Rudy had resigned himself to the fact it was going to take time to regain his strength.  That didn’t mean he couldn’t do anything useful until he was in fit condition.  After all his time in a coma he was pathetically thin and got tired quickly.  He had found a nice spot just a bit outside of the castle where he could rest in the sunlight outside of the stone walls.  His hawk Reddy had helped find various types of vines from bushes or those wrapped about tree’s possibly and brought them to the motley-grey wolf.

If he couldn’t chase down any game for a hunt then Rudyard would make a snare and get that set up.  He had plans to make one for smaller game and one for larger game.  Rudy wasn’t ready to drag a larger carcass back to the castle, good enough to drag his own body back.  Stupid bear.  Rudy didn’t have time to wait to grow stronger, he had goals to accomplish and dreams to fulfill.  Savage, his Tasmanian devil was likewise being useful, his tiny hands were better at tightening the ropes as Rudy braided them.

Rudy much preferred chasing down prey and found a snare to be pretty boring but boring didn’t mean useful and it was better than laying around doing nothing most the day.


Rudyard Carpathius

Artorias was recovering well, all things considered. His stamina and strength was returning in spades by the day, and the wounds on his shoulder had all but healed. The bites on his neck were taking their sweet time and would no doubt eventually become a few thin ragged scars, but considering how nasty Oxx's teeth could have been on his neck, he considered it a small price to pay for his life. Beyond his own recovery, Artorias was so happy to have his family all back under one roof. Bowen was back, Gwyn was getting better following her attack, he had returned from a season with the Armada, and now Rudy was among the living again too!

Speaking of his mottled gray brother, Artorias found the young wolf lingering just outside the castle walls when he stepped outside to get some fresh air. The warm summer-like weather was amazing; the bright sun warming his fur and a gentle coastal breeze keeping him cool while he sauntered out past the gates. Corbin took off from his shoulders, soaring through the skies for some exercise of his own while Argent raced around the plains. Artorias approached Rudy with a smile, feeling that sensation of relief once more to see his smaller brother awake and alive. There had been a real fear in his heart that he might lose him too. He was glad that wouldn't have to come to pass.

"Working hard?" he asked as he came to sit down beside Rudy, his dark coat ruffling in the light breeze. Amber eyes followed his brother's paws to what he and his companion were working on. "Thinking of going hunting sometime soon? I'm not going to have to tattle on you to Gwyn, am I?" He raised a curious brow to Rudy, wondering if Gwyn had actually given him the medical clearing to go be physically active again like that.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Corbin" | "Argent"

One big happy family

Artorias has two ravens named Corbin and Eira and a fox named Argent. Assume they are within calling distance at all times.
As his mate, Briar may enter Artorias' threads unless marked Private.
____________________

When Resin had shown Rudy they could create snares he had found it interesting in concept and sneaky style of attacking but at the same time rather boring.  Rudy loved sneaking about and spying but when it came to hunting prey he enjoyed the chase.  While the idea of a snare seemed a good trick it was also boring to make.  His mind could imagine the thrill of the hunt and his muscles could twitch in imagining the feel of running but there was not enough strength in his body to keep up with the imagined chase.

“Sorta,” Rudy’s half-hearted sort of answer.  Rudy was a cheery sort admittedly but being bored and knowing it would take time to be more active was hard to be excited over.  Rudy wasn’t made to sit still! Though, for now, he kind of was.  “See, I was thinking can’t really go chasing down a deer at the moment so I’d just go chasing rabbits,” Rudy quirked a brow at his brother with a smirk before letting out a bit of a sigh, “more like making a snare to set out to let a rabbit catch itself.  It’s boring but I imagine technically its working.” Rudy did offer his brother a moment of a brighter grin and wink, "You know at some point I'll be hunting before she approves.  You'll be fighting before she approves also."

He wasn’t so negative often and he was really glad to see Bowen back and even Art as he’d gone off to the armada for a while.  To Rudy, it didn’t seem he’d been gone so long but that was only because he’d been in a coma for some of the time.  “Mom was better at this than I am, its hard to get the braids tight but Savage is a good helper for it.  Reddy got me all the vines so I didn’t have to go far.” The last put in just in case Art was worried he was ranging far away already.

Rudy would pick up a strand of the vine, put it over another, and then a third wrapped the opposite direction then Savage moved forward tugging them tightly before the pattern repeated.  Rudy eyed the length of the thing unsure of how long to actually make it if just going for a little rabbit.  Too much was probably better than too little.

Glancing back up at Art, “So I guess gonna wait a few more days before I suggest a spar,” said with a smirk as well.  Yeah, right.  Arc could probably whack him over with hardly any effort.  Maybe Rudy was being overly dramatic on that, hopefully so.  “What about you?  I notied you weren’t just a visitor in the infirmary.  How are your wounds doing?  What sort of predator managed to do that to you anyway?”


Rudyard Carpathius

Artorias gave a thoughtful hum as Rudy explained what he was up to. Snaring and trapping rabbits did seem to fill his brother's need to hunt without putting all the unnecessary strain on his healing body. It was clever, really, and he had to give his brother some credit where credit was due. Rudy made a comment about him going against Doctor Gwynevere's orders at some point, then mentioned Art doing the same and the dark-furred wolf gave a single laugh. He couldn't say Rudy was wrong in that assessment! He'd never been a good patient, far too easily stir-crazy and anxious to get back to life the way it was.

He sat and watched Rudy work for a bit of time while the dappled gray wolf explained how his companions had been helping him with creating the snares. The mention of their mother being better at this brought a somber smile to Artorias' face. He was glad that Bowen had been able to recover Resin's skin where he couldn't, and they'd finally laid their mother to rest once more. But the mental image of that slate and white monster wearing their mother like a set of pajamas... Artorias' claws raked at the ground, the dark anger stirring inside his heart for a brief moment before he tamped it down. He missed Resin so much still... He just hoped that whatever the afterlife was like, his mother had found peace and rest, and that she was once more made whole from her broken mind.

Rudy looked to him with the mention of a spar and Artorias gave another chuckle while he sank carefully down to his belly on the grass beside his smaller brother. "Yeeeah, I think both Gwyn and Briar would have my head if they caught me roughhousing this soon after getting out of that damn bed." And Bowen would probably be none too pleased either, but he didn't need to mention those feelings to Rudyard. His brother then asked about his own injuries and Art's expression sank. Vivid flashbacks of claws and serrated fangs, of ice and blood and freezing water and black beaches played back in his mind's eye. "It wasn't a predator..." He turned a grim look over to Rudy. "We have a brother, Rudy, and he does not like us."

Artorias gave Rudyard a minute to process what he had said before explaining further. "Gwyn was attacked by a wolf claiming to be one of Resin's sons. Thankfully he didn't hurt her bad, but he had desecrated our mother's grave and stolen her pelt. So I went after him to kill him and take it back. He was... frightening, Rudy." There, he'd said it. Artorias, the great knight of the Hallows, had been scared of the demon clad in a wolf's skin. He'd gone into the fight with such bravado and had been beaten in a matter of minutes. In fact, the violating he'd received from his adoptive brother had lasted longer than the fight itself had. "His name is Oxx. He's a dire wolf, slate gray and white with dark gray eyes and a mouth full of sharp, serrated teeth. That's what did this..." He brought a paw up to gently touch the pink ragged skin on the back of his neck. "He's violent and dangerous, and we need to avoid him at all costs." Well, except for Artorias. He would never forget Oxx, nor would he forgive his transgressions against his family. One day, he would have the behemoth's head. And then he would reclaim his sword.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Corbin" | "Argent"

One big happy family

Artorias has two ravens named Corbin and Eira and a fox named Argent. Assume they are within calling distance at all times.
As his mate, Briar may enter Artorias' threads unless marked Private.
____________________

Rudy was proved right at Artorias laugh at the idea of resting unto their sister gave them the ‘ok’ to hunt or fight.  Neither one of their moms had taught them to be lazy and the drive for adventure or goals had kept them living a life of working to achieve different things, but neither simply lay about.

Enough rope potentially braided Rudy lowered his head to pick up one end of the rope and have it looping about so that a knot could be tied.  How did mom manage to do this without help?  Rudy considered it for a moment as he listened to Art talking about his sister and Briar having his head.  Briar huh?  How much time had the two spent together when he was in the armada anyway?

With a grimace, he glanced at Savage, “wrap that around for me? I can pull it tight once you do.” Right after telling Savage this he looked as Art’s tone changed to something much more somber.  A brother?  A brother had hurt Gwyn and done this to Art?  Art offered more answers and gave more questions as he explained the scenario and appearance of the wolf.  A brother had done that to mom’s remains?

Rudy’s muscles tensed, ears sliding back with his own anger as the words sank in.  He would have run off the moment Art left him if Rudy had thought he had any chance against this Oxx.  Artorias should be relieved for the moment that Rudy was weakened as there would have been no holding him back otherwise.  

Rudy squeezed his eyes shut a moment.  The enemy was not near them to fight and if Art in good health hadn’t been a good enough match Rudy would have been a joke.  His predictable brother told Rudy they had to avoid them.  Rudy considered Art with a serious gaze for several moments.  What were the odds Art didn’t plan to heal, train, and go after this threat again?  He was a danger to the family, wasn’t he?  What challenge would Art not take up?

Rudy let out a slow sigh, “I want to ignore you and charge off to get revenge for you and Gwynn, for mom’s memory, and to protect the pack.”  Rudy looked up at the sky for a moment then lowered his head to yank on the loose knot Savage had helped make, finishing the creation of the noose.  It didn’t bring him much satisfaction at this dour news.

“If you weren’t a match in a straight-out fight then I wouldn’t have been even before this.” The words were completely true and simply put.  What the devious Rudy didn’t add was that he would heal up, consider his own strategy and aim for revenge.  What coward would he be, what horrible of a brother would Rudy be if he didn’t want to protect and avenge?  However, he’d have to think up some creative way to fight, some way to get an edge on this monster.  He’d have plenty of time to think about it.

“Where did you meet him?  The fact you’re saying to avoid means he isn’t in the pack land or you’d just be leading all the knights out for a confrontation, use numbers to take him down.”  Artorias knew Rudy was willing to take risks, good at finding danger, and acted recklessly more than once.  Rudy didn’t want his brother to try and stop him so that meant not telling Art what he planned.  It wasn’t a lie, it just wasn’t admitting details.  Besides, Rudy had to wait before he could go after this Oxx so perhaps by that time Art wouldn’t be thinking about it.

A brother?  Resin had another son but it hadn’t been with them.  One so horrible as to dig up her grave, and stole her pelt?  What sort of sick brother was he?  Unless it was a lie.  “Do you think he really is our brother?” That would make it, even more, the Carpathius responsibility to be rid of.  If mom had brought a monster into this world then wasn’t it the family's job to get rid of Oxx before he could hurt others?


Rudyard Carpathius

Rudy was right. Artorias did intend to train, to make himself stronger, faster, a more capable warrior able to defeat Oxx. He would end the monster's life, he would avenge his family and get his sword back. But he had a lot of work to get to that point. Right now, Artorias was a broken knight. He was weakened, beaten, defiled. His body was healing, but his spirit would take some time. He'd lost his sword to his foe, the only heirloom he had to remember Resin by. She'd given it to him as a show of her faith in her little knight, entrusting him with it to keep the family and the pack safe and he'd lost it when he failed. It crushed his morale and ate away at him every day, but there was nothing he could do about it right now. He would have to bide his time, grow stronger and more deadly, then have his revenge when the time was right.

When Rudy made an offhand comment about wanting to go running off after Oxx, Artorias shot him a stern, severe look. Very seldom did he ever take a serious approach with his siblings, but this was no trifling matter. He'd only barely survived his encounter with Oxx thanks to Bowen and some divine intervention. He had no doubt that if Rudy went off after their demented brother, they'd never find him again. Thankfully, Rudy seemed to backpedal the more he thought about it, so Art didn't have to say anything. He was glad to see that the blow to his head hadn't killed too many braincells in his mottled brother's head.

"I don't want anyone going after him, not until the winter has passed at the least, and definitely not alone," Artorias said to Rudyard. "We'll find him one day and we'll bring him to justice, but I have to think of the pack and not just my own wants now. When the time is right, we'll hunt him down like the rabid dog he is." Artorias glanced back to Rudy then with a knowing look in his eye. That was right, he'd said "we'll" hunt down Oxx. He knew Rudy wouldn't sit on the sidelines, but if his brother was getting involved in this manhunt, it was going to be on Art's terms with him close by to keep the reckless Rudy safe. "I found him up by the Rio Grande, just south of Fireside's territories. I don't know if he was passing through or if he's denning somewhere around there. And like I said, I don't want anyone else getting hurt because we're being brash. Our knights are decent, but they have a lot of work to do still. I won't sacrifice anyone for revenge." Gods, the last thing he needed was to lead an angry mob against a cold calculating killer like Oxx and have someone killed. Artorias would never forgive himself.

Rudy's next question made Artorias scowl, not at him but at the situation as a whole. Was Oxx really their brother? Of that, he had no doubt. The things Gwynevere had told him he'd said to her, the fact that he knew of Resin's death and knew where she was buried meant he had enough of a reason to spy on them for... god, months?! Oxx had been part of the mammoth hunt with the pack, which meant he'd been spying on them since at least the winter, biding his time to take what he wanted. "He knew things, Rudy, things he told Gwyn that only a Carpathius wolf would know." He bared his teeth in a silent, disgusted snarl. "I know almost nothing about this wolf, but the one thing I know for certain is he is our brother... Not my blood, but family all the same." It revolted Artorias to consider Oxx among their family tree. He was a branch that needed to be pruned.

"I need you to promise me you won't go after him, Rudy. I need you to trust me on this. We'll bring him to justice, but I need you to promise me you won't do anything reckless." I can't risk losing my brother too...

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Corbin" | "Argent"

One big happy family

Artorias has two ravens named Corbin and Eira and a fox named Argent. Assume they are within calling distance at all times.
As his mate, Briar may enter Artorias' threads unless marked Private.
____________________

Rudy could have not mentioned his desire to chase after Oxx of course but what was the point?  Art knew Rudy well enough to know he would want to chase down Oxx.  Speaking it outloud and then listing reasons he was aware it wouldn’t work at the moment had seemed the best way to assure Art it was fine.  Sadly Art also was well aware Rudy might plot it for his future also.  This was the problem with being really close to your brother, he knew you too well.

Rudy returned his brothers somber gaze at the mention of the two of them going to hunt down Oxx in the future.  Rudy would have needed to wait till winter was over regardless of whether he listened to Art or not.  There was no point in Rudy hunting down someone so much stronger while Rudy’s condition was subpar.  Rudy was happy to blur lines of truth and perhaps because of that he tended to consider others might also attempt to do the same.

Art would never want to hurt his brother but, would he love him enough to leave early to protect him?  It shouldn’t be too hard to make sure his noble and truthful brother didn’t do such a thing.  “Alright Art, how about this?  If you swear to me by,” what was meaningful enough to Art, “By the name and spirit of Resin Carpathius that you will not try to go off alone after Oxx then I can do the same.  Neither one of us will seek him out or try and lure him in close so that he comes to us.”  Rudy’s mind searched for any loopholes in other ways one might get around such a promise.  Art wasn’t going to nobly go off alone on this with some foolish worry about Rudy’s life.  “This pact is good for one year, agreed?”  Just in case one of them found reasons to put it off they could not eternally stop the other from going for revenge after the year.

Rudy gave his brother a rueful smile though this time it wasn’t mirrored in his serious gaze, “I’m impulsive, reckless and a lot of other things at points but Art,” and here the smile left for a far more serious expression and eyes cold with the icey rage about their brother and what had happened, “I can also scheme, I can think outside the rules, and I can put it to use for once against the enemy instead of games with family.  I’ll help you kill the bastard. Just you and me.  I’m disgustingly weak so I just need time to build up my strength.  It’s bad enough knowing I wasn’t there when Gwynn needed me, or when you needed me the first time.  I won’t fail my family again, got that?”  He'd need time to get stronger which meant plenty of time to think up ways to give them an edge.  

Art wouldn’t blame Rudy obviously but that didn’t mean Rudy couldn’t be mad at himself.  Damn his own recklessness and damn the bear.  This threat to his family would die and Rudy wouldn’t be on the sidelines letting others risk their lives without his help.  This would have probably sounded a lot better if not coming from such a pathetically thin wolf who had to make snares to hunt currently.

Rudyard Carpathius