Zephyr hurried along as Io's history lesson came to a close, making his way swiftly from the plains to the tip of the castle he called home. Sneaking into the building was the easiest part - the tower top he inhabited had a balcony well sized for his presence, and nobody ever thought to look up to find an 'intruder'. Folding his wings tight, the argentavis ducked through the doorway and made his way down the spiral staircase to the next level down. It was a very specific room to which he was headed, one that the path to and from was by now had long been memorized, and he'd hoped he'd arrive in time.

Breathless, the bird skidded to a stop outside his parents door. His vulture-like neck craning toward the wood as he listened intently. Was he too late? Had they already gotten up and started their day? Impatiently, his talons began to tap upon the floor. He wanted to surprise them, damnit, but how long was he willing to wait out here for them to open the door? If only he had a wolf's nose.

"Zephyr"

After Artorias had lit the bonfire that evening for Iolaire's history lessons, the Aegis had returned back to Hearthstone to conclude his evening patrols and secure their home for the evening. As always, the Hallows was peaceful and quiet as another long summer day came to a close. Walking down the quiet halls of the castle, Artorias began to make his way up to his and Briar's bedroom to strip of his weapon and armor. Entering into the room, Art exchanged a loving smile with his beautiful wife as she too had begun getting ready for bed. Artorias crossed the room and came up behind his mate, nuzzling into the back of her neck with a happy hum. "Good evening, my beautiful queen," he murmured before kissing her cheek and stepping over to the armor stand and beginning to remove his cuirass, setting it up for the next day and placing Embershard on its rack above the mantle.

Taking a quick glance around the room, Artorias took note of how child-free it was currently with most of their little ones still down at the bonfires and a cheeky smirk grew across his lips. Creeping his way back over to his wife, the obsidian and azure brute slowly entwined Briar up in his arms from behind, holding her close as he licked and nuzzled her scruff and neck. "Y'know, the kids are gonna be down at the bonfire for some time..." he purred into her ear, his thinly veiled suggestion hanging in the air for a moment before he continued, "How about we-" A knock at the door cut off Art's suggestive words, drawing forth a disappointed sigh from the amorous dire brute. "Of course..." he joked with a chuckle, reluctantly releasing Briar from his embrace to head over to the bedroom door, pulling it open to find a sight he had begun to fear he'd never see again.

Amber eyes widened as Artorias gazed up at the massive bundle of mottled blue and gray feathers, larger than he even remembered them being. His heart swelled with surprise and love and joy as he beamed up at his eldest son, a huge smile splitting his face from ear to ear. "Zephyrus!" Artorias rushed from the room to throw his forelegs around the massive avian as best he could with the major size difference between them now. "Briar! Zephyrus is home!" Tears welled up in the emotional father’s eyes while a shocked, amazed laugh shook his whole body. "My boy! Where have you been? We were all worried sick!"

"Carpathius Family"

Briar glanced up from brushing out her fur in the mirror when Artorias entered the room, giving him a little grin before she went back to her usual routine. She enjoyed her nightly ritual of bathing and brushing out her fur so that it was pristine and ready to go in the morning even if Artorias always seemed dead set on undoing her work whenever he had the chance. She hummed happily as he greeted her, replying, "Good evening, handsome." It was almost odd having the room be so quiet after being so accustomed to having the chatter and activity of their pups all around them, but it was a nice change and a bit of a reminder of what it would be like once they were old enough to move into their own rooms. As if reading her mind, she noticed Art stepping up behind her in the mirror and she couldn't help but grin as his forelegs slipped around her in an all too familiar way. Before he could even make the suggestion she could already see where his mind was going. Before she could respond though, a tap at the door interrupted them and she glanced curiously over to the door. Their pups were rarely allowed out this late so she was shocked that any of them would hurry back this quickly so it made her even more curious about who it could be.

She hadn't gotten up from her spot in front of the mirror as Artorias went to open the door since she had rightfully assumed it would be one of their children or perhaps one of the other pack members coming to report something to him, but instead there was an unexpected pause before her husband exclaimed the name of their first child. That got her attention in an instant and her head snapped over toward the door with disbelief. Zeph had been away for far too long and she, just like Artorias, had begun to fear that their massive, avian son had taken off for good. Dropping her brush, she scrambled to her paws and hurried over to the bedroom door to see him for herself and sure enough there he was, filling their doorway with black, gray, and blue feathers. She gasped excitedly with a huge grin pulling across her features as she hopped up onto her hind legs to make her best attempt at embracing their boy as well. He had gotten so unbelievably big and it was almost impossible to imagine that this was the same boy Art had found as a little, waddling chick. "Zeph! You're home!" she exclaimed, squeezing him tight for a long moment before she finally allowed herself to take a step back and look him over, making sure he looked well and heathy. She was just as interested to hear where he had been as Art was so as he questioned their son she looked up to him expectantly as well, but no matter what the answer was she was just overjoyed that he was home.

"Carpathius Family"