Outside perspectives

She didn't regret her decision to give Artorias his freedom, but the whole situation had left her with more questions than answers. Once Artorias left to go back to The Hallows she pretty much immediately went to find her sister. Asla had been her source of information for a while when it came to these sorts of things and she knew her older sister would be straight and blunt with her on things. That was what she needed far more than the over protective, tip toeing responses she was sure to get from her father or Mortis if she ever brought things from her relationship up to them - not that she would. The way that her father had responded to catching her and Artorias together was all she really needed to know about how he would respond to anything she brought to him. She was too young even if Artorias wasn't and she wasn't allowed to do anything even if it was fine for Artorias to do them. She often wondered what her father's response would have been if he had found Kotori doing these things with a girl. Would he had been equally as stern and disappointed with her brother? She had a feeling the answer would be no.

That wasn't the thing she needed perspective on right now though and she pushed the thought away as she went looking for Asla near her den. She was glad that this happened while Asla was still here and not after her and her children left. Knowing that their departure was less than a season away now made her try to think of anything and everything she'd want to ask Asla before she was less easily assessable. She didn't doubt that she'd still be able to see Asla often enough even after she left, but it still wouldn't be the same as living in the same pack with her. When she got to her sister's den, she found her nephew crunching through the snow that dusted the ground outside the den and she gave the golden, fluffy pup a grin. "Hi, Arcturus. Is your mother around?"

"Briar Fatalis"