fly so high that i need to come down for oxygen

Just before he gave his direction, Artorias saw the lot of uncertainty in Zephyrus' expression when he suggested the young argentavis could one day decide where he spent his seasons. He wanted to know more about the boy's unsureness, but the ever obedient and good lad that he was, Zephyr gave no protests when asked to scout them out some shelter. From the air, he'd be able to spot a place for them to hunker down far faster than if they scouted from the ground, and time was a pressing factor. The electric charge in the humid air was growing stronger, and the rumbles and claps of threatening thunder was getting closer by the minute. The wind picked up into a powerful gale just as Artorias watched Zephyr take to the air, gliding on the gusting coastal current high into the air above him. He watched his ward for a moment longer, making sure he was stable in his flight. He knew this was a lot to ask of a new flyer, but they didn't have much choice in the matter. Necessity dictated a push of boundaries and comfort zones, no matter how much it worried the Aegis as a parent to ask so much of his child.

When he felt sure Zephyrus had his bearings, Artorias began to race off across the grassy fields along the tops of the cliffs, paws thundering over the land while the wind whipped up his dense fur coat. It took him a moment to realize the rain had started falling, a thick, icy drop smacking him right between the eyes and causing him to turn his gaze up. The clouds as dark as pitch had completed their roll in toward the shore, and with them came louder booms of thunder that were more akin to explosions. The rain steadily began to fall faster and harder, pelting the wolf as he ran after his son, keeping sharp eyes locked on his form in the air with nothing short of heart-stopping worry that the air currents might be too strong. Zeph would wobble about, trying to avoid being hit by the rain while flapping his wings with all his might. Artorias' legs similarly were racing, heart and muscles pumping while he used all of his athletic skills to navigate the rocky uneven terrain to follow his airborne son.

At some point, Zephyrus disappeared out of line of sight while Art dipped in a thicket of trees, and when he reemerged, he couldn't spot the young raptor anywhere. His heart stopped, the wolf skidding to a halt while glancing anxiously about the dark skies. Where had he gone?! "Zephyrus?!" Artorias called out into the howling wind, barely feeling the rain that hit him like bullets. A raptorial screech caught his attention, head snapping in its direction towards a higher portion of the cliffs. There! Not a second was wasted while the Aegis raced through the damp grass in the direction of his son's desperate call. The wind was blowing so strong now it was turning the rain sideways, whipping him in the face with such a bluster that Artorias had to squint against its force just to see. His cheeks and nose burned against the weather, the clouds overhead churning and swirling as the hurricane made landfall. Then the downpour started.

All at once, Artorias was drenched from tip to tail as lightning joined the chorus of thunder, piercing from the sky to the earth in deadly bolts. Artorias had never seen a storm like this before! His heart hammered in his chest, panicking while he rushed on, thinking only of Zephyrus' safety. Running through a particularly slick portion of grass, Artorias skidded out with a yelp and a grunt, gritting his teeth while he scrambled back to his paws and pressed on. All around him, woodland animals scurried and sprinted for shelter from the oncoming storm. A minute later, he arrived at the waterlogged path leading up the cliffs to where Zephyrus was shouting for him. He spotted his ward pressed against the cliff, trying to shield himself from the wind. Thank the gods he was okay...! "Zephyrus! Get inside!" he shouted back, sprinting up the path and once more losing his footing under the rushing water. The wolf slipped and slid down the rough terrain, bumping and bruising himself up in the process but refusing to go down. Large paws caught the dire on his fall and he sprung back up, trudging forward against the wind and water. His muscles ached with the strain, blood running hot in his veins with the effort his body exerted to keep itself going. He had to make it up to Zeph, he had to! There was no alternative.

It took more effort than he was used to, and he suffered a couple more falls on his way up through the water, but eventually the Aegis made it up the cliff to his ward, clawing his way along the rocky ground through the water onto the ledge. He saw the cave Zephyr had found; high above the ground and rising sea, it would serve to keep them safe for a short while. Artorias hoisted himself up with a grunt of effort, rising up and pushing Zeph gently with his body to usher him into the cave. "Well done, Zeph. Well done," he praised the lad through heavy panting breaths, limping his way inside and out of the storm. "We'll stay here until the storm passes. We'll be safe here." Now in the dry shelter of the cave, Artorias could give himself a full triage. He was soaked to the bone, muscles aching all over, especially in his legs, and his hind leg had a dull ache where he suspected he might have pulled something during his climb up the cliff. Art paused to give his fur a shake, dislodging as much water from his coat as he could in an attempt to dry himself off before shuffling further back away from the mouth of the cave, still ushering Zephyr to follow him. "I'm so sorry I made you fly in that, Zeph. I should've been more careful with your safety." Artorias scowled a little at his own recklessness. He had chanced his own son's protection with a rash decision. Thankfully Zephyrus seemed mostly unharmed, but it also could have been much, much worse.

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