The sharp, small gasp cutting through the night air was the only sign Artemis had awoken. She had never been a peaceful sleeper. Someone else had, once. But the sun-child found the waking world to be an escape from her dreams, rather than the other way around. In the beginning, waking had been a violent, unforgiving action, as panic slammed into her. But she'd learned to manage it over the years. 

The coarse cloth of a bedroll underneath her was the first thing she registered. Then the unmistakable sounds of the forest at midnight, and the warm red glow shining through her eyelids. Artemis was perfectly still where she lay as she realized she didn't know where she was.

She counted out a minute in her mind as she searched her memory for an explanation. But there was only shadows. Shadows and a pale faced man, with a long, slender hand extended –

Artemis' eyes snapped open. 

The Lantern cast the inside of the tent in an eerie red glow. Pushing herself up, she glanced about. The Lantern was by her side, and automatically her hand reached out to grab it and pull it close.

[i]What had she done?[/i]

She was running away from her family all over again, betraying them because she was terrified of letting them down.

But… no. No, this was different. This… this [i]had[/i] to be different. Artemis wasn't running away, she told herself. Her family would be with her, she'd kill the dragon, and then –

[color=darkturquoise][i]Then I'll face them.[/i][/color]

After… after she made this [i]right.[/i]

There was something hard clawing in her throat, and a burning behind her eyes. Her fingers clenched around the Lantern, fear and regret circling around her head. She shoved them down.

She'd made her choice. She'd made a deal.

Artemis swiped at her eyes. Her cheek was cold.

She paused, her hand stilling. She didn't [i]feel[/i] cold. Between the bedroll and the Lantern, she actually felt rather warm. The Lord of Shadow's face flashed through her mind again. Clenching her jaw, Artemis pushed herself out of the bedroll.

The tent was a mess, apparently abandoned in a rush. She picked up a backpack, peering inside. Useful. She picked up a notebook, flipping it open. Artemis parsed through its contents. Then she stuffed it in the backpack. There was [i]food[/i]. Artemis couldn't remember the last meal she had. As if in answer, her stomach grumbled at her. How long had she been on the island for? With little hesitation, Artemis went to work on the roast rabbit and the stew, gobbling it all down with little regard for manners. Her mother would've been appalled.

The soup was still warm. Whoever it was that'd made it hadn't been gone long. She wiped at her mouth with her coat sleeve. She stood, grabbing the backpack.

Throwing the strap over her shoulder, with the Lantern in hand, Artemis stepped outside. 

The Lantern's light glistened off the stains in the grass. Artemis didn't have to look too closely to recognize it for what it was – blood. The campsite was just as messy as the tent. Nura was gone.

Artemis wasn't surprised. But she'd hoped, that maybe…

She squeezed her eyes shut. The griffon was gone. Fine. She didn't need her.

Nura was gone, but in her place… [i]marid[/i]. Ghosts or demons or ghouls, Artemis couldn't tell. Shadows with starlight eyes stood in the darkness, as numerous as the forest's terrible trees.

Trees that Artemis could now control.

One of them stepped forward, a sickly green light in its hand.

It held the Lantern out to her, waiting. 

Artemis clenched her draw, her heartbeat heavy in her throat. Then she stepped forward and took the Lantern.