To arms!

Mercury complimented his memory and Artorias chuckled under his breath. "I make a point to remember the things that matter to the wolves that are important to me," he remarked. It wasn’t a grand gesture, but it was one he hoped showed that he cared and took a vested interest in the passions of his wolves. Mercury might have been one of the newest additions to the Hallows, but the fellow dire wolf had already made his mark on the pack and proven his ambition. As far as Artorias was concerned, the Hallows was as much Mercury’s home and family as it was to anyone else.

The Aegis sat in silent observation while the dark-coated man paced a circuit around the small arsenal he’d assembled for them to try out. He watched while Mercury considered each one, then began to test each weapon. The axe and spear were discarded quickly into his inspection in favor of the daggers and swords. Ah, a wolf after his own heart…! Artorias found that he and Mercury were more alike the more time he spent with his friend. While Merc tested each weapon, Art studied the way his Vanguard held each one, getting an idea for what felt more comfortable to the Ermís wolf. "I’ve been practicing armed combat since I was two seasons old," replied the Aegis with a wistful sigh. Probably more time than Mercury would be expecting. "It was easier for me to graduate to each different weapon over time the more I got used to it. I’ve only ever trained one wolf to use a sword so far, and it took her about two seasons to become proficient with it."

Artorias knew Mercury had met his first and only protégé, Fern, so he’d know who he was referring to. Merc would make the second wolf he trained in the art of armed combat. Stepping up to the assortment of weapons, Artorias picked up the other sparring sword in his jaws, lifting it with practiced ease and familiarity. "The extra weight is something to consider when using a weapon in battle. A sword increases your reach and lethality, but it is an additional thing to consider when making an attack or block." Art began a few demonstrations of how he would swing the sword side to side, much like he did when he introduced Fern to the art, his movements slow so Mercury could observe the way he turned his head and twisted the blade in his grip to create the smooth sideways arc in the air. "No matter what weapon you use, it should be treated as an extension of yourself. Consider it a part of your body meant to strike and defend and move with it." Fire amber eyes looked over to Merc, inviting the other male to practice the basic motions with him and get a feel for the sword. Art was a paws-on kind of teacher and believed in practicing his lessons with his students when possible.

"Artorias Carpathius"