The Trees

~Diane
"What do you say to hunting some of the monsters in these woods?" I say, the full moon hanging high in the sky, partially obscured by some of the trees. I wanted to get a chance to work with moonlight while the moon was at its strongest, and also the opportunity to see if Selene would be a good hunting partner. Still, I'd brought along my arrows anyways just in case things got out of hand.

{ Sabine }
"That doesn't sound like a bad idea," I reply, Moon Moon rolling around on the grass beside me. This wolf was a hopeless case, but that was okay. Maybe with Diane's wolf as a role model he'd actually develop skill overtime.

~Diane
"Very well, then off we go," I say pointing ahead of us. On cue, Selene bounds off into the woods.

"While I wouldn't usually recommend going out here at night, it's a full moon, so we should be able to see fine."

{ Sabine }
As Selene goes, Moon Moon follows. I instead stay close to Diane, "That's fine, it's good practice anyways."

~Diane
"True enough. There are far worse things outside this Camp borders that we will face, but even so, stay close to me. You never know what you might find out here..."

Just at that moment, Diane howled, and it wasn't one of her mournful, longing howls at the full moon, but a sign that she'd found something.

"That's our cue," I say, looking in the direction the sound had come from. "Let's go."

With that, I bound off into the woods, trying to slow my pace enough for Sabine to follow if she needed it. I would rather not leave her behind, alone, out here in the woods. The Hunt was always a pack, never did it split up.

{ Sabine }
I was quickly following after Diane, not planning to be left behind or hold them back. Luckily, Diane hadn't run far without her. Which was good, because Sabine was still--even after this time--adjusting to all the physical work that she didn't mind too much.

"I wonder what Selene found, and hopefully Moon Moon isn't being a debiel like usual. . ."

~Diane
"Have more faith. He might surprise you," I say, trying to reassure her, although I wasn't even sure myself.

When we reach Diane, I'm not sure what it is at first; there is less light here, and we're steadily moving farther away from the camp. However, after focusing a moment, the area brightens, and I see it. At the base of some firs, footsteps. Big footsteps, the same size as mine or possibly bigger. And there were multiple tracks, which meant there was more than one; the way they crossed sporadically meant it wasn't one of the many strange creatures that might be suspect.

Selene howled again, and it became clear. Hellhounds, big ones by the look of it. But there was something else...

I begin to track the prints, and notice something out of place. Green liquid... nymph blood. And then, a scream.

"Let's go!" I shout, urgently now.

{ Sabine }
When we had found Selene, Moon Moon was nowhere to be found. Likewise. I knew I couldn't exactly let him surprise me without disappointing me.

When Diane shouts, I'm automatically springing into action. I don't exactly see it as quick as her but it's not too difficult to realize what's going on. I'm already pulling out my sword my father had given me, knowing Diane would be using a bow if anything. We continued towards where the scream was, praying nothing too horrible had happened, still no Moon Moon in sight.

(Took me forever to read it as "Let's go" and not "Let go" ;-; )

(Let it Go, Let it Go... Surprise guys, Diane is actually Elsa. (Elsa autocorrected to Zelda lmao))
~Diane
Hearing growling, I pick up the pace, hoping I didn't leave Sabine behind. Selene had gone on ahead; hopefully she'd buy me the time I needed.

"Hellhound a chasing a bleeding dryad," I shout to Sabine. "We have to get there before they close in..."

(Done with life. xD)

{ Sabine }
"Right, we'll make it there don't worry," She insured, honestly not positive herself. If the Nymph had been bleeding and bleeding for a while she might have been close to passing out from the lose. Hopefully, that wasn't the case.

"There it is!" I shout, spotting the Nymph and the Hellhound, but I couldn't exactly see what was happening.

~Diane
"Get it!" I shoot, shooting an arrow at the hellhound. It turned at the sound of my voice, the arrow lodging in its haunches instead of its heart as it bounded off into the darkness. Still, it was somewhat slowed down. Now, however, the rest of the pack would begin to encroach us, and unfortunately the canopy was thick here.

The wood nymph whimpered, frightened and crying, bleeding from her ankle but otherwise fine it seemed.

"You'll be okay," I try to assure her, moving to her left and notching another arrow. She nods, but remains silent, still shocked that she was alive.

"Sabine, watch my back. They're coming."

{ Sabine }
"Right!" I answer, protectively guarding her back, eyeing the forest scenery all around me. As if on cue a vicious growl emitted adjacent from my left as a Hellhound pounced out at me. I adjusted my body in order to slash at the approaching monster but instead found another creature jumping right into it.

'Moon Moon won't let you hurt Sabine!' The growled as he got back up on his four paws, the Hellhound looking both confused and angry.

I felt myself smile, before once again kicking into action. I ran towards the hound and while it was distracted sliced down on it's back, the creature letting a howl of pain out from it's maw.

~Diane
Two hellhounds bound out of the darkness; Selene takes one while I shoot the other, the one which I'd already shot earlier. It quickly darts out of the way, trying to get me from another angle.

"How are you holding up?" I ask, preoccupied but still worried for Sabine.

{ Sabine }
"I'm good!" I shout back, "I take it you're the same?" My sword slashes to my right, catching another Hellhound off guard as the metal hits the snout for Moon Moon to help take down until he bounces away to the next hound to give me room to deliver the final blows to the current one.

~Diane
"Doing great!" I shout back. However, there were still more hellhounds pouring in, and I was running out of arrows. After finishing off one of the slower ones, I reach back and feel my last arrow. Selene was by my side, seeing that I needed help, and was ready to take on any hellhound that tried to attack.

With nothing to lose, I shoot it up; it pierces through the thick canopy of leaves and lets the pale light of the full moon shine through, giving me a new hope. The hellhounds drew closer after seeing no more arrows, but they weren't going to get anywhere. I gather two orbs of light in my hands and release them as beams in a crescent arc, knocking two of them to the ground. So far, so good. Gathering both of the spheres together, I combine them and send them at the two hellhounds, disintegrating them.

{ Sabine }
I watch in surprise as Diane uses her powers, I knew she was strong in general but. . . dang.

Going back to my own fight, I make sure to keep from accidentally hurting my wolf.

{ Candace }

"Here we are, the woods," I say to Ria as we stand at the edge of the forest.

~Ria~

I tighten up the straps on my shield and unsheathe my mace. "You ready?"

~Diane
I smile at my work, but that burst of power, even though I'd been practicing lately, left me near drained. I only had enough power for one more attack, and there were still hellhounds lurking around us.

Then I remember the gift Artemis had given me so long ago; the crescent blade which my mother had blessed as well. Focusing, I summon the weapon from the moonlight, the silvery metal hardening slowly but surely. Selene pounces at a hellhound who tries to take this opportunity to attack, buying me a few more moments.

At last it's finished, and I head into the fray with Selene, slicing off the head of the hellhound she'd been fighting. Although I'd expended all my power, now that the sword was solidified it would remain so until I was ready to send it back. While Selene had bought me some time now, the next time I might not get so lucky. I'd been working with my powers a bit, but gathering my sword from moonlight hadn't been high on the list of discovering the new powers I had. Guess I should probably focus on it more.

We continue fighting out way through the hellhounds, reducing their ranks, but the hellhound that I'd shot first seems to always be lurking out of range. I shoot Sabine a quick glance now and then to make sure she's doing alright, but it seems like she can hold her own. After all, she is a Hunter.

{ Candace }
"To be honest I'm not, but, whatever," I breathed a sigh and drew my dagger.

{ Sabine }
I backed away slowly from the snarling monster, Moon Moon handling his own, myself starting to feel tired. I had fought before, but of course even as a demigod and Hunter I had my limits.

Inhaling the cool air I forced myself to continue on.

~Diane
Moving closer to Sabine, Selene draws one of the last hellhounds away, allowing me to sweep my sword under its stomach and spill its entrails.

The hellhound I'd seen first, however, was still hiding in the shadows.

"How are you holding up?" I ask breathily, near exhausted especially after using my new powers as I had.

~Ria~

"You'll do fine," I say, stepping into the woods.

{ Sabine }
"Honestly, I'm tired, but I can keep going," I breathe, my hands shaking slightly.

{ Candace }
"Yea, I think I will," I answer before following after her.

~Ria~

I smile without looking back, doing my best to keep my footsteps quiet by avoiding branches and dried leaves.

~Diane
"There's just that one left," I say, checking on the nypmh to see if she was okay. Although bleeding and scared, it seemed like we'd gotten here right in time.

"Let's do this. Selene, go!" I say, sending her to get the hellhound with an arrow in its foot.

{ Sabine }
Moon Moon stayed close to my side as I doubled over and held onto him. Jeez, I didn't think I had worked up that much of a sweat. Knowing that Diane would be able to handle it better than me.

{ Candace }
"What do you think we'll find out here?" I inquire, starting conversation.

(shit posts are shit I don't really feel good rn)