What once was

Artorias could see his words slowly performing their work inside Dusk's mind as the small girl pouted at his paws, no doubt mulling over his mild scolding and trying to rationalize how she could get away with it in the future. Of all his children, Dusk was his biggest troublemaker—an impressive feat for a pup her size—and she kept him and Briar on their toes, but her rambunctious, bratty nature was both a blessing and a curse. Though it often frayed his nerves and tried his patience, the Aegis knew that if he ever needed a rule stress tested to see how it held up or find creative ways to get around it, he would simply have to give it to his wily daughter and watch how her brilliant mind worked. In her own sort of way, Dusk was his litmus test for his decisions and laws without even realizing she was.

The way his daughter visibly brightened when he comforted and reassured her of his love for her brought a beaming smile to the father's face, watching the way Dusk's long flowing inky tail whipped about in the grass. She was so very much like her mother in some regards. Those fire-toned eyes that matched his own swept over their surroundings, giving the aspen forest one more look over before meeting his as she asked to explore somewhere else. Without a beat of hesitation, Artorias nodded his head with zeal and lifted himself up to his paws. "Of course, my little shadow! Come along, let's go find somewhere new to plant our paws." With a gentle usher in a southern direction, the dire wolf sire led his daughter off to find somewhere more exciting for the two of them to explore together.

"Dusk & Parents" | "Carpathian"