It had been some time since Artorias had spent some time with Bowen, just the two of them. She had returned home from her journey of self-healing just before the birth of his children, and since the half dozen little fluffballs came into their lives everyone had been wrapped up in the blissful chaos they created. Although Art loved being a father and loved his children more than life itself, he did miss and cherish the time he got to spend one on one with the wolves he cared about, especially Bowen. His dear little sister had been so fantastic with the kids and seeing the peace and life that had been brought back to her after her time on her own brought the Aegis his own peace of mind. Bowen had worried him for so long, and there had been many a night that Artorias wondered if he was powerless to do any good for her or if he would find her dead by her own paw when she had been at her lowest. Thankfully, those dark times seemed to be behind them for good, and the ever-protective and loving brother swore to do all he could to keep things this way.

On this late summer evening, after Artorias and Briar had put their children to bed, the Carpathian brute asked his sister to accompany him for some time together, just the two of them. He wanted to take Bowen someplace special and unique where they could just be themselves, somewhere away from the Hallows and their titles and ranks and the expectations and duties that came with them. Tonight, he was just Artorias and she was Bowen. He remembered the runestones that he had seen years ago when he had explored Auster with that unhinged purple woman, recalled her mentioning how beautiful they became in the moonlight, and he knew where he wanted to take Bowen. Their little exploration journeys had often led them to caves and caverns filled with crystals and treasures, but this time they would just have the fields and the stars around them.

Artorias carried a bundled up blanket of soft mink furs he'd been gifted from the Mendaciums on his back. They would have somewhere comfortable to lie on amidst the runestones while they gazed up at the stars or reveled between the shimmering rocks—plus Artorias didn't know where the night would take them or if they'd be back to Hearthstone before dawn. The late summer evening was warm and mild, with crickets chirping their nocturnal serenades and fireflies glistening like stars that had fallen to earth, almost as many of the glowing bugs around the open fields as there were stars in the sky. Glancing down to the petite copper and cream fae at his side, Art flashed an easy smile to her, sliding closer to playfully nudge her side with his own. "I've never seen this place at night before, but I've heard rumors that it's a mystical sight," he said as they drew nearer to the site.

Not much longer walking through the tall summer grasses, the runestones came into view, glowing with their ethereal blue light along the intricate markings and linework etched into their smooth surfaces. Artorias' eyes widened in wonder, an amazed smile slowly creeping across his muzzle as they drew closer. This was exactly what he'd been hoping to bring Bowen to see!

"Bowen & Artorias"

It had been quite some time since Bowen had Art all to herself. The wait was fine. All of her mental ducks were in a row, so to speak. The caramel woman wasn't his priority and that was something that she'd come to terms with. Something that she'd accepted. Bowen Carpathius had a lot to be thankful for, so just being able to be with her family again was enough. It had to be enough, otherwise she'd end up back where she was before. A sobbing, anxiety-ridden mess.

Side by side, the pair moved, speaking little but thoroughly enjoying one another's company. They didn't need to fill the silence with words. The air was sweet and warm and Bo stopped often to just close her viridian eyes and breathe in deeply. She was home. She was whole. She was loved. No longer did she dwell on the 'could have been'. That was the real kicker as far as her recovery. Don't focus on the past; only focus on the present. And that's what she was doing.

Artorias leaned into her, talking about their destination and Bowen smiled in return, sliding her cheek along his shoulder. "I'm looking forward to it," she purred. Truly, she was looking forward to it. However, a hole in the dirt would be just as good as long as they were together. She wasn't exactly a high maintenance kind of fae. There was excitement bubbling within her though at seeing this new place with her brother by her side.

Moving through the tall grass, Bo could still feel the summer warmth seeping into her sable colored paws. All the better to roll around on once they'd arrived and explored. In time the grasses parted into a clearing and large stones rose out of the ground. Soft, blue light emanated from the stones in intricate patterns and a soft gasp of wonder was pulled from the fae. She wasted no time in moving forward, one paw raising to gently trail over the marks in the closest stone. The fae cast her emerald gaze over one copper and cream shoulder. "I wonder what makes them glow like this." Bowen looked through the various stones, her long tail swishing gently back and forth in pleasure. "They're beautiful."

"Bowen" | "Carpathian"

Just as he had hoped, the sight of the glowing runestones brought a gaps of wonder and amazement from his adventurous little sister. A happy grin spread across Artorias' lips as the two Carpathian wolves came closer to the circle of mystical glowing rocks to investigate them further. All around them, the air seemed to glow and hum with an invisible energy, almost like the air held a hint of electricity to it, the way the world felt right before a thunderstorm. Bowen studied one of the closer rock pillars while Artorias came to join her at her side, a curious tilt to his head while he examined the unidentifiable symbols and markings carved deep into the rock's formidable surface. The light they gave off, while faint, was enough to surround the entire clearing in an ethereal blue glow that made Bowen's pale fur practically glow and also brought out the richer blue tones in his coat as well. Everything about this place felt like it had been pulled straight from a fairytale or myth.

Bowen mused about what caused them to glow and Art rolled his shoulders in a shrug. "I don't know. To be honest, I was half expecting the stories to be made up, but here they are, glowing like fireflies." One of the dire brute's giant paws lifted to slowly trail his digits along the edge of one of the glowing runes. They didn't feel any different from a regular rock, despite their otherworldly glow. Hearing Bowen call them beautiful brought another content smile to her brother's lips. "They are beautiful. I'm glad I didn't waste your time dragging you all the way down here for them to be regular old rocks," he remarked with a rumbling chuckle. His tail also began to wag behind him, the bushy appendage occasionally brushing against Bowen's flowing tail in the grass. Keeping his paw on the runestone, Artorias glanced down at Bowen by his side. She looked a million times better than before... like she had been reborn a whole new fae.

"Artorias" | "Carpathian"