Artemis had been up in the mountains, fighting monsters, with her hunters when the avalanche started. She quickly began to lead her hunters down the mountainside when the first wave of snow hit and they got separated. Through the wall of snow and ice that had formed she shouted at her lieutenant, Zoë Nightshade, to get the others to safety and began to try to find her own way out. Along the way she heard a woman and child crying in pain and called out.

"Over here." A small voice answered her, she told them to keep talking and set off to the sound of their voices. When she got there she saw a beautiful woman who was probably in her thirties and small blond haired boy who could be no older than four. The woman was covered in blood and had a chunk of wood sticking out of her stomach whereas the little boy was already turning blue. After one look at the woman's injuries Artemis knew she couldn't safe the woman so she kneeled down next to her and said, "My dear woman I am sorry to have to be the one to tell you this but you are going to die."

The woman nodded and looked at the small boy tucked safely in her arms, "what about my son can you do anything for him? Can you take him with you? Get him out of here? Please don't leave him to die!" the woman pleaded with Artemis. At first Artemis was tempted to say no but the woman continued, "his father and brothers are on the mountain skiing with they die? What if the rescuers don't get here in time? What if they do but his dad and brothers don't? I don't want him to live with people who may hurt him, even though I have just met you I feel like I can trust you, please take him!" The woman begged, so Artemis asked her, "what is your name and what is his."

"Lucille …Tr...a…" the woman stuttered.

"Just your first name will be fine dear and his name and age?" Artemis told her.

"He's 4 years old and called Alan shepherd…Tr…" Lucille replied and began to cough blood up on to the ground.

"shh it's alright dear…" Artemis began but the roof started to cave in cutting her off, so she quickly grabbed the boy and ran. She kept running and forty minutes later she began to see light. After another ten minutes of running she was out in the open and a little while away she could see the paramedics and police officers therefore she decided that would be the best direction to go. As soon as she got there she was swarmed by paramedics and Alan was almost taken away from her but she tightened her grip on him and walked through the paramedics and towards the police. Once she got there she asked the one question which answer could change her life for ever, "have you found anyone with the last name Shepherd?"

The policeman looked at her for a minute before answering, "no we haven't. friends of yours were they?"

"Not exactly, more like someone I was supposed to meet."

"Do you have a phone number so we could call you if we find them?"

"No it's alright," Artemis said and turned and left.

Artemis was beginning to give up hope of finding her hunters when she heard a voice behind her, "my lady there you are!"

She spun on her heels and saw Zoë and the rest hunt making their way towards her.

"Who or what is that?" Phoebe asked pointing at Alan who was still in Artemis' arms.

"This is Alan Shepherd, I rescued him in the mountains and we are going to look after him, alright?"

"But he's a boy!" all of the hunters protested as one.

"I know he is a boy but we will raise him to respect females," Replied Artemis. All of the hunters looked at each other before looking back at Artemis and Zoë asked Artemis, "Where are his parents?"

"He was with his mum when I found him, I couldn't do anything for her and his father and brothers haven't been found," Artemis sighed.

Immediately every one of the hunters' faces softened and Zoë stepped forward, "on behalf of the hunters of Artemis I welcome our first brother Alan Shepherd to the hunt."

"How old is he?" Alice one of her younger hunters questioned

"4 years old"

"When's his birthday?" It was then as Alice asked the second question Artemis realised she didn't know the boy's birthday.

"I don't know…"

"Then we will see if he knows and if he doesn't we will give him a new one," as soon as Zoë spoke Alan began to stir. First his eyes fluttered then one of his electric blue eyes opened and then the other and as he looked around his surroundings fear crept into his eyes. "Mummy?" he asked timidly.

"That's right dear I'm your new mummy and these are your new sisters. Now Zoë is going to introduce you to the rest of your sisters, dear." She said as she passed Alan into Zoë's waiting arms. She watched as each of the hunters cooed over the baby and introduced themselves. She watched as Phoebe spoke to Alan and Alan shook his head. She watched as Phoebe and Zoë shared a look and Phoebe walked towards her.

"My lady he does not know his birthday. So what day shall we give him for one?"

"Today, June 8th."

"Why today?"

"Because it is the day he is born to us, his new family since he has no one left." But little did she know as she said that Alan's dad and brothers had just found his dead mum and were continuing their search for him. And little did she know that they would never be at peace until they found him one way or another and they would dedicated their secret organisation International Rescue (or the Thunderbirds) in his and his mum's memory. Little did she know they were the Tracys.