As the castle came into view, Sol's excitement grew. Wolves lived here? He couldn't even imagine the lifestyle differences of those who worked, slept and played safe behind such towering and defensive walls. "It looks pretty powerful." He offered to his brother encouragingly, nudging Khonsu's muzzle with his own. While Sol was not religious the way his twin was, he knew enough to know that his brother would prefer to live nearby a place of power as their beliefs recommended. "It's not natural." Khonsu gave back. "Die here and our souls would return to the dirt or a stone. You know that."

Sol rolled his eyes and sighed. Regardless, they'd give the pack the same chance they gave everyone else. Tipping his head back they called out for an audience with a castle-dwelling wolf, requesting politely to hear of the community that lived here.


Sol & Khonsu

Preparations had been made for the Bonfire Festival and everything was set and ready to go. The Aegis himself was currently supervising over the final checks to ensure the Hallows had plenty of food and drink to go around when the call for an audience rang out for him. Compared to the last call he'd received, this one did not seem to be alarming or worrying, a nice change of pace. Dismissing himself to leave Briar to oversee the meal preparations, Artorias made his way out of the castle and through the gardens out to the plains that surrounded the castle. He hadn't recognized the voice that called for him; another new visitor to the Hallows? Curiosity piqued within the Aegis. He supposed he would get his answer soon enough.

As he approached the borders where the call had come from, Artorias found that his curiosity was far from being satisfied when he spied the newcomer awaiting him. A wolf—or, was it wolves?—stood at the border. At first glance, the only thing that might have been noticeably unusual was their blue and violet fur—at least it was until Artorias drew closer and realized that it was not two wolves standing side by side, but rather a wolf with two heads on one body! Artorias blinked in rapid succession, as if the wolf might vanish before his very eyes by doing so. He continued to approach the stranger, baffled by the existence of such a rare being, but remained composed and welcoming as he regarded the stranger with a smile.

"Good day to you both," Artorias greeted the wolves with a hint of bewilderment in his voice, his gaze moving between both sets of eyes as he would if he were speaking to two separate wolves. "Welcome to the Hallows. I'm Artorias, alpha of this pack. Um... I'm sorry, I hope you won't find me rude, but I've never encountered another wolf like yourselves. Do you prefer to be addressed individually or as one?" Artorias tried his best to be respectful to all those who came to the Hallows, and for the most part it was easy. Preferred pronouns and genders were one thing though, having two entirely separate beings conjoined as one was another that he was fully unsure how to handle.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "Corbin" | "Eira" | "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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The twins watched and waited, Sol's eyes roaming the castle's expansive walls while Khonsu's remained fixed forward to watch for movement. This would be the first Auster pack they were to visit - would the culture here be different, seeing as it was a different continent? The living arrangements sure were a far cry from the packs scattered throughout Boreas. "Do you think it's very dark in there?" Sol asked his brother while they waited.

Khonsu shushed him gently as a wolf came into view, a male whose fur was as visibly thick as their own. It sparked interest in the fuschia eyed twin, who knew a kindred spirit when he saw one. This man's soul must have been once housed within a mountain just like theirs had been. "Greetings, Artorias." Khonsu began with a respectful dip of his head. It was rare a wolf was polite enough to ask aloud how they preferred to be addressed, it spoke good things of this man's character. "I am Khonsu and this is Sol." He gestured to his brother, perhaps superfluously. "We are two souls and prefer to be addressed that way. Thank you for asking."

Sol gave the stranger a shy smile before taking his turn to speak, beginning his well-rehearsed explanation on their presence at Artorias' border. "We are new to this land as I'm sure you can tell." His cobalt eyes dropped a moment in nerves, flicking between the grass and the alpha, and seemingly unable to decide where to direct his attention. "We are in search of a home, and have petitioned every alpha of this land to hear an explanation of their packs before deciding where we might fit in. Could you tell us about The Hallows? That is, if you're currently accepting members."


Sol & Khonsu

Despite his general social anxiety around mislabeling or offending either wolf, the two brothers seemed actually pleased that he had asked for their preference. They were two souls, they said, and preferred to be addressed as such. Artorias nodded; that was easy enough to do, treating them as two beings. "It's a pleasure to meet you both, Sol and Khonsu," he began easily enough, a friendly and welcoming smile adorning his features while Sol began to explain the purpose for their visit to the Hallows. The two were newcomers to the lands, nomads seeking a permanent residence. Artorias' eyes lit up with intrigue. It never failed to amaze him just how many wolves came seeking the Hallows out on their own. He had done little to advertise their presence—something the Aegis really should be doing better, he supposed—and yet wolves kept coming looking for them. It seemed the pack's reputation far exceeded his own expectations!

Sol asked in polite tones for an explanation of the Hallows, the brothers wishing to learn all of the packs in Boreas and Auster to decide where they wished to call their home. The smile on Artorias' face brightened and his tail began a giddy wag on the grass behind him. "I'd be glad to! Come, take a walk with me. You can see some of our lands for yourselves while we talk." Artorias motioned for Sol and Khonsu to freely cross over the border and join him for a short stroll in the warm summer sunshine while they conversed. Artorias led the brothers around the plains that surrounded the castle, letting them take in the sight of the rolling green fields, smell the salt on the air from the adjacent coast and the shimmering sea, and see firsthand all that the Hallows was. "At its core, the Hallows is a sanctuary pack. We offer shelter, safety, and aid to any who come in peace," explained Artorias with a touch of pride in his voice, a smile always on his lips while he surveyed his home lands. "The pack was the lifework of my late mother. She had lived a life full of strife and violence and wished to create a safe space for any who wished to escape that kind of existence. It's a second chance for a lot of wolves; a fresh start for those who need a do-over or just a helping paw. She chose the castle as our home as a symbol of protection and stability. It's been the home to my family for three generations now, as well as the home to more wolves looking for a peaceful life than I could probably count."

The alpha left the air open after his brief synopsis of the pack, allowing Sol and Khonsu to ask questions freely as they thought of them. Art turned his head to regard Sol and Khonsu then, a curious tilt to his head. "Did you have to travel far to get here, Sol and Khonsu? You're welcome to spend a few days resting with us if you'd like. We have plenty of food, drink, and warm beds to go around." He was genuinely curious about the brothers' backgrounds. Their incredibly rare mutation aside, getting to know them would help the Aegis determine if the Hallows would be the right home for the two brothers as well. "Do you mind if I ask what you're both looking for in a home? What values are important to you both?"

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