The Old Gods laughed at her misfortune.

The raven cawed in a mocking tone.

They were all confused at this sight. Sesshomaru felt it unnecessary to linger near the village of humans and Inuyasha. Rin stood behind him, confused as well as to what was happening. Strange. Rin was one of the few fearless humans Sesshomaru had come to know and seeing his young ward hiding behind him like a scared pup put him on edge. His eyes lingering on the huntress as she yelled at the Raven in her strange language. The raven was mocking her it seemed. He will give her a few moments before he strikes at the annoying creature. Their battle was not yet over, but he knew he should not stay for long here.

During their battle, he could feel that energy. That spark from the first night he sensed it. For some reason, it was resonating further and further into Youkai territory. Soon, every demon and Youkai alike would be drawn to its power and curiosity among the less intelligent demons would either show itself or be destroyed. Sesshomaru looked passed the human village knowing that the static was emerging somewhere. Why is it not drawing near? He thought as he could feel that static. Like something watching them with dark brown eyes.

He kept a firm watch and readied his weapon.

"This just get weirder, my Lord." Jake spoke feeling a little unnerved.

"Who are these strange beings, Lord Sesshomaru?" Rin asked.

He stood silent, not answering their questions. There was something frustrating about this situation. This, Sesshomaru does not like being lead in the dark. Though his two servants were looking to him for answers, those eyes continued staring. Not at Artemis, but at him.

There was something there within the forest. Mocking him with a wolf-like grin.

…

"My dear Artemis." Cornois said. Her dark eyes watching the huntress with interest. "You seem to have made a few friends. Never have I thought you to be the more sociable of huntress. Look at these mortals. So strange and yet, they are beautiful with their more fair complexion."

Inuyasha took a step forwards in front of Artemis. Anger seeping off the half-breed as he pointed his sharpen finger at the raven. Cornois was more amused now and tilted her head out of curiosity rather than fear. Silly pup. One cannot kill what has already died and was risen from Hades.

"What the hell are you? Not a demon. Not a raven. Why is the likes of this raven and you?!" He pointed towards Artemis who was becoming impatient and annoyed. She crossed her arms and told herself that beating this hound was not going to do much. He was much, much to stubborn. She would have to go through the basics and let the damn hound run out of energy. And by the looks of it, he was a spitfire.

I love a good challenge. Speak your mind Canis Minoris.

"Inuyasha! You know she cannot understand you. You are just arguing with yourself at this point." Kagome pointed out.

"We may never get the answers we want. We just need to find a way to communicate with her and the strange raven." Miroku said. Everyone who was part of the small pack agreed with the strange clothed man. Even the little green creature had a thing or two to say but was cast out like a leper.

"It doesn't matter if she understands or not. This woman is dangerous and not welcomed here without explaining herself. For all we know, she could be some demon tying to do something evil like Naraku." Inuyasha was dead set on trying to fight with words that Artemis could not understand. Cornois picked at her feathers feeling her time wasting. Apollo was watching from a far distance and needed her to report back to him as soon as possible.

Cornois felt the dread from within her feathers down to her bones. The thought of returning to the underworld was a horrible thought. She knew Apollo would be punished for disobeying the rules of life and death. But, her love for the hunter was far deeper than all of he underworld. She was devoted to him even thought their past was one of tragedy and shame.

Artemis was the least of her worries, but the huntress had a temper bigger than a titan. Apollo be damned.

"You never learn, Loud-mouthed Mutt." Artemis spoke through seemed teeth. Her anger boiling her blood. She kicked Inuyasha behind his knee hard, causing him to stagger a bit and bite back at the huntress. She countered his threats with a punch to his jaw and he went down to the ground with dust and dirt sent flying in the air.

"I rather enjoy her beating on Inuyasha. It's a lesson learned for his stubbornness." Santo stated and the other agreed.

"Foolish, Inuyasha." Sesshomaru spoke. "Your sight is one of lower senses. Can you not see what is in front of you. If this woman was of a dangerous kind, I would have already rid of her irritating presence."

"Who asked for your opinion?" Inuyasha said as he rubbed his jaw. Hurt pride and all.

Both dog ears of Inuyasha twitched in annoyance. Artemis lunged forwards at Cornois as her attention was on the two hounds. The lower of the hounds mouthing off to the more powerful. Artemis's mind was focused on the raven as she grasped it by its neck. Cornois cawed loudly with her wings flapping and sharp talons scratching at the huntress's leather braces.

To no avail, Cornois was staring straight at the huntress. All eyes now focused on both of them. Inuyasha had stopped his banter and Sesshomaru paid the little argument no mind. Just another threat from his younger and weaker half-brother.

"Why are you here Cornois? You should be rotting in the underworld." Her grip on the raven had tightened. Artemis had many thoughts going through her mind as she knew Apollo was in deep. The Gods- Zeus- was not going to take this lightly. No soul shall ever leave the underworld or face punishment.

"Your brother, Apollo. He wants to meet face to face in three days time. He has not giving me any direction, but he will give them to you." Cornois said.

Artemis threw the raven as far as she could. The last thing to be heard from the creature was a caw of pain and agony. Maybe a curse, but Artemis did not care. She could kill that bird on a later date for she needed Cornois alive or for that matter bait.

She closed her eyes forgetting that she had eyes on her. Looking to her confused and needing answers. She herself was not of help for all Artemis knew, Apollo was here without reason. The two hounds were looking at her. One out of annoyance and the other a blank unreadable expression.

Zeus sat upon his throne. Looking down upon Artemis and those she had associated herself with. Two creatures with long silver hair seemed to be of dog-like creatures. Both related by blood of the father and not the mother. Zeus had heard of a legendary dog Lord of the West, but never believed them until he traveled to the far island of many demons and Lords.

Strange creatures he found them until one out of many fought him. A fantastic battle that will never be told. A battle where there was no winner. A battle where he found himself admiring such a fantastic beast.

"Your son would be of a great assist to the huntress." Zeus spoke as he stood up from the golden throne.

"Send her the gift of their language. Find Apollo and bring him to me, Artemis." He summoned a powerful lightening bolt within his grasp. Alone in the large chamber of the Gods, Zeus walked to the large window.

Down below is the mortal world. It has been sometime since he last ventured into their realm. Thoughts of his last rendezvous had been spoken in song, poems, stories, and through the mouths of mortals. He aimed his powerful bolt down upon the mortals. His eyes set upon the huntress in another world and land she knew nothing about. With on powerful movement, the force of the lightening aimed true to its target.

They felt the powerful force coming from the sky. Grey dark clouds forming quickly, causing them to take shelter under a tree. Sesshomaru ordered his servant to get Rin out of there, which the green creature complied with servitude.

Artemis looked up to the sky as the force hit her head on. The static coursing through her body as she could hear voices calling out to her. Voices she never thought she would hear again. She closed her eyes as the lightening died as well as that of the static. She took a deep breath in and opened her eyes. Canis Major was in front of her, ready to attack her.

"Why did the lightening not kill you?" He spoke. His hound gnawing for answers. Those red eyes threatening to emerge and fangs ready for the kill.

Artemis felt her heart stop for a moment and her jaw slack. Her eyes went wide for a moment. The static that emerged from the sky caused Sesshomaru to not let his nerves settle. Those eyes we're sstill watching now and they looked worried.

"I can understand you, Canis Major." She spoke.

AN: Sorry for the wait on this chapter. I've been sick for the past week and busy with other stuff. Also been feeling a bit of a burn out from writing. Might go on break for a bit to rejuvenate my muses and get the ball rolling with my two stories. The Healer chapter is in the works for now and will be published when I see fit.

Thanks for the alerts and favorites. It's awesome that y'all are enjoying this story. Believe me, it is fun to write and I hope I see others enjoying it. For now, please be patient for the next chapter. I promise it won't be long before we continue with Artemis's story.