I Hold with Those Who Favor Fire

When he drew nearer to the bed and heard Sirius answer his question with a pouting "no", the blue boy blinked in surprise, then managed a weak, relieved chuckle under his breath. Sirius was alive—he was alive and making snarky remarks. That was a good sign and brought him a little comfort. He hadn't killed the Warlord, and although he was sure it would be an accolade many a wolf would love to claim, he had no desire to be the wolf that slew the Warlord of the Armada.

Tamsyn slipped out of the room past him, allowing the two brutes a chance to talk in private. For a short while, Artorias hovered just a few feet away from Seer's bed, trying to steel his nerves to come closer and talk to the wolf he had almost murdered. In his mind, Artorias had always envisioned any life he took to be for a good cause: defending his pack, saving a life, winning a duel against a force of wickedness or evil. As it turned out, he had almost killed a friend out of pure fucking anger. Noble was anything but how the boy was feeling right now...

Once he had gathered up his courage, Art sucked in a slow breath and took the final few steps forward to assume the position Tamsyn had at the side of Sirius' bed. It was almost better that he hadn't opened his eyes; it allowed Art to really look at what he'd done up close without having to see the blame in those sky blue eyes. "I'm sorry..." The words finally tumbled out of his mouth, spoken softly and without his usual confidence or charisma behind them. They felt cheap, hollow compared to what he had done, but it was all he could think to say. "I lost control, and I- I've never lost control before... Not like that..."

He didn't want to say how much it scared him looking back on events, how easy it had been to slip out of his composure and just act. Amber eyes were softened with guilt and self-reproach while he looked over the "sleeping" Warlord. Nothing he could think of could make right the damage he had done today. "I just... I wanted to make sure I didn't..." Kill you. The words never left his tongue, but there was no mistaking what he had meant to say. Artorias didn't know what he'd do if he had gone all the way and killed Sirius. He didn't dare think about that. He was just relieved that Seer would live.

"Do you want me to go...?" he asked after a few minutes of silence between the two, his eyes turning down to stare at his paws so he wouldn't have to keep looking at Sirius like he was a corpse on display at a wake. He wouldn't blame him if he did. He'd send his mother back in so at least he wouldn't be alone.


"Artorias" | Thoughts | "Corbin"