I've got a Jar of Dirt

Careful paws ran the smooth whetstone down the length of his sword, eyes following the intricate patterns of the Damascus steel blade as he sharpened the edge. A small, content smile pulled on Artorias' lips, overjoyed to once more have his sword back in his possession. It felt like a part of him that had been stolen had finally returned home. And speaking of things returning home, the loud bellow of his name from somewhere beyond the castle walls caused obsidian ears to prick up. He recognized that voice. Sparrow, the pirate alpha. For once, she was actually calling from the border, observing some modicum of pack decorum instead of just skulking around his lands or waltzing right in. A relieved sigh fell from the Aegis' lips; he'd grown concerned for Artisan's condition over the weeks he'd been here. It was time for bygones to be bygones and perhaps a smoothing of relations.

Slipping his sword back into its scabbard, Artorias slung the blade over his body and headed not for the border, but instead for the wine cellars. He navigated the rows of stacked bottles, moving all the way to the cabinet at the back that housed the finest in the Hallows' collection. The last time he'd been down here while preparing the drinking game for Artisan he'd spotted a bottle appropriate for this moment. He pulled a bottle with an aged label on it, decorated with a Jolly Roger, aptly named Black Pearl vintage, though he couldn't read the words to infer the meaning. He'd snuck a taste to make sure it hadn't bittered, but was instead greeted by a smooth blood red wine mellowed with the taste of blackberries. Artorias took the bottle in his teeth and made his way out of the castle and across the grasslands in the direction of the border Sparrow had called from, Corbin swooping through the air above him while Argent picked up the slack at the rear.

He spotted the speckled woman waiting with her companions, the monkey pulling a covered wagon behind him. That was curious. Quirking a brow upon his arrival, Artorias came to a stop and seated himself casually before his fellow alpha. "I was beginning to wonder when I'd see you again," he spoke in jest. He glanced about behind the Pirate King, scanning the forest for signs of her pack. "I don't see the rest of your crew, Captain Sparrow, so I'm guessing you're not here to set fire to the castle just yet." A wry smirk touched the younger alpha's lips. He wanted this mess to be put behind them and to see if they couldn't end this day with their packs at least on amicable terms.

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