The Rains Fall Mainly on the Plains

Artorias lay on his back across the bed he and Briar shared, panting hard to try and catch his breath while he floated in the wonderful afterglow of the couple vigorous rounds of morning sex they'd started their day with. The Fatalis princess was insatiable in her heat season—not that he was complaining in the least!—and had become his constant focus since she'd moved in. Truly Artorias couldn't recall a time when he'd felt happier or more complete than he did when he was with her like this, both wolves catching their breaths while Briar lay across his chest, clinging to his side, satisfied grins on both of their faces. Artorias would have been content to spend the rest of they day like this with her, but a sudden and unexpected call from the borders for him drew a grumbling groan of frustration from the alpha. He considered for a moment the ramifications of if he just ignored the call and stayed here, but Briar nudged him to be good and go see who it was. Reluctantly untangling himself from his lover with a parting kiss and a promise to be back soon with snacks, Artorias headed out of the castle.

Crossing the plains towards the northern border where the call had come from, Artorias spotted the stranger from a mile away. Their vibrant royal purple fur stood out against the verdant green landscape. It wasn't a wolf he knew, so he was suddenly glad that Briar had urged him to go to his duty as Aegis. What if this wolf needed help and he'd ignored them in favor of post-coital snuggling? Yeah, that wouldn't look good on the Hallows. Coming closer, Artorias noted a few things. The stranger was a fae, almost as tall as he was, lithe and slender with a very feminine physique. She sported several noticeable mutations, including her leonine paws and crests of bone atop her head. She carried herself with the demeanor of someone of importance, and her natural scent held the undertones of other wolves—a band, perhaps, or another new pack? Well, it seemed like he'd be doing a little bit of diplomacy today. Thankfully, the rains had staved off through the night, so while the grass was damp, it wasn't drenched and they wouldn't be wet chatting at the border.

Arriving before the svelte woman, Artorias dipped his head in greeting and came to sit before her, fire opal eyes regarding her with warmth and welcome. "Good morning," he said in his rich baritone voice. "Welcome to the Hallows. I'm Artorias Carpathius, Aegis of the Hallows." He let his greeting trail off so she could introduce herself, a curiosity gleaming in his fire-kissed eyes as he wondered what brought this regal-looking stranger to his pack.

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