Artorias' fondness for travel and exploration only seemed to grow the older he got, and after several fun adventures out with Briar and Bowen, the young wolf was certainly keen to keep going until he'd seen all of Auster and Boreas, from northern mountain to southern shore and everything in between. His beloved girlfriend's constant encouragements to pursue his passion and her company on his journeys made the adventures all the more memorable and worthwhile, so when he wanted to go see the furthest reaches of the Austerian forests, Briar had immediately offered to go with him. The trip wasn't very far across the southern continent, and after crossing through the cedar wood to the north, the pair of wolves soon reached the old oak forest by early afternoon. The day was clear and partly cloudy, showing the beginning of the change of seasons from Auster's winter over into its spring as the bulk of the storms had come and gone. now only the occasional drizzle popped up here and there, but for the most part, the days were mild and dry.

The obsidian and azure brute led the way through the forest of absolutely massive oak trees that towered up to the sky, gazing in awe at the behemoth foliage. He'd never seen trees this big before! Some had hollows in them easily big enough for a couple wolves, really lending to the size of them and making Artorias feel absolutely minuscule by comparison. "Wow..." he muttered in awe while he stared up at the bright sunlight filtering through the dense canopy in golden rays. Turning his attention back to Briar at his side, he gave her a happy grin and moved closer until his side brushed gently against hers. "These trees must be hundreds of years old, at least! Have you ever seen anything like it?" He certainly hadn't!

Wandering further into the forest, Artorias was struck by just how quiet everything was. There was the occasional chirp of songbirds somewhere overhead, but for the most part, the oak woods was tranquil and still, as if they were the only living things in it. It was quite an intimate experience, he had to admit, to be so far out in the denseness of nature that only he and his partner could be heard. "Thanks for coming with me. Exploring with you is my favorite part of exploring," he said with a smile to Briar. He knew she'd never turn down an opportunity to spend time with him, but he still wanted Briar to know how much he appreciated her company, love, and support.

"Artorias Carpathius"

Briar traveled out across Auster at Artorias' side, happy to be with him and to get a chance to see more of the beautiful southern continent. She didn't think her interest or excitement for exploring and travel could hold a candle to Art's, but she did certainly enjoy it if for no other reason than she got to enjoy the views while spending time with the wolf she loved. Sometimes when they were in the castle together there was some part of her that felt like she needed to act a certain way and was too focused on making sure everyone in the pack had what they needed to fully relax. When they were alone out here it felt more like old times when they were just spending time together and loving one another without any responsibilities or duties to think about. She enjoyed leading The Hallows with him and being with him there, but she also enjoyed moments like this just as much.

They reached the large oak trees that made up the forest that was their destination today and she looked up at the wide, towering canopies with awe. These trees were clearly very old and had called this place home for a very, very long time, some of them old and weathered with scars from lightning strikes. The ground around them was dappled with sunlight that peeked through the leaves, revealing the ivy that provided a good amount of ground cover and creeped up along the trunks. She shook her head when Artorias asked if she had ever seen anything like this before, replying, "No, I haven't! I've heard there's some forests up north that have some huge trees as well, but I've never been there. I wonder how those compare to this." She continued to look around the quiet, serene forest while she walked next to him, her tail swaying gently behind her.

When he thanked her she turned her turquoise gaze toward him with a smile, leaning over to give him a light kiss. "Of course, handsome. You know I love going places with you." There was really no need to thank her for anything, but she appreciated him saying so either way. She liked doing things with him and doing things that made him happy and this accomplished both of those things so it was a win win. She walked over to where some of the large, sprawling roots of one of the trees had poked out of the ground, the roots so think it looked more like a half-buried limb than a root. She hopped up onto it, using her claws to maintain her balance, and walked across it through a shaft of sunlight, smiling as she looked up at the trees again.

"Briar Fatalis"

Artorias returned Briar's gentle kiss with one of his own, smiling at her like a lovestruck puppy while he watched her saunter gracefully around the thick nest of tangled tree limbs. While she hopped up onto the thick roots and gripped them with her signature Fatalis feline claws, Art watched the way the sunlight seemed to sparkle off of her body almost like she were in a spotlight. She was breathtaking and magical to him, and all the time they spent together only made him fall more and more madly in love with her. Eventually, Artorias had to tear his gaze away from his girlfriend long enough to get his bearings and look around the ancient oak forest once more. While walking across soft grasses and beds of ivy along the ground, Artorias studied the scorch marks along some of the trees, amazed at the resilience the oakwood had to even the most volatile of nature's elements, like lightning.

Dipping into one of the hollows in the base of a tree to investigate it, Artorias emerged from within a moment later. It was fascinating to consider being inside a living tree like that, and he quietly wondered how many wandering lone wolves used this place as shelter when they passed through. Though judging by the lack of any scents, stale or fresh, there hadn't been a traveler through these parts in at least a few days. All around them, clusters of wildflowers bloomed on bushes and on vines climbing up the sides of the thick trunks. They were gorgeous, even though the Aegis couldn't name a single one of them. Flowers and plants were never his strong suit anyways.

Artorias padded his way through the undergrowth back over towards Briar, letting his eyes look up over her once more. "How, uh... How're you feeling?" he asked in reference to her heat. While Artorias did all he could to keep his love satisfied, the surprise news of Romulus and Lillith's unexpected pregnancy did have him a bit concerned. He trusted Briar to maintain her contraception, but even that had failed his pack mates. Her scent still held strong this far into summer, however, so it seemed more like misfortune on their end, whereas he and Briar had managed to get almost out of her season without conceiving a litter.

"Artorias Carpathius"

Briar looked up through the oak leaves above her for a few moments from her perch on the large tree root, smiling gently as she enjoyed the warmth from the sun. She herd Artorias' paws moving through the grass and fallen leaves and she turned her turquoise gaze back down in time to see him continue exploring, ducking into one of the split trees for a moment. She chuckled softly and continued on along her balancing act, following one tree root to the next and climbing carefully onto a taller part of the roots right at the base of a huge tree that held her aloft on a perch. It wasn't super high, but considering this wasn't anywhere close to the actual tree limbs themselves it still felt pretty elevated for just being some raised up roots.

Art eventually returned to her and her turquoise gaze found his amber eyes with a smile. His question made her chuckle and she hopped down to him with a graceful leap, her long tail sliding over the thick root as she walked away from it. Even braided her tail was still noticeably longer than normal and was heavier as well so it didn't tend to sit as high as it would have otherwise. "As hot and bothered as ever," she replied quietly with a smirk as she approached him, brushing her muzzle against his. He successfully kept her more than satisfied throughout her heat season, but even still this constant underlying need and desire still lingered constantly no matter what she did. After living with it for almost a whole season now she had gotten more used to the feeling than she had been when she first moved to The Hallows, but it was still very much noticeable.

The oak forest was quiet and isolated, the foliage creating a lovely and secluded spot. She grinned a little as she leaned in to brush her lips against his, giving him a light kiss. "Why do you ask?" she questioned with a slight purr to her voice, giving him a curious glance. "Do you feel like cooling off that heat a bit before we head back?" She knew there would be no real solution to this instinctual need and desire unless they actually satisfied the need her body wanted and had a family together, but they weren't quite ready for that just yet. They had enough on their plate with learning how to lead together without a litter of pups to navigate as well. Lia had been making sure she took her contraceptives every morning at her request so there was little risk in that happening and that had been effective through the entirety of her heat thus far so all she could really do was get some temporary relief.

"Briar Fatalis"

As soon as he asked that question, Artorias saw the amused look cross Briar's face and he knew he'd asked the wrong question. With a graceful leap from an even higher lofty root she'd climbed to, the young brute watched his voluptuous fae slowly saunter closer to him, a smirk on her lips as she informed him that she was as hot and bothered as ever. But before he could apologize for calling attention to her condition, Briar was upon him, brushing her muzzle against his and sending a very delightful shiver running down his back. By now, he was intimately familiar with that look she was giving him, and even more familiar with what it meant was going to happen next. Briar grinned at him and he grinned back, returning the subtle brush of his lips against hers in a feather light kiss meant to tease him. It was working.

Briar questioned why he asked, the seductive purr in her voice making the brute's heart race in his chest as heat flushed through his body. She asked if he felt like helping her cool off her heat before they headed back. A deep inhale from Artorias brought more of her pheromone-laced perfume into his nose, flooding his sense of smell with her and waking up those instinctual urges hardcoded in his genes. His stomach clenched, a heat growing in his core. They were virtually isolated out here in the dense oak woods with no one around, much more private than the Carpathian castle certainly was. If there was ever a time to take advantage of them being alone, it was now. "Well, I certainly wouldn't say no to lending my beautiful girl a helping paw when she feels the need... or other parts of my body," he remarked, speaking in husky baritones through a sly grin of his own.

Artorias pressed his body closer to Briar's, brushing their chests together while he pressed his lips slowly to hers in a firm, lingering kiss that lasted several wonderful seconds. When he slowly pulled his lips from hers again, he gazed at her with smoldering eyes and lifted a large azure paw to stroke from her shoulder along the feminine curves of her side. "What do you think, my queen? Want your alpha to help you cool off a bit? I bet we could fill this forest with all the sounds we want and no one would hear us." It was quite a risqué thought, to abandon decorum and just mate and make love wherever the fancy took them, even out in the woods in the clearing for anyone to see like this. It reminded him of their time on the Shimmering Shore a few seasons back, which Briar had seemed to thoroughly enjoy.

"Artorias Carpathius"

A sly grin pulled across Briar's muzzle when her wonderful boyfriend offered to lend her a paw—or other parts of him—if needed and she chuckled, playfully booping her nose against his. "How generous of you," she teased, her tail swaying happily behind her. She loved this relationship they had built and the banter they had. She always had so much fun and felt so loved when they were together and now she got to experience that every day for the rest of her life. He pressed closer to her, igniting the constantly simmering fire in her core, and she returned the firm kiss he gave her with a pleased murr. When he did finally pull back from her lips again he continued to add to that desire with his scandalous suggestions that made a shiver run down her spine, the feeling of his paw brushing down her side making little tingles dance across her skin. He knew exactly what she liked and how to drive her already heightened desires absolutely crazy.

"I can't think of anything else I'd like more than that right now," she told him quietly with a slightly breathless hint to her voice. She had discovered a love for doing things like this where it felt more open and taboo the one time they had been out on the Shimmering Shore and this fed into that same feeling. Just like that night on the beach there was clearly no one around and it was unlikely anyone would find them out here in this secluded forest, but the possibility wasn't out of the question and that was enough of a risk to make it feel exciting and risqué. She pressed her lips to his again in a heated kiss, tasting him on her tongue for a moment, her heart skipping and core tightening with lust and need. When she broke their kiss again she didn't go far, her lips still lingering against his as she brushed past them to nibble along his jaw and along the curve of his cheek, her breathing heavier with desire. "What are you going to do to make me fill up this forest with all those noises then, my king?" she questioned softly, a sly grin pulling at her lips.

"Briar Fatalis"

There were so many aspects about their relationship that Artorias adored. He loved their candid comfort and lighthearted banter. He loved how easy it was for him to relax and just be himself around Briar. But most of all, he loved how well they meshed together in all ways to make this sort of relationship possible from the start. He loved everything about Briar, from her mannerisms and personality, to her beauty and charm, and oh so much more. Right now, he was especially loving these reactions he was able to pull from her, coaxing pleased murrs, breathy gasps, and little tremors running through her body from head to tail. He loved knowing he had the ability to make his love react in such a way with just the barest of touches or the simplest actions. It made him feel powerful, masculine, sexy, desirable to her. Briar shot him a sly grin that did nothing to hide the lecherous intentions she held behind those gorgeous turquoise eyes, making Art's heart miss a beat and other parts of his anatomy respond in kind.

Briar responded that she'd like nothing more than for him to take her right here in these woods, enticing Artorias further with his queen's newfound kink of taking advantage of isolated yet open areas. The naughtiness of it thrilled the young brute, and he loved indulging in anything that Briar enjoyed and got her off. He didn't get to respond, however, as Briar quickly followed up her sultry words with another heated kiss of her own, pressing her mouth deeper into his until he tasted her tongue against his with a low murr of delight. Artorias kissed Briar back with all the fervent passion she gave him, amber eyes disappearing behind obsidian lids for a brief period until their mouths parted again, leaving Artorias slightly breathless and with that aching heat tightening in his core and a tensing growing between his legs. Between Briar's actions, words, and natural perfume, Artorias was very quickly losing himself to the lust threatening to overwhelm him and just take Briar and have his way with her.

Artorias gazed at the love of his life through heavy-lidded eyes, a dopey, lustful grin plastered on his face while he lost himself in her smoldering eyes. With their muzzles as close as they were, he could feel her every breath washing over his cheek while she brushed her lips teasingly against his, then moved her soft lips over his jaw and cheek. Artorias listened to her every heavy, hot breath with a growing arousal, his own breathing deepening as his body tensed and quivered with barely contained need. Briar spoke in those salacious tones again, asking what he would do to her to make her fill this forest with her cries of passion. "Mmm I can think of a few things. I could show you how well I know where your sensitive spots are, or I could give you even more kisses aaaaall over your body, or I could fuck you to the point I'd have to carry you back home," Artorias replied, his voice practically a purr of rumbling, heated baritones as he brushed his own lips along Briar's cheek, moving up towards her ear to graze the delicate flesh with sharp teeth. And indeed he could; a slew of lusty, naughty, some taboo activities they could get involved in played in his mind. But Artorias had a curiosity that wanted to be satisfied before his other needs. "But I'm curious to know what my queen wants her king to do make her fill the forest with her song. What do you want, my sexy queen?"

"Artorias Carpathius"

Briar's head tipped to give Artorias better access to her cheek as he nibbled along her skin to her ear, his suggestions and promises of things that would inevitably have her crying out and filling the quiet forest with sound making a salacious grin pull at her lips and trembles of anticipation run through her. There was still that sense of taboo, that feeling like even just talking about these things was naughty and risqué, but the longer she was with Artorias the more she grew comfortable with letting out this side of herself. He was the only one she fully trusted and had ever let herself be completely vulnerable and open with so exploring these things that felt wild and scandalous had always come easy with him. The feeling of his teeth grazing her ear and the rumbling tone of his voice made a delightful shiver run down her spine, making the already deep heat of her lust burn even hotter.

His question of what she wanted from him was a hard one to answer since every single thing he offered her sounded like exactly what she wanted in that moment. She was just desperate for relief and pleasure and however he wanted to give that to her suited her just fine. Instead of saying that though she made herself go beyond her comfort zone. There was some part of her that was still incredibly jealous and possessive of him even though she had given him the freedom and permission to do whatever he wished as long as it was within reason and it was a side of her that flared to life whenever she was insatiable with her need like this. Logically she knew there wasn't a real need to try and prove anything to him or to do anything in particular to keep his attention, but she wanted to. She didn't want to feel complacent just because of how often he said he loved her and just because he had picked her to be his future mate and queen. He was hers and sometimes she just needed to remind him of it for her own sake.

She brought one of her forepaws to his cheek and pulled his muzzle back down to hers, claiming his lips in another firm, heated kiss for a long, lingering moment before she answered his question. When she eventually pulled back from his lips again, she caught his lip between her teeth, her heavy lidded turquoise gaze finding his with a sly grin. "Before you make me do any singing, I want to treat you a little bit first." She nudged his shoulder, motioning with her paw for him to lay down and once he had and she had him rolled over onto his back she spent plenty of time spoiling him with affections all across his chest, torso, waist, and between his thighs. She was slow and savoring in everything she did while she enjoyed every part of him in this secluded clearing, letting herself fully give in to her need for him to let it drown out any of her usual self consciousness or shyness.

It wasn't until she had gotten her fill of tempting and teasing him that she finally pulled away and started making her way back up his toned form. She stepped over top of him, her long, braided tail sliding across very sensitive parts of him and swaying across him just to tempt him that little bit more. Grinning and panting lightly as she leaned her head down to brush her muzzle against his, she told him in a heated, sultry whisper, "If you don't actually have to carry me home when you're done with me I'm going to be very disappointed..."

"Briar Fatalis"

Part of all the fun Artorias had being romantic with Briar came from the reactions he was able to elicit from his love. Her every sound and expression she made as he teased and pleased her thrilled him, and finding what he could do to get her to react different ways was like a game to him. Briar held nothing back, gave no resistance as he nibbled along her fur and skin, tilting her head to grant him all the access he needed while he tempted her with heated cajoling. The grin painted on her visage told him all he needed to know about how his queen enjoyed their games and playtime as much as he did. They had grown up together, matured and developed together, and through their adolescence had gone through all their sexual discoveries and awakenings together. Though they were still learning one another and discovering more and more about themselves and their relationship every day, Artorias knew there was no one he would have trusted more or felt more comfortable around like this than Briar. They could be completely open and vulnerable with one another, and the immense level of trust they shared permitted them to do and try virtually anything as a couple. It was one of the many, many things Artorias loved about their relationship, and about her.

Not more than a few seconds after Artorias had posed the question of what she wanted him to do to her out here in the secluded forest, Briar reached a paw up and cupped his cheek to guide his muzzle back to hers. Their mouths locked together in another firm and insistent kiss, the young brute tasting the heated desire pouring from his girlfriend's lips against his. A quiet groan escaped him, muffled through their shared kiss. Briar separated their muzzles by catching his bottom lip between her teeth in a teasing bite, sending a shiver of delight down Artorias' spine that settled between his legs when he saw those beautiful turquoise eyes half-lidded and hazy with desire, a salacious grin on his tawny fae's lips. Briar paused his offer, instead stating that she wanted to treat him first. Artorias raised a curious brow over smoldering amber eyes. The way she spoke made it clear that Briar was not asking his permission for anything. Intrigued and aroused by his queen's sudden sultriness and dominance, Artorias again gave no resistance when she nudged his shoulder and gestured for him to lie down. He did as he was told, and as soon as he was on his belly, Briar was rolling him onto his back with another assertive nudge.

Sprawled out before her hungry gaze, Artorias savored the hungry way she devoured him with her gaze before she began to cover his body in little affections, from grooming paws and tickling claws to nipping teeth and kissing lips. It all left the dire brute breathless and eager, his pulse quickening in his veins as Briar moved her way down his body from chest to torso, over his waist, and then down between his thighs to his male parts. The first touches had Artorias gasping between short breaths, and the subsequent had the brute squirming, twitching, and moaning for his queen. Briar was wonderfully slow and methodical, savoring what she was doing to him, no doubt. Artorias loved it! He loved when Briar took control, asserted herself as queen and took dominance over him as hers. It was such an incredible growth from the uncertain girl he'd shared his bed with that rainy night so long ago, and he was amazed to have seen the transformation Briar had gone through, and was still going through! Artorias rewarded Briar's actions by not withholding any of the reactions she sought from him. He let her know with his sounds and his expressions and his reactions just how well she was doing and how amazing she was making him feel, basking in the pleasure she brought to him.

But just when Artorias was beginning to lose himself in Briar, the Fatalis fae ended her foreplay and moved on to the main act. Still gasping for breath, the obsidian and azure male glanced up at his love while she climbed over top of him, standing with her body just above his—so close and yet so teasingly far from where he wanted her to be. Briar was so beautiful... She'd always been beautiful in Artorias' eyes, but seeing how she had matured into the gorgeous, slender, feminine young woman she was now, it left him breathless. Or maybe that was her long, soft, silky tail sliding over some very sensitive and very stiff parts of his anatomy right now. The teasing touch stole Artorias' breath in another gasp and moan every time she swished her tail. Briar's sultry whisper sent another quiver through the alpha's body, and he very nearly whined with need for her. Instead, his large azure paws lifted to find Briar's sides, roaming leisurely from her ribs to her waist, then back up again, repeating that circuit over and over. "Don't worry about that, my queen... I'll never disappoint you," he replied in his deep, purring baritone while he brushed his muzzle against hers in return, tipping his snout up just enough to let his teeth graze against the edge of her delicate ear. Oh, and how he would make sure she wasn't leaving this forest disappointed or unsatisfied...

As soon as he felt a quiver pass through Briar's body from his teasing, Artorias made his move. His forelegs wrapped around Briar's sides, pulling her body down to his and flipping them over on the ground in one smooth motion so he had Briar pinned to her back on the forest floor beneath him now. Burning gold-flecked eyes seared down into hers as he reveled in her, bringing his lips crashing down to hers while he pressed her to the ground beneath him. Briar had wanted him to make her scream, and so he would make her scream. As he tasted her mouth with their kiss, Artorias pressed his way between Briar's hind legs, positioning his hips to hers and aligning himself to her. Once he found his mark, Artorias broke their kiss so he could watch and hear his queen's every reaction and sound. With one paw pressed to her chest and a muscled foreleg winding around her waist to hold her steady, Artorias pressed his hips to hers and sank himself within her as much as he could. The alpha brute grit his teeth and snarled from the rush of pleasure, amber eyes rolling back from the initial contact, and then he began to take her in earnest. This would not be the only time Artorias had his way with Briar today, not by a long shot, but it would be a good aperitif to what the rest of their afternoon would look like. By the time he was done, he would make sure Briar had zero chance of walking back home on her own legs.

- fade -

"Artorias Carpathius"