Like his dad said they would. The family of three left the next day. Or what's considered the next day in America.

Instead of heading straight to their new home that Apollo set up for the two. He received an important family call, so they were going to make a slight detour.

While his parents were talking in the front seat. Naruto sat in the back listening to his IPod, as his dad drove them to Maine.

To Naruto it seemed they got there to fast for him to fully enjoy the ride. Judging from his parents (mostly his mothers) expression they must have been late.

Soon as they came over the horizon, Naruto was stunned by the sight before him. He wasn't his father not by a long shot, but he felt he could see everything from his seat. Watched as the rays of the sun burned away any remnants of night.

"Like what you see Naruto." His Dad grins in the mirror.

Naruto still in awe of what's before him could only nod his head.

"There they are." Apollo grins driving the car to a cliff ledge overlooking the ocean.

Looking out the tinted windows of the vehicle. He saw a group of kids around his age, or younger."

"Your late." He heard a girl speak but couldn't see who.

"Little sis!" His father exclaimed. "How you been? Haven't seen you in awhile."

In front of him his mother sighs shaking her head. Clearly she would be acting the grown up for her wayward husband once again.

"Sorry we're late Lady Artemis." She spoke stepping out the car.

Naruto watched as some of the girls gained shocked expression, and much to his chagrin the only two teenage boys checking out his mother.

"Cy-Cyrene!" Gasped the goddess. "What are you doing here? I haven't seen you since we left Greece."

"It would have stayed that way to. Had I not run into your brother here fifteen years ago." The Naiadelbows aflushing Apollo in the side.

"You're back together?" Artemis said with a trace of disappointment.

Apollo not appreciating the tone his sister had glared at his twin. "It's none of your damn business if we are or not!" He said hotly

Some of the hunters grip their weapons tightly glaring at the sun god.

Cyrene knowing her lover was partially mad at his sister placed a hand on his arm.

"Why don't you meet your latest nephew Lady Artemis." The warrior derails a potential argument that would turn deadly.

Naruto knowing that was his cue stepped out greeted everybody smiling.

"Hi everyone." He waved. Noticed a girl with black punk-style hair turn slightly red. Some of the hunters merely lifted an eyebrow at him.

He had to admit he was surrounded by some pretty attractive young women. Turning towards his parents however he felt his breath hitch some.

Standing before them was a girl of average height for a girl around thirteen or fourteen, auburn hair that was shoulder-length, bright silver eyes like two full moons, she had a face of such preternatural beauty. Naruto forgot how to breath.

"Artemis this is my son Naruto. Naruto meet your aunt." Cyrene introduced.

Naruto didn't know what to do. Stand there. Shake her hand? No his hands were sweating from nerves.

"Um. Hey, it's nice to finally meet you." He says awkwardly.

Artemis didn't answer back but continued to stare stoically at her nephew. Her expression gave nothing away.

From the small distance between them. Naruto could smell her scent. She smelt of fresh mint trees and forest rain. The smell overwhelming his senses.

He watched her as she explained what her task was and that she needed Apollo's help. All the while he noticed how her hunting clothes fitted her perfectly. How each time she moved, it was with grace.

What really attracted Naruto was that she held herself tall and proud like his mother. Never once leaning back on one leg.

He only tuned back in when she looked at his mother.

"Cyrene, Please make sure he doesn't flirt with my hunters." Getting a nod from his mom.

Artemis then turns back to him. "As for you Naruto." She said studying him some. "I'm eager to see what type of person you turn out to be."

"You're hunting alone?" He stops her. He wasn't trying to sound disrespectful honestly. A part of him just couldn't help but think it wasn't a good idea.

Some of the hunters looked offended by his tone. Probably believing he thought her incapable. Artemis however just looked at him.

"Yes child. The beast I hunt is extremely dangerous and best I track it alone."

"I can help!" He insisted. "I do know how to hunt. Besides two heads are better than one."

"You dare insinuate our goddess is incapable of doing this alone!" A girl with volcanic hair and eyes glare at him.

Before Naruto could say anything, Cyrene spoke up in her sons defense. "Watch your tone with my son huntress. Or I'll watch it for you."

Said huntress and those around her coward slightly under his mothers glare. Not surprising really. In his opinion her gaze was more deadly than her punches.

"Artemis." Apollo getting his sisters attention. "Naruto can help you. He's been trained by Cyrene."

Artemis seemed to be having an internal struggle with herself, as if she was going against her better judgment.

"It'll also be good for Naruto to know the rest of his family." Apollo pushed.

"Fall behind and I leave you." The goddess looks her nephew dead in the eye.

The hunters looked as if they just looked Medusa dead in the eye.

Naruto nods his head in understanding pulling out his unfoldable gold bow slinging it over his shoulder with the quiver that also appeared.

She gestured with her hand to go ahead of her.

"Milady!" The girl from earlier voices her concern only to be stopped.

"Enough Zoë. Against my better judgment I'm only allowing this to happen. You have your orders until I return." Artemis said as she walked towards Naruto.

"Where to?" He asked.

"You can hunt can't you? You tell me." She redirected.

Naruto felt his left eye twitch in annoyance like his mother does. He knew what she was doing. A test to see if he would be a liability.

Crouching on the ground and place his hand there, the son of the married couple concentrated.

Finding what he needed he stood back up to look at her. "We're heading west."

His aunt nodded approvingly. "After you."

Waving goodbye to his parents for the last time. He ran off into the woods his aunt on his heels.

"Is This your first time hunting with a nephew?" He asked sometime later.

"Yes it is. I usually turn your brothers into jackalopes." She answered. They had stopped in the middle of a clearing checking if they were on the right trail.

Neither one of them hardly broke a sweat.

Naruto looked over at his aunt who was still in her teenage form. Her hair was now gathered in a ponytail, a look of absolute focus covered her features.

She was like a lioness. Beautiful but deadly, fierce but loyal. She looked more alive here in the forest than compared to the cliff side.

"May I ask you a question." He said as she stood up.

"You just did." She said looking at him with a sly smile.

His mother was right. Artemis did have a strange sense of humor.

"You don't have to ask for permission Naruto." She walks off further into the woods.

"Well in that case. Why did you swear of love? You had to know not all men were the same."

"The time I was born, they might as well has been. During that time in age, all men cared about were bedding women. Didn't even matter if they had permission or not."

Naruto didn't know how to respond to that. Yea he knew from his mother that guys during ancient times were pigs(some still are today) but to swear off love entirely?

"Surely there had to be some that weren't horrible?"

"You're correct in that assumption. There were those I befriended." She agreed still moving ahead of him.

"So the story about Orion is true! You did fall in love with him."

Artemis came to an abrupt halt in front of him. Remember when Naruto said he compared her to a lioness? Yea that couldn't be more true as of now.

Naruto could see her muscles tensing ever so slightly. The area around them became extremely warmer.

She spun around so fast that if she fired an arrow at him, he'd been left unable to defend himself. Her eyes that held a neutrality to them, were now a cold piercing silver.

"Never. Ever. Repeat that name in my presence again!"

Naruto nods his head frantically. Praying she doesn't kill him.

"You're lucky that your mother is Cyrene. I've honestly killed some of my nephews for lesser reasons." She than turned a ran off. Forcing Naruto to sprint after her.

Just his luck. He'd only spent a total of maybe an hour or two with his aunt, who probably hated him. Make matters worse he was crushing on her.

The rest of their hunt was spent in silence. She didn't say a word to him and highly encouraged he do the same.

During there second night camping, Naruto had enough of it.

Sitting on opposite sides of the fire with a boiling pot cooking their meal.

"Artemis." He began.

"I believe we agreed not to talk to each other." Helping herself to another serving.

"Yes, well lucky for me I'm my parents son." He shot back.

Artemis scowled at him. No doubt wondering if she should turn him an animal.

"As easily as it was. I'm sorry for offending you."

"That's a your way of apologizing? Offending me even further." Her eyes glowed.

"Pretty much yea." He grins mischievously. "You're what? Two or three thousand years old, and you're acting like every girl does when an ex-boyfriend is brought up."

"I'm four thousand actually, but thanks for making me appear younger. Also I thought you were raised only around your mother, how would you know how women react?"

"My dad."

"Why am I not surprised." She rolls her eyes in annoyance.

"Seriously though. I am sorry." He said sincerely all joking aside.

His aunt breathed heavily. "No apology is necessary." Waving it aside. "You were right to begin with. I did act like a child upon hearing that name."

"So the rumors about you two are true?"

Artemis looked up at the night sky, staring at the constellations. Or one in particular.

"Yes." She finally answered but there was a slight bitterness to her tone.

"Was that a bad thing?" Naruto asked genuinely curious.

"For someone who swore of love? Yes it is. I proved myself a hypocrite by falling in love with Orion and allowing him to join my hunt." She turned away from the stars to look back him.

Naruto was surprised by what he saw. Her eyes that were filled with confidence and power. Now has sorrow and regret.

"I'm sure you heard about the story of Kallisto." She said.

Naruto didn't answer her. He did indeed know about the former huntress who was supposedly the goddess best friend. Artemis turned her into a bear because she was seduced(more like raped) by his grandfather. It was one of the many reasons he didn't want
to meet the king of Olympus.

"What you probably didn't know. Is that I lost a good number of hunters because of what I did that day, and even more allowing Orion to join us." She explained.

"They believed you to be hypocrite. Them swearing off love and turning your backs on those didn't. Yet you were allowed to instead." Naruto pretty much agreed with them.

"Anyway. When Orion approached me about his feelings. I ran away. My hunters which were many at the time, were numbering around twenty. Not many maiden wanted to join a hunt with a man around, specially a mistress who turned her friends into animals."

"Where did you go?"

"My mothers home." She answered.

"Take it grandma Leto wasn't to pleased with you." Her nephew guessed.

The goddess laughed jovially. "Not in the slightest. Said I displayed my fathers anger by turning a follower into an animal. How I wasn't being fair to the rest by going back on my vow as a maiden." She gave me the whole disappointment speech.

"Trust me, I know how those feel." He smiled.

"I'm sure you do." His aunt smiled in return. He liked her smile and hearing her laugh. They made her appear more relatable. Her smile dancing in the moonlight, laughter full of life and showed that there was more to the goddess.

A comfortable silence fell between them. The topic about Orion left behind. He already knew what happened next and didn't want to bring up anything that'll cause her smile to vanish.

"So being the goddess of the hunt. How excited were you when a whole new land full of animals were discovered?"

The rest of the night was spent with Naruto listening with great interest to Artemis excitedly explaining some of the animals she hunted in her life time.