Io was asleep, bundled up and warm when the Warlord slipped away. He thought of the little model cart, abandoned somewhere in the grass. Of her thin coat, and the layers of muck that had settled into it. She was a wolf barely living, and it worried her to no end. She did not think she was living at all, and it frightened him to think how easy it would be for her to take that step, and leave them all behind.

Shaking his head, thinking of the wisp his once powerful-natured sister had become, the Warlord made his way through the maze of the castle. Even after spending some time here recovering, he still found it difficult to navigate. He was too accustomed to the open landscape of his home. He raised his head and let out a soft chuffing call, mindful of how easily his voice echoed over the stones. He didn’t wish to wake anyone. He could only hope that Art would hear his call.
=

"Sirius Fatalis"

Artorias heard the Warlord's muted call for him in the stillness of the night and slowly extricated himself from Briar's embrace where she'd fallen asleep snuggled up to him in front of the fireplace in the lounge. He thought about waking her to take her to bed, but found it impossible to disturb a sleeping angel. He'd wake her when he'd finished whatever business Sirius needed him for. Slipping quietly out of the lounge, Artorias traversed down the corridor to where Sirius was, meeting the Warlord halfway back from the guest rooms where the Fatalises and Iolaire had been put up. "Sirius," he greeted his godfather with warm smile and hushed tones. "Let's talk on the terrace."

The Aegis led the Warlord down the stone corridors and through the foyer out to the garden terraces. With the apocalypse canceled, the world had returned back to its normal state. The evening was mild, as it usually was in Auster, and the gardens were ever in bloom. Out here, they could talk without worry of voices carrying or disturbing any of the sleeping wolves. "I can't tell you how happy I am that you and Briar came to visit," said the young wolf with a sigh. "After everything that occurred over the past season... I was afraid of the worst. I'm glad you all made it through." Artorias strode over to the edge of the terrace, lifting his forelegs to drape his paws over the balustrade while he looked over the gardens. "...You did all make it through, right...?" A wary, cautionary glance was turned Seer's way. He realized he didn't know if the Armada had suffered any casualties of the strange illness, but he prayed for the best.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "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.
____________________

Artorias must have had a second sense for when wolves in his pack needed him. He heard the muted call and trotted along shortly after. The Warlord smiled at his young friend, shaking his head again at the equal height of the man. He had really grown since he had last seen the Hallows leader. “Of course” he agreed quietly, and followed after the other wolf.

“Of course, you know I’ll come running when family needs me” He said with a warm smile and a nod towards Art - an indication he meant Art himself and not just Io. At the mans words however, his smile fell away. “It was certainly touch and go there. We lost one warrior to the illness, and another took off while we were too sick to stop them.” He explained. The warrior he had lost had been a friendly, kind man. Sirius hadn’t been close to him, but he had belonged to Sirius, and the loss was still felt. As for the coward - well, certainly he wasn’t a wolf the Warlord wanted in the pack regardless.

The Warlord draped his own paws over the railing and looked across at the gardens. It was night now, but the day would come again. It had done so with surprisingly reliability the last few days, at any rate. “And how about you, Artorias, did you all make it?”


"Sirius Fatalis"

It still surprised Artorias to be able to stand at equal height with the wolf that had once appeared to be a giant to him. True, Artorias had no way of ever knowing who his father was, but dire genes were definitely something that had gotten passed down to him, it seemed. Now, being able to look the Warlord in the eye without having to crane his neck back, it really made the young wolf feel as if he'd grown into his own. A warm chuckle fell from the Aegis' lips and he nodded back to Seer. "The sentiment is mutual, you know. If you ever need me or the Hallows—you or your pack—you know I'll be there." Family was paramount, the one most important lesson Resin had imparted in him during their far too short time together. Sirius was family, the Fatalises were family, the Armada was family. Artorias protected what was his, just as Sirius did. The two wolves were not very unalike in that regard.

A touch of sadness darkened Artorias' expression while Seer explained how the Armada had fared the Long Night. One loss, and one deserter. Artorias scowled; anyone who abandoned their own during a crisis was a coward and lowlife of the highest order. "I'm sorry to hear of your warrior. I pray he's at peace." Amber eyes moved about the gardens, looking from the flowering wisteria trees to the leafy magnolias that had lost their blooms by now, and the assortment of flowers in between. "We were fortunate. The Hallows didn't lose anyone, however many of us were affected—some more permanently. My sister's girlfriend was blinded in one eye, and I have a wolf, new to the pack, who will sadly never walk again. She's only three years old." Artorias sighed and shook his head. Laeta's tragedy had come like a sucker punch, but there was nothing they could do about it now. They could only adapt, heal, and carry on.

Glancing up to the more normal moon and stars now, a strange little smirk quivered on Artorias' lips. "We did have an... unexpected visitor during the Long Night. My mother—our mother, Resin." He turned wily amber eyes back to Seer. "I don't know how, but she came back to us for a short while. It was..." Gods, what words even accurately described the emotions he'd felt during that moment when he saw his deceased mother in the great hall? "...It was like a dream."

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "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.
____________________

“I’m glad for it, godson.” The sentimental oldman said with a small smile, reaching over to clasp his paw over Art’s for a brief moment. The long and the short was, Art was a son to him. He had been for a long time now, and he always would be. “You’ll be here long after I’m gone. Perhaps one day you’ll be the one guiding and teaching the younger generation of Armada leaders” he suggested, casting a small smile in the other wolf's direction. He had a hope that what he and Resin had created - The Armada and The Hallows, would persevere for generations.

“As do I.” he agreed, and then let out a soft sigh when Art spoke of those that had been permanently injured from the illness. “I’ve often precured companion animals in the past. If you would like me to reach out for my supplier - assuming he survived this - I can search for companions that might be able to negate some of the negatives” he suggested, wanting to do what he could to help.

He blinked when Art spoke of Resin, though it should not have surprised him. He knew she had been the Hallows first - as she should have. He looked down over teh gardens, thinking of the wolf he had loved and lost. “She came to me also. That’s how I knew that my sister was here - she told me” he explained softly. “She…” he paused, and reached over his paw so that Art could see the strange marking across what had once been white trimming on his paw. Gold. The exact same shade as Resin’s one eye. “It fell from her eye like a tear, and when I touched it, it stained my coat. When it washed off, the fur underneath came out like this.” He explained to Artorias. “She’s still out there Artorias, watching over everything she had loved in life.”


"Sirius Fatalis"

Artorias glanced over to Sirius when he felt the Warlord's paw rest over his, a half smile pulling at his lips while his heart warmed in his chest. He'd always regarded Seer as a father figure to him, and though he had come to terms with the fact that he would likely never know who his father really was, it gave him the rare gift of being able to decide who he treated like one. Sirius had always been there for him and his family and was the closest thing Artorias had to a dad. He would always be grateful for the Fatalis patriarch's presence and guidance in his life. Artorias couldn't resist a little laugh to hide his embarrassment while ears folded to his head and warmth touched his cheeks. "If I ever do get that honor, I hope I'd do right by them. The legacies of the Armada and Hallows deserve it," he replied. Preserving the Armada and the Hallows—and by extension, the Fatalis and Carpathius families—was the greatest honor Artorias could strive for in his lifetime.

Seer offered to reach out to a contact who specialized in companion animals that could help Laeta and Audra. He nodded to Sirius appreciatively. "I'll talk to them and see how they'd feel, but I'm sure they'd appreciate the assistance." Sirius didn't seem surprised when he told him that Resin had come back from Somnium to visit them. Artorias was about to question his godfather when Seer explained: Resin had also visited him, which was how he knew about Iolaire. Artorias' fire-emblazoned eyes moved to look curiously over the golden markings on Sirius' paw—the same golden hue that Resin had been leaking when she returned to the realm of the living. Artorias recognized the color and looked pensively over Seer's paw. It took a lot of strength for the young wolf to not cry as he thought about Resin or the loss they'd shared.

"I know she is," he replied in a low, somber tone. "Seeing her again—seeing her as herself—it was nice. For a moment, it felt like... like nothing had gone wrong. I could touch her and hug her and say goodbye." In the corners of his eyes, a few errant tears glistening with a teal glow began to form. Now his last memory with his mother wouldn't be watching a giant dire wolf tear her spine out, or seeing her broken, crumpled body strewn across the ground like a piece of meat. He'd been able to see the proud, noble wolf he'd looked up to since the day he was born and know that she still existed in the next world and that one day they'd all be reunited. Small comforts, but comforts nonetheless.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "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.
____________________

“I know you will, you have my full and entire trust, Artorias” he said simply. The Warlord was old, and understood the importance of putting his trust in the right places. He knew that Art would do right by both their families, and that they were tied together. By bonds of friendship and family.

“Let me know what they think, and I’ll speak in length with my contact. Perhaps he’ll be able to offer insight on companions that could guide them best” the Warlord said, letting out a soft yawn into the darkness. He rubbed a paw across his face and rested his weight more prominently on the railing. Feeling the weight of their loss as Art examined his paw, and mentioned what it was like to say goodbye to her. “I’m very glad you got that chance, I believe it was something you would have regretted all your life not having.” he said softly, knowing the circumstances were far out of Art’s reach, and was glad that Resin had found her time and place to offer it to the young leader.

Seeing the emotion overcome Art, Sirius paused, and then leaned over, gently pressing a paw behind Art - marvelling, again, at the boy's size - and guiding him gently towards the Warlord. Holding him tightly in his arms. “I know, Art.” he said softly. Understand both his sadness, and loss, and also appreciation for the rare gift that Resin was able to give them. “I know.”


"Sirius Fatalis"

Artorias was grateful beyond words for Sirius' support and comfort. He knew he had a lifelong mentor, confidant, and friend in the older wolf, qualities that were indispensable and seldom given out by the yearling alpha. When Seer reached out to him, Art offered no resistance, feeling the Warlord's heavy paw settle on his back and draw him into an embrace. Damn it all, he was trying to prevent himself from crying, and now this big saber-toothed teddy bear of a wolf was practically squeezing them out of him! Artorias reached a paw up to hold to Seer in turn, which was both easier and a little awkward given that they were both identical in size now. Artorias was still getting used to that.

Glowing tears fell from eyes that screwed shut, trying to will them away as they left little glowing splatters on the stone terrace. He'd thought he'd shed all the tears he needed to over Resin's loss, but seeing her again had reopened the wounds in his heart, reminded him of what had been torn away from him too soon. The world had not been kind to Artorias or his family. They'd all been forced to grow up too young, too fast. Artorias, who'd witnessed his birth mother attacked by his adoptive mother, watched his adoptive mother slain in bloody combat before his eyes, was nearly killed by his sociopathic adoptive brother, forced to weather an ice age and an endless night of horrors—all before he was two.

"I'm glad you got to see her too," said Artorias through a stuttering breath while he regained his composure, bringing a blue paw up to wipe away the lingering tears from his face. He drew in a deep breath, then released it in a slow sigh. When he was composed again, he slowly withdrew from Sirius' embrace with a weak smile, patting the other dire wolf's shoulder in wordless thanks. "You came to the Hallows to see Iolaire." It was an easy conclusion to draw, given how he had spent all day with her, affording Artorias plenty of time to catch up with Briar. "You mentioned Resin had told you about her. That's why you came down here, isn't it?" Another deep sigh from the young alpha before he awaited the obvious questions that were sure to follow about Iolaire. How long had she been here? How was she doing? How had she gotten this way? Whatever Seer wanted to know, Art would do his best to answer.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "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.
____________________

The young Hallows leader didn’t hesitate to let Sirius pull him into an embrace. A father comforting a son, he held Artorias for a time on the terrace. The cool light of the moon casting a glow upon the two wolves, and the garden below. He patted the boys back gently, until his breathing evened, and he gently pulled away. Sirius offered no resistance, and his expression was muted, if gentle, when he relaxed back on his hunched before the other wolf.

“I did” he agreed softly as Art mentioned his sister. The very first wolf Sirius had claimed as his family. From the first day he had met Io, it was as if they had known each other all their lives. Resin's daughter had always had an undeniable strength to her. And now…? She was broken, and lost. He had come for her, but he was weary of the wolf he had found in her place.

“Resin told me some of her struggles, but I don’t know what I expected. She…” he paused, shaking his head, concern furrowing his brows. “She looks like she’s forgotten what regular meals and baths are. She believes she’s dead, because she can’t face the truth.” That the love of her life was gone. The Warlord could relate, how could he not? He had been anything but himself when he believed his wife dead. He wished he could spare Io that pain, but he could not bring the dead back to life. He had experienced it for himself, and yet despite this, he struggled to know how to help the woman. “I fear she’s a suicide risk, Art.”

"Sirius Fatalis"

It came as no surprise when Sirius confirmed that Iolaire was the reason he had trekked all the way down here. Artorias hadn't known Iolaire well until she began to make more regular appearances around the Hallows, seemingly out of the blue. Where she'd been staying for the past almost two years he couldn't stay, but somehow she'd persevered—barely, but she had. The more Seer spoke, the more Artorias felt his heart sink. Anyone with eyes could tell Io was in a bad state, but the keen Warlord was far more accurate than the common observer. "She looks that way because she has," he agreed with Seer's prognosis. "I don't know what she's been doing with her time, but she's been staying alive somehow. Since the past summer, she's popped up infrequently, never staying for more than a couple of days before running off again, usually in the dead of night. We've tried getting her to stay with us, but she's been a specter—impossible to get a hold of, impossible to keep, and vanishing at a whim."

Sirius voiced his concerns: that Iolaire was a suicide risk. A rueful smirk twisted at the edges of Artorias' lips, and the young man turned somber eyes towards his godfather. "I thought so too... but she isn't. She already thinks she's dead, and in her mind, the dead can't die. She's stuck in a limbo in her own broken psyche. Gwyn's looked over her, but we don't know how or if we can put those pieces back together—not completely, at least..." Artorias sighed, rubbing a paw over his face. "She had her good moments. She's been teaching my siblings and I the Carpathian language, like Resin taught her. She seems the most like herself when she's teaching, like she forgets all the bad. I think it might give her something to live for. But it's like putting ointment on a tumor. It's only lessening the symptoms, not curing the disease."

Artorias turned his gaze back to Sirius after a moment of pensive thought, offering the Warlord a reassuring smile. "I've been doing my best to keep her cared for as long as she's here. I'm trying to convince her to stay with us, to teach some of the younger members of the Hallows and give her direction and purpose, but she's a wild spirit, and I'm afraid trying to force her to do anything will fracture her even more." It was a delicate line they were all walking with Iolaire. When she was having a good day, things were great! But the good days were infrequent, and often left the young alpha worrying if they were numbered as well.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "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.
____________________

The Warlord tapped the railing before him, emphasising the word as Art spoke it. “The dead can’t die. That’s it right there, my concern. Why should she care about her wellbeing, her safety, if she’s already dead? I don’t mean I believe she’s going to fall on her sword” he clarified softly. He fell silent again, letting Art continue. The Alpha spoke of her teaching, and that at least gave the Warlord some hope. Io had always been a good teacher, and he was glad she had found at least one thing she enjoyed. Art was also right, however. It might be good for her, but it wasn’t fixing her.

“I thank you for that.” He said softly as Art spoke of trying to care for her - but also not keeping her. Seer agreed. She would lost any last will to continue if they chained her for her ‘own good’ it was equally foolish to try and drag her back to the Armada. At least here she chose to come and go, and seemed comfortable taking food from their supplies. “If there is anything at all she needs for her care - anything the Armada can supply. You need but ask. She’s my sister, and I loved her from the day I first met her.” He just wished he could do more…

"Sirius Fatalis"

Artorias gave an appreciative nod to Sirius' vow of supplies in order to care for Iolaire. The Hallows and the Armada had always been closest of friends and allies and that wasn't going to change anytime soon so long as Art was leading the pack. "If it's any consolation, she must still have some sort of survival instinct to have kept herself alive this long, even with thinking we're all dead," he rationalized. "If she didn't, she wouldn't be alive right now. She'd already be dead herself." It was a small comfort, but knowing that Iolaire was alive meant that some part of her was still fighting to survive in the aftermath of madness. "I think what she needs most right now is stability and purpose. I get the feeling that being around family helps keep her grounded, so hopefully the more time she spends here, the better she'll be. You're always more than welcome to visit whenever you like, you know. I'm sure your presence will help heal her mind also." Artorias gave the older wolf a little smile. The Hallows' border was always open to the Armada—and especially the Fatalises.

On that note, another question came up in Artorias' mind. "So how's Azure taking to leadership?" he asked. It had been a season since he'd seen Sirius' son at the gathering of alphas at the onset of the Long Night. He didn't know Azure well, but he'd seemed... capable. "Clearly well enough for you to come take a vacation in tropical Auster and not worry about the pack burning down, at least." Artorias snickered, but was genuinely curious. Someday, Sirius would need to pass his mantle down to either Mortis or Azure. Artorias would need to know who he would be working with when that day did finally come.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "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.
____________________

The Warlord nodded, though there was heaviness in the gesture. “There's truth to that” he said softly, hoping it was enough. The ghost of his sister was not an easy sight to take in. Not with his memories of the vibrant, strong woman still prominent in his heart. Would she ever return to her old self? Or was she doomed to spend her life drifting along in a dream, believing herself and everyone she loved to be dead?

”Thank you Artorias, I'd like to come every chance I get, I do hope to help her work her way out of this… I just don’t know how.” Iolaire would have been the wolf he would have gone to to ask advice. He pushed that thought away, concentrating on the small smile of his godson.

“Azure’s taking a keen interest in it. He’s set up some plans to help push training along in the pack. I’m glad for it, Armada needs the younger blood in leadership” he laughed softly at Art’s next words. “I certainly hope not, but it’ll be a good test for him. He’s got Mortis a step under him, that boy's soft heart should help even things out” he mused.


"Sirius Fatalis"