I told you so!

For the longest, tensest moment, neither Artorias nor the dire wolf moved a muscle. Each seemed to be sizing up the other, considering their options and weighing the consequences. The last time they had faced off, Artorias had never been in an actual life or death fight before. Now he had three tucked under his belt and he was more skilled for each, facing off with his Goliath-sized foe with more confidence than cockiness this time. He could have snorted in frustration when Briar refused to follow his instructions and instead stepped forward to assume a fighting stance. Gods dammit, Briar, why can't you listen to me for once...?! He wanted to look around, to assess their situation and find the optimal route for escape if they needed it. Every good battle started with a plan. Resin had drilled that into his head at a young age. Except he knew if he looked away from his opponent, the dire wolf would strike.

"Briar, now is not the time..." he hissed through clenched jaws. I'm responsible for you... I have to protect you... Though the words were internalized, they didn't change how the boy behaved when he had stood between the giant dire and her. He didn't care if the other wolf had nearly a foot on him and probably close to a hundred pounds too. He would fight tooth and nail to keep Briar safe from harm. His hackles raised as his growls deepened, Art's adolescent voice a cross between threatening and amusing. The dire wolf smirked at the boy and flashed his wickedly sharp teeth to the younglings.

"You are brave as you are stupid. This time, I show no mercy."

All at once, the dire wolf sprung at the children, leaping an almost impossible distance to close the gap between them. Without even thinking about it, Artorias shoved Briar out of the way with his shoulder to intercept the full blow of the dire wolf. The heavy frame of the giant brute slammed into him, sending the boy tumbling head over paws across the snow. Art came to rest on his side, his world still spinning, but he was able to stumble to his feet. No sooner had he gotten up, the dire wolf was charging at him again, lethal jaws open wide to snap down on him. Artorias swung his sword with a grunt to catch the wolf's jaws with the blade, struggling against his opponent's raw strength while he tried to fend him back.

The last time he had locked his sword in this wolf's jaws, his opponent had snapped his weapon in half. This time, however, it seemed that the dire wolf had learned from past mistakes. Instead of biting through the wooden blade, the dire wolf instead brought a massive paw around to clock Artorias in the side of his head, knocking the boy loose from the sword and knocking him back to the ground in a heap. Artorias' ears were ringing and he felt sudden dizziness and pain. He tried to get his bearings, only to watch the dire wolf snap his sword in half again and spit the remains out to the snow, leering menacingly down at the fallen wolf and advancing slowly towards him.


"Artorias" | Thoughts | "Corbin"