Where We Came From, Where We Are

Bowen gave him a gentle kiss on his chin before they headed up and reassured him that he hadn’t failed, he couldn’t save the world. He was still just a mortal wolf, after all. He was indeed exceedingly proud of Bowen for managing to save herself and find her way back home. His little sister was tough, clever, innovative. Though he hated what she’d endured, he admired her tenacity. She never gave up, and neither had he. The fact that they were both standing here together was testament to that.

As he presented Bowen with her glass orb and spoke to her, he saw the light in her eyes, caught the upward turn of her lips when she recognized her treasure. Bowen had hesitated at the door, but stepped into his room to take the glass orb from him, closing the space between them. He watched his little sister examine the trinket from their pasts and felt a sense of completion again. Bowen was home. His tireless days and nights of searching, his endless hopes that she’d one day return, they hadn’t been for nothing. The glass bauble had given him that drive to never give up on her. Now that she was back, it belonged back with its rightful owner: the girl who had squealed with delight when they’d found it amongst the willow grove.

But as happy as seeing her treasured memento had made her, Bowen still carefully dropped it to ground with a clatter of glass on stone. Artorias watched in surprise, but was thrown off of his shock when he felt Bowen throw herself into him, feeling her small, petite body collide into his chest with all her might. He gave a soft "oof" from the impact, but otherwise didn't do more than sway a little as he caught Bowen in his arms, wrapping strong forelegs around his little sister's back, clutching her to his body like the world might try to steal her away again if he ever let go.

Bowen buried her face in his neck, one caramel ear poking into his vision from either side of his snout while her body trembled with each wrenching sob. Artorias' heart ached for her, for the pain she'd had to go through just to come back to them again. Big blue paws pressed to Bowen's back, running slowly up and down through russet and ivory fur while he clung to her, letting her release all of the pent up emotions she'd been harboring. Artorias didn't say a word while he held his crying sister; no words could ever undo the hurt or the time lost. Instead he stroked Bowen's back from shoulder to tail, gently craning his neck down so his head rested over hers and shielded her from a world far too unworthy for a wolf like her. He was seeing past the curtain Bowen had put up to hide her true emotions. He understood how deep her trust for him ran, and he would reward that trust with all the love and security and comfort he could provide. She would never again be away from him or their family—not so long as he was alive.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Corbin" | "Argent"