And The Journey Begins

((Well, first Hunter topic... we'll see how this goes. I haven't written Kylie in like, over a year, so hopefully I can get back into the swing of her... Most of this post is just some background stuff. >.< Wes, I was thinking we could RP Kylie's ceremony for becoming the new Lieutenant here, so... yeah. ^.^ Improvise and whatnot. Huzzah.))


   Kylie Donna and her fellow Hunters had been following the pack of hellhounds for several days before they finally caught up with them in Michigan. Even Artemis had started to get frustrated with their constant evasion to her Hunters’ attacks. However, the monsters had finally been stupid enough to make a wrong turn into the Mitten State—the only inland peninsula in the entirety of America. Since the Great Lakes looked more like oceans, it was safe to say the hellhounds couldn’t cross them easily when the Hunters finally cornered them against Superior in the northern part of the Lower Peninsula.

   However, the victory had been bittersweet. Desmae Lightford, their Lieutenant, had taken a crucial hit to her side. By the time Artemis had gotten to her, she had already lost too much blood. There was nothing the goddess could do but ease Desmae’s pain in her last moments before her soul left for the Underworld. Artemis assured them that she would receive a place in the Isles of the Blest, but Kylie couldn’t keep her heart from feeling heavy with sadness. She had known Desmae for 10 years—the entire time she had been with the Hunters. The older girl had been her mentor, and the red-head knew she would always miss her.


   Artemis had given Desmae a special resting place; where, Kylie wasn’t sure. The girl had literally faded before their eyes, transported somewhere by the Moon Goddess. They had kept vigil over her body all night, but now that the first rays of dawn were reaching out over the horizon, the time for mourning was over. Normally Kylie would have enjoyed the beauty of the sunrise on the sparkling blue lake, but its splendor was lost on her. She was almost glad to turn away when Artemis addressed them all.

((Finally posting again! So sorry, Ceru :/ )) Arcade Swan had not cried- she never did. Her pale face was completely emotionless in the soft light as Artemis faced them all. Though she was packed against the other Hunters, she wouldnt say she was standing with anyone. She was quiet, rutthless, and deadly. She gave Artemis her utmost respect. "My hunters, my maidens," she said. "I believe, with the passing of Desmae, it is time to elect a new Lieutenant." Arcade shifted, as did many of the other. Many wanted this position. In fact, she wouldnt be surprised if she herself was the only one who didnt. She was perfectly happy where she was.

((ASDLFKASODIFMSAODIFMSODFMSDFOIOMGCALLI. I KNEW you would come back eventually. xD *does a happy dance* Arcade's signature is in Graphic Signatures, btw, somewhere back in the pages, lol. But you can't RP Artemis, unfortunately. >.< Only the admins can RP for the gods, so I was waiting on Wes. BUT THANK THE LORD YOU JOINED.  Now I can actually RP with someone!    Okay, that's creepy, all my code is turning into the actual emoticons and whatnot in my post while I write it o.o Uh, anyway... Welcome back!))

((Frack, that's my cue to actually think of stuff...))
Artemis stood in front of her devoted huntresses with a brave face, though she still hurt inside. It was always hard to lose one of her maidens in battle, but losing her lieutenants always seemed even harder, because they tended to be closer to her as her right-hand maiden. Desmae had been a wonderful lieutenant, and though she had been with her many, many years, the time was short in the eyes of a goddess. But the limits on her hunters' immortality only made their time with her more valuable. She stood before them, a goddess in the form of a teenager their age, and saluted them before speaking, "My huntresses, Desmae Lightford will be missed, but now the time has come for a new Lieutenant."

Kylie tightened her lips as Artemis spoke. She hated losing people. When people died, she couldn't control it... and it made the red-head feel so useless. Fisting her right hand, Kylie raised it up in front of her and stared at the silver ring her mother had given her. What use were her weapons and powers if she couldn't use them to save people? She quietly gave a disgusted scoff at herself, twisting her lipstick-stained mouth. If she wanted to save her sisters of the Hunt, she would have to rely on more than just her material possessions and gifts as a half-blood. She needed to hone her senses more, keen her instincts until nothing got past her.

   Then she wouldn't have to cover up more pain.

   The cherry-red-head set her jaw as Artemis announced the need for a new Lieutenant. She looked around at the group of girls--all seemingly in their teens or younger, yet with so much life and wisdom in their eyes. So many of them seemed right for the position. Kylie didn't know how the goddess would choose when she knew all the girls better than any family could. Closing her navy eyes, the daughter of Iris tried to clear her mind as she awaited Artemis' next words.

(could i jump in ?)

((Since I invited you to on your application, yes. xP Please do. :3))

(all right, lets go *cracks knuckles * )

Astria Stood away from everyone, or was it that everyone stood away from her ? She didn’t know, or care, anymore.  Either way she was also sad at the loss of a fellow hunter. She hadn’t really known Desmae that much, but nonetheless she was a hunter, so she felt pretty close to her, especially being the lieutenant, it was more of an obligation to like her now that she looked back at it, she was there leader and all.  But now that she’s gone, she was filled with a deep dread, she felt as though she caused her death for not being able to help her when she was in need. But Astria new she couldn’t control the fates.

She stood in front of Artemis,  looking over everyone, trying to figure out who it would be, it definitely would not be her, she was too concerned with what others had to say that the slightest opinion that went against her might make her go ballistic, ok maybe not ballistic, but she might get really uncomfortable  and nervous and end of running away in terror. It was almost like a stage fright but not as extreme. It’s  a status thing you’d usually see in the normal teenage girl, which unbelievably, being a demi-god and all, she wasn’t a normal teenage girl.

Astria actually couldn’t figure out at all who could be the next lieutenant, there where some clear choices, but then you’d have to choose one of those, and in the end its just going to lead to tears anyways as they do a funeral for their lost huntress.  At least she wasn’t going under the pressure of the possibility she would be chosen for now lieutenant. So there one good thing has came out of this, well not really  someone died. Then as soon as she started thinking about desmae she became overcome with sadness again.

(Sorry if my post is a little, bland, although it is more of a character development post,it gets better when I get farther into it, so yeah my first hunter post woohoo)

((GAH. Whoops ignore that bit in my last post, then. im not going to be on as much, but thanks )) Arcade looked around at the other Hunters. She had seen many of them join up, as she was one of the older Hunters. 10 years, and never a boring moment. Her eyes landed on bright red hair, aand she smirked. Kylie. She seemed a good choice. She was one of the few Arcade would pick, and one of the few so talked to when she didnt need to. Tuurning away, she faced Artemis again, waiting for her pick.

((Bumpity. Wes, it's your turn xP))

Artemis held her head high and continued her speech gracefully, picking it up as if she hadn't paused for them to process it, "So, do we have any nominations?" The goddess looked out at her huntresses, studying their faces. Ultimately, it was her decision which one of them would become her new Lieutenant, but as a good leader, she wanted to hear the insight and wishes of her followers. Many of the huntresses were well respected by the others, and would make excellent leaders, but only one would get the title, and it had to be one they would want to follow.

Arcade did not speak, but looked around the group of huntresses as if daring them to choose her. It wouldnt be the first time. She caught Kylie's eye and made a decision. "I nominate Kylie Donna," she spoke, her voice hoarse, as she rarely used it. A couple other hunters looked at her in surprise, but Arcade was looking to Kylie for her reaction. They couldnt disagree, not now.

Astria was still looking around the camp, searching for someone who would make a good lieutenant, there were so many to choose from, and choosing was never one of her strong points. When someone in the depths of the crowd spoke up, nominating Kylie, Astria looked at Kylie for a minute, she was pretty responsible, and Astria looked up to her as a role model. Astria facepalmed for a second, wondering why she didn't think the same thing, and then spoke up "I too nominate Kylie Donna as well" she said, first in a soft, almost un hearable tone, but then she spoke up louder so everybody could hear her "I nominate Kylie donna" She said, this time making sure everybody could hear it. Of course a bunch of people were bound to say that her vote didn't matter, but so far they hadn't. It filled Astria with a sense of pride that her vote would be taken into acount as well, but this wasn't like her old home. Here everyone were sisters, well maybe half-cousins but they feelt that way. Or atleast Astria did.

((Yay, you saved me from my awkward-I-don't-know-what-to-post moment! : D))

   Kylie looked at Artemis in slight surprise at her proposition. Had she always done Lieutenant ceremonies in the style of democracy? Desmae had already been the Lieutenant when Kylie had joined the Hunters 10 years ago, so she'd never actually witnessed the ceremony for Artemis' second-in-command. Not that it mattered, of course--her Lady always knew best, after all.

   The red-head glanced around a little, wondering if she should nominate anyone. There were so many maidens to choose from, some that had been there longer than her. There was one, Kylie remembered, that had joined only a short while after she had: Arcade Swan. Kylie looked over at her then, trying to see what kind of leader she would make--but she was a little taken off guard to see that the ravenette girl was also looking at her. Kylie raised a dyed eyebrow, wondering if Arcade was silently asking her to put her name in. Then the girl turned away and did something rather... unexpected.

   "I nominate Kylie Donna."

   The daughter of Iris' navy eyes widened slightly and her lipstick-stained mouth parted a little, but nothing came out. Her? Why her? She looked back to Arcade for an explanation, but the girl only seemed to be looking at her a tad expectantly. Not knowing what else to do, she just nodded at the girl. Whether Artemis chose her for her new Lieutenant or not, it was an honor just to be nominated. But Artemis knew all the crap she'd gone through in her past; Kylie doubted she saw that as leader material.

   But to her surprise, another voice spoke up: "I nominate Kylie Donna, as well." Kylie turned in direction of the soft voice and her eyes fell on one of the newer Hunters, Astria Striker. Even though she had joined their ranks four years ago, she still seemed more timid than most Hunters. A rather unusual trait. Which made it even more unusual for her to be speaking up now.

   At this point, Kylie really didn't know what to say. She didn't dare look at anyone else to see what they thought of the nominations; she settled her eyes back onto Artemis, the first person to ever show that she actually cared about Kylie's future and well-being. Her Lady knew best for her. Whatever she chose, Kylie knew she could trust her.

((Sorry that took me forever to post, guys, I literally started it like, 4 or 5 different times and it kept getting deleted...))

((Bump. Wes, you should post. We're so close to the moment of truth!))

Artemis smiled at Kylie Donna's nomination. Over the years, she had seen her become an excellent huntress and maiden. Certainly, she had shown great leadership potential, and would make an exemplary lieutenant. "Kylie, do you accept the nomination?" As she asked this, her eyes scanned the crowd for any other nominations from her huntresses. While she looked, she saw some faces that might have shown enough promise, but none struck her as much as Kylie, so she went on to study how the others took Kylie Donna's nomination.

(I think that a bump is needed...)

((Well, it was Corra's turn and that's why we were waiting. You can skip her and go ahead, Alex. If she comes back, she can join in again.))