Outlaw was no fighter for hard training to fight nor an amazing hunter to worry about being in perfect shape for chasing down deer or other large prey.  Outlaw was pretty good at catching fish, crustaceans, and opportunistic in other areas of food.  Injured animals were mercifully killed and ate when found, berries or fruits on the tree's made for tasty snacks.  So it was he wasn't as active as some of the wolves but that wasn't to say he didn't help in his own ways.  Outlaw worked on learning how to heal, enjoyed crafting things, doing odd jobs but, his favorite 'job' was watching the pups.   It wasn't even really work to him, being with the kids was fun.  So it was he had learned the habits of a few of them.   While attempting to crumble up some roots to put in a clay bowl he would watch Artorias going up and down the falls one day.  A second day he saw the same thing.  Of course, he had seen how the boy loved his sticks to act as swords and how he would have to carry them in his mouth.  Outlaw loved the falls as a relaxing spot, watching the water and some of the wildlife that stopped by to visit was a great way to spend an hour.  The repetition of Art's hard work becoming quite obvious.  Outlaw had no interest in fighting but this pup was certainly working hard to become a good one someday.  Outlaw felt inspired to assist. So it was Outlaw was not at his relaxing spot for several days.  The task he had set for himself was not a quick one, but it would be satisfying.  Considerable time was taken in the forest to find the perfect block of wood.  Then a good large rock with a sharp edge to start chipping away at the wood to provide its shape.  Some areas would need to be chewed on for parts that did not easily want to shape the way he wished, then once again filed on the rock.  Outlaw wasn't aiming for fast but perfection so he spent a few days of trial and error and getting every spot just as he wanted it.  Then time was taken to find a tree that would leak out a dark resin to add a sheen to the wood and help protect it.  Leather was wrapped around the grip with strips of leather used to form a hanging loop that would fit easily in a wolf's mouth to hold.  There.  A wooden sword was formed. A sword that had to be put down and picked up all the time seemed a hindrance so then Outlaw went to work on something to place it in.  Outlaw used primarily leather but then braided vines in some areas that could be tighter or looser to adjust the size so as Art grew he needed to only adjust the vines to change the size.  When the pup was full-grown they could replace the vines easily to make it all leather but why do that now when the pup would just keep growing?  The harness had a sheath attached where chest and back straps connected that the wooden sword could be slid in and out of.  The crossguard of the sword would keep it from falling in farther than desired. Outlaw got to the falls early enough to beat Art there once completed, hid the sword and harness under a gentle pool in the water, and lay there, one paw crossed over the other as he waited for Art to make his normal path, ready to greet and stop the pup as he would go by. Speech:"Life is but a game " Think

Let it never be said that Artorias had never worked hard for what he wanted. He had been given a path to follow with explicit instructions from his mother, a path that would shape his body, mind, and soul into the very definition of a mighty knight. Every day brought new challenges, and every day Artorias met them head-on, never shirking or shying away from the difficulties that came with his tasks. Early morning patrols with Resin that had felt like such a chore to get out of bed for slowly became part of his morning routine. The rocks he had to roll and maneuver that had cut and scraped his paws when he tried to push them were now moving easier with every day. His daily aerobic and stamina exercises of running up and down the lengths of the falls became easier with each lap, and where he had started only managing two before needing a break, the boy was now able to push himself to five, and his progress showed no signs of slowing. Artorias had dedicated himself to the teachings of his parents and his pack, steeling himself for a life of service to others. He took his responsibilities with resolute seriousness. He knew what he wanted and would stop at nothing to achieve it.

During his first few days of training, Artorias had captured the eyes of several of his pack mates, including Outlaw, who would sit and watch while the puppy marched his way up the sides of the falls only to sprint back down and repeat the process all over again. But over the most recent days, Artorias had noticed Outlaw had been unusually absent. Maybe he was busy doing something more important? Everyone here did have a job, after all, and as the weather got colder, the adults all seemed to be even busier than before! Resin had told him it was in preparation for winter, when supplies would be scarce, but what was winter and why did they seem so concerned by it? Artorias was anxious to experience his first real winter. If it was bad enough to put the adults on edge, it had to be pretty serious. He would have to make sure he was ready for it, whatever this "winter" was...

Today was no different from any other day: Artorias woke before the sun did to march the borders along with his mother. Once their route had finished, he found himself some breakfast and set to pushing the rocks around the falls. More moved today than yesterday, as had been the case yesterday, and the day before, and the day before. Proud with the progress he was making, Artorias started his climb up the falls, panting hard as his lanky little legs hauled him up higher and higher between the tiers of the falls. As he passed by one of the shallow pools, his eyes caught a glimpse of a familiar grey canine with his signature hat. Artorias' eyes lit up and he smiled. Outlaw! "Hi Outlaw!" Artorias called out to the hybrid as he marched his way up toward the man, having to walk past him in order to get to the slope that would take him up to the next level of the cliffside.

"Speech" | Thoughts

One big happy family

Artorias has two ravens named Corbin and Eira and a fox named Argent. Assume they are within calling distance at all times.
As his mate, Briar may enter Artorias' threads unless marked Private.
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Sure as a seagull’s caw was the young pup’s persistence in his training.  Outlaw wagged his tail while offering that happy grin.  “Hey! Oh great.  Artorias, I was hoping you’d pass by.” Outlaw stood up, stretching long, “There’s something in the water you should look at.” Outlaw looked down at the pool again thoughtfully, “Yah, I think you ought to see it for yourself.  Hard to describe it but I think it’s the sort of thing you’d know more about than me.”   Outlaw backed up to give the pup room to go where he’d been, “Me? I’m more into fun treasures and herbs and flowers and fish and…” Outlaw paused as he started to realize his list kept growing.  Sitting down again with a grin he looked perfectly proud of himself.  The dog was not meant to play any gambling game that required hiding your true emotions.  There was a twinkle of entertainment in his gaze that guaranteed whatever was in the water was going to be good. Of course what Art would find in the water would be the wooden sword in its sheath on top, and the leather that formed the harness wrapped underneath.  That part might be less exciting until Outlaw explained it and how it worked but he had no doubt the boy would figure out the sword and that it was in a holder in no time. Speech:"Life is but a game " Think

Outlaw's call to him caught the boy's attention with bright eyes and alert ears. Artorias stopped mid-stride and altered his course toward the hybrid wolf-dog, blissfully padding through the grass to the young man. His head cocked curiously to the side and peered over at the pool of water. There was something in the water he needed to look at? He'd seen these pools—and gone for some unauthorized unsupervised dips once in a while—a million times. What could be in the water that was so interesting? Brow furrowed in confusion, Artorias came closer to the water, glancing between the shallow pool and Outlaw's grinning face. The wolf-dog was up to something, that much was obvious, but what was it...? Outlaw was an interesting character. The man wore his heart on his sleeve, and his poker face was nonexistent. Whatever he wanted to show Art, it was something that had him giddy as a child on their birthday.

As Artorias reached the edge of the water, amber eyes peered into the pool and stared through the clear water at the slightly distorted shapes hidden below the surface. It looked like a large, thick stick in the water—but the closer he stared, the more detail he was able to make out, and his eyes widened in amazement. Artorias' mouth dropped open, turning to give a gaping stare up at Outlaw, then back to the objects in the water. Artorias jumped into the water, little paws splashing the water about and shoving his head beneath the water to grab at the wooden sword by the hilt. His jaws gripped the leather-wrapped handle and emerged from the pool with another burst of water that sprayed around and glistened in the sunlight. The puppy emerged triumphant with his new sword in his clutches like King Arthur wielding his Excalibur. Fiery amber eyes burned with excited flames as he swung the sword like he had use his sticks, getting a feel for the weight and heft behind each strike. The sword was a little longer than the sticks, and definitely heavier, but it felt more like a proper weapon too. Now he was a little knight with his mighty sword ready to face every enemy that opposed him. This was the best day of his life!

"Luhk aht wah ah fahnd!" the little knight declared with a muffled yip of excitement. Artorias glanced back down into the water, spotting the harness resting beneath where the sword had laid and fished it out with his paws, dragging it back onto dry land with him as he set his sword down on the ground beside it to truly appreciate his new gifts. "Wow! Check it out!" he nearly squealed, his tail wagging so fast that it was a blur. He beamed with at Outlaw with a huge smile on his small face. "Did you make these, Outlaw? They're sooooo awesome!" Artorias grabbed the sword by the leather loop, holding the sheath the wooden blade was stowed away in by his paws and pulling back to draw his weapon. He would definitely have to get used to sheathing and unsheathing his sword, but already he was excited to get to practice with his new weapon. "Is this armor?" he asked, pawing at the harness while he studied his new equipment. Outlaw had really outdone himself, and Artorias was having the time of his life!

"Speech" | Thoughts

One big happy family

Artorias has two ravens named Corbin and Eira and a fox named Argent. Assume they are within calling distance at all times.
As his mate, Briar may enter Artorias' threads unless marked Private.
____________________

Outlaw waited with a wagging tail, clearly enjoying Art discovering his new present.  If you work hard on a gift the best thing in the world is to see the pup happy with it. The gaping mouth and then bounding in to get his present was enough already to make it all worth it.  Seeing the pup brandishing his new sword that really looked like the sword he saw in some wall images made it all the better. Outlaw nodded to the question, “Yup!  It was lots of fun to figure out.  I like making things you know.  I’m no fighter so never thought I’d make a sword of any sort but, it seemed if you were going to train hard to make yourself stronger you ought to get a better sword to match up!  I hope that ones good enough for all the work your doing.  I tried to make it a size that you could use now but would also be useful to you as you get bitter.”   The wood wouldn’t cut anything of course and that was fine with Outlaw.  Bashing would be good enough, wouldn’t it? Outlaw moved next to him when he mentioned the harness, “Yup, that’s part of the plain.  This was the first thing I figured you needed actually.  Having to carry the stick seemed a bit of a problem for you.  Too often you’d need to drop it or have a hard time talking and other things.  I figured you needed something to put it in.”  Outlaw pawed at the sheath, “So I knew to make that much, but then I had to figure out how it would stay in place, if it just roams all over you when you walk its another hindrance.”  Outlaw was being Outlaw, once he started talking he kept going. “So, I figured you’d need it held in place by two means.  So this point,”  tapping one of the harness loops, “goes around the head to rest on your chest and the other part,” tapping the back loop, “will go around your belly.  They connect with the sword holder which will keep it in place.  At the same time the leather should help absorb any damage if someone tries to bite or claw you there.” The tail had slowed as he had explained it all, not due to less joy so much as focusing on what he was saying, it picked up again as he added, “oh, and the sword has both a circle towards the bottom and that cross part between where you hold and swing it.  If you drop it on the ground that means there’s a little small bit of air between part of the sword and ground so its easier to scoop up in a hurry!”  Outlaw was quite happy with himself, “The rope part you keep in your mouth when using it.  If you have to drop the sword the rope will keep the sword from falling so you won’t risk losing it.”  Outlaw might not be a fighter but creating things and figuring out how to make them useful was fun. Scooping up the harness in his mouth he plopped one end of it over Art’s head, nudding the rest of it to Art’s front legs, “Step over this and we’ll get it around your chest. Since your still growing got some braided vines in between the leather right now, easier to adjust.  Once your full height we’ll remove those.  Just gotta tie it over here and you’ll be all set.” Speech:"Life is but a game " Think

Artorias was so amazed at his new gifts, his tail wagging a million miles a minute at the end of his rump! Outlaw proceeded to explain each part of the craftsmanship that went into the sword and the harness, his voice brimming with pride, and rightfully so! These were the greatest gifts the boy had ever received, and not only were they top notch quality, they reaffirmed to him that he was indeed going to be a warrior one day. A proper knight! It took all of his self control to not start bouncing or vibrating with excitement where he stood while Outlaw detailed how to use the sword and harness properly. Artorias had to pay attention to the dog's instructions; these were not toys, they were his equipment. He must treat them with the utmost respect and responsibility as any warrior would treat their tools of the trade.

He was especially thankful when Outlaw began to explain how to put on and take off the harness. He had never worn anything around his body like that before, so that was going to take the most getting used to. Art was eager to try out his new equipment in an actual battle, but first he'd have to make sure everything was fit and adjusted perfectly to himself, and then he could start training with his new sword. It was a lot different from just swinging a stick, after all! The fundamentals may have been similar, but there was a whole lot more to consider with a sword than a simple stick. As Outlaw picked up the harness, Artorias bounced forward to present himself before the canine. Once the loop was over his head, he lifted one small paw, then the next to set them into the leg holes of the harness. He waited with barely contained glee while Outlaw finished fixing the rest of the harness into place, and once the young dog had announced he was set, Artorias leapt into a battle stance his mother had shown him. He felt the way the leather shifted and moved with his body, each twist and turn of his muscles bringing their protective barding along with it. Wearing armor still felt weird, but he would get used to it with time.

"This is so cool!" Artorias barked with joy. He ran over and scooped up the sword and sheath in his mouth, bringing them back and setting them at Outlaw's paws. "Show me how to put these on too!" Oh, wait, manners! "Um, please!"

"Speech" | Thoughts

One big happy family

Artorias has two ravens named Corbin and Eira and a fox named Argent. Assume they are within calling distance at all times.
As his mate, Briar may enter Artorias' threads unless marked Private.
____________________

Apparently Outlaw had done well when deciding to get Art a present.  It was great!  The dog loved seeing the puppy so happy as it was how all pups should be all the time.  He could feel how hard the pup had to work to be still as Outlaw fixed up the harness.  Lacking fingers it wasn’t the simplest thing but he knew his work and had made it so with care it could be done.  Once it was the proper tightness he nodded to himself encouraged he’d made it a good size. He watched the boy place with his stance and get use to how it felt.  Outlaw hoped the boy never really needed to use his toy in anything other than practice.  It didn’t take long before the excited boy was next to him with the sword and sheath.  Outlaw’s grin boardened, “Sure.” Outlaw tapped the sheath, “this goes where the two bands of the harness connect.  It slips over pretty easy.” Outlaw picked up the sheath, twisting his head a bit to slide it snugly on the harness. “Now, if I sized it right you should be able to reach around and pull out the sword easily enough.  I made it so it tilts just a bit so the grip part faces you.” Outlaw took a half step back, “well, there you are.  Give it a try!” Speech:"Life is but a game " Think

Artorias was practically quivering with excitement while Outlaw adjusted the straps on his sheath to fit it to his harness. Artorias shifted his weight from side to side, feeling the way the leather armor and the sword moved against his body. It would take some getting used to, but at least it was pretty comfortable! Artorias assumed his battle stance again, giving puppyish growls to nothing in particular and trying his best to appear intimidating and not downright adorable. At Outlaw's insistence to try drawing his sword, Artorias nodded to the dog and glanced over his left shoulder. With the positioning of his sword, the hilt was just over his shoulder and right in reach of his muzzle. Planting his paws firmly on the ground to stabilize himself, Artorias gripped the hilt in his jaws and tugged. The sword slid forward a bit, but didn't quite clear the scabbard. With a growl, Artorias gave another strong tug and finished drawing his weapon, keeping his jaws locked securely around the hilt to make sure he didn't accidentally drop it as he took on the entire weight of the sword.

The sword slid free of its scabbard with a soft sound of wood scraping against leather, and there he stood. The black and blue puppy, dressed in leather barding, wielding his wooden sword in preparation for imminent battle; the future knight of the Hallows. Pride swelled in Artorias' chest as he swung the sword a couple of times the same way he would a stick. He only managed a couple of swings before the weight began to tire him. He would definitely have to get used to the weight and size of a proper sword, but it would be so worth it! Artorias glanced up at Outlaw, the determined glare in his eyes melting away into an overjoyed beaming grin. "Thanfsh, Ahtlah!" he managed in a muffled voice, walking closer to bump his head against the dog's leg in as best a nuzzle as he could manage while holding his sword. These were the greatest gifts he had ever received—a validation that he was on the right path in his life—and it was all thanks to Outlaw! Artorias would never forget this kindness showed to him by the young man.

"Speech" | Thoughts