In the aftermath

Artorias knew the questions he asked Haydée were difficult ones to grapple with, but the weight of responsibility and leadership was a heavy one to bear. Even now, the seasoned alpha found new conflicts and situations that challenged his skills as a wolf and as a leader. Hay diverted her eyes and Artorias would give her the reprieve to collect her thoughts. There was no pressure in their conversation. They arrived at the plunge pool at the base of the Ethne falls, the white noise of the cascading waters drowning out the stillness in the post-conflict Ethne. Artorias gazed across the pool and just watched the world around them while Haydée remained quietly pensive.

Eventually, her answer came. No, the fighting hadn’t been worth it. Art just gave a solemn nod of understanding. Very little was worth the permanent damage inflicted in combat. The dire wolf dropped his gaze to meet hers through their reflections on the placid water, the giant brute and the petite fae looking worlds apart, yet more alike than appearances betrayed. The words the littler alpha spoke next concerned the Lord of Cinder, his brow knitting together in a disapproving frown. "Dont be so quick to martyr yourself, Haydée. Many would see that as a show of weakness rather than taking accountability," he cautioned her. "Get Gavroche back, but don’t expect the Raiders to be welcoming, regardless of your intentions." There was little doubt that the Raiders, despite their victory, would be seething over their own injured wolves.

There was stillness and silence between the two alpha wolves for a moment, with only the mellifluous rippling of the water in the pool keeping it from being totally silent. Then Haydée spoke again, catching Artorias’ attention with a pensive pull at his lips. He didn’t speak right away, letting Hay vent her frustrations and doubts until she too fell silent at his side. Matters of self-doubt and confidence were nothing new to the Carpathian man; it had taken him a long time to get to where he was today. When she looked up at him with teary eyes, Artorias met Haydée’s gaze with a gentle reassuring smile. "Maybe… Or maybe not… It's impossible to tell when it comes to what ifs. Maybe someone else would've handled the raid better. Or maybe things would've turned out worse and more wolves could've gotten hurt." There was a long pause as Art let his words simmer in Hay's mind, giving her time to digest his advice.

"When I was starting out as Aegis, I often thought someone else should be leading the Hallows. I was barely more than a yearling, my mother had died, and I was filled with so much anger and pain. I blamed myself for her death and kept telling myself that I could never be half the Aegis she was." Artorias breathed a pensive sigh as he gazed across the water, lost in memories and reflection. "I didn't believe I was worthy to lead the Hallows... and I wasn't, as long as I kept telling myself that. I made bad decisions. I learned harsh lessons. But the greatest learn I ever had was this: you decide who you are and who you want to be. I wanted to be the leader the Hallows deserved. I wanted to be someone my mother would be proud of, someone worthy of her legacy." The Lord's words slowly trailed off and his gaze turned to look down at the smaller wolf at his side, tilting his head as he considered the position she was in. "Your size has no bearing on what you are capable of, Haydée. I've seen the smallest of wolves topple the largest of dires. I've seen underdogs win against impossible odds all the time. The only question is, who are you, Haydée? Do you want to be the alpha of Ethne?"

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