Huh? There's a snake on that tree! I heard it's supposed to be really nutritious—well then, no hesitation—shoot it and take it!
And that squirrel over there looks pretty cute. Big fluffy tail, seems soft to the touch… it even blinked at me… ah, fine, I'll spare it.
All the way through the forest, Thea judged her targets purely by personal preference. Anything tender, delicious, and rich in nutrients—priority kill. The ones that looked cute got a pass after a good scare, and as for the ones with thick hide or rough meat, she decided on a case-by-case basis.
When she shot down yet another fox that had been circling her kills, one of the Amazon warriors glanced at the dimming light and warned, "Time's almost up. We should start heading back."
Thea looked up through the gaps in the trees at the sun, completely unable to tell what was different. How do these people even tell time out here? she wondered, puzzled, as she began gathering up the carcasses. There were far too many—so many that their small team couldn't carry everything at once. They had to move like ants, hauling the spoils bit by bit toward the edge of the forest.
When they were still more than a mile from the exit, a loud whistle pierced the air from outside the woods.
"A signal arrow! The other team's already out—let's hurry too." One of the warriors looked at the pile of game that was practically a small hill and sighed.
Thea agreed completely. Dusk had already begun to creep into the forest, and the heavy scent of blood drew swarms of mosquitoes and flies. They came at her in waves, eager for a taste. With all the blood on her, the constant buzzing was driving her crazy.
"Can't we get a few more people to help?" she asked, slapping a mosquito flat against her arm.
The women murmured among themselves. Normally, each hunt was meant to showcase individual prowess—they'd only take down a few fierce beasts that two or three could easily carry. But Thea's near-mass-slaughter was a first for everyone. In the end, they decided that two would stay to guard the haul, while one went out to fetch help.
Help arrived quickly—led by none other than Diana herself.
When she saw the mountain of dead animals on the ground, Diana—still remembering last night's offering ritual—instantly understood Thea's idea. Ah… so these are all edible offerings, huh? Makes sense.
More people meant more muscle, and that's a rule that held true anywhere. Especially when two of them were walking cheat codes like Diana and Thea. With a dozen women working together, they soon hauled everything out of the forest.
Outside, a crowd had already gathered, whispering and pointing. Their faces showed a mix of awe and envy.
As for the black-skinned Amazon warrior, her appearance was… less than elegant. Half covered in blood, half in mud, she looked like she'd just finished a wrestling match. But her spirit was high—sitting proudly atop her massive prey.
She had gone full traditional Amazon—hunting solo and killing her target by brute strength. Her prize was a massive bear, easily over seven hundred pounds. Not some adorable cartoon mascot, but a real, vicious black bear, its face, neck, and belly covered in scars from the fierce struggle. In the end, it was she who emerged victorious.
And to prove her courage, she hadn't even treated herself gently. Three deep claw marks ran across her shoulder, straight to the bone. Her metal armor had been shredded, and though she'd rubbed some herbal paste on the wounds, she hadn't bandaged them. Fresh blood still oozed through.
She'd come out nearly half an hour before Thea and now kept her eyes locked on the forest's edge, anxiously watching each path for her rival's appearance. When she saw a warrior emerge carrying nothing but a wild boar, she finally exhaled in relief. For this result, I really risked my life. Who else would be crazy enough to wrestle a bear?
But her relief didn't last long. Another warrior soon came out carrying an entire string of eagles—different sizes, different species, all clearly shot down by arrows.
What the… how many types of eagles live in that forest? she thought, heart pounding. And anyone could see from the clean arrow wounds that these kills fit perfectly with Artemis's doctrine—precision hunting.
Her stomach twisted with unease. I fought my bear bare-handed. That's not exactly "elegant goddess of the hunt" material. She could already picture it: the priestesses declaring her the victor, only for her rival to attack her with doctrine, shaming her under the tribe's judgmental stares. Or worse—the crowd siding against her, forcing her off Paradise Island in disgrace.
Anxious thoughts tangled in her mind. Even the bear carcass beneath her suddenly felt uncomfortable. Her gaze stayed fixed on the forest's exit.
And sure enough, her fears came true. Thea had indeed killed plenty of animals—she could see boars, eagles, a fox, a snake, even a silver wolf with a glossy coat.
As she watched each figure emerge from the trees, her eyes widened when Thea herself finally appeared—walking lightly, dragging a small blueberry tree in one hand and holding two grouses in the other.
The black warrior nearly spat blood. You're coming out holding fruit?! Where's the tiger? The leopard? And what's with those chickens? Are those even normal grouses—or some kind of mythical chicken spirits?!
While she gawked, Thea noticed her too—along with the huge bear she sat on. Even Thea had to admit, this woman was no pushover. Losing in the javelin match had been unfair to her; in terms of raw power, she was impressive. That bear would've been a tough fight for Thea as well.
"This outsider killed so many animals… her archery must be extraordinary."
"I still think Artemis's true virtue lies in courage. Mass slaughter doesn't fit our traditions."
"Nonsense. This is the essence of the goddess of the hunt! Look at those wounds—every one made by arrows. If you ask me, the outsider wins for sure."
The crowd's chatter reached both women. The black warrior's expression darkened. From the sound of it, support for each of them was about half and half. But that in itself was a bad sign—Thea had only been here a few days, while she'd lived on the island for five thousand years. For an outsider to already win half the hearts… that was serious.
What she realized, the three elder priestesses realized too.
All three looked troubled. They knew very well that if the goddess Artemis herself were watching, she'd favor Thea—after all, there was nothing "graceful" about beating a bear to death with your fists.
Thea, meanwhile, though splattered with blood, carried the marks of the hunt in the proper way—evidence of skill, not brute force. Compared to the mud-soaked, half-wrecked image of the black warrior, Thea's presence was far closer to that of a true huntress.