Artorias had never been to the thicket of bamboo that made a pseudo-labyrinth in the south of Auster. He'd had no reason to venture into the dense vegetation before now. But after seeing the condition Kane had come back in and hearing the story from his mother of how they'd hunted a primordial dire wolf in the tall, hardy stalks of grass, he had to check it out for himself. Thise beasts had been a menace to all of Auster over a year ago, had taken his mother from him and nearly killed him. If there were any still stalking around for any reason, he needed to snuff them out before they became a threat.

Amber eyes gazed up at the tall verdant stalks that very nearly blocked out the sky overhead. A gentle drizzle had started, heralding more of the rainy season Auster's winters were so famous for. It was mild, with a little bit of a chill in the air from the constant rains. Artorias wandered slowly into the maze of bamboo, large paws squishing mud and damp grass beneath his feet while he surveyed the area. Everything was unnaturally quiet in the bamboo maze, as if the world outside the grasses simply melted away and vanished. It kept him alert, especially knowing what sort of predator had lurked in this place very recently.

The young brute wandered further in, coming across a clearing and gazing about in all direction. It was so quiet and everything looked exactly the same no matter which way he turned his head. No wonder wolves called this place a maze. It would be far too easy to get turned around.

"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.
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Location: Bamboo Maze

After her breakdown with Indigo, Duchess had taken a longer leave of the band and made it south to Auster. There had been a lot of great, but harsh memories as she wandered the lands here. It was where she lived with Draco, it was where Indigo found her. She and Indigo had been many places here together, as did she and Segin. Maybe she only came down the trails to make herself suffer, she never knew what she wanted these days.

When she made it to the maze she stopped briefly to look up at the tall bamboo stalks, squeezing in by her shoulders and moving her way into the maze. She figured none of the band would be looking for her, she had gone on 'trips' for days away from them before. But sneaking inside the maze had her believe they couldn't find her had they tried.

Shuffling through the false forest, she came across the same clearing as she looked up to see a large brute on the other side. She was once a resident of The Hallows but not in his rule, and she worked mostly behind the scenes in her time there anyway. It took her a moment to remember that he was taking Resin's place as the Aegis once he came of age. She only stopped at looked at him from across the clearing before tucking her head and slowly heading around the clearing. She wasn't fleeing from him, and she walked temptingly like she could catch his attention. But really, she wasn't too interested unless he was. She hadn't known if he gained reign over The Hallows yet or not.

"Duchess"

Duchess is an !M rated! character for themes of Depression. Please Discord me if you have concerns.

Gods dammit all, the bamboo was dense. Artorias didn't know how anything willingly chose to come live in a place like this. The thick canopy of leaves and shoots overhead nearly blacked out the sky, casting the forest floor in heavy shade and prevented much of the misting rain from reaching the ground. To think that a massive wolf had decided to take up residence in here baffled him. Why? Why not return home or find somewhere more spacious to live? It was a confusing mystery, and the more the brute examined the hard-stalked bamboo all around him, the more confused he became.

Artorias had been inspecting one of the stalks of bamboo when he heard movement to his side and caught a glimpse of vivid violet moving in his peripheral. His head snapped in that direction and he spotted the tiny ebony and purple fae slinking along the edge of the clearing, her movements languid and deliberate with a noted sashay to her steps. Where the hell had she even come from?! Artorias studied the purple phantom of a wolf for a moment before turning to face her proper, massive paws carrying him across the clearing towards her. "Uh, excuse me, miss," he called out, hoping she'd stop long enough to enlighten his curiosity. "Do you live in this area? I was searching the bamboo for any signs of predators, but I think I might've gotten myself turned around a bit."

As he drew closer to her, Artorias began to feel a very vague tug at the back of his memory, like his brain was trying to recall a finite detail from something long ago. He studied her closer, her distinctive purple and black galactic fur, her duo-toned eyes, her scent. Something about her was nagging at his memory, like he was supposed to remember her somehow. Puzzled, Artorias tilted his head to the side while he walked alongside the svelte woman, asking, "Do I... know you? You seem familiar." Gods, he hoped not. That would be embarrassing to say the least, yet knowing his luck, it would be a case of having just forgotten where he'd seen her before.

"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.
____________________

She fluttered as the brute followed after her, asking if she lived around here. Her head turned gently toward him, but she kept her paws in steps forward. His strides were longer so he caught up easily. "Not anymore." She stated quietly, her eyes moving up to look through the dense clearing they were about to move out of. She was going to take the trail east to get out of the bamboo maze, not unless he wanted to stay in here with her. "I haven't heard anyone but you in here." She stopped momentarily, turning in towards him before her nose pointed up at the sky they were leaving. "Heading east we should be able to get out before the sun comes down." She hadn't taken an actual path to get inside the maze, so turning around the way she came was not the best plan.

She turned to continue on, he had caught on to the vague remembrance. "It wouldn't seem so." That wasn't completely a lie, she had never met the blue boy face to face before and she hadn't expected anyone to really notice her in those days. She had different needs and exceptions now. "I was in the Hallows for a short while, we left at the end of summer last year."

"Duchess"

Duchess is an !M rated! character for themes of Depression. Please Discord me if you have concerns.

The purple woman turned her head his way, but otherwise did not stop her casual strides. Artorias watched her curiously as she wove her way through the bamboo stalks like a serpent, stating that she didn't live down in Auster anymore. When she confirmed that she hadn't seen anyone else within the bamboo besides him, he breathed a sigh of relief. Perhaps it was a one-off instance of the paleo dire wolf then, a loner left behind at the end of the extended winter. When she stopped, he stopped as well, doing his best to prevent himself from careening into her smaller lithe frame. Gold-flecked eyes glanced up to the sky when she gestured to it and explained her plan. Walking in a straight line east made sense, since sooner or later one would have to emerge out the other side of the bamboo thicket. "That's a good idea, actually. Mind if I walk with you?" Not that he needed the guidance, exactly, but because she was such a small thing, and if there were any lingering threats in the labyrinth, he wanted to be able to protect her.

The woman led the way eastward and Artorias followed at her side, gazing around at the endless sea of bamboo around them with only a few rays of light filtering through the canopy. She explained that no, they hadn't met, although she did confirm they had known of one another's existence. Amber eyes blinked wide in recognition when she explained she'd been living in the Hallows for a short period and left before summer ended last year. "That's right, that's where I saw you," he said in realization. She'd been part of the band of purple wolves. Although she didn't smell like the band any longer. Had they broken apart in the past year? He decided best not to pry into that. "Are you headed anywhere in particular? I'm roving the southlands, if you'd like a companion." An innocent enough offer. If she was exploring too, they could roam together for a short while.

"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.
____________________

Duchess hummed slightly as if amused by his company, her chin turned slightly towards him again as she cooed carefully, "Not at all." She was barely testing the waters with him. As of recently, she had run into company that wasn't so in tune with what she desired. And maybe it was opening her eyes if only just a little.

Her eyes moved upwards in the only little bits of clearing as they walked on, making sure the sun stayed behind them so they knew they were heading in the right direction. He had asked if she was going to be traveling around these lands, stating that he would be too. "I wanted to scout some of the lands on the western shores. If you didn't mind traveling that far." It was actually not her intent at all to stay down here in Auster long, but there was a few lands that she had yet to check out.

As she looked forward she squinted, trying to make out what was actually the plains and beach in the distance between the bamboo stalks. It would be easy once they moved a little distance to make their way out. And she supposed she would be following him more than leading the way, not that it was something she'd admit to right now.

"Duchess"

Duchess is an !M rated! character for themes of Depression. Please Discord me if you have concerns.