That's Gonna Leave a Mark

Her sleep had been uneasy, her own worry for their daughter mirroring Artorias', but she tried to reassure herself–and him–that she was more than capable of handling herself and surely just got caught in the storm and decided to take shelter for the night. She had eventually found sleep, but only light sleep at best. When the howl came from the border she roused a bit, blinking open groggy eyes just long enough to see Artorias slipping out of the room to go answer it. She drifted back to sleep after that, but only for what felt like a moment before Artorias' louder, booming howl echoed through the castle, jolting her awake and making her eyes fly open. It took a second to register that the howl had been directed at Gwynevere, but it didn't take but a heartbeat for her to make the connection. Dusk being out all night, a stranger at the border, quickly followed by an urgent call for their lead healer.

Briar tossed back the covers and scrambled out of bed, dread sitting heavy in her stomach. After quickly telling their youngest to stay in bed, she hurried out of the room and closed the door behind her–only to almost run head first into Gwyn as she stepped out of her room as well. They spared each other only a glance before they both rushed down to the infirmary. As soon as she spotted Dusk laying motionless on the cot her heart fell into her stomach and she bounded forward with a gasp, skidding to a stop next to Artorias and putting her paws up on the bed to see what state she was in. She barely registered the stranger that was in the room until after Gwyn pushed her out of the way to do her work and only then did she look between Artorias and the red and white marked young man with wide, worried eyes. "Who are you? What happened?" she questioned even though those had to be the first questions Artorias asked as well.

"Briar Carpathius"