Blind leading the blind

Artorias had never felt more broken and useless in his entire life than he felt at this time. As soon as Briar had come to his side after collapsing on the plains, the young brute had been afraid and lost. He hadn't realized how much he took his sight for granted until his world had become nothing more than flat blue no matter where he looked. No matter how many times he blinked or how hard he rubbed his eyes, the blue never faded. It was panic-inducing, and he could hear the worry in Briar's voice when she saw his condition for the first time. She'd guided him back to the castle, going slow and helping him every time he tripped or stumbled. Trying to walk and navigate the terrain without any vision was a daunting task, one that very nearly broke his spirits completely, but Briar helped him get through it and back into the sanctuary of the castle.

After a fruitless inspection by Gwyn, he'd followed Briar's lead back to his bedroom. It was easier to navigate the corridors and stairs with Briar's help than the rolling and uneven terrain of the plains, so by the time they got to his bedroom door, Briar's tail around his neck had become a welcome guide. All the while, the only thing Artorias could think about was how stupid and reckless he had been. Briar had begged him to go back home, to ignore all the creepy shit and to not be foolish. Look at him now... the alpha laid so low. How idiotic he had been to try to barter with a paranormal entity. He'd felt unprepared to lead the Hallows before—now that task felt impossible. How could a wolf who couldn't even walk a straight line lead a pack? Compared to his current state, Artorias had been more than capable to be an alpha and defend his family from whatever came. Now he was little more than a broken, crippled burden with nothing to redeem himself.

He climbed into his bed, listening to the quiet in the room. Without his sight, his other senses seemed to be amplified somehow. He could hear each subtle step Briar took back to the door, followed by the soft rasp of metal on metal as she closed it behind them and latched it shut. He lay in bed, staring into blue nothingness, listening to his heart race in his head. He heard Briar come back, then felt the bed sag as she climbed up to join him. Her scent hit his nose—she was close to him—and he felt her soft paw pads touch his cheek, the sudden sensation from nowhere making him jump slightly, though he settled quickly. The morose expression on his face deepened when Briar asked if he wanted her to get anyone, and the black and blue brute just shook his head.

"Just stay with me, please," he murmured, his voice low and husky in the quiet of the room. Reaching forward after a moment, Artorias brought a slow, exploratory paw out to find the edge of Briar's body. Once he'd felt her out, he slid his paw forward to wrap around her side, wanting nothing more than to hold her close and pretend that this was just a nightmare he would soon wake up from. He wanted to see her beautiful face. He wanted to tell her that he could see and everything was okay. Both of his wishes would go unanswered. "I should have listened to you..." Ears folded back to his head, glowing blue eyes staring unseeing at her from across the pillows while he beat himself down more than the entity had already done. Such an idiot... A cocky, reckless idiot...

"Artorias Carpathius"