Show Me the Sea

With Rudyard's reassuring words, Artorias was able to break the grim expression on his face with a little smile. He still watched his brother with a cautious look for a few moments though, making sure he was truly okay. Even if Rudy was fine, he had been the one to put him in that position, unintentionally or otherwise. He was supposed to be the one protecting his family, not putting them in danger. It would take him a moment to gather his nerves back up again, but he would do it. "I know you are, I just..." You just what? Nearly drowned him? "...I wanted to be sure. Mom would beat me something fierce if I hurt you." After a minute had passed, Art allowed himself to relax as well, flopping back to the warm sand, belly up like his brother to let the warmth absorb all of the water from his damp fur. "We gotta look out for each other anyway, right?" He looked over at Rudy with a much more genuine smile this time. "So this is me looking out for you. I gotta make sure you're completely okay."

On his back, Artorias stared up at the bright blue sky with only a few white clouds rolling by overhead. Despite the momentary panic, he did really like the beach and the ocean. The smell of salt on the air, the gentle rhythm of the waves on the shore, and the occasional cry of gulls breaking the white noise. Everything was just so... relaxing. Natural and peaceful. "I'll talk to Avantika," he said after a few moments of relaxing on the beach, not turning away from staring at the sky while he spoke and pondered. "If she's as nice as you say, I guess I can try to be her brother too. If she wants to, that is." Artorias wasn't going to try and force her into interacting if she didn't want to. He wasn't that kind of wolf.