Another day of exploration with Artorias at her side made Bowen light on her paws. Not much made the young lady happier than letting the wind guide her. Today, she and her big brother made their way towards a place where she'd never been. The sun peeked out here and there as thick, white and grey clouds drifted past. The landscape was hilly; full of ups and downs. Periodically, Bowen would brush up against her brother, just to let him know that she was very aware of his presence, though her attention seemed to be focused upon all of the interesting things around them.

"Bowen & Artorias"

Their shared love for exploration and sightseeing had only grown stronger as the time went by, it seemed, as evidenced by the smile on Artorias' face. Any day he got to spend with his beloved sister was a good day in his books, doubly so when he got to see her so spirited. She had wanted to go check out the craggy ridge lands to the south of their home, and Artorias agreed to accompany her. He would have gone anywhere with her, and probably would throughout their lifetime. The young brute's smile widened whenever he felt Bowen's side brush against his, returning the same nudge or brush of his tail against her hip as they walked together. It had been some time since he'd been down here with Gwyn, and last time he'd been here he'd gotten stoned out of his mind off whatever herb they'd found. He smirked; perhaps he'd tell Bowen that story one day.

"Bowen & Artorias"

Here and there the earth split, great swaths ripped open in an otherwise endless sea of green. Bowen moved forward, peering over the side of one such rend. The fae's viridian gaze went wide as she noted the vast amounts of bones within. They were unlike anything that she'd ever seen before. There were teeth connected to a jaw that was longer than both her and Arts bodies combined. Had things like that actually been alive? Had this creature walked the same rolling hills that she and her brother were currently walking? Bowen's brow furrowed as she thought about how different things must have been back then. She was terribly glad that such giants weren't alive now. She was small enough as it was and having her own kind of giants around her was enough for the copper and ivory fae. Rising, she nuzzled beneath Art's chin and continued on her way, padding down one hill and cresting another.

"Bowen & Artorias"

It still surprised young Artorias to see fossilized remains of creatures long-since deceased. Their size, their gargantuan teeth and jaws, the sun bleached bones protruding from craggy cliffs and clefts... It made him wonder just how long they'd been here. He'd never seen creatures shaped like these bones before. How old were they? How old was Auster and Boreas? Bowen peeked over the edge of a ravine, and Art came up alongside her to peer down as well. The sheer drop housed a number of skeletal remains wedged between the rocks. He let out a whistle and muttered an awed, "Damn...!" Thank the gods those beasts were long dead. He didn't dare try to imagine what protecting his family against one of them would be like! As if reading his mind, Artorias felt Bowen nuzzle beneath his chin, snapping him out of his thoughts with a lovestruck smile while he brushed his snout across the girl's head and down the back of her neck before following her down one hill and up another.

"Bowen & Artorias"

Another of the cuts in the earth held different types of bones. A partially submerged skull of... something... stuck out of the dirt. The teeth on this skull were flat, sort of like the teeth on a deer or a horse. Had this behemoth eaten plants? It was crazy to think that a creature so big could live on grass and leaves. Glancing back over her shoulder towards where she'd seen the skull with the sharp teeth, Bowen wondered if that creature might have eaten this creature just like wolves hunted and killed deer. The leering empty hole of the skulls eye made Bowen feel a little uncomfortable. A little shudder tore through the cream and mahogany lady and she pressed against the side of her brother, prompting him away from the place. She hoped that they would find somewhere a little more cheery the next time they explored.

"Bowen & Artorias"

The two Carpathian wolves came across another crevasse with a large skull partially sticking out above ground. This one was thicker than the other, and had teeth reminiscent of deer or cattle—an herbivore. Artorias watched Bowen glance between this skull and the others they had passed, piecing together what she was thinking. How strange it was to consider that there were species of creatures no longer living that had once walked the same earth as they had. He knew that one day death would take them all, as was the course of nature, but to imagine an entire species just... gone. It was like trying to picture wolves all of a sudden vanishing from the world. How bizarre and unfathomable. While he was busy pondering these thoughts, he caught sight of Bowen's trembling body from the corner of his eye and turned to look at her just as she pressed herself insistently into his side. She was ready to go. The blue and black-furred brute gave his sister a soft smile and leaned down to plant a reassuring kiss on her forehead, but relented and began to turn back towards the Hallows. "C'mon, let's go find somewhere more fun to hang out," he spoke softly to his lover, his bushy tail moving to entwine with hers while they walked side by side.

"Bowen & Artorias"