Chapter 3-Connections

Thalia had expected Diana to slip into her trance again, and was surprised when she didn't. "It wasn't the end of the story…in fact, most people don't even know that part. The thing they remember her for is what happened when she and her half-blood son, Arcus, were out hunting."

"What happened?"

"She was turned into a bear," Diana said bluntly.

Thalia's eyes widened. "Of course," she breathed. "I know this story."

Diana nodded. "How much do you remember?"

Thalia struggled to remember an old conversation, huddled under thin blankets around a tiny fire somewhere in Missouri. "She was out hunting with her son. They separated to search for prey, and Hera turned her into a bear. When Whatshisface-"

"Arcus," Diana said. "Please, Thalia. He was your half-brother, after all."

"Right. Sorry. So when…Argus?"

"Arcus. With a 'C'."

"Arcus. When Arcus came out of the bushes, she reared up to hug him and he killed her by mistake."

Diana looked shocked. "He did not!"

Thalia flushed. "I only know the version Luke told me, okay?"

Diana nodded. "It's all right; you just surprised me is all. Now, let me pick up where you left off…" Her eyes glazed over and her breathing slowed as she began.

"The branches rustled," she intoned. "Callisto looked fearfully toward the sound; her bear-mind recognized the scent of human nearby. Then, out stepped none other than Arcus, her dear son.

Callisto's fear vanished. She stood up and spread her arms—now paws—to embrace her son. She saw fear in his eyes and, too late, realized what caused it. Arcus raised his spear for the kill.

He was a fine hunter; that was only to be expected. He would surely have slain the bear had it not been for Artemis.

It is not widely known—indeed, it is mostly unknown even amongst the Hunters, and has only become clear to me through nearly three thousand years at Artemis' side—that when a Hunter leaves us, willingly or otherwise, they are never truly alone. Artemis watches over them, helps them, largely without their knowing it. When Lavinia fell in love with a falconer's boy in medieval Europe...I for one do not belive it was chance that their hunting hawks lived, without exception, long and healthy lives, never getting sick or injured. Artemis never abandons her own.

So it was with Callisto. Artemis could not break the enchantment and give her back her human form; Hera's magic was too powerful, and it is not wise to antagonize her. Poor sweet Echo learned that, and she was innocent of all wrong…

I think Artemis would still have dissolved the enchantment if she could and hang the consequences, but Hera was too powerful. So, as Arcus hefted his spear, she did the only thing she could; she turned him into a bear cub.

This suited Hera just fine; now not only was her mortal rival out of the way, but the half-blood son of Zeus, as well! She was extremely pleased with how events had worked out.

That smug satisfaction sent Artemis over the edge. She took the animus of the two bears and placed them in the stars to spite Hera. As a final act of rebellion or love, or perhaps a blend of the two, she positioned them in such a way that they never set; each night, they share the skies with her, and each night Hera has to look at them. And to mortals, that is the end of the story…but for us, things are never so simple.

Arcus was not Callisto's only child.

Artemis had been true to her word; Callisto reached her nephew's family in Athens safely. But a young girl who comes out of nowhere and shows up pregnant in the dead of night is bound to raise a few eyebrows, start a few rumors. Before long, they had spiraled out of control and Callisto found herself reviled within her circle. Everywhere she went she was met with disapproving looks or, in some cases, ward-evil signs.

One day a group o boys was heckling her, insulting her, and not one person protested until, finally, a young man came furiously forward and told them to leave her alone in no uncertain terms. He then led Callisto away, spoke to her kindly, and accompanied her as she finished her shopping, ensuring nobody gave her a hard time. I only wish I knew that young man's name…

Whatever his name was, the two soon became fast friends. When young Arcus was born, the young man was like a father to him; and eventually he would become his father, because not long after they were married, and Callisto could certainly have done worse for herself. They were happy for a time. They had a beautiful daughter, and Arcus was a son to make any mother proud. But the young man died when his little girl was only four years old, and Arcus eight, and Callisto was alone again.

But she was a survivor, and though she had been happy with her family in Athens, she was a Hunter at hart, and I think she always missed it. So she did the natural thing; she began to train her son in the ways of a hunter. He always preferred the spear and javelin over the bow, and was skilled with them despite his youth.

The day they were transformed was the day the little girl turned eight years old. Eight has always been Artemis' minimum age for a Hunter, and Callisto saw no reason to deviate from this. When her daughter turned eight, Callisto said she was old enough to learn to hunt. Let us return, then, to the moment of Callisto's transformation. This time, however, we will see it through different eyes—the eyes of a twelve-year-old son of Zeus named Arcus…

Arcus hefted his spear, edging towards the sounds. Peering through the undergrowth, his electric-blue eyes widened as he spied a huge she-bear. Normally this would be little cause for alarm—h is mother was within earshot, after all, and he had his spear—but then he glanced back at the young girl who stood, poised and determined, behind him. His sister shared all but no resemblance to him; the only common characteristic was their nose. And she was so young…this was her first hunt…he had never intended to drag her into an altercation with a bear so soon!

Arcus placed a finger to his lips. His half-sister nodded, her light-brown hair—so different from his own!—rippled with the sharp, birdlike motion. He held up four fingers together. It was their prearranged signal: stay here.

He raised his spear and leaped out of the undergrowth."

Diana continued speaking, but with every word she seemed to be slowly, very slowly, returning to the world, the spell woven by her story fading.

"And here the story repeats itself, while I will not. You need only know one thing more. That little girl saw everything from the trees. Seeing her strong, handsome brother turned into a beast before her eyes terrified. She curled into a ball, huddled under a laurel tree, and wouldn't move. At nightfall, when Artemis went to free Callisto and Arcus' spirits, the Hunters were with her, but Cynthia was the only one who saw the little girl.

"Hello," she said softly. "Don't be afraid, little one. We're…friends of your mother's. Has she ever mentioned the Hunters of Artemis?"

The little girl blinked. "You're…the Hunters?"

Cynthia nodded, then glanced around as Artemis walked up to them. She looked down kindly at the shivering girl. "Will you join us, sweetheart?" she asked gently.

The girl looked pleadingly at Cynthia, as if begging her to tell her what to do.

Cynthia's eyes softened. "Come with us," she whispered. "You're safe here."

The girl nodded, slowly at first, then with increasing confidence. "I'd like to join you, please, my lady."

Artemis gave her the oath, and then Cynthia, realizing something for the first time, asked, "What's your name?"

The girl looked up, smiled, and answered…" Diana's eyes cleared completely. "I think you know the answer she gave."

Thalia shook her head slowly. "Oh, no way."

Diana raised her eyebrows. "Well?"

"She's not. She can't be."

"Finish the story, Thalia."

Thalia looked towards the outline of the silvery tents, barely visible in the darkness.

"Alene?"