[Pack claim]Can't break our spirit so easy

No sooner had Artorias gotten settled, more wolves began to congregate to watch Bellatrix's attempt to stake her claim for her pack to replace the fallen Ashen. Unfortunately for him, the next to arrive were Rhazien Saxe and another wolf he didn't know, but who also bore the stench of the Syndicate on her coat. Artorias would have been keen to just ignore their presence altogether, but the egotist brute and his escort simply weren't content to let that be. So, as Rhazien strode up like a peacock in full bloom with a smile and honeyed words, Artorias would bite his tongue to keep his expression carefully guarded, though the tension in his posture would show he remained on guard. He had expressed before that the first stroke of war would not come from the Hallows' paws and he intended to keep to his tenets, no matter how much the Syndicate chose to tempt him. You couldn't trust a Saxe, after all.

"Rhazien," he replied simply, tones measured and firm. It was decidedly not a pleasure to be seeing him. He caught the other smaller female peeking up at him and his fiery gaze darted to her, taking her in with a cursory glance but saying nothing to her. He wanted to know all the wolves of the Syndicate, just in case they ever decided to do something incredibly... stupid. Movement next to him caught the Lord of Cinder's attention, and he turned to spy his daughter coming to join him at his side. He hadn't realized Dusk had been nearby, but he was gladdened by her presence all the same—gladdened and concerned to have her in the same vicinity of two Syndicate wolves.

Leaning over to gently rub his shoulder against Dusk's, Artorias leaned over to whisper in her ear. "Nu le recunoașteți." Amber eyes glanced down to his daughter's long tail, catching the glimpse of silver tucked away within her raven fur. She was armed as well. Artorias did not have his sword with him today, but he did have his dagger in the bracer on his foreleg, just in case. If the Syndicate chose violence at this event, the Carpathians would be ready. Then, in stoic silence, the father-daughter duo settled in to watch as more and more wolves showed up, including Beauregard. Artorias' posture tensed as he watched the former alpha; would he be inclined to do anything towards the Syndicate wolves or would this remain a peaceful event?

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian"