Down

When he called out to Sota, the diminutive wolf greeted him with a bright grin and an absurdly low bow, voice warm and welcoming. Artorias wrinkled his nose and shot Sota a pleading look while he waved him off with a paw. "Sota, c'mon, I'm no king. Sometimes I think you do the bowing just because you know I hate it," he remarked with a humored chuckle, moving to lie on his belly on the smooth river rock beside the creek. "I never knew why my mother didn't like anyone bowing to her, but now I think I'm beginning to get it." Artorias had never made a big deal of himself, never tried to steal the spotlight or be the center of attention. He'd always been happy just existing and doing what he could to make the pack stronger. He didn't see himself as better or more important than anyone else, but knowing he had the faith and respect of his pack mates made him all the more confident in himself.

Dipping his azure-furred paws into the shallow water, Artorias began to survey the tranquil environment they'd both found. It was peaceful, with a few insects buzzing about and songbirds chirping in a nearby tree as life returned to the world. Unbeknownst to him, Sota was reveling in the same appreciation he was. You never knew how much you took something for granted until it wasn't there anymore, like something a mundane and expected as the morning sun. "Yeah, you can say that again." The dire brute chuckled beneath his breath, watching the cool water ripple as it flowed between his toes. These simple pleasures in life... they mattered far more than he ever realized.

Turning fire-kissed eyes back up to the tiny brute lounging on the islet in the middle of the creek, Artorias realized that despite having grown up in the pack, he'd spent precious little time getting to really know some of its more introverted members, like Sota. "Can I ask you a question, Sota?" He waited for his companion to give him his approval, and if he did, he'd ask, "How did my mother get you to join the Hallows? For all the time we've lived together, I've never asked about your life before us, or what made you want to follow her?" Artorias wanted to know who Sota was, what sort of a wolf he was, where he had come from. Maybe it would give him insight into who his mother was, and more importantly, understand why Sota remained even after Resin's death and why he chose to support Artorias.

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