As Aegis of the Hallows, Artorias deeply concerned himself with the wellbeing of all his wolves. Each one of them was like family to him and he treated them all as such. He cared for and loved every single one of them. But there was one wolf in particular who had a special place in his heart. Laeta had been the first wolf he'd welcomed into the pack as alpha, and the one wolf whose wellbeing and health he had become deeply invested in. From the moment she'd lost use of her legs, Art had been planning ways to accommodate her within the Hallows. Not once had he considered cutting her out as dead weight. No, Laeta was a Hallowed wolf, and he refused to let any of his wolves down. Thankfully, she'd somehow miraculously recovered use of her legs, and though she was still in the process of recovering, her physical therapy had done wonders for her, and even Gwynevere's prognosis was uplifting!

One of the things Gwyn had urged him to do to help Lae was to go on longer walks with her to let her stretch her legs, really put her muscles to use to help them build back the strength and definition to them. Laeta had already shown she could walk without assistance around Hallowed lands and neighboring territories. Today, Artorias was going to push those bounds a bit farther. He set off with Laeta from the Hallows, crossing the strip of land north through the Bifröst until they reached the southernmost points of Boreas. All the way, Art would make sure Lae wasn't tiring too quickly, giving her frequent opportunities to take short rests or drinks when they passed by a river. This would be a day of testing and building her stamina and endurance, but Artorias had no doubts Laeta would be capable of handling the walk herself.

Arriving at the southern ravine, Artorias gazed around the lush, wooded area in the gulley. Descending into it from the fjord, the male's amber eyes drifted around through the shade of the dense canopy of leaves overhead, taking in the sights. He had never been here before; he hadn't had the opportunity to with Aerie living here. Now, though, not even their scents remained to tell the world that they had been here once upon a time. "There used to be a pack living in these woods," Art explained to Laeta as they moved through the ravine. "I never got a chance to explore it before now because of that. It smells like they've been gone for a while now though."

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "Corbin" | "Eira" | "Argent"

Just as Artorias considered Lae a good friend, Laeta considered him a good friend, as well. Near and dear to her heart as many of the Hallows wolves were. He had saved her from a life of desolation, isolation and possible death by starvation, had she not been noticed by him at the borders all those seasons ago.That was only the start of her forever gratitude to the pack - when she had become paralyzed, she feared the Egis would consider her dead weight, especially when all his wolves were dying and sick. But he had not - instead he and the physicians dedicated their time into helping her adapt to her paralysis to ensure she could participate in pack life. And when she recovered from her mysterious ailment, physical therapy took its place. It helped just as much, and with time on her side, the older woman regained use of her legs again. Artorias remained true to his promise. He knew her wanderlust, her desire to explore terrains unseen. Even though she had once sought never to return to Boreas, she let the fear go upon the blue wolf telling her they were exploring the southern regions. She had breathed a sigh of relief back then - it was primarily the north of Boreas she was concerned about, the region that had nearly killed her as a yearling. The south parts were decently warm and mild, and thus she set off with him that day. Mel stayed behind - he had strength, but not the endurance for the exploration. Plus, Laeta was determined to keep building muscle and strength - and her balance was only getting better. She was much appreciative of Art’s breaks in between, allowing her to pause if needed. Her arthritis bit at her joints quite a bit, but she was determined as ever. It showed as she picked up the pace to catch up with the Aegis as they descended into the ravine from the adjoining Fjörd, the lush woodlands towering around them as they crossed the ravine’s ever-running trail. The woman’s ruby eyes fluttered about curiously, her nose twitching to take in the scent of the forest and the new variety that wasn’t found on Auster. He mentioned a pack - Aerie, it was called - once lived her. She hummed in interest to his words, a soft smile gracing her lips as she marveled at the sights. Imagining wolves running around, making dens, having families and a place to call home. And how strange to see it so..empty. Yet nature knew how to fill the spaces wolves tended to leave behind. It always did. "It’s beautiful here," She mused outloud. "I could see why a pack would wish to settle here - it’s peaceful." Her ears flicked as birds fluttered through the trees, her eyes peeled for anything else of interest. ”Speech” ’Thought’

To say that Artorias was proud of the progress Laeta had made in her recovery would have been a gross understatement. The older woman had refused to let the world beat her down, her indomitable spirit shown in her steely gaze every time they paused for a break and she picked herself right back up to keep on going. Laeta could not be defeated; it was a striking example of how Artorias wanted all his wolves to feel. Indestructible and powerful. Today would be their way of celebrating that strength of her spirit as well as her body, proving to herself and to the world that she was far from done.

Artorias meandered through the lush undergrowth of the ravine while Lae sniffed about, taking in the dense woodland that surrounded them on all sides. There was a sort of mystique to the forest. Artorias could see why Eligos had chosen this land as his own once upon a time. Quietly, the Aegis wondered what had happened to the Aerie alpha and his wolves. More and more lately, it seemed like packs were growing and fading right before his very eyes. Yet still, the world turned, and life marched onward, neither slowing nor ceasing for anyone. It was a sobering thought to realize and come to terms with—the fact that they were all mortal, and that no matter how much you put into something, nothing lasts forever. Artorias stepped up to a nearby tree, gazing over its ancient bark and noticed a few claw marks left on its surface, most likely from one of the wolves that had lived here some time ago. He lifted an azure paw and rested it over the scratches, a wistful melancholy coming over him. Would the Hallows one day fade from existence as well?

Laeta spoke aloud, giving voice to her inner thoughts. Artorias replied with a soft hum of agreement, leaving the tree to face his companion. "It is," he said assent, lifting his eyes to the heavy canopy of leaves overhead, where golden spring sunlight filtered down in thin rays to the ground below. "It's been a while since I tried to make contact with Aerie. Maybe I should have tried harder." Or maybe nothing he would have done would've made any difference. Life was full of what-ifs like that though, and dwelling on them did no good for anyone. Artorias moved a little further down the verdant ravine, listening to the songbirds in the trees around them, but otherwise hearing nothing in the tranquil spring day. "Mind your step. Some of these trees have thick roots," he called back to Lae, having narrowly avoided tripping over an upturned root himself a moment before.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "Corbin" | "Eira" | "Argent"

Sometimes it let slip her mind that the girl, herself, could be in inspiration for other wolves. She'd been caught up in her own journey of healing - and helping in the emotional recovery of other wolves - that it hadn't occurred to her that she was an example of the pack's tenacity. The way the Aegis stood firm, held his ground for the wolves he cared for and protected. The way that despite the raids and political tensions and what-have-you, it remained a save haven. A home for all - a phoenix rising from its ashes. Just as Laeta had, pulling herself from the depths of Death's clutches. She had not cheated it, no - she bested mortality at its own game. She was tenacious, a symbol of courage and hope. Through and through. There was much to celebrate, Artorias was right. Laeta made sure the Aegis was within her sights - it wouldn't do to get lost in an unfamiliar patch of woods, especially next to a ravine - and the bony woman let the scents of fresh earth and old, lichen-littered bark fill her nose. It was a breath of fresh air, something that withstood the test of time. Even if the pack that once resided here had not. Things came and went in life, unfortunately, that's how it worked. It seems the Aegis himself understood that, and through her own exploration, she lifted her head from inspecting the soft leaf-littered ground to see the azure and charcoal male place a paw against one tree in particular. Tilting her head softly, the scholar approached him, only then noticing the scratches. Her ruby gaze flickered up at his expression and she furrowed her brow. He looked.. solemn. The scratches in particular were of a wolf's nails, pressed into the bark from who knows how long ago. Withstanding the test of time. When he spoke, he agreed with her observation of the peacefulness of the ravine, and then added that the pack, Aerie, had once settled here - and that maybe he should have made more of an effort to maintain contact. She shook her head softly. "I'm sure you did the best you could, Artorias," She said warmly. "To me, anyways, though I plead ignorance when it comes to pack relations." With a pause to glance back at the scratches, the way they wormed deep into the wood despite the time it had been left there, she added, "But I do not see the Hallows going away like Aerie did. Perhaps that's just my intuition, but..I have a feeling it will remain for years to come." There was little he could have done to make relations with a pack that dissipated - sometimes it just happened. At least, that was her view as someone who had no experience being a leader. As they paced onwards, Art warned her of the tree roots in their way, almost stumbling over one himself. "Ah, thanks for the warning!" She replied out loud, carefully picking up her feet to avoid another gnarled root herself. Her ears perked, she picked her way through the soft earth and the overgrown foliage with the delicate agility of a small deer. It was..exhilarating. She felt so young again. ”Speech” ’Thought’

When Laeta approached him while he studied the tree, the taller alpha would cast his gaze down to his wolf for a moment, regarding her with a gentle smile before returning to his mental musings. His remorseful mood wouldn't be allowed to last, however, as Laeta spoke in reassurance that he had done all he could as someone outside the pack. Her remark about pleading ignorance to pack relations brought a chuckle and a crooked smile to the young wolf's face.

As if reading his mind—or perhaps it was just a logical conclusion to come to—Lae reassured him that she did not believe the Hallows would go the way of Aerie. Hearing that confidence in the pack's longevity come from his own wolf, one who saw the intricacies of the ins and outs of daily life among the pack, it brought some needed confidence back to his heart. The notion of losing everything his family had worked so hard to build, his mother's legacy that she'd died to protect, all of it just crumbling into sand to be blown away by time, it just felt so... nihilistic. That wasn't how he wanted to live. That wasn't what he wanted to happen.

While they walked through the thicket of trees, foliage, and upturned roots, Artorias ducked beneath a fallen logs pushing through a curtain of vines and moss to emerge in another clearing just beyond. Birds sang in the canopies overhead, and somewhere off in the distance, an unknown prey animal scurried off away from the wolves. Good thing Art wasn't feeling peckish right about then. "Thank you, Lae," said the Aegis after a moment with a kind and heartfelt smile turned her way. "What you said about the Hallows, I think I needed to hear that. Sometimes I wonder if I'm doing the right thing. Knowing you believe in the pack as well... It means more than you know."

As Artorias padded carefully into the next clearing, tussling some leaf litter on the ground while they walked, another idea came to his head. "You're our pack's only Scholar, Laeta. You've done a lot of good work towards that path too. Have you considered what you'd like to do on that path?" Artorias cast a curious look to his companion, a brow raised above one gold-flecked eye. "If you're interested in learning more about inter-pack relations and diplomacy, I'm sure Briar would love to work with you on that. I think you'd be the best wolf among us to be a diplomat for the Hallows once your recovery nears its end. Or maybe you'd like to help Briar with our winemaking? Or something else you've had your mind on?" Laeta had been with the Hallows for some time now. She'd more than shown her loyalty and dedication not just to the pack, but to bettering herself as well. Artorias wanted to reward her by helping her complete her Scholar path and take on whatever roles appealed to her the most.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "Corbin" | "Eira" | "Argent"

She was pleased to see Artorias had taken her words to heart. She felt there was something of an innate ability in the way she could piece together the right words for almost any situation or context. Every wolf had their own way of providing reassurance, but from what she was told, her ability to support others in the pack was something of a gift, in and of itself. So, upon seeing that her words had weight, that they meant something to someone as important as the Aegis..that meant a lot to her. She wondered how many leaders considered their lower ranking members' words like him. They continued onward, hearing creatures rustle through bushes and birds flitter amongst the ceilings of the trees. Her ears remained perked, ruby gaze wide open and taking in the sights of the calm woodland with the wonder of a child. Exploring felt so freeing. When she had been alone - before joining the Hallows - she had wanderlust, but it was brimmed with pain and fear. Fear that she would succumb to the elements of Northern Boreas, or be crushed by some stronger loner who deemed her easy prey. It took a toll on her, physically and mentally. But the pack gave her a place to recover her mindset, return to her warm-hearted self. And she enjoyed traveling again, without the anxiety that it had given her all those years ago. Art mused aloud that her belief in the pack meant more than she knew. Her smiled widened, creasing the edges of her eyes. Barely six years of age, and already the faintest peppering of white was emerging on her snout. But her expression was youthful and happy as ever. Traversing new lands was something she'd desperately needed after all those seasons. "I'm glad to hear that," She replied simply, but the kindness of her tone always stayed. It wasn't long that they'd been back to exploring the ravine's woodlands that Artorias spoke again. Lae's ears perked as she turned her head to face him, while still careful to pick up her feet where gnarled roots lay precariously in their path. She was their only Scholar..that she knew. Most of the other pack members were warriors, hunters, and Sota was a scout, too. He glanced at her as well, a raised brow upon his face as he asked what she'd like to do with her rank. Truthfully..she hadn't considered it all that deeply. She just helped others as she saw fit, but she supposed that wasn't an official tie to her rank but moreso an extension of her generous nature. He mentioned inter-pack relations and diplomacy - all new and foreign concepts to her. She'd never believed she'd be offered a chance to work with other packs, much less in political realms. He mentioned Briar, his wife, and she smiled yet again. Briar was very nice to work with from when they'd interacted before..bright and full of amazing ideas for improving the pack. Perhaps Lae had to consider that. "Briar is a wonderful wolf to work with, she's very kind-hearted too," She said. "I'm honored you'd consider me a diplomat..perhaps I need to consider it as part of my duties." With a pause, she glanced up as a bird flew just above their heads, feathers scattering as the avian creature soaring sharply into the trees above. "I've been told by others in the pack that I have a knack for providing emotional support as well. I guess you could say its a healing approach but for the mind, rather than the body. Though, I'm not sure that has ever been anyone's specialty as a Scholar before." Would being a therapist of sorts for wolves even be feasible? Maybe providing diplomacy and managing relations between packs would be a better role. But she'd inquire anyways, seeing if Artorias would approve of such a service being fitting for her role in the pack. ”Speech” ’Thought’

Laeta was kind and gracious, as she had been since the day she'd arrived at the Hallows, though the transformation and growth she'd made in her time with the pack had not gone unnoticed by Artorias. When Laeta had called for him at his borders some seasons ago, he had been a novice alpha, only a few weeks into the role, and she had been uncertain and guarded about joining a pack. Now, all these moons later, here they both stood. They had both faced challenges and conquered their trials. Of all the wolves in the Hallows, Artorias was most proud of the growth Laeta had done. When he pitched the idea of a diplomatic role, he could see the gears turning in his companion's head. She was mulling it over, but this was clearly not the path she had thought she'd take. Either way, that told Artorias something. It meant that Lae had already had some inkling of what she wanted to do with her time.

Sure enough, after given some time to think on it, Laeta expressed her gratitude to be considered as worthy of being a Hallows diplomat and working alongside Briar. However, the small monochrome wolf had another plan in mind. Artorias listened with curious interest as Lae described the talent she'd discovered for providing emotional and mental support to the wolves of the Hallows and how she wasn't sure if this would be an applicable role for a Scholar. The Aegis tipped his head in confusion. "Who's to say it can't be your specialty as a Scholar now? It makes sense to me that issues of the mind fall into an intellect's wheelhouse." He gave Laeta a gentle smile. "I think you offering support services for emotional and mental distress is an excellent use for your talents, Lae. And if this is something you're passionate about, then even better!" Artorias motioned for the two of them to begin making their way back out the way they'd come. He'd seen enough of the abandoned ravine for one day. "How about instead of partnering with Briar, you start a partnership with Gwyn or Syanna. I'm sure our healers will be able to help prescribe you any herbs and medicines you might need during your treatment of a patient's psyche."

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "Corbin" | "Eira" | "Argent"