Unlike the rest of her siblings, Bramble had not gotten a chance to receive swimming lessons. From the view of a balcony high up in the castle, she would watch the water. It taunted her. Calling out as if it were a siren serenading a sailor. If she were being honest, she was rather terrified. Baths given to her by her parents were one thing. The stream running through the grove was different too. Those bodies of water were shallow. They weren't intimidating.

But Bramble Carpathius was not a scaredy cat!

So out she went. Her newly acquired raven (which she had dutifully named Bristle) twirled in the air with her father's companion, Corbin. Both birds kept an eye on the adventurous and brave little girl. They watched her as she scrambled down the rocky pathway from the castle and out onto the shore. It would have been smart of her to invite someone other than a couple of birds to accompany her, but she didn't want to admit that she was afraid of something.

Standing on the sparkling sand on that sunny afternoon, she closed her eyes. Inhaling a deep breath of salty ocean air, Bramble tried to settle her nerves as best as she could. The quiver in her growing legs and the heavy thump of her heart was terrifying and exhilarating at the same time. She could do this! There was nothing to fear, right? It was just some water!

Rushing forward, Bramble met a rolling wave that was topped with frothy foam. Sputtering out a cough, her eyes squeezed shut as she dashed back out. Wet from ear tip to toe tip, she let out a shaky laugh. Okay, that was kind of fun! Maybe the ocean wasn't as scary as she thought. Running back toward the waves, she hopped and skipped for awhile, splashing about. Distracted by a good time in the water, she didn't notice a particularly large wave headed straight for her. One moment she was enjoying the feel of the water rushing over her and the next she was nearly enveloped.

A gulp of water instead of air filled her throat. Both eyes widened out of fear as she struggled against the current. Who was going to save her?!

Bramble Carpathius

When he became a father, Artorias had vowed to always be as present in his children’s lives as he could. Having grown up without a father and never knowing who he came from, he never wanted any of his pups to feel disconnected from him or like he wasn’t present or 100% totally invested in them. That manifested itself in all the ways Artorias spent time with his offspring, taking them on adventures and training them to be little swordsmen like himself and partaking in the things that interested them. Artorias loved his children more than anything else in the world and treasured any chance he got to bond and make memories with them. But the sire also understood the importance of instilling independence in them too, and so when Corbin came fluttering over to him as he did his daily meditation exercises to inform him that Bramble had made her way down to the beach on her own, the Aegis wasn't overly concerned but decided to perhaps do his meditation down on the beach so he could keep an eye on his daughter near the water. After Talyssa had been spotted with a concerning stranger in the neighboring territory, a father couldn't be too cautious for his young children.

Padding his way down the beaten dirt path that led from Hearthstone to the Shimmering Shore, Artorias spotted the tawny brown and turquoise pup easily amongst the golden sands. He smiled while he watched her from afar, not doing anything to give his presence away while she explored the beach. Parking his fluffy rump down on the sun-warmed sands, Art watched Bramble for a moment, then closed his eyes and resumed his deep breathing exercises, taking in the salty sea air with delight. The rhythmic lapping of the waves was soothing, a tranquil white noise that washed out all other sounds from his ears. A peel of laughter caused his eyes to peek open and spot Bramble out in the foamy roll of the waves as they hit the shore. He smiled again, watching his daughter bounce about in the surf before running back up the shore to repeat her actions. Art chuckled, closed his eyes, then listened as another wave hit the shore.

Except this time, there was no laughter.

Artorias peeked open an eye again and realized he could no longer see Bramble. Steely eyes snapped open as panic clutched at his chest, his head swerving to and fro frantically as he rose to his paws. Bramble was nowhere in sight. Artorias rushed across the strip of sand that separated him from the edge of the ocean, his heart racing in his chest while wide eyes scrambled to find his daughter. When he spotted her dark form beneath the shallow water a little ways out from the shore, his heart all but stopped. Bramble was fully submerged and not resurfacing.

"Bramble!" The dire wolf charged into the rolling waves without hesitation, his larger form crashing through them with ease like a breakwater. She fortunately wasn't too far out, but to a pup she might as well have been all the way out to sea. He saw her fighting against the pull of the water and dove down, peering through the clear water to find her and scoop her up in his giant paws. While not as little as she was a few months back (dang, these pups grew fast!) she was still small and light enough for Art to be able to move to hoist her up above the water's surface with little more than a flex and a grunt of effort. "I've got you, Bramble! I've got you, sweetheart!" He tried to calm her with gentle reassurances while helping keep her afloat. "Steady now. Slow breaths. Dad's got you, you're safe."

"Artorias" | "Carpathian"

Enveloped by the frothy waves, Bramble took in large gulps. Frightened and struggling to stay afloat, she easily dipped beneath the surface. Was she going to survive? There was no one out here to save her! Panic shook her to the core as her limbs fought against the current. Failing to coordinate her growing legs into a paddling motion to move her upward, Bramble could feel her lungs struggle. Too much water was being sucked in and she could swear she was seeing stars.

It was mere seconds. What felt like a lifetime to the pup was not even a minute. She had no idea her father had followed her to keep a watchful eye. The adventurous and brave little girl had believed she was going to do this alone. Brave Carpathius warriors didn't need assistance! Right? Bramble had clearly fooled herself. She would not even know how to start thanking her dad as he swooped in to save her from a perilous end.

As she broke the surface, scooped up in Artorias' arms, she gasped like a fish out of water. Mouth open wide Bramble inhaled as she sputtered and tried to right all four of her limbs. His hushed tones as he settled her nerves seemed to do the trick as she finally found herself floating in his grip. Looking up with wide eyes, Bramble couldn't find the words. Her lips would open a moment before clamping shut. Embarassed and ashamed of what had just happened, she tried to gather herself. "I-I'm sorry dad," she finally whispered after a moment. "I really wanted to prove that I could do something," her voice shook with tears in her eyes as she floated in the shallows with him.

Bramble Carpathius

The moment that Bramble took that first big gasp of air felt like a wave of relief had crashed over the panicking father. Artorias felt the adrenaline seep away from him as he realized she was okay. He hadn't been too late. Bramble was dazed and confused for a moment, but once her mind had put together the pieces of what had just happened he saw the tears welling up in her green eyes. She apologized to him—what for, he did not know yet—and explained that she just wanted to prove herself. Artorias gently shushed his daughter and stroked her back with a paw, his other still beneath her belly to help keep her floating upright in the placid shoals. "Shhhh... Draga mea, nu plânge. There's nothing to apologize for. I'm just so glad you're okay."

The dire wolf sire breathed another sigh of solace to release the last of the tension that gripped his heart, collapsing back until he was sitting in the shallower water with Bramble. He hugged her close and nuzzled her crown with his snout, then gradually began to let her lower back into the water. He could tell she was embarrassed for needing the save, so he wouldn't coddle her too much unless she wanted it. He had seen her trying to swim on her own and he admired his daughter's bravado and fearlessness, just maybe not the recklessness she approached it with. "Bramble, you should never feel like you have to prove something to us. You are an incredible young lady all on your own when you're not trying to drink the sea," he replied with just a touch of humor, hoping to alleviate some of the upset in his sweet child. A large sapphire blue paw lifted from the water to smooth out Bramble's soaked fur along her forehead, a loving smile painted on his lips. "You know, everyone is terrible the first time they try something. Do you think your dad just picked up a sword one day and didn't go around smashing every vase in the castle like a total klutz?" Artorias chuckled and flashed a reassuring smile to his daughter. "We all learn at our own pace, and there is no shame or weakness in getting help to learn how to improve your skills and yourself."

Glancing up from Bramble to the sea they were cuddling in right now in the wake of her near-death experience, Artorias watched the summer sun bouncing off the glittering blue water. Gulls cried out above their heads and a cool coastal breeze rippled in from the west. It was a perfect summer day. So why let it go to waste? Looking back down to Bramble, Artorias cocked a crooked smile and asked, "Would you like to learn how to swim with your dad? We can practice down here as often as you like until you're the best swimmer in the Hallows!" He rubbed the pup's back again and gave her a little bit of a more serious glance then. "Just promise me you won't try to swim on your own until you're comfortable doing so, okay? You and your siblings are the most important things in the world, and if anything happened to you, I... I don't know what I'd do." Having children had brought a whole new kind of fear into Artorias' world. A fear that something would happen to his babies. A fear that he would be unable to save them. A fear of loss he'd never known before.

"Artorias" | "Carpathian"

The gentle but firm hold her father had on her as he stroked her back was more comforting than she could describe. Even as she looked up at him with tear-filled eyes, she couldn't help but smile. His deep tones soothed her racing heart as she felt herself calm down. After what just happened, Bramble wasn't so sure anymore that she cared to learn how to swim.

Her eyes would close gently as he pulled her close. His affirming words that she didn't have to prove anything were enough. Enough that she felt herself not feel so ashamed. She even let out a little giggle as his touch of humor prodded at her pride. "The water does taste really gross," Bramble admits as she tilts her chin up to meet his gaze. Nothing was nicer than being embraced by her father. It made all of her worries go away.

Another giggle left her mouth as Artorias admitted to being a klutz the first time he picked up a sword. "No way dad! I could never see you being that clumsy!" She picked up a paw to bat at his shoulder playfully. "I guess I could have asked for help... I don't know. I just see how everyone else is so good at things," there is a slight whine in her tone as she admits her jealousy. It wasn't for her lack of trying either. She probably was just as good as her siblings, she just seemed to... care more about how good she was at doing things.

Bramble's expression brightened as he offered to teach her how to swim. "Oh, I would love that!" She chirped as her body gave a little wiggle of excitement. "I'll have to drag you down here every day then!" The young pup laughed as he patted her on the back. Though she didn't quite understand how serious his statement was then, she knew she would come to understand it someday. "I promise I won't come alone anymore! I want to be the best at everything in the Hallows!" She looked up at him with her big teal eyes as if to say c'mon dad lest swim already!

Bramble Carpathius

Despite the fear and panic that both father and daughter had endured not more than a few minutes ago, hearing Bramble manage to giggle at his bad humor brought a peace to Artorias' soul. The sound let him know she would be all right, and it was music to his ears. She even managed to joke back about the gross salty taste of the ocean water, earning her a little rumbling chuckle from her sire. The little sweetheart that she was, Bramble was swift to rebuke his story of how he had been a klutzy pup and adolescent growing up in the castle, and Artorias couldn't help but give a hearty laugh as well. "You are much too sweet to me, Brammy! It's true! Why do you think we have so little pottery in the castle?" Well, that, and a destroyed suit of armor he'd managed to walk into in a drunken stupor following one Feast of Unity, but she didn't need to know that story just yet. Art offered his daughter a compassionate and empathetic smile when she whined about how her siblings all seemed so good at the things they did. "Everyone has talents, Bramble. Some find theirs sooner than others. It took me seasons to learn to fight with a sword when it took your Aunt Gwyn only weeks to memorize herbs and make medicines. I know how it feels when you do your best, but it feels like others get things so much easier than you do." The dire wolf leaned down to nose and nuzzle his pup's damp crown. "You must remember that everyone grows at their own pace. Do not judge yourself by the standards of others. The only one who can defeat you is yourself."

Bramble eagerly accepted his offer to learn how to swim, even going so far as to demand he bring her down here every day until she got the hang of it, earning another delighted laugh from her sire. "As you wish, Your Grace!" he teased her with a mock bow of his head and a wide, toothy smile of amusement. In all honesty, it would be easy for him to give both Bramble and Talyssa swimming lessons together down here, but something in him said that it might be a better idea to let Bramble have solo lessons with him, at least at first. She promised not to come down to the water without an escort anymore, then fixed Art with a gaze that practically begged to be let go to swim. Well, he wouldn't keep his little darling waiting any longer! "That's my girl. Now come, let's find some more agreeable waters for us." Releasing Bramble in the direction of the shore, Artorias stood up and waded back to the beach, keeping to Bramble's side every step of the way to ensure she was okay now. Once his paws hit warm golden sands, Artorias led Bramble a short distance down the coast to the calm little cove he had found to teach Talyssa in. The waters here were much gentler, with placid ripples of the tide barely disturbing the water's surface and shielded from the larger waves by the rocks that surrounded it. A pup's perfect little wading pool!

Artorias gestured for Bramble to get in, then waded in with her to make sure he could grab her if he needed to, but otherwise left her to do all the motions herself. "Swimming is a combination of letting your body float naturally in the water and paddling your paws in synchronization to move yourself around," he explained to his daughter. "Relax your body. Try floating and just feel what it's like. Don't worry, I'll be here for you the whole time. Once you've gotten used to the feeling of floating, try paddling your paws like you're trying to walk in the water. Smooth and steady now."

"Artorias" | "Carpathian"

Bramble listened to her father's words with wide eyes and a gentle smile. Even as he nuzzled the top of her head, she would close them for a moment only to quickly look back at him. What he said was true, but she would have to admit that it was hard. She wanted to be just as good, if not better, than her siblings. If she wouldn't get so distracted or lost in her own head, everything would be so much easier! "I suppose you're right," Bramble admits softly as she attempts to pout but it is quickly replaced with a giggle as Artorias laughs and moves their topic onto the lesson at hand. Following him through the choppy tide until they touched the sand, she practically danced the whole way down the shore. Her eyes would light up at the sight of the wading pool as he led her to it. The pup would not hesitate to jump in. No longer fearful that she would drown since her father was by her side, she splashed in without a second thought. As the water settled, she turned to Artorias and drank in his every word with her big teal eyes. Turning her chin down to look at the surface, she pushed herself closer to the surface and relaxed her muscles. Her body would bob and wobble, unsure of how floating really worked before she got the hang of it. Looking up from the water to her father, a smile spread across her lips. "Am I doing it right?!" She squealed as she began trying to paddle her paws. Splashing a bit rambunctiously, Bramble made her way in a lopsided circle. Bramble Carpathius

It took less than a moment for Bramble to enthusiastically dive back into the shallow water once Artorias had given her the basics on how to keep herself afloat. The absolute fearlessness that his children displayed was one of their most endearing traits and he hoped to foster that same fearless zeal for discovery all throughout their lives. He never wanted any of his children to be help back by their own self-doubts or worries. So seeing Bramble go plunging right into the tide pool brought a delighted grin to the young father's face. Bramble, in all her excitement, began to bob and bounce along the water's surface as she got used to the feeling of being buoyant in the most adorable fashion. It took all of Artorias' self control to keep from giggling like an idiot while he watched how cute his daughter was as she learned how to float.

Still grinning from ear to ear when Bramble looked back at him for feedback, Artorias nodded his head and laughed in playful delight with his child. "Well, you're still above the water, right? So I'd say you're doing great, Brammy!" he replied with a bit of lighthearted teasing. Watching as her little limbs began to kick to make a jerky circle in the water, Art clapped his paws together. "There you go, you're getting the hang of it! Try moving your legs in steady motions, like when you're walking on land. It'll make your motions smoother and you won't flail about as much." Still keeping a constant presence near his daughter, Artorias watched her and let her make her own discoveries and learn her own lessons. She was free to practice swimming as much as she wanted without any fear of danger while he was with her.

"Artorias" | "Carpathian"

Bramble giggled and squealed loudly as she got a better hang of swimming. Listening to her father’s directions, she focused on moving her legs in a more fluid motion so that she wasn’t splashing as much. Soon though she would get tired and make her way back to the edge of the pool. “That was so easy!” Her voice is high-pitched and happy as she hopped out. Shaking out her fur all over with water droplets spraying everywhere, she smiled up at Artorias. “Thank you daddy,” she said warmly as she rushed over to embrace him. “I’m tired though. Can we go get a snack?” The pup’s big teal eyes look up at the dire as her tail wags happily behind her. Bramble Carpathius