There's No Place Like Home

Every sunrise felt like a blessing in the wake of the Long Night. The healing of the world would be slow, but it was consistent. Artorias walked slowly through the castle gardens, observing the flowerbeds and trees now free of any crystal or mushroom growths. The plant life had returned in full force, vitality he had been afraid would be sapped by the curse coming back as if it had never left. The rest of his wolves were healing too—slowly but surely—at least those that weren't permanently crippled by the events that transpired in the dark. The young alpha frowned when he thought of Laeta and Audra, left paralyzed and half blind for the rest of their lives. Whatever they needed in their lives, the Hallows would provide for them. No wolf would suffer under his care and protection, no matter if the threat was corporeal of ethereal.

A call for him in a familiar yet unexpected voice came from the southern border, widening Artorias' fire-kissed eyes when he heard it. Fern. She'd run off in the middle of the Long Night unannounced, and despite his best attempts to get information, Rudyard had given him little. All he knew was that something had happened and she'd fled from the Hallows, but for the life of him, Artorias couldn't think of what would compel her to leave the safety of the pack for the terrors in the night. The dark-furred brute wasted no time, running through the gatehouse and across the southern plains to find the monochromatic girl looking a mess. She was covered in blood and dirt, her right shoulder shredded with large slashed carving through muscle like a knife through a side of beef. At her side was a strange looking canid of sorts, and judging from his size, was not the culprit of the harm done to her. Good—he wouldn't have to kill this stranger.

"Fern!" Artorias called while he hurried up to her, looking over the damage done to her with a grimace of worry. It did not look good. "By the gods, what happened?! Where did you go? Why did you leave the Hallows?" A flurry of questions flooded his mind for her, but when he looked at the stranger, only one came to his lips. "Who are you?" Defenses were up, but the Aegis could hardly be blamed when a runaway guest was brought back bloodied and beaten by a stranger.

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