I can-
Arthur caught the glare Tekk shot him, and nodded, spooling the toy and handing it back to Artemis.

You can’t let it hit the ground.
Artemis did it perfectly. you want to keep it an inch from the ground. And recall it at the end. She repeated it.

Tekk held out his hand and Artemis handed it over.

How long did it take you to practice this?
He let it fall, flicking his wrist to recall it, the toy went halfway back up the string and stopped, unspooling slightly, but he bent over to catch it before it fell the rest of the way, quickly winding it by hand.

Harder next time.

Artemis shrugged.

Not very long.

Tekk dropped the toy, focusing intensely as it raced down the string, jerking his wrist up right before it hit the floor. The toy whizzed up the string, straight into his palm, where he closed his fingers around it.

An interesting toy, my nephew would love one.

He grinned as he handed it back to Artemis.

Did you practice as much with your bow?

Artemis nodded. Flicking her wrist she sent the toy out, not toward the ground, but toward Tekk. She recalled the toy, and turned to flick it at Arthur as well. Then she flicked it toward the ground again, this time she didn’t recall it, instead she reached down with each hand, pinching different spots on the string, pulling them up, and she looped the string around her wrist, forming a string triangle with the toy hanging in the middle, swinging back and forth between the sides. Smiling, she released the strings, flicking her wrist as the string straightened and recalling it perfectly to her hand. She held it out for Tekk again.

Wood.

Do you have others?

Artemis shook her head. Gripping each side of the toy with one hand, she pulled it apart, but each side remained part of a whole. Handing Tekk the one in her left hand, she slipped the copy into the bag at her feet. Straightening to stand, hands on hips, watching Tekk.

The god surveyed her carefully. An interesting young lady.

Artemis shrugged.

Tekk rubbed his hands over the toy, then smiled to himself. Taking a side in each hand, as Artemis had, he pulled it apart. Breaking it in half. He plucked the string from the center, and it crumpled to ash as it fell to the floor. Pushing the halves back together, he mended it.

May I have your hair?

He smirked at Artemis.

How much?

Tekk grinned again, shaking his head at the girl.

One strand.

Artemis pinched a strand from the lock hanging next to her face. Following the strand up, she plucked it by the root, and presented it to the god.

Tekk accepted it. Holding the strand by the end, he slipped the dangling end into the center of the toy, joining them. Winding the hair around the toy he held it in his palm for them to see.
He passed his other hand over it, obscuring it. When the hand passed they saw not a circular toy, but an oval.

Artemis stepped closer as he passed his hands over it again and stretched it further.

Twice more he elongated the toy, until it resembled a foot long bar in his hands. Grabbing the toy by one end, he pried the pieces apart. The silvery strand of hair, the only thing connecting the pieces. The other ends of the toy melded together, forming a kind of hinge as he opened it further, until it was doubly long, joined at the middle, strand of hair connecting the far away ends.
Grab it in the middle.

Tekk held it out toward her.

Artemis reached out, wrapping her hand around the join. The wood was hard, it felt like wood, but it gave beneath her hand, molding perfectly to her grip.

Hold it there.
Tekk let go of it. Running his hands along the top half, he stretched it a little more, shaping it as he went, flattening it out and adding a curve so it angled back toward Artemis, then he bent the last few inches sharply up toward the ceiling.

Artemis watched with interest as he mirrored the process on the bottom. She was drawn in by the look on his face as he worked.

Satisfied, he examined the bow for fault. Finding none, he pinched the top of the hair strand, running his fingers down it’s length. The strand glowed as his fingers swept down it, when he was done the whole string glowed as if by moonlight.

The string will not break.

Artemis admired the bow.

Arthur held up his own.

Mine is-

Tekk waved a hand at the boy, pointing toward the portal behind him.

Arthur scoffed and strode through the portal.

Artemis offered Tekk a smile, and inclined her head.

Tekk gestured for her to lead the way, and followed her through the portal.

On the other side, Arthur’s heavy boots crunched through the snow as he paced to stay warm.
How are you not freezing?!

Artemis padded toward him, barefoot. Shrugging, she pointed up at the moon over their heads.

Arthur rolled his eyes before looking up at Tekk.
What are we hunting?

You are hunting deer.

Well where are they?
Tekk shrugged.

Arthur looked at Artemis for help.

Artemis glanced at Tekk, and shrugged as he had.

Arthur shook his head furiously. He took off in a random direction, the other two following along behind him.

Tekk tapped Artemis on the shoulder, attracting her attention, he gestured to hoofprints thirty feet to their left. He gestured toward them with his head and she nodded, leaving Arthur to continue on ahead as they followed the markings.

Artemis walked next to Tekk, paying attention each time he indicated some new sign of their quarry.

The pair stopped as the ground sloped down before them. Artemis slowly reached up, touching Tekk’s hand as she pointed below them. Twenty yards off, a massive deer grazed at the few shoots poking up through the snow. He stood on the opposite bank of the dry ditch at the bottom of the small hill.

Slowly, Tekk knelt next to Artemis.

Tuktu.

Pointing with one hand at the deer, he focused a beam of moonlight, lighting up a clear target just behind the outstretched front leg of the deer. He turned to smile at Artemis, but the girl was shaking her head, backing away slowly.

Calm.

Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, he gently guided her back around.

Breathe.

He mimed a deep breath with his hand.

Artemis’ heart pounded in her chest. Looking down, she could see it pounding through her dress. Fighting down a breath she forced her eyes closed.

Good, breathe, draw.

Tekk focused on the deer, adjusting her target slightly as it took a step.

Artemis planted her feet, struggling to pull back the bow string as she’d seen Arthur do before. An arrow appeared on the string when she could pull it no farther. The sound of blood in her ears was deafening, she saw Tekk’s lips move but heard nothing over the sound. As if suddenly feeling the Arctic cold, her whole body shook violently.

Good, hold your sight, fire when ready.

Tekk looked down as he felt her bump his side. Seeing the angle of her elbow, her anchor point, and the way her whole body shivered, he turned to her fully.

Ease off…
Too late, Artemis released the string.

The deer fell into the ditch.

Artemis dropped her bow.

I got it…
She took a step back, frightened of the look on Tekk’s face. As the deer bellowed in pain she started to cry.

What were you thinking!?

Hands clamped over her ears, Artemis turned to run away, but Tekk caught her by the elbow and half carried, half dragged, her down the slope, her bow in his other hand.

Stupid girl.

He ground his teeth.

You said…

He pressed his eyes shut, silently admonishing himself, and stood her in the snow before him. How often do you shoot?

Artemis shrugged, but was shaking to badly for him to see it.

Answer me.

She shrugged again, her whole body rising up on her tiptoes this time.

Have you ever fired a bow.

Her head bobbed.

Don’t lie!

Artemis’ head shook so violently it unnerved Tekk for a second.

Look!

He spun her around, pushing her toward the edge of the ditch.

At the bottom of the ditch the deer bellowed. Kicking snow wildly it tried to flee, its front legs a flurry of motion, trying to drag its back legs through the snow. Its breath escaping in large bursts of steam as it panted with exhaustion and fear.

Help him…

Artemis’ voice could barely be heard over the terrible sounds of the wounded animal.

Tekk shoved the bow back into her hands.

No no no.

She threw the bow away. Grabbing Tekk by the leg, trying to shake the large man.

Help him.

Tekk looked down at the girl with a cold glare. Raising his hand slowly, he pointed at her bow laying in the snow.

Help him.

Artemis tried to shake the man, but he did not move, he did not lower his arm, nor raise his gaze. Giving up, she stepped cautiously toward the deer.

Stay back.

Tekk took a step forward.

It will kick you.

Artemis froze, wanting to hug it and make it all better, but unable to tear her eyes from the furious flashing of its hooves.

Help it.
Artemis looked back to see Tekk, still pointing at her bow. Looking at him with the guiltiest, most remorseful look she’d ever given, he would not be moved. Artemis trudged through the snow to her bow. Pausing, she cursed the thing before stooping to pluck it from the snow. Turning slowly, she slowly trudged back passed Tekk, under his heavy gaze the whole way. The deer rasped for air, collapsing on its side as she approached. Walking around beside it, the deer kicked faintly with its front legs, the front half of its body shaking. Water pooled around its face as its hot breath melted the snow. Its ear flicked as Artemis crept closer to it, its eye rotating up to look at her.

I’m sorry…

Getting closer, she thought about hugging it, but it kicked at her, trying to keep her away. She nodded.

I’m sorry.

Drawing her bow, she shivered, her whole body, whole being, completely against this. Closing her eyes she tried to will her body still, but it refused. She felt a hand on her shoulder, she felt Tekk next to her, he steadied her. Swallowing, she opened her eyes, finding the deer’s eye she felt the tears at the edge of her own.

I’m sorry.

Turning her head, she focused her watery eyes on the spot behind its shoulder, and let go of the string.

Tekk walked around behind the deer, kneeling in the snow, he stuck a finger in the hole at the center of its spine. He looked at Artemis as she took it in, nodding feebly before collapsing to her knees and throwing her arms around the deer. He watched her for a moment, feeling for her in the pit of his stomach.

Here.

He produced a knife, offering her the handle.

Artemis looked up at the knife, and buried her shaking head back in the deer’s neck.

You must.

Artemis sobbed into the deer’s fur.

Will you just leave him out here? You will find a use for every piece of him, and I hope that it is his bones, hide, and flesh that you are most reverent of…but not most proud.

Artemis looked up at the sound of crunching boots.

Tekk turned to the sound as well to see Arthur approaching down the ditch bank, two deer floating in the air behind him.

I got two.

Arthur surveyed the scene as he drew level with them.

Wow, big one for your first reindeer.

Tekk felt the knife pull from his hand, and looked around to see Artemis pulling it to her, as she remained wrapped around the deer’s neck.

Good hunt Arthur, dress yours while I walk Artemis through hers.

Yes sir.

Arthur pulled a large knife from his belt as he deposited his deer on the ditch bank.

Tekk pointed to a spot between the deer’s legs, just below its tail, a beam of moonlight focused on the spot.

Follow the light.

Artemis looked down into the deer’s dead eyes, wishing it a parting thought, before crawling around to its back legs, and directing her knife toward the light with trembling hands.PAGE_BREAK: PageBreak

The next week when Tekk stepped through the portal into Hestia’s home, he found Hestia and Arthur in the kitchen.

Good afternoon.

Hello cousin.

Hestia offered him some of the wine she and Arthur had been bottling.

He’s all yours.

Arthur eyed the spear in Tekk’s hands.

What’re we hunting?

Fishing.

Arthur’s eyes lit up as Tekk handed him the spear.

Cool.

Tekk nodded, downing his wine.

Go ahead, there are snowshoes on the bank, put them on.

He grabbed the haft of the spear as Arthur bounded passed him, jerking the boy to a halt.

Stay on the bank.

Arthur nodded, hurrying through the portal.

How’s the girl?

Tekk glanced around at the otherwise empty kitchen.

A little different…

Hestia pointed toward the back door.

Don’t know what you did to her.

She did it.

He handed the wine glass back to Hestia, and walked through the back door.

Thunk An arrow embedded itself into a wood slab across the yard.

Tekk looked at the pockmarked surface of the slab, as another arrow missed the mark, six inches away from the last.
Practicing?

Artemis tilted her head, pondering the arrow’s path. Shaking her head, she nocked another one, and fired. Grunting as this one landed nowhere near the other two.

Hmmm.

Tekk watched her.

Arthur and I are going out, you want to join us?

Artemis drew back her bow, pausing at full draw to look down at her feet. Seemingly satisfied she released, this arrow hitting near the second.

Tekk smiled.

Different elbow position every time, forearm and elbow should be straight back off the nock, inline with the shaft.

Turning around, he went back inside as Artemis drew, paying careful attention to her elbow position. Tekk waved at Hestia as he approached his portal.

Ullr and I teach archery with Hou Yi once in a while. Okay with you if I collect the girl for the next one?

Hestia chortled.

I think she’d shoot me if I said no.

Tekk nodded, smiling to himself again, and headed after Arthur.