thestoryteller -

The next morning Artemis woke up abruptly because he heard loud noises from the woods. It sounded like a horse neighing. And a girl who tried to calm it down. Artemis smiled to himself, and left the cave. Not far away he heard the neighing again, and he saw the girl. It was Maria. And as he had thought, she tried to calm down a stallion who was standing a few feet away from her and did rapid movements with its body. Maria took a step closer to the frightened horse, and it made a sharp twitch and reared. Maria fell to the ground, and Artemis ran quickly up, took her up in his arms and jumped backwards. Maria panted out.

- Oh! Adam! It's you!, She said, and brightened up like a sun.
- Yes Maria it's me. What are you doing anyway?
- Well I-

Artemis put her down on the ground beside him.

- I tried to tame that horse, but it seems so unruly!
- Haha, little Maria.

Artemis began to walk up to the wild stallion.

- Watch out Adam! I think he's dangerous!

Artemis laid a hand on the horse's muzzle and began to speak in some strange language that Maria never heard before. She could only hear and understand one word, "Hero". The stallion calmed down immediately by Artemis' presence. Maria just stood and stared. How did he do that? Artemis stood and held the frightened creature in a few seconds, then everything was okay. He waved to Maria as a sign that she could get closer. She approached slowly.

- It's all right Maria, he is calm now .
- How ... how did you do that?!
- Hehe, he knows me. We have known each other for a long time.
- How?
- It's a long story.
- I've got lots of time!

Artemis started up a fire, and he started to tell the story of how he met Hero.