix between a German Shepard and a rhino. It was the size of a small bus, with teeth as long as my hand sticking out of it's blackish-red maw. It was a giant dog; it's narrow eyes boring into us with hunger.

"A hellhound," Suzy whispered. I nodded.

"Stay behind me, Suzy." She didn't argue. Of course she didn't. She was new at this whole thing. Only ten years old and only introduced to the Olympian gods last week. It's a scary concept to learn that all the old greek "myths" are real and monsters can actually come and eat your face off. Most girls started out like Suzy; small and scared.

The hellhound sniffed the air, not seeing us yet. It's nose twitched three times, then it pause. And it growled as it's red eyes locked onto my silver ones. Well, this is a good a time as any. Pulling my bowstring back, I fired the two arrows right at the creature. A rope shimmered between the two projectiles and tied them together. As the now-connected arrows connected with the hound, it howled in pain. But the arrows were only contact, not lethal. The two began to swing around the hellhound in opposite directions, the rope tying the hound's feet together as it went.

When the arrows stopped, the hound whimpered and tumbled to the leaf-covered ground. I stared at it, and my heart felt pity looking into it's eyes. Then I turned, looked at Suzy, and nodded. She ran up to it, with a rope in her hand, and tied it around the monster's maw. Checking the rope, she got up and gave me a thumbs up.

"Good. Go to the third quadrant and receive Amanda. Tell her the hellhound has been found and caught."

"Yes, m'lady," She bowed awkwardly and ran off into the forest. I looked back down at the creature.

"Don't worry, young one. I won't harm. We will have you back in Tartarus soon." The hound whimpered and looked away, it's stomach rising and falling quickly in fear. I hated doing this to creatures, but it was part of my job. No, not the kind of job I could just quit. It's... never mind. You'll see.

Just then, the whole third quadrant ran into the opening, lead by Amanda, with Suzy in hot pursuit. I sighed. "Suzy, I told you only to bring back Amanda."

Suzy's face flushed in the moonlight. "I-I'm sorry, m'lady. But they all insisted on coming." She was so afraid, even of me. I would never hurt her, or any of them; but she didn't understand that yet.

I huffed. "It's fine. If they all wanted to come, then it does not matter."

Suzy let out a sigh of relief and the color started to return. Amanda stepped forward and bowed, then looked at the creature.

"Yup, that's the one. That's the hellhound that attack Mercy." Amanda's voice shook as she spoke. And she watch the hound with a hard eye as though she thought it would jump up at any moment and rip off the skin on her back, like it did to Mercy. "What are we going to do with it, m'lady?"

I thought for a moment. "We shall send it back to were it came from." Some girls mumbled among themselves. "Painlessly." Some girls sighed with relief, while others groaned. I was surprised they were questioning my leadership. Just because I looked like a twelve year old girl doesn't mean I was. I was still the oldest, and still the only immortal one in the group. I also invented this little club, so they should sort of do as I say without question.

Amanda straightened up. "Shall I fetch Thalia, m'lady?" I nodded and she sprinted off into the darkness. Waving some other the girls over, we picked up the one ton puppy with ease. I could have done it on my own, but I would be off balance and fall over. So I needed them to keep me up.

As we walked back to the camp sight a half-a-mile away, the three girls who were helping me began to huff and groan under the weight. Caitlyn, a girl who has been a Hunter for more then sixteen years, looked at me with pain. "Lady Artemis, we cannot hold up the monster any longer. Do we have permission to let go?"

I smiled. "Of course, Caitlyn." The three dropped their arms and I sprinted to the bottom of the belly. It was balanced, but it brought back bad memories of Mount Tam in San Francisco. I began to feel claustrophobic, which wasn't suppose to happen the immortal goddess of the hunt. But I guess, over the years of being surrounded by humans, I too have created habits.