Finding Your Balance

Artorias saw the thin trails of crystalline tears shimmering almost like diamonds on the edges of Sirius' muzzle when he peeked at the man beside him. The sight froze him on the spot, watching silently while the emotions ran down his face. He didn't need to be a psychic to know who he was thinking of to draw such a reaction from the hardened Warlord. He also didn't know what directions to give from here. He felt way out of his league with an emotional Sirius on his paws. He had been preparing for anger, for an explosion or eruption, but this... this silent, painful sadness... He had not been prepared for this. Artorias swallowed hard, trying to think of what he could even attempt to say, but no words he could come up with could do justice to the sense of loss and longing hurting Seer. A thought came to his mind. It was something Resin had said to him the day she locked herself away from the world with a pained look in her eye. It was the only advice he could think of worthy of the glorious love Sirius harbored for his Zee.

"Look at her," he spoke softly, watching Sirius' expressions all the while, all thoughts of meditation for himself gone while he worked to help his friend through this. "Take in everything that she is. Remember why she is the wolf you chose to be with you right now." He paused, allowing Sirius to follow his guidance, if he was even still listening. "Remember her for how she is with you now. How she made you feel, how she will always make you feel, why she is your wolf you come back to when you need to find your peace." He blinked back a few tears welling up in the corners of his own eyes, feeling an empathetic connection to Sirius that ran deep. "She is always with you to help guide your thoughts and actions. She is yours, and you are hers—you, in this very moment, just the way you are. Calm. Relaxed. The way she always wants you to be. Now make a door in your mind. Think about this moment, memorize it, and come back here through that door to her whenever you feel yourself slipping away."

After a few more moments to allow the heartbroken Warlord some more time with his beloved, Artorias knew it was time to bring their session to a close. "Good... Now walk through the door... Breathe in... Breathe out... and open your eyes..." Once Sirius had returned to the real world, Artorias got down to his belly next to the dire wolf and rested his head against Seer's, offering him someone to lean on. Even though he was still a yearling wolf, he could be someone the seasoned man could turn to when he needed a friend to prop him up. Artorias had always wanted to protect his wolves—all wolves, including the stubborn Warlord, and this was how he could do it. By protecting him from himself. "I'm sorry," he said after a moment, his voice shaking a little, hoping he hadn't upset Sirius too much by dredging up any painful memories.


"Artorias" | Thoughts | "Corbin"