Swift as the ocean breeze

The attentive father watched with unyielding focus as his little girl began the clumsy process of beginning to swim on her own. What started as an awkward sort of shambling splashing in the tide pool gradually began to shift into a more natural posture, and stroke by stroke Talyssa started to right herself and move about the shallow waters. A proud smile slowly stretched across Artorias' muzzle while he watched her find her composure and balance, swimming to one side of the pool and then arcing back around to come back towards him. A celebratory laugh erupted from her sire as she exclaimed for his attention, though she would always have it without needing to ask. "There you go, Taly! You're doing it!" he cheered for her from the other end of the pool, bushy tail wagging with excitement above his back.

As his pup made her way back to him, Art lowered his front half to the water to better receive her, snatching her up in large azure paws as she docked for a congratulatory embrace. Artorias laughed again and brought his snout down to nuzzle enthusiastically into Taly's forehead. "Look at you go! My daughter must be part dolphin!" he joked with a playful beaming grin on his face. "That was very good, Talyssa! You take to water like you were born for it. Remember these basics and soon you'll be able to swim anywhere." Still holding his tawny girl close, Art gestured back to the tide pool. "Would you like to continue practicing? We can come down here whenever you'd like so you can practice and learn. Just promise me you won't try to swim on your own until you're a yearling, okay?" The last thing Artorias ever wanted was for something to happen to his children, and the thought of his daughter losing control while learning to swim and drowning was every parent's worst nightmare.

"Artorias" | "Carpathian"