The Great Pumpkins

Artorias smiled when he saw the glee light up Bowen's features when he presented her with the knife. Even if it was just a small gesture like letting her take home some pumpkins, anything he could do to bring that smile that warmed his heart back to her beautiful face was worth whatever it took. What he hadn't been expecting though was Bowen to thank him with a gesture all her own, humming with surprise when she brought her lips up to capture his. The big brute melted easily into their kiss, equally as bold with his kisses and eagerly parted his lips until he tasted her tongue against his own, sampling her flavor that had become a welcome and familiar one on his palate. He would never stop loving the sweet feminine taste of her, so very distinctly Bowen. When she came closer and placed her paw over his beating heart, he lifted a thick foreleg to drape across her back, keeping her small, svelte body close to his so he could feel her soft fur glide between his pads. There could be no doubt that this was how the two were meant to be; more than siblings, lovers of the deepest and truest kind.

Bowen's physical affections had near immediate effects on Artorias, feeling the tightening in his core and the endless heat in his belly flaring to life. If either of them didn't stop soon, he didn't know if he'd be able to keep from bending Bowen over one of the pumpkins and giving them both the satisfaction they craved from one another. Fortunately Bowen had more presence of mind than he did at the moment and pushed back to break their kiss, the dark-furred brute taking a soft gasp of air just as Bowen's pink tongue slid over his lower lip, making him tremble for her. Did she know he had something of an oral fixation, or was she just that damned good at turning him on? Bowen's suggestion of what he might be able to do to her later drew a wolfish grin from her big brother, meeting her heated gaze with a fire in his own before he released her to go about the task at hand. Oh yes, he'd be covering her later, of that he was certain.

While Bowen made her selection of pumpkins and cut them from their vines, Artorias grabbed the wagon and followed behind her, scooping up each one and setting them carefully inside. He could see the amount of care and deliberation Bowen was putting into her inspections, and he almost wanted to tell her that they could come back to get more pumpkins whenever she wanted, but the way her muzzle scrunched up while she was scrutinizing each gourd was just too damn adorable to ruin. So Art simple smiled and watched her while trying to keep from giggling at how cute Bowen was. One by one they began to fill the cart until they came to one of the bigger bumpy pumpkins with a thick vine. Artorias watched Bowen saw away at the vine, then saw her recoil with a start and a hiss of pain and his heart leapt up into his throat.

Rushing up to her side, Artorias saw the rivulet of blood spilling down her soft pink paw pad where the knife had cut her. "Here, let me see." He reached out a gentle paw to take hers in his, bringing her wounded pad closer to inspect the damage. The blade had been sharp, but thankfully the cut didn't seem very deep. Bowing his head to bring his muzzle to her paw, Artorias ran his tongue slowly across her paw pad, cleaning away the coppery tasting blood so he could see the wound better. His licks were slow, careful to not hurt her while he tried to soothe the flow of blood, his tongue gliding over and around her paw pad until he's cleaned the ivory and russet fur around her toe.

The bleeding had slowed some, but continued to flow, so Artorias reached toward the vine at their feet and pulled one of the leaves from it, beginning wrap it like a makeshift bandage around her digit, using gentle pressure to keep the wound closed. It was a basic triage trick he'd learned from Gwynevere when they were pups. "I think you'll live," he said with a sarcastic smirk, hoping his bad humor would lighten Bowen up. Bowen was a tough seafaring pirate, so he knew a cut like this wouldn't faze her, and likewise he didn't want to demean her by treating her like a baby.

"Bowen & Artorias"