Sitting on her balcony, Clove was enjoying the warm, golden glow of the setting sun. Her gaze was set on the expanse of ocean before her, the salty breeze gently swaying her fur. The melody of crashing waves echoed in the distance, seeming to lull her into a state of tranquility. But, inside of her mind, there was restless contemplation. Even with the bustling life of the castle and the appearance of new wolves from other packs, Clove had been feeling lonely. Maybe it was her age, but she was restless, wanting stimulation more often than not. She was a socialite, loving attention and casual conversation. But that was hard to come across, with how busy everyone had been. Ember was gone too, having traveled to Hemlock to help with training. Her other brothers and sisters… they were hardly around. She was starting to understand why Talyssa left to travel the world. It was probably more exciting than sitting at home.

With a sigh, Clove raises a paw and rests her cheek on it, closing her eyes and losing herself in the rhythm of the waves. For a second, Akito popped up in her mind, but quickly vanished. He was starting to seem like a distant memory too.

"Clove Carpathius"

Code by Shelby

After Bramble and Ember had been sent off on their diplomatic missions, Artorias began to notice a change in his littlest daughter's personality. Sweet Clove had become more sullen whenever he caught glimpses of her around the Hallows or at dinner. At first, he just chalked it up to her missing her sister. Clove and Ember had never been apart for any extended period since they'd been born and they were thick as thieves. But the more Artorias reflected on it, he began to wonder and worry if maybe Clove wasn't content at home anymore. Memories of Talyssa twisted at his heart as he imagined Clove following suit to leave on her own. Perhaps he could find something for her to give her some direction, something to focus on. Maybe she just needed someone to talk to...

Evening was creeping across Auster, the long summer days dragging out the magnificent radiance of the sunset over the western sea. Artorias looked around for Clove, not finding her in the gardens or in the library or the castle grounds. Where he did eventually find her scent trial leading to was right to her room, pulling another concerned frown from the dire wolf father. With a gentle rapping of his paw against the door, Art lifted the latch and poked his head inside. "Clove? It's Dad. Can I come in?" When she gave him permission, Artorias opened the door to step inside before closing it behind him to give them some privacy to talk. His little girl was sitting out on her balcony all alone, just watching the sunset. Art could practically feel the emotion radiating off of her.

The giant blue and black sire came to join his petite daughter out on the balcony, sitting beside her with his forepaws resting on the balustrade while they watched the blazing sunset slowly turning into twilight behind the shimmering sea. "Is everything all right, drăguţ printesa? It's not like you to stay cooped up in your room." Art tipped his head to one side in typical canine confusion, looking at his daughter with love and paternal concern in his amber gaze. All Artorias ever wanted was for his children to be happy, healthy, and loved. If Clove wasn't feeling any of those three things, then he had a responsibility as her father to make things right for her.

"Artorias" | "Carpathian"

She’s lost in thought when the tapping of a claw against her door catches her attention, pulling her eyes away from the ocean to look over her shoulder. After cracking open the door, her father’s voice fills the room, and Clove can’t help the smile that curls her lips. She was feeling pretty somber before he arrived. “Tati!” She says, straightening up and motioning him inside with a wave of her paw. She’s excited to see him, warmth radiating from her beaming smile. “Yes, come in.” Inviting him in, she watches as he crosses her massive room, coming to join her on her balcony.

For a little while, they sit in silence- enjoying the marvel of the setting sun, as it morphed into twilight against a backdrop of celestial stars. The ocean seemed to glow at this time of day, shimmering in the distance, creating an ethereal gleam across the coastline. Clove loved it so much.

Even in silence, Clove feels more at home in her father’s presence. His familiar voice, comforting smell, and tender, fatherly gleam in his eyes. His presence is a steady anchor in her life, a source of strength and support that she admires and looks up to. So when he asks if everything is alright, Clove doesn’t hesitate to answer honestly. With a soft sigh, she looks out across the ocean again. “I’m alright,” She begins. “Just a little bored. Lonely.” He might have noticed her sitting alone in the library reading books, or rummaging through the gardens with an untrained eye. “Everyone is so busy now.” She was referring to her littermates, and most of all, her beloved sister Ember. Maybe even Akito too, who she hadn't seen in a while. “They all found their passions and are using them to contribute to the pack.” Another sigh. “But what about me?” Sure, she loved to hunt and explore, and Tati knew that. “I feel like…” She becomes somber in that moment. “Like I got left behind.” Talyssa and Ember leaving had been the catalyst. Now she felt very alone. "I do love to explore! And I love being a scout, promise.” She turns to him, trying to up her mood and remind him that she truly enjoys the role he chose for her. “I dunno. I don’t like leaving the castle by myself anymore. It’s too lonely out there. And with The Syndicate…” She didn’t know much about the pack her father deemed an enemy. Just that they were dangerous, and to avoid them. “I don’t want you to worry either.” Leaning into him, Clove rests her head on his taller shoulder.

"Clove Carpathius"

Code by Shelby

Clove's immediate joy to see him brings a huge smile of paternal affection to her sire's face. Clove was such a bright beacon of love and joy and served as a reminder of what he strove for in his life—making his family happy and giving his children the best lives he possibly could. A care free, worry free, safe and happy life. The kind of life he'd never had growing up. They sat together on her balcony watching the fading sunlight disappear beyond the horizon of the western sea, the crepuscular masterpiece of a scene unfolding before their very eyes as stars and auroras came out to play in the darkening heavens. Another beautiful sunset in scenic Auster... Truly they were blessed to call such a place their home. He was grateful he got to share these moments with his daughter. He always wanted to be there for her; to be better than the father he'd never known.

When asked about herself, Clove expectedly tried to reassure him that she was all right, but with a bit of a skeptical brow raise from her sire, she began to confess her feelings in earnest. She was bored and lonely. Artorias' heart drooped to hear his daughter was feeling lonely, but he could understand why. The family was busier now more than ever with the threat of war with the Syndicate looming, and with Talyssa gone on her journey and Ember and Bramble off on diplomatic missions, it also felt like the family was fractured to Artorias too, despite understanding that it was necessary. Art listened pensively while Clove revealed her innermost thoughts and feelings to him. She felt like she'd been left behind. He breathed a sigh and nodded his head.

When she began a hurried rephrasing and assurance that she loved her role in the Hallows, Art just gave his little girl a lopsided smile and rubbed over her head with a giant blue paw. "You're allowed to feel the way you do and still love being a scout, little love," he reassured her with gentle words. Artorias gladly accepts Clove's body against his side, letting her rest her head on his shoulder, the dire brute lowering his body slightly to lean over the balustrade so she could more easily use him as a pillow. "You don't have to worry about the Syndicate, my sweet girl. They are far away and I'll never let them lay a paw on you or your siblings so long as I live. You should never be afraid to leave Hearthstone." Hearing Clove say those words... it was a harsh callback to when Oxx had terrorized the Hallows. It drove a knife into Artorias' heart. He would never let his children feel unsafe to explore the world.

As for her feeling of loneliness and being left behind, Art mulled over what he could do to help give his little girl something to focus her time and energy on, something to give her purpose. She mentioned loving being a scout and exploring, and he knew of her interests in hunting and navigation. How could he put those to good use? As if divine providence sought to answer him, a cry from overhead caught the Lord of Cinder's attention as one of the Hallows' ravens flew around the castle spires, heading back to roost for the night. Artorias' ears perked and eyes widened as he found the answer to Clove's problem. "You're still good with animals, aren't you, Clovie?" he asked with a smile, glancing at his young daughter with her head on his shoulder. "What if I gave you an extra special job just for you? One that's so incredibly important to the Hallows and to our heritage?"

"Artorias" | "Carpathian"

Clove couldn’t help but smile when Art rubbed her head with his paw, showering her in fatherly love and affection. She used his shoulder as a pillow, basking in the comfort she felt in her father’s presence. He was a pillar of strength, a source of knowledge, and a testament of strength- Clove looked up to him with every fiber of her being.

With a nod and a soft sigh, Clove feels some of her anxiety start to melt away. “Okay, Tati. And I will do my best to stay away from those wolves.” She says, trusting her father wholly; if he said the Syndicate was far away and would never lay a paw on her or her family, she believed him. In Clove’s mind, there could never be a world where her father wasn’t there to protect her - sure, it was unrealistic, because Tati couldn’t live forever - but those thoughts never occurred in her mind. Tati would always be there. He would shield her from the darkness of the world, and he would keep their family safe. Clove wholeheartedly believed that.

A short spell of silence settled between them, and Clove took that moment to look out across the ocean, watching the last beams of sunlight disappear beyond the horizon. She already felt better having told Tati about her feelings. But being the devout father he was, Art was thinking of solutions to Clove’s loneliness.

She hardly noticed the ravens circling the castle’s spires, but Tati certainly did. He asked if she was good with animals, and Clove looked up at him with sparkling, curious eyes. “I… I think so! I still have the lizard I caught with Mama.” She says, memories of her first hunting adventure coming to mind. “An extra special job?” She’s even more curious now. “What is it?” Her tail thumped against the ground, her smile widening as she looked up at her father.

"Clove Carpathius"

Code by Shelby

Artorias was glad to feel his littlest daughter's tension slowly melt away as he did his best to reassure her. He never wanted any of his children to be afraid to venture forth into their world. He wanted them to grow into the strong, confident wolves they were, able to seize the day and take charge of their destinies. He refused to let the Syndicate take that from his children. The giant sire wolf then met her curious dual-toned gaze with a knowing smile, gleefully enjoying his scheming while she was totally unawares. Oh, he had a plan in mind that he thought would solve her dilemma of feeling stuck and needing a purpose. Clove confirmed that she was good at caring for animals, even mentioning the pet lizard she'd found when she was but a wee pup with Briar. That was all Art needed to hear.

Not hesitating to indulge in his daughter's curiosity, Artorias motioned with a tilt of his head for Clove to follow him. "Come with me, little love." He rose to his paws and led Clove out of her room and back down the many stairs until they had reached the ground level, then led her through the gardens and up the exterior stairs to the top of the high stone walls that surrounded Hearthstone. On the west wall, facing out towards the shimmering sea, sat a small tower. Art led Clove to the tower and pushed open the wooden door to step inside. Inside the tower was the Hallows' rookery—the dozen ravens they had managed to raise nesting in preparation for the evening. Many of them were chicks from his own ravens, Corbin and Eira, and were unclaimed, waiting to be companions to a lucky Hallowed wolf.

"Have you ever been in the rookery before, Clove?" he asked, glancing down at his daughter with an excited glimmer in his fiery eyes. Artorias glanced up at the family of ravens resting on the beams and struts of the tower, peering down with curious eyes at the Carpathian wolves. Art looked up at them with a warm smile, meeting the gaze of his own two companions high above the generations of ravens they had helped spawn. "For as long as we Carpathians have existed in Ardent, we have had our raven friends at our side. We live in perfect symbiosis—we provide them with food and a home, and they provide us with their aerial dominance. It's because of them we are able to keep the Hallows so safe and stay in touch with our friends and allies all across the world."

Looking to his daughter once more, Artorias gestured up to the ravens. "Up to now, I've been taking care of them. Bringing them fresh food, ensuring their nests are properly supplied, keeping them healthy and cared for." Lifting a large sapphire paw, Art patted Clove on the shoulder with a proud fatherly smile. "Now, they will be under your care, Clove. I am naming you Rookery Ranger, responsible for all the care of our feathered friends. You will be responsible for their training too. Take them out on explorations, show them how to scout, test their stamina and endurance and speed. Their success is your success." Artorias lowered his head to plant a gentle nuzzle atop his daughter's crown. "Is this something you would like, Clovie?" Artorias wanted to give Clove the purpose she was seeking. But more than anything, he wanted her to be happy with what she was doing too.

"Artorias" | "Carpathian"