A number of days had passed since the Carpathius brood had been unleashed on the world. And while Talyssa had done her fair share of exploring, she hadn't seen everything yet. So this afternoon, she felt herself being drawn to the new part of the castle that she hadn't yet seen. From the Great Hall, she wandered past the Kitchen, and into a room that genuinely surprised her. The walls were lined with metal ... well, she didn't know what. They kinda reminded her of the knife that Momma had used to carve the pumpkin. Judging by the size though, these must be meant for really big pumpkins. Whatever they were, she could tell a lot of work had been put into them. She did recognize the workbenches as surfaces used for designing crafting and repairing purposes. Some of the pieces of metal laid out were in various shapes of progress.

But she just couldn't help but wonder why all these were for. Moving close to one of the long and narrow medal pieces, she leaned in close to examine it. The edge was very fine. It came to a perfect point slanting in from both sides. The girl was puzzled, and couldn't help but wonder what it felt like. Gently raising a paw, she reached out to touch the blade.  

The noise, the hustle of the Castle, all of it left Dread more than a little overwhelmed. There were simply so many things going on all the time, and the stone walls, stone floors, did little to dampen the sheer amount of noise that this many bodies produced. For as much as he preferred keeping his odd, careful watch over his siblings... the sentinel had enough. He needed quiet. He needed peace. It was so much easier to come by quiet in the Col, where he could find somewhere quiet among Halo's gardens to settle. In the Col he could have it both ways: watching over his siblings, and having his own space. He could do both. Here... well, within the Castle it seemed like that wouldn't be the case. Ugh. The boy slipped away from his siblings, from the family, in hopes of finding some peace. Some quiet. He'd be able to re-trace his steps and find his way back... right? At some point, maybe. Even as he paced the halls, it seemed that there was a recent scent trail nearly everywhere. One was more recent than some of the others, and Dread took a minute to process-- one of the other pups? Maybe he wasn't the only one to peel away from the group, to prefer being on his own. As he rounded the corner, Dread was struck by the very appearance of the armory. There were so many things, and they all seemed to glint and shine. There was also one of the pups from Briar's litter... their names, right, which one was that? It wasn't Dusk, who was much darker. "Talyssa," right, that was it, the recollection coming to him as he spoke. "Don't touch, you'll get cut." The words weren't the most eloquent, and maybe... maybe a bit more of a command than was particularly endearing. Still, it came from a good place, and Dread strode carefully forward through the armory without another thought.

Just as she had raised her paw, a voice of a boy caught her attention. Immediately, she withdrew from the blade. Pale blue gaze flashed to the greyscale boy that she vaguely remembered seeing in the garden at the family reunion party. "I wasn't going to!" She insisted, not even knowing who it was she was trying to prove herself to. But she couldn't help but glance back to the sword on the wall, wondering what would have happened if she had touched it. Would she have gotten cut like he had said? Shaking the thought from her head, she left her position at the wall and moved to approach the boy. "You know my name, what's yours?" She asked, looking him over expectantly.

Blinking a couple of times, she looked away. If he knew what these tools would do, maybe he knew what they were meant for as well. "Do you know what all these things are for?" She asked him a little more gently, glancing around the room as she attempted to take it all in. Honestly, she was just curious more than anything else.

I wasn't going to, her response was... well, it was the same one Dread would have given, if confronted in the same situation. Right, Dread supposed that he hadn't even spoken during the reunion, and she didn't know what his name was. "Dread." Right, that was good enough. He didn't have more to say on the subject, after all. At least she withdrew from the wall of weapons, and wouldn't get cut if she wasn't standing too close to them all. His gaze returned to the walls of the armory, taking a few slow steps along the rows of shiny equipment. "These are for fighting, they're swords and knives and stuff," Dread tossed his head towards the weaponry itself. "And those are for staying safe while you do it," the armor, stored separately. There was so much of it. "I can't wait to learn how to use all of it, I'm going to be the best fighter there's ever been." It was more information than Dread would usually volunteer, but the excitement shone clear in the way he spoke. Though usually fairly monotone, fairly serious... something about Dread, in this environment, absolutely shined. He didn't know when the time would come, but until then the young boy would wait with baited breath. A hunger lived inside him, after all.

The gathering of the Carpathius-Fatalis families had been going well so far! Everyone was having fun mingling and playing with their respective pups, and all the children seemed to be getting along well also. Artorias had been chatting with Sirius for a time when he caught a glimpse of a pup making their way up the terrace steps in an attempt to escape the garden. A quick glance confirmed it wasn't one of his, so he felt a little less urgent as he dismissed himself from his conversation with his father-in-law and headed into the castle to retrieve the runaway child. Following the pup's scent was easy. After years of living in the castle, being able to discern between scents in the confines of the corridors had become second nature to him, so following the Fatalis pup's trail to the great hall and across it was child's play.

The scent trail led to the corridor at the far side of the hall. Immediately Artorias' concern went up, and when he picked up on the smell of Talyssa fresh in here as well, so too did his temper. Large dire paws marched down the corridor, claws clicking on the stone floor as he approached the partially open door to the armory. This was usually shut to keep out those who shouldn't be in here, but it seemed today had provided ample opportunity for the children to misbehave. Pushing open the door, narrowed amber eyes settled on the smaller forms of Dread and Talyssa, both wolves standing near the racks of blades on the wall far too close for comfort.

"This doesn't look like the castle gardens in here," Artorias said with scolding sarcasm in his voice as he entered the armory, approaching both children with an appraising gaze seeking guilt or remorse from either to discern who had led who in here. "Step away from the weapon racks. What do you two think you're doing in here?" Though upset, Artorias' voice remained calm and even while he questioned both pups. He didn't feel a need to yell or raise his voice, but the tone told them both enough. He expected answers, and he wanted them now.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "Corbin" | "Eira" | "Argent"

The Fatalis boy introduced himself as Dread, which she nodded in acknowledgement. Upon her line of questioning involving what was all the stuff in this room, he did in fact know the answer. "Swords?" She tested out the name on her voice. She knew what knives were,  but had never seen a sword before. It just looked kinda like a big knife, to be honest. Was it just the size that made them different? Then Dread pointed out more things that she hadn't even noticed. They were metal plates of some sort that were meant for protection while fighting. They looked big and heavy. She couldn't imagine fighting someone, much less having to do it wearing armor.

When he pledged to be the best fighter there's ever been, she couldn't help but scoff. "You sound like my brother, Thorn." They would probably get along well. She thought to herself while rolling her eyes. "You'll have to fight each other for it, I guess. To be the best fighter ever."

Just then, the door to the armory was pushed all the way open, revealing the massive blue and black frame of the Aegis. She brightened to see her father at once, but the way he moved, the expression on his face- He seemed upset. She didn't like it when he was upset. The anger was ever prevalent in his voice as he crossed the threshold from the doorway to where she and Dread stood. He was right, it didn't look like the castle gardens in here. Was it supposed to? Was that why he was mad? He ordered them away from the weapon racks. While he never raised his voice, she didn't want him to be angry with her. With tears welling in her eyes, she approached her father. Stopping just short to reach up with outstretched paws- hoping that he would embrace her and not be upset anymore. "I was just looking!" Talyssa whined, looking up at Artorias expectantly and momentarily forgetting about Dread behind her.

"Swords... knives but bigger," Dread isn't sure he's doing a very good job explaining things, but that's fine. It wouldn't be the first or last time either of them was nose to nose with a blade, probably. "That'll be the day," there was the same edge, the same excitement. Dread could feel his pulse quicken-- excitement. It really, really would be the day. He'd have to fight his own brothers, and probably some of his sisters too, for that title. Didn't matter. None of that mattered. He'd do it, and it would be awesome. They weren't alone for much longer, though. Dread's first reaction was mostly disappointment-- he'd have to go back to the noise, the hustle of a family reunion. That was more tiring than any training that he'd been put through, really. The scolding comes, but Dread barely flinches. Instead he looks to his brother-in-law carefully, trying to read the expression on his face. The emotions... what was he feeling? They were being scolded for leaving the gardens, but why? He had a good reason for taking off, at least in his own mind. Artorias was calm, but he was looking for something in the pair of pups. What was it? What was he looking for? Dread finds himself thinking, wondering. Was he meant to feel shame or guilt? Probably. But he can't process those feelings or put words to them, not yet. Talyssa, to her credit, begins to cry. Maybe that would draw enough of the alpha's attention to keep at least some heat off of the young boy, but only time would tell. "It was too loud, too busy... I went for a walk." His tone is a bit sheepish, shifting his weight uncomfortably between his paws. He had the sense to cast his gaze downward, flatten his ears a bit, at least look sorry. Still, Dread couldn't push all of the wonder from his voice. He wouldn't throw Talyssa under the bus either, wouldn't say what he'd caught her up to. "Are all of these... yours? Will you teach me how to use them?" Dread speaks up, turning his gaze back to the racks of gleaming arms. Maybe not the best time to ask, but he can't help himself.

The look of unbridled joy on Talyssa's face challenged Artorias' resolve to remain the strict, scolding parent, but he managed to hold his disappointed expression at the pups—at least until his little girl started to cry. Then his resolve was really put to the test. To his credit, Artorias managed to hold his expression together... for all of ten seconds. The moment Taly approached him, tears building up in her steel blue eyes with paws outstretched, seeking his love, the stern Aegis act broke. Art's expression softened, his firmly set jaw relaxing, and his eyes shining with a warmth and love for the little girl that surpassed everything else, even his own desire to live. Reaching one massive paw down, the dire wolf went to easily scoop the small pup into his embrace and hoist her up to his shoulders, supporting her with a paw beneath her rump while he cuddled and nuzzled her. "I understand that, little emberling, but these are not toys. They are very heavy and dangerous, and not for pups to be near without an adult. Do you understand?"

Dread looked veritably unfazed, a quality he'd heard about and noticed when he'd seen the pups back at the Armada. Amber eyes darted down to his brother-in-law (which still felt strange considering a whelp a fraction of his age as) as Dread explained away their desertion of the family gathering. It had been too loud and he'd sought some solace. While he couldn't fault the child for meandering off, this was neither the place nor time to be roaming the castle halls unsupervised. "A walk is fine. Entering rooms filled with deadly weapons on your own is not. Sirius would have lost his mind if anything happened to you." Artorias didn't want to consider what the former Warlord's reaction might be like if one of his pups had been killed in an avoidable accident in his home. A fight to the death between the two fathers seemed the likely outcome, and Artorias had already almost slain the Fatalis patriarch once already. That was more than enough times in his book.

That was when Dread once again displayed an impressive show of his Fatalis spirit by shifting the conversation back to the weapons hanging on the walls. Artorias cocked a curious head tilt to the boy, then lifted his gaze to the racks of weapons that surrounded them. Swords, daggers, axes, and polearms of all types hung like artifacts in a museum in their respective homes. "They belong to the Hallows as a whole, but I am the one who cleaned them up and maintains them. Mine are in my chambers," he explained to the curious lad, his posture relaxing while he sat cradling his daughter in his arms and gently bobbing her to try and soothe her tears. To his request, Artorias couldn't resist a barking laugh, shooting a knowing smirk to Dread. He was a bold one, he'd give him that! "Certainly. When you get older and bigger, I'm sure Sirius would let you come train with us. It'd be my pleasure to teach you everything I know." With a quick glance back over his shoulder to make sure no one was coming looking for them, Artorias gingerly set Talyssa back down and gave the pups a bit of a cheeky smirk. "Would you like me to show you a sword up close?"

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "Corbin" | "Eira" | "Argent"

When Dread made the comparison between knives and swords, she nodded, allowing her pale blue gaze to linger on one for a little too long. It was difficult for her to imagine how one was used in a fight. She recalled Momma cutting open the pumpkin, but couldn't even begin to try and put together what it would be like to cut open a wolf. The girl shuddered at the thought.

As she was scooped up into her father's embrace, and she felt the softening of his projected energy, she was met with relief. She molded to Artorias as he supported her against his shoulder, resting her forehead against the crook of his neck. "Yes, I understand." She sniffled. "I won't come in here again," She vowed through her emotions brought on by fear, guilt, and desperation. As Dread went on to his explanation, she blinked a few times in an attempt to collect herself before focusing on him through her peripheral. In Artorias' response, she felt the vibration of his deeper-pitched voice through their contact, and it was comforting. She recognized Sirius' name as Momma's Daddy- her Grandfather. Which must have meant that he was Dread's father too. However, she was grateful that it was her father that found them.

As she was gently rocked, her big feelings faded away- her tears drying. And when Dread asked if Artorias would teach him how to use the weapons, her father's laugh sent tremors through his chest. She lifted her head away, to get a better view of her ... uncle, with a curious grin spreading across her features. Just in time to be lowered to the ground once more. She hoped that Grandpa would allow Dread to come back and stay with them to train- she would like that.

Talyssa watched as Daddy took a quick scope of the surroundings before realigning his attention with a more jovial light, offering them a better look at one of the weapons. In which she silently began to nod with widened eyes. "Yeah ..." Her tone light and airy when she finally did find her voice again.

Rooms filled with deadly weapons-- don't threaten Dread with a good time. He can't help but give an ever so slight wag of his tail before fending it off, realizing that maybe he was only picking what he wanted to hear from Artorias's words. It seemed that Talyssa, in all her tears, did a good job of absorbing the brunt of the disappointment. Dread really couldn't help himself when it came to gazing about at the weapons, the armory for the Hallows as a whole. There was so much of it... all these arms, all this armor, for one pack? Absolutely wild. "So... what you're saying is, I can come back in here if I get someone to come with me?" Dread watched the Aegis carefully for a response. His gaze came to rest on a polearm, as long as Dread would likely be tall when he was done growing. There was a glint in his eye, a glimmer. While Dread wouldn't touch it, it was quite clear that he wanted to. Not a toy, no, but something he'd learn how to use in due time. "How do you clean them? What do you need to do?" They were the same questions he'd ask Halo a million times over, damn near interrogating anyone who would share even a little bit of knowledge. While those particularly used to him were patient, Dread's questions tended to be ceaseless, bordering on tiresome. Still, the child is excited, and there is so much to learn. So much to explore. When he's older... when he's bigger. It made sense, but Dread wanted to learn what he could now. A sponge, of sorts. He needed to know all of the things, a likely reason for all the questions. Still, at the prospect of coming back to train, an uncharacteristic smile crossed the boy's face. Not the typical smirk, no, but something genuine. Dread made eye contact with Talyssa, a twitch to his tail. He could come back, he could train here, and he could spend time with the rest of his family... that sounded pretty good in his mind. "Yes!" It's nearly a bark, excited that Artorias would bring one of the weapons down for a closer look. Ah shit, where were his manners? Mom would be disappointed. "Um, yes please." Right, balance the enthusiasm with the manners. Sure. Dread could do that.

As he expected, both pups were enthusiastic about seeing the swords, but Dread was even more emphatic than his own daughter, barking out an excited yes. It was the most life Artorias had seen in the young Fatalis pup since he'd arrived! Good to know, Artorias logged that detail away in his memory banks for later. After all, the Hallows was always open to family, and if Dread wanted to come back and spend his time learning the ins and outs of all the weapons as well as the art of wielding them, the Aegis would be happy to accommodate his younger brother-in-law. A husky chuckle rumbled in the alpha's chest when Dread tried to wiggle his way around Artorias' words, finding ways he could come back to study the weapons, then asking some very astute questions about the care and upkeep of each one. "That is indeed what I am saying, young prince," he replied, giving Dread a knowing look. "So long as you have a wolf permitted to be in here with you to supervise you until you're older. Not just anyone. That means myself, your sister Briar, or one of the Hallows' Knights or Vanguard."

Dread's enthusiasm gave rise to an intriguing idea to Artorias. With so many wolves of his own kin and strangers alike curious about the use of weaponry, perhaps he could offer lessons for them to those who were interested. Dread certainly seemed to be! It brought a sense of pride to the sword-wielding Aegis' heart. Maybe he could have a discussion with Sirius about starting some apprenticeships with the former Warlord's children. Glancing up to the polearm Dread was looking at in particular, Artorias smirked and rose to his paws, stepping past the pups to the weapons on the wall rack. "That depends on the weapon. Each one is different, and each one requires different care. Some are similar, but just like every wolf, each weapon is unique." Artorias lifted a blue paw to rest on the polished mahogany handle of the spear, looking the weapon up and down. "A spear, for example, needs the wood shaft oiled and polished as much as the blade at the end, since that is what is between you and the pointy end. If it isn't maintained, your weapon could break in combat or it could be damaged when you try to handle it."

Artorias selected a simple steel short sword from the rack, the edges and tip blunted for use as a sparring sword rather than a battle ready blade. He carried the sword back to Talyssa and Dread, setting the sword down with a gentle clink of metal on the stone floor, gesturing for them to come closer and inspect it. "Your basic sword," he introduced them to the weapon. "Feel free to touch it, but keep your paws away from the edges. This one is not sharp enough to cut, but you should treat every weapon with respect and caution." The Aegis smiled at the children, giving them time to explore and ask any questions they had. Lifting a paw, Art began to point out the different parts of the sword to the curious puppies. "This is the blade, the part that slices and stabs. Below that is your crossguard, the part that protects you from your own blade and gives you a more secure hold on the weapon. Below that is the grip where you hold it with your jaws, and at the bottom is the pommel. This one is simple in design, but some are much fancier and highly decorated."

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "Corbin" | "Eira" | "Argent"

While she had been the first one to wander into the armory on her own ... as time went on, it became clear that Dread was the one who had more interest in staying. He shot off question after question, completely absorbed in the topic, and her father was clearly happy to cultivate the enthusiasm. While she didn't share that same interest in the weapons that the boy did, she was trying her best to be respectful. However, that didn't stop her eyes from glazing over momentarily as the two males went on to discuss the upkeep of the weapons.

However, her father's movement brought her attention back to the surface. Blinking, she watched as the Aegis picked out a smaller steel blade from the rack of swords. Obviously satisfied with his selection, her father brought the tool back to where had originally stood placing it on the ground to be observed. She drew closer as was indicated, but didn't make a move to touch the metal until she was given express permission to do so. Keep your paws away from the edges. While he assured them that it was not one that would cut them, the girl had already made the decision to treat it as such- respect or not. Talyssa tentatively raised an ivory-gloved paw to its surface. Lightly tracing the metal with her toes before withdrawing once again. It was pretty cool to look at. She couldn't deny that.

But while she didn't much care for the hows and whys. She was interested in the vocabulary that her father used to describe its parts. Crossguard and Pommel were new words- ones that she would commit to memory. "Do more decorated ones work as well?" Did decoration make them work better? She couldn't quite wrap her mind around why you'd want to decorate a blade.