When I woke up, I could feel the warmth of the sun on my skin. It was a delicious warmth, so comforting.
I sat up from my lying position under the willow tree that I had taken shelter under for the night. I stretched, feeling the sleepiness in my body disappear slowly. Then I sat quietly and shut my eyes for a while, allowing the sounds of the forest animals and the waters in the river to flood my ears.
I open my eyes again and stood up, grabbing the handle of my leather quiver of arrows and my silver bow, both of which were lying right beside me. The bow glinted in the sunlight and it blinded me for a split second, but I soon recovered. Then, I began to make my way to a private spring that I had discovered just days ago.
I walked into the forest for about five minutes before I finally found the drooping branches of a willow tree, which acted as a doorway to the spring. I pushed them aside and set my eyes on the pool of hot spring water.
The water was crystal clear and it was bubbling. Steam rose lazily from the spring, becoming foggy spirals. Even from where I was standing, I could feel the warmth of the water around me.
I walk over to a tree that was right beside the spring of water and hung my quiver on a branch and set my bow down on the ground below it. Then, I shed off the beige knee-length chiton I had on and made it disappear, since I was going to wear a new one anyway. I took off my sandals before finally, I set myself into the spring.
The warmth shot through my body and I sighed in satisfaction. I let my hair braid loose and watched as my long brownish-black tresses floated around me.
I sat down as I stared at the canopy of green leafy branches above me. Streaks of sunlight went through them and shone at me. Birds were chirping merrily and flying as they please. I watched as they moved freely from on branch to another.
I wonder what everyone back home is doing. I thought to myself.
Then I shut my eyes, concentrating on the warmth of the spring, as a new thought appeared in my head.
Probably having a good time without me.
I didn't even bother to wipe away the stray tear from my left eye.
I crouched on the branch of a tree, my arrow all set in my bow. I waited.
I slowly stretched the durable bowstring with my right hand until it was at its farthest as my left hand, which gripped the limb of my bow tightly, aimed for my prey; a little white rabbit.
A rabbit that is soon to be my breakfast.
I stared at it with pure concentration, watching as it innocently chews on a blade of grass. I kind of felt sorry for it, but I had to eat nonetheless.
So, without a moment's hesitation, I let go of my string.
And I watched the arrow pierced the rabbit right through its body.
"Yes," I said silently to myself and hopped off the branch. I landed on the ground gracefully and made my way to the now-dead rabbit.
I picked the little creature up by grabbing one of its hind legs and with the other hand, I quickly pulled out my arrow from its body. I inspected the furry animal and could tell that it was still not so young, and yet not so old. Somewhere in the middle. So that meant the meat would be tender.
I spent the next hour by the river, cutting up the rabbit, washing the meat and pulling out the bones. I even washed away the blood on my silver arrow until it finally looked good as new. It would have been considered very absurd in Olympus for a goddess to be doing this sort of labour. But I wasn't in Olympus, so it didn't matter.
It was a fairly easy process, and I amused myself with an image of Aphrodite doing what I was doing. No way would she be willing to do that. She might even faint at the thought of it.
When I was convinced the meat was thoroughly clean, I set it on a clean flat stone as I built a fire. Being the Goddess of the Wild, I learnt all the basic survival skills. Survival is a subject I was really good at, the other being hunting.
I placed the flat stone on top of the fire and proceeded to walk around the forest as I wait for the meat to cook.
Thankfully, I found some nuts and even some edible berries. I gathered a handful of each of them. I then returned to my fire and saw the underside of the meat was cooked. I turn it all over with one of my arrows and even scattered the nuts around it so that it will cook as well.
Finally, when the meat was done and the nuts were roasted, I began to tuck in.
Though it wasn't as tasty as the food back home, it was still oh so good. Mother had told me once that all things felt good if you put a little hard work into it. And she was right.
I ate the meat slowly, tasting the saltiness. In between, I popped in some berries and nuts in my mouth and the combination tasted so good. I sighed in satisfaction.
I took a break from eating. I still had about three pieces of the meat left. I popped in another sweet berry in my mouth as I watched the water flowing in the river.
But all of a sudden, I heard something.
It sounded like the fluttering of wings, but much more heavier. I knew instinctively that it didn't belong to any of the little birds that flew in the area.
I grabbed my bow and one of my arrows and got ready to take fire. I aimed it at the high branches of the trees around me.
Whatever the flying creature was, it was fast. One second it was to my left, a second later it was to my right.
I grunted in frustration and stayed still. I listened carefully for it, waiting for an indication. It seemed to have stopped as well, probably watching me.
There was a rustling of leaves above my left.
I turned and took fire.
My arrow disappeared into the branches and then the faint sound of the wings flying away.
I remained where I was, thinking that it would come back.
True enough, it did.
A strong breeze went past by me on my right, and I fell to the ground from the force of it. I grunted as I landed on my bottom, my bow falling out of my grip.
I recollected myself quickly. I could feel the creature right behind me, and in a split second I was on my feet and facing it.
It was no 'it'. It was a boy, who looked a little younger than me. Maybe in his late teens or early twenties.
He had soft blonde hair that fell right below his ears. He wore a white band around the crown of his head, with a white dove wing attached on it at the left and right side of his head. His spring green eyes were wide and very bright, and he had a gentle smile on his lips that fitted his smooth, youthful face. He wore a sleeveless light blue knee-length chiton and on his wrists he had bands of the same colour.
He stood taller than me. It was then I noticed that he was floating in mid-air, thanks to the golden sandals on his feet, which too had fluttering white dove wings on the back of each.
I didn't need to be struck by lightning to know who it was.
"That thing could have hurt me," the messenger god says playfully.
