Hunter's grandmother, Jane, gave birth to a son of Apollo. His name was Arthur and he was very disdainful of his father, Apollo. Arthur was living with his mother in a shabby one bedroom apartment. He played music for change in the subway station just to make enough money to eat. After years of playing he became very skilled. He finally fancied himself so skilled that he was better than Apollo himself, thus issuing a challenge. Apollo came down and summoned the Muses to judge the contest. Needless to say Arthur lost. Apollo in a fit of rage disowned Arthur, stripping him of his demigod abilities, and turned his back on Arthur's mother. Arthur tried living as an outcast from Olympus’ eyes but without his Olympian powers his music suffered. Not being able to play well the money that he earned decreased to barely anything. Arthur couldn’t cope and killed himself.
Years later, Jane remarried. She and her new husband tried for children again and again and again. After 6 pregnancy and 6 miscarriages, Jane knew something was wrong. She prayed to Apollo hoping that something could help her. Thinking that the twin brother of Artemis, the god of childbirth, could do something. She sought help in Apollo, but there was none to be found. In an act of desperation she sought help from the other gods. Zeus, Athena, Hypnos, Hebe, even Hades, but still nothing. She had almost given up hope, when she decided to make a desperate plea, hoping for a bargain. She prayed to Artemis. She prayed for weeks. She prayed for mercy from Artemis. She pleaded, "Artemis, I will do anything for a child. A little girl. I want to have a little girl. I will do anything. Please show me mercy and bless me with a little girl." Finally after two entire months of praying Artemis came to her in a dream. She said, "Jane, I have heard your plea and have deliberated your request. My brother Apollo has turned his back on you and has cursed you to never have a child. However, I can reverse this." Jane started crying tears of joy. She said through the heavy sobs, "Thank you! I cannot thank you enough. I--" Artemis stopped Jane before she could continue, She said, "Don't thank me, yet. There is still something you have to do for me. Since you have already been spoiled I cannot ask that you become a follower of mine, but I can ask of your posterity. You will be able to have children again once I leave. For this gift, you will give me all of your daughters once they turn the age of twelve. They will join the Hunters of Artemis and become my followers." Before Jane could say anything Artemis disappeared. So Jane kept things secret from her new husband and they had a son. A year later they had another son. And finally, two years after making the deal, they had a daughter. They named her Elizabeth. They lived life like a normal, happy family. Jane constantly counted down the days until she had to give up Elizabeth. Elizabeth was just turning 10, when this chain of events that would change everything started snowballing.
That night, on the way to her birthday party, the entire family piled into their minivan. They were driving when a drunk driver hit them head on. Jane, her husband, and both of Elizabeth’s brothers were killed in the accident. Elizabeth was the only one that survived and was left without a family. 2 years until she would unknowingly be forced to join the Hunters of Artemis. After some legal hearings she was left in the custody of her uncle, Mel. Mel was less than happy to find out that he was going to be taking care of a 10 year old girl. Mel didn’t have any kids and didn’t want any. The courts insisted that Elizabeth be left with family. Mel had a drinking problem. Mel had never had any reason to be sober. So in a drunken rage, he would often abuse Elizabeth. It was 2 months after first arriving to her uncle’s that he got a very, very drunk. Elizabeth was afraid for her life and hid in her room. Mel in a drunken, angry stupor broke down the door and raped her. That night while her uncle slept, she got dressed packed a small bag and snuck out. She had gotten a few yards away when Mel started yelling at her from the window. Elizabeth knowing that he was about to give chase started running faster. She had just reached the wilderness when she could hear Mel running behind her. She tried running faster and faster, but he was still catching up to her. She tripped on a tree root and fell to the ground. She was just starting to get up when a foot hit her in the back. She turned around to see Mel lifting his hand to strike her. She braced for the blow when she heard a growl from behind her and then saw a dark figure leap and tackle Mel. She heard Mel’s screams and a flurry of motion in the dark woods. All she could do was stare as her abusive uncle was torn apart by an unknown beast. As her uncle’s body, or at least what was left of it, laid there in ruins the beast turned to look at her. She immediately became scared and started backing away slowly. As the beast came closer she noticed it was a dog? No a wolf. A very large wolf. She stopped backing up and then stared looking at the wolf as it looked inquisitively at her giving a soft whimper. She felt a feeling of warmth come from the animal. For some reason she felt compelled to hold out her hand. The wolf looked hesitantly at it and then sniffed it. After a few sniffs she felt a rough, wet tongue going across the back of her hand. ‘Was this wolf protecting me?’ she thought. This was the last thing she did before passing out.
When she awoke, she was in a white tent. She sat up a little. Her eyes hurt and were still fuzzy from just waking up. Her entire body ached. Suddenly the events on the last 24 hours rushed into her mind. She felt safer knowing that her uncle who had abused her so much was finally dead. She was worried about being in such the new environment. Right as her eyes started to adjust to the unfamiliar brightness of the tent a woman walked in with the large wolf that she recognized as the one that mauled her uncle. The wolf ran to the side of her bed and put its feet up on the side. It was panting like a regular dog. ‘He’s pretty affectionate for such a ravenous beast.’ She thought as she petted the animal’s snout. Realizing she was being watched looked over at the entrance to the tent. She saw a beautiful woman with auburn hair and silvery eyes. She looked about the age of 14 but in her eyes Elizabeth saw years and years of experience. The woman walked toward the bed and sat on the edge and stared at Elizabeth. Elizabeth stared right back until she felt something in her brain make her look away. Like she shouldn’t be staring at her in the eyes. The woman spoke. “You have no idea where you are, do you? Or who I am? Or who you really are?” Elizabeth shook her head. “Let’s clear some stuff up then. I’m Artemis. I’m the god of hunting, wilderness, wild animals, childbirth, and virginity.” Elizabeth’s eyes got big. Artemis proceeded to explain that the Greek gods from ancient mythology existed and were not at all myths even more that she was looking at one. “So here’s the thing. And also part of the reason you’re here. You are mine. You’re mother promised me to you. However, due to your uncle’s actions and your lack of defense, I will not accept you into the Hunters of Artemis. I do have a proposal for you, however. I’m sorry to tell you that you are pregnant. Now your mother made a similar deal to me. In exchange for the ability to have kids, she promised me you. You were to be given to me in 2 years. You were to take the oath of maidenhood and join my ranks. Now that you can’t undo what has been done I cannot offer you my protection, but I offer you a similar deal. I will make an exception this one time. I will keep you here and you can live among the hunters of Artemis. In exchange I want the hunter that was promised to me by your mother, and since I can’t have you, I want your child.” Elizabeth was absorbing all of the information that was just thrown at her. She accepted the terms of the ancient god.
For the next nine months, she lived in the hunter colony. The time had come for Elizabeth to give birth. Artemis attended to Elizabeth as she gave birth to her new Hunter. After what seemed like an eternity of labor, the new baby was born. However, the baby was weak and so was the mother. Artemis explained to the mother that she couldn’t save the both of them and she let Elizabeth die. Artemis took the last of the power from Elizabeth and gave it to the child. Artemis looked upon her new hunter with joy and pride until she realized a problem. The baby was a boy. Artemis stewed in her private tent as she thought of how this could happen. She needed a girl. She hated men. However the number of hunters was dwindling for some reason. She needed hunters where she could find them. After a few hours she decided what needed to be done. She left the baby in the care of the hunters. Artemis gave the wolf, Orion, to the child. Orion the wolf stood by the child for the next 4 years while he waited for her to return. During these 4 years this child was raised and started to go under training by the other hunters. Nothing serious just some basic things. As the child, who has given the name Hunter by the others in the colony, was playing with Orion, Artemis returned to the camp and took Hunter aside. She said, “Hunter, in these 4 years of my absence I have seen you train. I have seen the other hunters interact with you and they trust you. I have decided that you will be accepted as one of my hunters. I cannot publicly name you as one of mine for the sake of my reputation. That is why you cannot stay here. I have decided to send you to Camp Half-Blood where a Centaur named Chiron will train you and raise you. I trust him and I wish I could keep you here, but I need you to be strong. Before you go you will take my oath and become one of my hunters. But you will not belong to any of the colonies. I won’t claim you. You will belong to me in secret, but you will be on your own.” The 4 year old Hunter stared as a person he has connected as his mother was explaining this to him. He didn’t understand most of it, but understood that he was leaving and that he wouldn’t see her for a long while. Almost as a reflex the child, walked over to Artemis was sitting and hugged her. Artemis was taken aback by the show of affection that she hadn’t known for so long. She hugged the child back, and then waited for him to go to sleep. Artemis smiled at the sleeping child then snapped her fingers. When Hunter awoke he was sleeping in a soft bed with Orion curled up at his feet. He didn’t really understand what he was doing here or much of where he was before then. He looked around and examined his surroundings. He was in a very rundown cabin. At that moment he heard the sound of hooves on the ground outside. Soon after, the door opened and a Centaur looked in. He said, “Hi, I’m Chiron. Welcome to Camp Half-blood. Are you ready to start training?”