There was no denying it, Talyssa was disappointed. Ever since she had met Hattori, she had held out quite a bit of hope that she would see him at the bonfire. But as she replayed their conversation in her head over and over, she began to expect that he likely wouldn't come. I don't think my attendance would be appreciated by your family. His gruffly accented words echoed in the back of her mind. She never knew her family to have enemies. She never heard anything of the sort explained in passing ... but of course, she hadn't asked either. This acknowledgment led her to her next objective in her pursuit of information. Why would Hattori think that?

It didn't take her long to find her father- she approached him quietly, not wanting to interrupt him in whatever he was doing. Though after she stood watching him for a few moments, she couldn't contain her interest any longer. "Hey dad?" She asked lightly, making it obvious that she was requesting his attention. "I have a question ..." Talyssa added, announcing her sudden curiosity so that he might have a moment to prepare. After another few moments of hesitance, she went on with her first inquiry. "What is Tojo-kai?"

Artorias had been dealing with some troubled thoughts all day long. Earlier in the day, his raven Corbin had swooped in with worrying news that Talyssa was being accosted by a stranger on the nearby beach and the scene had not been a friendly one. In a moment of panic, Artorias had sprinted from Hearthstone down to the Shimmering Shore in the blink of an eye. Taly hadn’t called for help, but the Aegis knew how quickly a situation could turn from tense to bad and he wasn’t going to chance his daughter’s safety with some unknown wolf. However, by the time he’d hit the shore, he spotted Talyssa already walking away from a tall yet young wolf, looking not quite a yearling yet, but close. He was also covered in a concerning amount of blood that made the alpha’s gaze narrow to suspicious points. Fortunately for the aggressive-looking boy the shore was still neutral territory, and after watching from a distance to ensure Taly got back to Hallowed lands safe and sound, he left without confrontation. But now he had a serious conversation he needed to have with his daughter.

Despite how he was feeling, Artorias did not immediately go track down Talyssa to talk to him about the scene he’d partially witnessed and what Corbin had told him about the interaction. He didn’t want his child to feel like he was being overbearing or interrogating her. Instead, the inexperienced father wolf went about his day as normal, keeping an eye out for Taly to make sure he knew where she was at all times while mulling over how to best have this conversation with her. The last thing he ever wanted was to make his children feel like he didn’t trust them. Quite the opposite; he trusted them to be smart and make good decisions. It was the rest of the world the Aegis was wary of. He wore far too many scars and learned too many lessons to trust implicitly anymore.

As luck would have it, fate provided him an answer to his dilemma later that evening. As Artorias sat in the quiet of the family’s expansive bedchambers pouring over one of the castle’s many old books, Talyssa’s sweet voice pulled his attention away from the strange text he couldn’t yet decipher, amber eyes finding his little girl and brightening to see her. "Taly, hello!" he greeted her, all smiles as he always was to see any of his pups. She continued, telling him she had a question. Artorias cocked his head to one side, letting Lys continue with her train of thought. Artorias was prepared to answer something regarding that stranger on the beach. Maybe she had seen her father lurking around down there, watching them?

The question that followed was not at all what Artorias had expected! The ebony and sapphire brute blinked in surprise a couple of times as the name Tojo-kai fell from Talyssa’s lips. Turning to face her a little more, Art furrowed his brow in curiosity, his head still tilted to one side in comical canine confusion. "They are a pack that lives in the far south of Auster, down near the southern coast. Where did you hear about Tojo-kai from, Lyssie?" While he hadn’t done anything to hide the existence of their neighboring pack from his studious pups, the southern pack kept almost entirely to themselves, and had no relation to the Hallows. So how had Talyssa found out about a pack that did its best to remain hidden?

"Artorias Carpathius"

As her father looked up from whatever book he seemed to be in careful consideration of at the sound of her voice, she was met with the warmth of familiar affection that always brought a sense of comfort. It was if her father had the ability to project whatever energy he wanted into a room to change the mood of everyone involved. Or perhaps he just had that effect on her, and she admired him for it. Immediately mirroring his grin with one of her own, she drew in closer. But as she retreated into deeper thought, her expression wrenched into a deeper concentration as she began to pair word with sentiment.

The explanation she was offered on Tojo-kai was a little vague to her liking. But of course, she didn't elaborate on the kind of information she was looking for from her father. Something about the allure of the unknown spoke to her, and as she slowly began to unravel the fog of war, that interest only became that much more heightened. "I met Hattori." Talyssa answered. The girl was unsure exactly what the black and orange man was to Tojo-kai as he did not elaborate. She did not know his status or rank- only that he was gentle and kind to her. But based on the context of him being familiar with her family, she expected her own father to be familiar with the koi wolf without a whole lot of intricate detail to some degree.

After a few moments of hesitation, she went on. "He was nice- I invited him to the bonfire ... but he said he didn't think it was a good idea that he come ..." She trailed off, only a little bit of disappointment evident in her tone. Talyssa had plenty of opportunity to reach acceptance that Hattori probably had a good reason for wanting to avoid the Hallows. So she would do her best to keep her emotion aside in her pursuit of the truth. It was then she recalled his exact phrasing. "He said he didn't think his attendance would be appreciated by our family." Lys repeated in an attempt to offer more clarity as to what the interaction had been.

Which brought her to her next questions. "Is that true? Why would he think that?" She asked, looking up to Artorias with clear intention as she awaited further insight.

Talyssa explained where her curiosity had stemmed from, and again the answer had been unexpected and a little concerning for the father to hear. She had met Hattori, likely in one of the unclaimed lands around their pack. While Artorias did not suspect the alpha would be a danger to his pups, it did surprise him to hear that the feudal clan leader had ventured out of seclusion to interact with the outside world. Perhaps Tojo-kai's help-imposed isolation was beginning to wear on the wolves that dwelled within the bamboo? Talyssa now had her father's full attention. Artorias closed the book and dropped down from the desk, facing his daughter properly with astute amber optics fixed on her. "Did you now?" he asked in elucidation. Taly went on to explain how he had been nice to her, and how she had invited him to their Bonfire Festival. Artorias raised a brow. Well now, that would have been good information to have on the day of, lest the koi wolf show up and be met with guards at his throat.

Little Lyssa relayed how Hattori had declined, citing a distaste from the Carpathians as the reason, and then asked if that was true. Artorias pursed his lips while he mulled over what his daughter was telling him. The situation with Tojo-kai was... complicated, to say the least. The Aegis knew that Ashen and Elysium did not look favorably upon the pack due to the circumstances around its inception, and both packs were close allies of the Hallows. It was understandable how Hattori would come to that conclusion. But for the most part, the pack of koi wolves had kept to themselves, reclusive in the bamboo they had claimed as their home. They had done no harm to the Hallows, given them no cause to dislike them. Yes, Artorias did not agree with the methods or priorities of Hattori, but disagreeing with someone did not make them your enemy.

"Tojo-kai and Hattori are a... complicated story, Talyssa," Artorias began to explain after a few moments of pensive consideration, the sire choosing his words carefully when talking about their neighbors. "There are two kinds of wolves in this world, Taly: those who live by logic and rationality, and those who are driven by emotions and morality. Hattori is very much the former kind of wolf. He is very smart, ambitious, but detached and distant. He used to be married to the Empress of Ashen, but he left her and the family he made with her to form his own pack—Tojo-kai. It was… not a pleasant or amicable separation." Artorias did not want to inundate his young child with too heavy of adult topics like divorce, giving her just the cliff notes of the history pertinent to the story.

"Many wolves believe what he did in order to gain his own pack was horrible, that a father choosing to abandon his family is an unforgivable crime. I do not agree with Hattori’s decisions, but that does not mean we are enemies either. Tojo-Kai has never done anything to harm us or threaten us. They keep to themselves down in their bamboo grove and prefer to be left alone. I assume he thinks our family holds resentment towards him because of our closeness with the Kleins." Artorias took a deep breath, releasing it in a slow sigh while he looked Talyssa in the eye, lowering himself to his belly so he wasn’t towering over the pup. Even with how much she had grown, the dire wolf was still a good bit taller than she was. "Just because we don’t agree with someone does not mean we have to dislike them. Hattori is no enemy of mine or the Carpathius family, and were he or any of his wolves to come to us for aid, he would be welcomed the same as all of our guests."

However, just because the Carpathius family did not hold direct animosity towards the wolves of Tojo-kai or to Hattori, that did not mean everything was sunshine and rainbows between the two packs. "However, friendship goes both ways. Hattori has never Tried to contact us, and we have respected Tojo-kai’s wishes to be left alone." If Hattori wished to change that dynamic of his pack, Artorias would be willing to talk with the fellow alpha. Hearing that the koi wolf had been kind to his daughter did go a long way towards giving Art a favorable view of him. This was a surprisingly deep topic for a pup to have stumbled across, and it further showed just how far Taly’s inquisitive mind took her. His middling daughter had such a kind heart and pure mind, the way she saw the good in the world inspired Artorias to be the best of himself for her. Artorias let his words trail off then, leaving the air open for Talyssa to ask any questions she had before he began his questioning of her misadventures down at the beach.

"Artorias Carpathius"

When it was introduced to her that the information she was asking for was a difficult request, she wondered if this was a conversation they were going to have at all. Not that she had ever been denied an answer before, but she also wasn't aware of the context she was asking for. But when the Aegis opened with how he would categorize every wolf to some extent- the girl was immediately engulfed, hanging on every word she was given. He described Hattori as one who operated on logic and rationality- and observation that she concur with. While he was nice, and generally kind to her in their one interaction, she deffinitly got the sense of his personal projection being almost militant in a sense.

He used to be married to the Empress of Ashen. A statement that really resonated with her. It left her with a larger array of questions than she had answers, but she would have to come back to them. She wasn't going to allow herself to get lost in the story. Perhaps it was something that she had missed in her excitement, but she also didn't understand why Hattori would leave a pack he was already a leader of- to go and start another pack to be the leader. Assuming being married to the Empress made him Emperor.

When she caught the implication that he had left children in his former pack, it made her a little sad. Talyssa tried to imagine for a moment what it would be like to not have her dad, but she couldn't begin to fathom the scenario. It made her think that Hattori's sons and daughters were probably sad that they were chosen second to ambition. She really wanted to like Hattori, but she had to agree with her father, and seemed that he did not make the best decisions in the scheme of right and wrong. Or at least, how she had interpreted right and wrong. What did provide her quite a bit of insight, was the assurance that just because Hattori had made questionable decisions, didn't make them enemies. It relieved her of that small flicker of guilt that she felt rising in the pit of her chest. That it was wrong to feel fondness for an individual who had previously hurt others for personal gain. The Kleins, so it would be. She inferred that perhaps they were the family of Ashen ... she made a mental note to circle back for clarification.

Talyssa was withdrawn from lingering thought as the movement of her father lowering himself to the ground brought her attention back to the forefront. "If we disagree with someone is it wrong to like them, though?" Seeking some sort of reassurance to the conclusion she had drawn on her own.

As was her way, Talyssa was quiet and contemplative all the while Artorias was speaking, listening to his story and drinking in his explanation. His middling daughter had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, and she drank up everything he told her like it was water and she were parched in the desert. At the end of his story, Artorias fully expected more questions to follow from his sweet, inquisitive little girl—but the question he received was far deeper and more philosophical than he ever could have expected. Amber eyes blinked in surprise, and once the father had recovered from his state, he breathed a slow sigh while he pondered the best answer for her. "No, it's not. The world is not so black and white, Taly. Not everything is strictly good or bad, right or wrong. It would be much easier if it was, but we live in a world painted in shades of gray. Someone can do something bad for the right reasons, and even a wicked individual is capable to doing some good. What's important is having a strong moral compass and beliefs you can trust in. They will not lead you astray, and they will help you when you have to analyze the actions and intentions of others."

Artorias shifted and shuffled to roll over onto his side a little more, relaxing as the philosophical conversation continued. "Take Hattori, for instance. Leaving his family to found his own pack is something I don't think anyone would say is a good thing. But by doing so, he's achieved his life's dreams and he's created a home for all those that follow him now. Did he hurt others to get what he wanted? Yes. Is that wrong? Also yes. But is Hattori an evil wolf for his actions? I do not believe so. I don't think his intentions are to harm anyone. It was an unfortunate consequence of doing what he felt was right." Another pause to allow his daughter to chew on the perspective he offered her, allowing her to draw her own conclusions. Talyssa was such a bright wolf, far smarter than most pups her age. She showed it every day with her surprisingly deep and mature questions. Artorias prayed that she never lost that spark, and that she always questioned everything. "It's okay to disagree with others, Taly. You aren't going to get along with everyone. Gods know your mother and I haven't always agreed on everything, and yet I love her with all my heart! What you have to decide is whether the thing you disagree on is a fundamental issue that you can't ignore. I'm not going to dislike someone because we disagree over our favorite seasons, but I will dislike somebody who disagrees with me on an issue like the value of life, taking pleasure in hurting others, things like that." Artorias tipped his head to the side while he considered his daughter, asking in follow up, "Does that make sense, Lyssa?"

"Artorias Carpathius"

It would be much easier if the world was always black and white. In her brief experience, those were the easiest topics to grasp- when something simply was, or wasn't. But that was before she knew a moral compass could assist her in navigating the grey areas that were outlined to her. Actions seemed relatively simple, but motives seemed entirely more difficult to interpret. "How do you know what someone's intentions are?" She asked softly. Talyssa knew what it was to lie, or to not be completely honest and upfront. But if someone was deliberately trying to lead you astray, she didn't want to be the one to fall for an ill-fated trick.

When her father further settled onto his side, she lowered herself to her stomach, propping herself up on her elbows to ensure she didn't miss anything. Using Hattori for further explanation, she was able to connect more of the dots for herself. She truly did not believe that the older man had any sort of malice in him. Maybe on his own moral compass, he thought he was doing the right thing- making a home for others among potential other reasons. As the situation was illustrated to her, she couldn't help the burning desire to ask Hattori for his version of the story. Perhaps if she ever encountered the koi wolf again, she could ask his help to understand- because she wanted to understand him to avoid misjudging his character. "Do you think it would upset him if I were to ever ask him why he went off on his own?" She asked, not quite able to decide if that was a safe conversation for her to navigate on her own.

As he elaborated on the differences of dislikable offenses, it certainly brought her a sense of clarity on the matter. The idea of her parents not always seeing things the same way brought on an interested grin. While she had never thought about disagreements in this sort of context before, it made obvious sense now. "Yeah, it does." She answered, echoing her thoughts to some degree. But the last couple of examples he had offered her immediately made her think of the boy that had killed the fox on the beach. It still brought her feelings of frustration leftover from what she had seen, and what she had argued against ... it made her think that this might be a good opportunity to talk about that whole event as well. "I met someone else on the beach ... and he was rather cruel." Talyssa started, looking away for a moment as she sought out the most important details first. "He wasn't quite a yearling, but a little older than me- he just chased down this fox, and the way he killed it ... it just seemed to cause more suffering than necessary. I tried to show him a more respectful way, but I don't think he cared." The girl explained, trying to draw a parallel to what they had been talking about.

The more the father and daughter talked, the deeper their conversation seemed to grow. Artorias had expected a degree of sophistication and maturity beyond her age from Talyssa, which was why he did not mind having these types of talk with his inquisitive pup. She craved to know how the world worked, hungered for knowledge well beyond the scope of her years. He would sate her desire to learn as much as he could, sharing with her the wisdom he had accumulated over the years—to a measured degree, of course. There were some topics of conversation that a young girl like herself didn't need to be exposed to yet. More than anything, Artorias wanted to prepare his children to face the world with fearless confidence and courage and have the faith that they would become good wolves, continuing the Carpathian legacy of bringing light into a world filled with darkness. If he could preserve Taly's innocence for just that much longer, he would do his best to do so.

Talyssa asked the astute question of how you could tell someone's intentions. Artorias drew in a deep breath and released it in a heavy sigh, his fire-toned eyes growing a touch darker. "Sometimes you can't," he admitted to her. It wasn't a great answer, but it was the true answer. "Some wolves are very good at hiding their true intentions. All we can do is use our intuition and instincts to decide for ourselves. We can rely on those natural alarms inside ourselves to alert us when something or someone is wrong. If somebody says or does something that makes you feel uncomfortable, makes your fur stand on end from the way they act or speak or behave, that's your instincts telling you they likely mean you harm." Hopefully, Talyssa would know exactly what he was talking about. Flashing memories of watching her walk away from the blood-soaked boy on the beach came to his mind. He hoped that her instincts had been screaming at her then to get out of that situation before things turned nasty.

Her next question was about Hattori, and it made Artorias pause to ponder for a moment. He did not know Hattori very well admittedly, but he did not suspect the stoic wolf would take much offense to someone asking him a simple question. "No, I imagine he would likely answer you as evenly as if you had asked him how the weather was. Hattori has never struck me as the kind to ever let emotions get the best of him. I also think you might be the only wolf who's ever asked him for his side." Look at Taly go, being the diplomat to the world. His child's innocence and ability to see the good in all things often inspired the sometimes dour Artorias—but it did also worry him for his daughter's safety in the world. There were many who would take advantage of such innocence and prey on wolves as kind and gentle as her.

As if reading his mind, the tawny pup brought up the greatest concern at the forefront of her father's mind: the stranger on the beach. Artorias' face grew grievous, his eyes darkening some as Talyssa began to explain everything to him. He let his daughter talk, waiting until she finished before he responded simply with, "I know." Artorias sat up a little straighter, fixing Lyssa with a serious look. "I saw the end of your interaction. Corbin filled me in on the rest. On what that boy did, how he behaved towards you..." How he looked at you... The thought wasn't said aloud. That was not a conversation that needed to happen today. Not yet, at least. "He is the reason I'm talking to you about all of this, Taly. He is exactly the kind of wolf who is diametrically opposed to us. Everything he did was entirely inappropriate. Killing for sport and pleasure is not our natural way. Being cruel and deriving joy from others' pain and misery is not what we believe in. He may not have cared. He likely didn't. And you can't change or fix wolves like that."

Artorias tilted his head a little as he considered Talyssa's experience. Maybe she knew more than she was letting on about her intuition. "When you were speaking to him, listening to him, did you feel an anxiousness inside you that you couldn't explain? A feeling like something was off or wrong, but you couldn't put your paw on it? Those are the instincts and intuitions telling you that you might be in danger. That the wolf you're with might not have good intentions for you. Sometimes they are subtle, and sometimes they are obvious. Slaughtering a fox and desecrating its remains for no reason beyond joy tells you a lot about that boy, and about who he is and what he believes in." Artorias raised a paw and gestured towards Talyssa. "Those are the kind of disagreements we cannot overcome and should never accept. They are an abomination to all that we believe in and all that our family and pack stands for." Shifting to slide closer to his pup, Artorias went to gingerly lay one of his larger paws over top of Taly's, a pleading and concerned look in his fire opal eyes. "You are so smart, Lyssa. I love you so much and I trust you to make good and just choices in your life. But promise me that if you ever end up in a situation that makes you feel uncomfortable, uneasy, or unsafe that you will get yourself out of it as quickly as you can. If you're in danger, call for me, and no matter where you are, I will come to you and I will protect you. I don't ever want you to feel embarrassed to turn to me and your mother for help." Artorias knew the gravity of this conversation would likely be lost on a pup Talyssa's age, and that she probably wouldn't come to appreciate her father's support and aid until she was older, but he needed her to know she could always turn to him for anything.

"Artorias Carpathius"

At first, the idea that you couldn't always tell the intentions of another troubled her. It was another grey area that didn't have a clear answer like she so craved. However, it didn't take her long to arrive at the conclusion that it was just another social skill set- one that she was sure she wanted to spend her life trying to develop in that brief instance. Listening to her father describe the natural instincts that all wolves had in this kind of situation did bring her a sort of recognition. These were things she had experienced with the stranger on the beach- however, instead of responding accordingly, she balked, and now felt guilty for doing so.

His interpretation of the koi wolf's response was very easy for her to imagine. It seemed that her father had the older man's mannerisms picked out quite well. When he insinuated that she might just be the first one to ask his side, it brought her an odd sense of pride. A solemn grin passed over her features as she murmured in a gentle tone. "It wouldn't change the things he did ... but it might help bring understanding." That was, after all, what she was after. It seemed that all of her siblings were in some grandiose competition of sorts. Between each other, and the rest of the world. The greatest fighter. The greatest swordsmen. The greatest adventurer ... the truth of the matter was, she didn't want to be the greatest anything. However, she did want to know and understand as much as she could- and she felt that this was a decent start in doing so.

When he explained that he already had insight as to what happened with the stranger on the beach, she wasn't all that surprised. In the moment, she had forgotten about Corbin being there- she had become absorbed in her crusade to try and make the world a better place. But one of her parents' companions was always near by- for this very reason, she supposed. As it was outlined to her that the stranger on the beach was a prime example of wolves that couldn't be trusted, she offered a subtle nod. At the time, she thought that if she presented the boy with a better way, she could have changed him for the better. She had believed that he could have been a rational individual, and when answered with logic, could even possibly want to change.  It was clear now that was never going to happen, and as she heard the same sentiment repeated back to her in her father's voice, it brought the entire encounter full circle. Now ... she felt foolish.

"Part of me knew I should have run." Talyssa answered, thinking back to the very beginning of the encounter- before the stranger even recognized that she was there. Before she confronted him for the first time. In the end ... she really didn't have a good answer as to why she lingered. "I don't know how to explain it, though. Another part couldn't look away. It was ... watching something terrible happen, and not being able to ignore it. I wanted to do something- intervene, maybe. But I didn't know how, or if I even should." Maybe that was evidence of the moral compass he had mentioned to her earlier- even though it didn't give very clear directions. "Truthfully, I think I stayed out of anger." Such a blatant disregard for the natural order of things. The way he had insulted her, belittled and mocked her with unnecessary gore. It had gotten to her, just the way the boy had wanted.

When her father's massive paw lightly covered her own, she looked up- meeting a look of concern that she hoped to never be the cause of ever again. She couldn't stand to see him upset. "I promise," Talyssa echoed, trying to think of anything else she could say to convince him of that. "I promise I'll never hesitate to ask your help ..." She repeated. "But can you promise me that we can have more talks like this one?"

Talyssa shared her reasonings for wanting to speak further with Hattori, and once more Artorias was impressed by the maturity his very young pup showed in her logic. She had clearly put some thought into her interactions with the koi alpha from Tojo-kai and it had been on her mind for some time. Artorias gave Taly a little nod of his head and replied, "If that is knowledge you wish to pursue, then I don't think it would be a bad idea to ask him for his side. The worst he could say is no." Art made a mental note to have a conversation with Hattori, perhaps inviting the other alpha to the Hallows for a visit so he could once again meet the Aegis' inquisitive daughter and be subject to her good-natured interrogations. It would be the first interaction the Hallows and Tojo-kai had ever had officially, and it would all come about because of Talyssa's curiosity. His daughter was shaping up to be one hell of a diplomat before she'd even had her yearling birthday!

The next part of the conversation was the part that Artorias had been most anxious about having. He did not suspect Talyssa would take his lecture about the dangers of the stranger on the beach badly, but he had also never discouraged his children from making friends and interacting with others either. Now he was doing exactly that, hoping that Lyssa wouldn't think he was being mean or unfair by warning her to steer clear of that boy. But true to her character, the small tawny pup took everything in stride. She listened attentively while her sire spoke, and Artorias could already see the gears turning behind those bright blue eyes as she processed and thought over his words. When he finished, Taly seemed almost... ashamed. Artorias' brow furrowed a touch as his daughter replied. Some part of her had known she should have run from the boy while another part wanted to try to correct his misbegotten ways. In that moment, Artorias saw himself in Talyssa's spirit, and in that moment the haunting words of his sister echoed in his head again.

"You can't save the world, Art."

Artorias drew in a deep breath, held it in his lungs for a few seconds, then let it out in a slow, controlled breath. He understood well how Taly had felt. He had felt those same impulses and drives, especially in his younger years. "It's difficult for wolves like us to look away when we see injustice or malice in the world. Our family has a drive in us to do good. I have it... now you have it as well, Taly." Art offered his daughter an empathetic smile and gentle eyes. "I'm not upset at you for doing what you felt was right. Your moral compass told you what you saw was wrong and you wanted to make it right. That's exactly what I want you to feel. It means you're a good wolf, Taly, and I'm very proud of you for knowing something was wrong when you saw it."

However, there was a catch to the father's pride. "But your safety and wellbeing is paramount to everything else. A wolf with violent tendencies like that is extremely dangerous, Talyssa. Your body and your life are the most precious things you own and you only get one of each. If you sense danger, protect them at all times, whether it's by running, fighting, calling for help, or avoiding them altogether. It's okay to want to find the good in all creatures, but having a healthy dose of suspicion for those you don't know or those who make you feel what you felt today is also good and can help keep you safe and alive." He hoped his words made sense to Talyssa. This was an incredibly heavy subject for a child, and though Art was skirting most of the gristly and explicit details of wolves like the boy on the beach, he hoped that she might understand even a bit without him having to rob her of that naivety just yet.

When Talyssa looked him in the eye and made her promise to him, Artorias could have breathed a sigh of relief. She had taken this conversation so well—not that he really expected any differently—and he trusted his daughter to keep her word. "Thank you, Lyssa. I just want you to be safe and make smart decisions in life." Wasn't that what every father hoped for their children? A life of peace, prosperity, and health? She also promised to call for his help if she ever needed it, and Art could have scooped her up into a snuggle right then and there. His warm smile returned again as he slid across his belly closer so he could lean in and nuzzle his daughter's crown. "You'll always have me to turn to, Taly. I would run to the ends of the earth and back again if it was to protect you." He would also cut down anyone who dared to threaten his darling princess, but Talyssa wasn't one of his combat-inclined children, so he didn't feel the need to share that with her.

Talyssa's request for him in turn was one that both took him by surprise and was really no surprise at all when he thought about it. The sire wolf's smile widened and he nodded. "We can have these kinds of talks whenever you'd like, printesa mea. Any time, any subject, you can come to me and I'll be happy to share this time with you, just the two of us." Ethics and morals, pack and family history, hell Artorias would even talk girly stuff with her if she felt like chatting to her dear old dad about that! Anything and everything, whatever her heart desired, he would make it so. Leaning closer, Artorias would go to place a gentle kiss on Taly's forehead just above her brows, looking at his little girl with all the love in the universe in his flame-kissed eyes. "Ești atât de prețios pentru mine. Te iubesc asa de mult, Talyssa Carpathius." With a slight tilt to his head, the sapphire-furred brute asked, "Was there more you wished to talk about, my little angel?"

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian"

There was something empowering behind the idea that the worst could happen was refusal. It gave her credence in a potential situation that she previously lacked confidence in only a few moments ago. With the recognition illuminating her features, she offered her father a grin before answering in a musing tone. “If I ever meet him again, then I will ask and see what he says.” Talyssa vowed. Of course, she wouldn’t seek Tojo-kai out. But maybe one day her path would cross Hatori’s once more, and then she could attempt to get further explanation.

It seemed that there might have been more weight on her father’s mind than he led on, brought on by further exchange of the stranger- and it seemed that the concern in his brow only grew more defined as the conversation went on. Or maybe she was just imagining it. It was difficult to tell. However, when he included her in his mention of morals that carried their family as a whole, it made her feel less guilty. If it was in her nature- a nature she inherited from her blood- it couldn’t have been all bad. Followed by her sire’s encouragement of her sudden spark of righteousness, she found it a bit easier to not be so regretful of how things transpired on the beach with the morbid stranger. The things she felt, she felt them for the right reasons. Her own personal intentions had been true. Sadly, that wasn’t the only thing that need to be taken into consideration, and she knew her father was right.

Talyssa knew she wasn’t much of a fighter, but she could run. That had always been her plan in the event things got too heated. But she didn’t know if now was a good time to offer that information. She didn’t think he was looking for excuses or explanations in their discussion. So she relented in sharing that last bit, nodding along as the Aegis spoke. The promise- the reassurance that she would be more cautious and wouldn’t hesitate to call for help seemed to have been the key for relief to some of the heaviness that had accumulated from the sentiment behind their words. “I’ll be safe … and I would never make a not-smart decision on purpose.” Talyssa reassured with child-like conviction, answering his own affectionate smile with a slightly more playful one of her own.

Taly leaned into the touch on her forehead, eye clenched tight as she pushed back every so slightly into the comforting gesture. “I know you would.” The girl answered, not entirely knowing for sure just how true that statement was. When it came to the answer of the promise she asked in turn, she couldn’t help the brief rapture of excitement that overwhelmed her- from the twinkle to her gaze, and the sway of her tail against the ground behind her. She would make a point to come seeking out more of these talks as time went on. As her interests grew in the topics of history and relations, she knew that her father would be one of her greatest resources, and she was all too eager to take advantage of his wisdom. Her mind raced as to what their next topic might be, but that train of thought was interrupted by the kiss that was placed just above her brows. The tones of the Carpathian language that echoed between them simply sealed the end of their moment- she was compelled to attempt a response of her own … even if didn’t sound quite as smooth as her father’s. ”Și eu... te iubesc, Tati." She paused for a moment before lightly shaking her head. “No, that’s a lot to process for one evening.” She finally answered. “But I’ll come prepared for next time!” but quickly interjected, reaching forward into a deep stretch before rising to her paws.

For as worried as Artorias was over the safety of his young daughter, Talyssa did a good job reassuring him that she had learned something from this lesson. His tawny pup promised him that she would be safe, and that she would never make an unwise decision on purpose. Artorias smiled, but there was a dark and deathly seriousness behind his eyes as he replied, "I know you wouldn't, Taly. It is not you I don't trust. You always have your father's full faith in you." No, quite the contrary, in fact. Artorias trusted his daughter to make smart and safe choices. It was the rest of the world that he put little faith in. The Aegis had seen so much darkness and destruction in his short lifetime, grotesque and perverted means of wickedness and ruin that made his initial trust a difficult thing for many to attain. Artorias lived his life with a healthy dose of suspicion for the motives of all that he didn't know. Only once he got to know an individual and learn them on a personal level did the Carpathian put his trust in them. It was all he could do to safeguard his family and protect himself.

Alleviating the mood from its dour fog, Talyssa's enthusiasm as he permitted her to seek out these sorts of talks whenever she wished brought a genuine smile and a peel of laughter from her father. His own mothers had always encouraged him and his siblings to pursue the passions of their hearts and he had always vowed to do the same for his own children. Seeing the sheer excitement and joy on their precious, innocent faces... that alone was reward in of itself! She tried to reply to his affections in their language as well, and though it lacked the fluidity of someone fluent or well versed in Carpathian, she was doing incredibly well for her age! Artorias smiled lovingly to his pup and when she confirmed she had no further things she wished to discuss, Art leaned closer and placed a tender lick to his daughter's forehead. "I'm glad we had this talk, Lyssa. You're going to be a force of benevolence in this world, and I am so proud to have you as my daughter. Now hurry off to bed. It's getting late, and your mother will have my hide if I keep you up too late." Another deep chuckle from the sire as he bid his child off to sleep. "Vise dulci, dragoste mică. I will be down soon to join you and your siblings." Soon the pups would be old enough for their own rooms, but for now they all shared the expansive alpha's quarters. All the better for Artorias to make sure his children remained safe and sound.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian"