The Summer Bonfire

Artorias watched and listened to the children around him as Ember got huffy over being ignored by the female stranger, moving to sit at his side with a pointed glare. He nudged Ember with the side of his paw and gave her a stern look that told her to behave herself while he listened to the girl introduce herself as Siduri and her brother as Tarnish. Apparently they had been chasing badgers and come into Hallowed lands without realizing it, then came to see what the gathering for the bonfire was about. Artorias was quite impressed by the eloquence and maturity with which the girl spoke, conducting herself very well in a stranger's presence, and an adult stranger at that. Her accent, her vocabulary, her mannerisms... they all seemed vaguely familiar yet he couldn't place his paw on where he'd heard these things before. That is, he couldn't until Siduri asked him if he knew how to get back to the Raiders. Realization dawned in the Aegis' fire opal eyes as he looked between Siduri and Tarnish, recognizing those mannerisms now and where he had seen them before. Sparrow and her pirates. Now they had become Gilgamesh's Raiders.

While Tarnish explained how he had been tracking down monsters for their teeth and puffed up in pride, Artorias simply chuckled and gave a small smile to the two wayward Raider children. "I'm sure you will be, Tarnish," he remarked. Ember nudged his side then and demanded he not answer any of Siduri's questions on the grounds of her being rude. Nearby, he saw Nelu watching him as well. This could very well be a good teaching moment for the both of them about the openness and neutrality of the Hallows. As long as the pups remained respectful and out of trouble, they were their guests. Art turned a disapproving look to his pup and nudged her head with his snout. "Ember, nu suntem nepoliticoși cu oaspeții noștri," he scolded her gently in their mother tongue, then returned his attention to Siduri with a gentler, fatherly look about him. "You took a great risk coming into another pack's lands unannounced, Siduri. You and Tarnish could easily be attacked or abducted by less than savory wolves for trespassing. Fortunately, this is the Hallows, and we welcome all who come to us in peace." So long as they continued to behave, Artorias would have no reason to penalize them. They were just children, after all.

Ah, she had many questions for him to answer. So Artorias would start at the beginning and work his way down the pup's list of curiosities. "My name is Artorias. I am the alpha of the Hallows. These lands are mine and they are our home. These little ones are all my children. Dusk, Vendrick, Solaire, Nelu, Silas, and Ember." As he named each child, he would motion to them, eventually ending with a large paw clasping around Ember who was still glaring daggers at Siduri. "This giant fire is our bonfire. It's a special event we do during the summer, where we leave this light up as a beacon to keep away the dark. We also use it to remember our loved ones who have passed on. As for the flowers, you may help yourself. We have plenty to share." Ah, but the next question begging to be answered... "I do know the way back to the Raiders' Hollow. If you and Tarnish would stay the night, I can bring you both back tomorrow morning. It's not a long journey, but not one two pups could make safely at night, and I'd sleep much better knowing you were safe with us." Ultimately, the decision was up to them. Artorias would not abduct the children to force them to stay safe. But he would be happy to escort them both back home once the sun came up and he made sure they were fed.

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