Happy Birthday, times twelve

Another year had come and gone. Another year of days filled with play and laughs, smiles and love. A year of lessons and bonding, a year of growth and exploration. A year of family. Artorias looked around the Great Hall, decorated with the flowers they had harvested from the castle gardens before the turn of the season and colorful swaths of cloth acting as streamers. Winter in Auster meant it was the birthdays for pretty much all of the Carpathians; it also meant their eldest litter were not full grown adults and their youngest were yearlings, moving into their adolescent years. It was a time of celebration and love, cherishing who his children were becoming. One promise Artorias had vowed when his first pups were born and one he swore he would uphold for all his days—none of his children would ever know a birthday like what his first birthday had been.

After verifying all of the decorations were set and the big birthday breakfast had been made and laid out across the table for the whole family to feast, Artorias was satisfied things were set for the kids. He waited beside the family table at the head of the hall, the canvas-wrapped and ribbon-tied gifts for their second litter hidden just out of sight beside his mahogany throne. One by one he began to set the presents out in front of each of his children's usual places for them to find when they came up to the table. Now everything was ready for them! Once Briar came to join him in summoning their children, Art gave his beloved wife an excited grin and a quick kiss before lifting his head to the sky and calling for the Carpathian horde to come get their breakfast—and for his youngest to get their first birthday surprises.

"Carpathius Family"