Reflection in the fire glow

Artorias graciously took the bottle of wine from Briar as she passed it back to him, taking a long swig of the semisweet tart liquid. The wine was crisp with the sugary flavor of berries mixed in. Briar had always been so uniquely creative in her projects, and her ownership of their wine production had been her pride and joy and it showed in the end product. Breathing a content sigh, Artorias set the bottle between their paws, following her gaze from the roaring bonfire to the plethora of wolves that had gathered for the celebration. The sound of laughter pulled his attention to their playing children, all five of their pups playing about in the starlit fields bathed in glowing firelight. A loving smile spread over his muzzle. There was no parent alive happier than Artorias was in this moment.

Briar’s shock to the realization of just how much life had changed and how much happiness it had delivered them was a sentiment echoed by her ebony and azure husband. It still made Artorias reel to comprehend all of the major events they had been through in just one year. The adoption of Zephyrus, their engagement and wedding, the slaying of his wicked brother, the birth of their children, Zee’s untimely passing… If all of that could occur in one year, what more could potentially lie in wait for them for this coming year? The grin that appeared on Briar’s lips was mirrored by Artorias when he felt his wife’s lips meet his cheek in an affectionate kiss, earning a happy murr from the brute snuggled up at her side.

The dire brute’s bushy tail lifted to drape over her hips, a strong foreleg moving over her back to keep her cradled close while the happy couple observed the family and the life they’d built together all around them. "I can’t wait to see what this next year brings us either," he replied with a low rumble in his tones, shifting his muzzle to brush his lips against the edge of Briar's closest ear. "Do you have any wishes or goals you'd like to see to for the next year, my love?"

"Artorias & Briar Carpathius" | "Carpathian"