A?N: I'm so sorry! With school and getting sick I haven't gotten a whole lot done. Still debating on updating my other stories.
The other groups of hunters arrived at the same time. What they found was devastating. The girls were laying in various spots around the clearing.
"No!" Lucy screamed when she saw the scene in front of her.
Some of the girls fell to their knees at the scene. They all began to cry.
"Check on the girls," Artemis says.
Susie checks Brooke, Ruby checks Gabi, Sadie checks Azura, Grace checks Gwen, and Ann checks Zoe, while Eliza searches for Astrid.
"She's gone," Susie says.
"No pulse," Ruby says.
"She's dead," Sadie says.
"No! She's gone too," Grace says.
"They're all dead aren't they," Victoria says.
"Where's Astrid?" Eleanor asks.
"I can't find Astrid," Eliza says.
"Looks like they killed the bear though," Claire says.
"At least they didn't die for nothing," Phoebe says.
"We may never know what happened," Sarah says.
"We can only guess," Rose says.
"We lost them today, but they did their duty, they followed their mission to the end. Even though it meant certain death. We will never forget what they have done. We will never forget what it is we are sacrificing everyday fighting for what we believe in," Ally says
"She..." Ann says.
The others look at Ann while she begins to hope again. Ann swallows and gathers her courage.
"She...she has a pulse," Ann says.
The others jaws dropped open and a few began cheering.
"Team Susie, Sadie, and Ruby bring Zoe back to camp for medical attention, and let the others know what's going on. Also bring the other girl's bodies back to camp. We'll have a funeral for them when we return," Artemis says.
"Yes Lady Artemis," the girls say.
"The rest of us will spread out to try to find Astrid," Artemis says.
They separate into groups of two, and begin searching while the others head back to camp.
***Sadie's POV(camp)***
We arrive at camp, and the others begin racing over to see why not all of us were back yet.
"What happened?" Alice asks (left in charge of the camp).
"One of the other groups were attacked by the bear. We found them in the clearing. Lady Artemis will explain more later," I say.
We had decided it was best not to tell them that one was still missing.
"What about the others?" Olivia, leader of cooking asks.
"They stayed behind to make sure the bear is dead and that there is no other threat," Susie says.
"Bring them to medical," Ella, leader of medical, says, "We'll help them there."
We bring them to medical where the team is waiting by. They have prepared six beds. But find that we only have five girls.
"Why is there only five?" Harper, nurse, asks.
"We didn't want to worry everyone else," Ruby says.
"They're still looking for her," I say.
"Get them on the beds," Ella says.
"Attend to Zoe," Susie says.
"We don't pick favourites," Emily says.
"How about those who aren't dead?" Ruby asks, a tear sliding down her cheek.
The people in the room look at her so I explain.
"They're all dead except Zoe. We checked their pulses in the forest. There's no point trying to help them. They're already gone," I cry.
A crash is heard and we look over Anna found Azura.
"No!" Anna screams, seeing her sister lying stiff on the bed, "She can't..."
Anna cries, while Nora tries to comfort her. The rest of them get the girls on to the beds. Claire and Ella began working on Zoe, while the others prepared the four dead for the funeral. Nora took Anna to another room to try to help her.
"What about these girls' siblings?" Kimberly asks, "They'll be devastated too."
"They'll be informed when Lady Artemis returns," I say.
"Will she be returning with Astrid?" Trini asks.
"We can only hope,"Susie says.
"So you don't even know if she's ok," Karon says.
"We don't," Ruby says.
We stand there quietly waiting for the diagnosis and for Lady Artemis's return. They finally finish with Zoe before Artemis's return.
"She had a lot of internal bleeding. We've stopped it for now, but we don't know if she'll survive. For now she is stable. We'll watch her until she gets better," Ella says, "The rest are prepped for the funeral."
"Thank you," I say, "We'll tell their sisters one by one."
"Ok. We've got them in a different room than Zoe. Nobody's allowed to visit her," Ella says.
"Let's go tell the girls," Susie says.
We walk out and stand in the middle. The other girls gather around, asking many questions.
"Silence!"Ruby yells.
Just then Lady Artemis and the others show up looking sad. They must've not found Astrid. Artemis walks straight to me.
"Have you not told them yet?" Artemis inquires.
"No, but I was about to," I say.
"I will tell them," Artemis says.
"Of course my lady," I say, "Zoe is alive, but they don't know if she'll live until tomorrow."
"Girls," Artemis says, solemnly, "I must tell you what happened out there. So please listen closely. When we got to the scene of the crime there were eight trials; so each group took one path. But something happened. One of the groups found the bear."
"We know that much," Alice says.
"These three groups that came back first brought with them five of the six girls in the group," Artemis sadly says, "It is with great sorrow that I must tell you that four of those five girls are dead."
"No!" Erin says.
"The group that was attacked was Astrid's group," Artemis says.
"No!" the girls shout with sorrow.
They all began crying. Even Grace, Gabi's and Gwen's sister.
"Bethani, Paige," Artemis says, "Brooke is one of the dead, you may go see her in the medical ward. Ella will show you to her."
Bethani and Paige left crying and went to the medical ward.
"Rebecca; Gabi and Gwen are dead I'll take you to them," Grace says, the two leave.
"Lori, Aliza; Azura is dead," Artemis says, the two leave, "Astrid is missing and Zoe is in critical condition in the medical ward."
Some girls are on their knees crying, others are crying while standing, or comforting those around them.
"Our job is to find Astrid. We'll begin tomorrow night at sunset. For now we will have a funeral for the dead and get some rest," Artemis says.
They begin the funeral for the four. Brooke daughter of Bia goddess of force, Gabi and Gwen daughters of Rhea goddess of nature. Azura daughter of Astraea goddess of justice.