I'm not leading you astray

Artorias remained calm and composed because if he didn't, he surely would have exploded. So much pain and confusion and anger had shattered his heart to pieces from how Briar had left him so abruptly that if he didn't contain it, he didn't know how he'd react. He remained quiet, content to let Briar say all that she needed to say. So she had been training with Mortis as well, and had gone off to do some more fights on her own. Artorias didn't know the outcome of those fights, but it didn't matter to him. It had never been about winning or losing, but it had been to her. That was where their conflict had come from: he and Briar had prioritized two very different importances to themselves.

Briar ended her monologue by asking him to come to the falls tonight, then before he could think of responding, Briar was running away from him again. Not walking, running. The tawny Fatalis girl bolted off without another word or explanation, just a cryptic invitation leaving the boy staring after her with a start. "Briar!" he called after her, but she was already gone, disappearing into the grasses. He didn't know if he should chase after her or not. He'd never felt so conflicted around interacting with Briar before. It used to be so easy, to just go with his gut and his heart when he was with her, but now his brain was all mixed up and his heart was broken. What did he have to guide him now?

In the end, Artorias stayed right where he was, just staring off in the direction that she'd fled. The greatest surprise came from Mortis when the giant wolf came back to him with a glare, snarling that he'd hurt his sister. He fixed Mortis with a bewildered look. He'd hurt Briar? Was he daft or just plain stupid? "I didn't-" Artorias' words were cut off when the larger wolf shoved his way brutishly past him to chase after his sister, Artorias pulling his paw away from Mort's wing as he went by. He growled after them once Mortis was gone. Fucking Fatalis wolves... Artorias didn't stick around for the family drama to unfold any more, grabbing his sparring sword and sheathing it on his back before setting off down the beach. He needed to take a walk to clear his head.

"Artorias Carpathius"