Back on schedule. Thanks for reading R&R

Half-moon shone its silvery light into the deserted lake. Its beautiful reflection broke, when a giant eagle of fire flew over the surface of the water.

Kratos and Bley were asleep after the long rough day they had had. This had been Kratos's toughest day since he had left to carry out the twelve labours for his wife and child.

Far away in the mountains and forests, wolves howled at the moon, waiting for it to be full again. Twelve days to the next full moon, and the time of the wolves.

Kratos woke to an exploding noise coming near him. He stood up just in time to see Bley punching a few trees in front of them.

"Finally awake. We arrived here just while ago."

Kratos looked around to see what this here was. They had landed on the edge of some meadow, probably some shepherd's territory. The trees that Bley had been hitting showed the way into a silent lifeless forest, where the Ceryneian Hind must be.

"Your prey is currently staying here. Or so I have heard. I'm not sure how long though."

Bley went suddenly quiet and turned away from Kratos. Once again, Bley had to empty the wine he had drunk yesterday. It seemed to have become a habit during this journey.

"You know", Bley started. "I have never had this much wine in so little time."

Kratos found it hard to believe. Bley seemed to be very used to drinking much wine.

"So how are you going to catch the hind?" Bley asked after vomiting to the ground.

Kratos reminded himself of the stories of Heracles he had heard in one of the many Inns of Sparta. The Ceryneian Hind was said to be able to run faster than the arrows shot towards it. It was so jumpy, that one suspicious sound would send it to the next forest, regardless of how far away it was. Heracles had chased it down for over a year until he had finally caught it. Kratos didn't have a year time to be running after a hind. How would he outsmart the animal so that it wouldn't notice him coming?

While Kratos was thinking of a way to catch the hind without spending even a day on it, the eagle stretched its wings waiting for Bley to give it a command.

The thought hit Kratos like a cyclops's club. Kratos was about to open his mouth and ask Bley when he said: "Go ahead."

Kratos didn't have to be told twice. He jumped onto the eagle's cold back and pulled it from its feathers as a sign to ascend to the sky.

Bley was left on the edge of the forest as Kratos flew over it looking for the Ceryneian Hind. Bley had now time of his own. He lay on the grass and closed his eyes from the bright sun.

A sudden shadow spoiled the warmness from him. Damn those clouds where did they come from? Or did he get back already? Bley didn't bother to open his eyes, but then he felt someone breathing in his face. Bley opened his eyes and saw two persons he didn't expect to see.

"Artemis, Apollo! I should have known that you would be the ones sent after Kratos. Why are you here?"

"Silence mortal! How dare you speak to your superior like that?"

Superior? That bitch has lost it. Weelll, I think I can't just keep teasing her. After all we are being watched right now. Oh screw this. I just have to get the last laugh.

"Superior? I thought you were only a bunch of weaklings sent to assassinate your king's killer."

An angry woman was usually outrageous, and Artemis was not an exception. She grabbed her bow but before she got to use it, Apollo put his hand on her shoulder.

"Calm down sister. Let us not forget why we are here."

"Oh shut up you, you…"

Artemis thought for a second and calmed down.

"Well, where is he? I thought he was moving with you."

"Took my eagle and left searching for the Ceryneian Hind."

Artemis had a slight murdering look in her face after hearing about hunting the Hind that was blessed as her.

"I swear if he touches it with one finger I'll rip off all of his five limbs with my bare hands!"

"Five? What do you mean five, he doesn't ha… Oh", Bley went suddenly quiet and stared into the distance. "Well if you think about it like that then…"

"Then what human?"

Bley nodded his head and said: "Nothing, nothing. Just trying to get that image out of my head."

An awkward silence stopped the arguing, but Bley with his social skills was always starting the conversations.

"If you intend on catching him before he catches it then you better leave now. Although it may be too late."

"Apollo, Let's leave Hades's dog here to lie in the sun."

"Yes sister."

Two beautiful chariots landed from the skies. One was made from gold and the other from silver. Apollo stepped into the golden chariots that were dragged by white horses. Artemis's silver chariots had two hinds in front of it. They left after Kratos to kill him for good and left Bley alone in his thoughts.

Artemis and Apollo. The gods are not playing around about this. Bley didn't bother to think about it any longer, and he fell into the dark and lonely place he called sleep.

Kratos was looking for any movement through the tree branches and leaves. Where can that freak of nature be? At this rate it will take the whole day for me to find it. They don't have the ti… Kratos's thoughts circled around the fateful day of his life.

A golden flash woke Kratos. The hind was drinking beneath them and didn't notice anything.

But things would never go that easily. Suddenly Kratos heard shouts coming from behind him. Two chariots were flying towards him. They seemed so familiar to Kratos, but he didn't have time to sit back and wait for them. He yelled to the eagle to return to its master and jumped without hesitation into the forest. He dodged the trees and branches and hoped that the hind would not notice him. The animal raised its head and looked around to see if anything was lurking nearby. It didn't see anything, so it just continued to drink.

A quiet bump and Kratos landed straight on the hind's back. Before it got away, Kratos threw it to the ground from its horns. It tried to fight back, but before you knew, Kratos had tied its four legs together with some rope.

Great. Now all I have to do is carry this thing back to where Bley is.

"Where did he go? That thing we passed was definitely Bley's birdie, but there was no one on its back."

"Maybe he already found the hind."

Artemis started losing her temper once again.

"I swear if he has pulled even one hair from it I'll…"

"Look sister, down there. That's must be Kratos."

"Good he hasn't caught the… Artemis was shocked from Kratos throwing the hind on his back. Oh that poor thing. Look, he tied its legs together and now he's taking it to Bley. I'll kill him! Slaughter, rip, slice and dice him. A traitor has no right to live!"

"Calm down sister. Take a moment to breath and then we'll stop him from delivering that thing."

Artemis too a few very deep breaths and looked directly above. Her face got a serious look on them and her eyes had a hunter's firm and deadly look on them.

"Let's go destroy him."