Everything was dark, so so dark. She jumped and opened her eyes to looked around, but she could only just barely make out the dirt walls of the den around her, but as she spun around she didn't see an entrance. It was just darkness and dirt everywhere she looked. She tried to run toward one of the walls, but it seemed to move away as fast as she could move toward it. Panic started to well up in her chest. What was going on?! Where was she? When she looked up she could just barely see a pin point of light, almost like she was in a hole - not a den. It was so deep she couldn't possibly reach the top. As she looked up at the light in the far distance she saw something momentarily block out the light and then a few moments passed before she saw something falling toward her and she jumped out of the way just in time to avoid a pile of dirt that hit the ground beside her. Another followed after that one and after that one, some of the dirt flinging up around her as it hit the ground and getting all over her fur. It got harder and harder to dodge the falling dirt as the space around her started to fill up and surround her. She tried to scream for help, but nothing came out of her lungs. Her paws got caught in it and she struggled and fought against it, desperately yanking her legs away from the dirt, but as soon as she got herself free she'd get trapped in it again. Then, out of no where, her father appeared as he crested over one of mounds of dirt, his dark form moving toward her quickly and wrapping his foreleg around her to pull her free of the dirt that was swallowing her up like quicksand. Relief washed over her and she went to thank her father for saving her, but as soon as he pulled her against his chest and she looked up toward him she saw a gleam of fangs in the faint, faint light shining down from above them. He lunged at her neck and then all at once she was filled with a blinding, stabbing pain, trying to breathe and not being able to, not able to scream, not able to breathe. Briar jolted awake with a sharp gasp, panting hard as her panicked, turquoise gaze darted around the room and her paws went to clutch at her neck. Her heart was racing in her chest and it took a few long moments for her to realize where she was and that she wasn't in that hole with her father. She looked around at the room she had picked out in the castle, looked down at the furs that she had shuffled around and kicked off the bed in her panic. A little shudder ran through her and she curled in on herself, swallowing hard as she looked at the wall. She had experienced a few nightmares after her father bit her in the nights that followed, but that was by far the worst. They just kept seeming to get worse and more vivid, but at least when she woke up in Asla's den she had the comfort of knowing that her sister was at least near by and she wasn't actually alone. Here, the room felt too big, too empty. She tried to pull one of the furs over her and hide away under it, but that didn't really seem to help. Clearly shaken and startled, Briar finally pushed herself up off of the bed, slipping out of the room and going down the corridor to the adjacent wing where she knew Artorias would be sleeping. She didn't want to bother him, but she couldn't be alone and all she wanted was to know he was still there, like she had to confirm things around her to make sure everything was still okay. She hesitated outside his door for just a moment before pushing it open, slipping quietly inside, and closing the door behind her. She didn't want to bother anyone else sleeping near by either. She just wanted to be with her friend that made everything better. "Artorias?" she asked quietly, her ears folded back against her head, lingering by the door as she peeked over the edge of his bed at him. "Briar" | "Marigold"

Artorias was lying awake, listening to the gentle tapping of rain against the windowpanes. Even though summer was coming back with warmer days, the nights could still get pretty cool, so the gentle crackle of the dying fire in the hearth wasn't an unusual accompaniment to the rain outside, the faint orange glow barely illuminating the dimly lit bedroom. He stared up from his bed at the dark, stormy night outside, wishing the gentle rhythm would lull him to sleep soon. Restful nights had become a distant memory since his mother had gotten sick, too much stress and worry on his mind for him to truly enjoy deep sleep. And so Artorias spent another night lying quietly in his bed, tucked beneath furs and blankets, just listening to the sound of the storm and his own gentle breathing, coupled with the occasional sleep croaks from Corbin in the rafters overhead.

While his mind was busy wandering to better days, he heard the soft schnickt of the metal latch to his door lifting and opening. He rolled over on his bed and lifted his head up, peering through the dim lighting to his doorway, seeing the silhouette of a wolf framed in the doorway. The shape of the antlers atop their head were a dead giveaway to their identity, and Artorias watched quietly with a curious gaze while Briar closed the door just as stealthily behind her. "Briar," he whispered in response, stating her name rather than questioning. He knew who she was, the only question was why was she in his room in the middle of the night? "Is everything okay?"

Realizing that was a dumb question, since she wouldn't be here this late if everything was okay, Artorias got to his paws with a stretch of his tired muscles and climbed down from the bed. He slowly crossed the floor to greet Briar by the door, ushering her silently inside toward the fireplace so he could see her better in its fading light. A quick cursory glance over her didn't reveal any injuries, so physically she was okay. But the expression on her face and the quiver in her voice told him something was indeed bothering her. He didn't ask any more questions, instead meeting her turquoise eyes with his own concerned amber gaze, sitting less than a foot away while he let her fill in the blanks with whatever was on her mind—or with what had her up in the middle of the night looking like she'd seen a ghost.

"Artorias" | "Corbin"

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.
____________________

Briar let a sigh pass her lips when she saw Artorias sit up in bed to look at her, hearing him say her name making her calm down if only slightly. She didn't really respond to his question since she didn't know how to answer. She knew it was only a dream and physically she was totally fine, but the fear and the panic and the pain had felt too real and had shaken her down to her core. She ended up just giving him a little shake of her head in response and watched as he got down out of bed to come over and greet her. She followed him as he motioned for her to follow him to the fireplace, quiet as he sat in front of the fire and fixed his amber gaze on her turquoise eyes. Her ears folded back, guilty that she had woken him up for a silly reason like having a nightmare. It made her feel like a pup going to curl closer to her parents after a bad dream. But it was impossible to deny that even just being with him helped to calm her nerves so much. He was the calming presence that she always needed so badly. "I... I had a nightmare," she explained softly as she settled down onto her haunches. "I was in a deep, deep hole and there was dirt falling all around me like I was being buried and then my father was there and I thought he was saving me, but then he..." Her paw lifted up to her neck, silently resting over the freshly healing skin. A little shiver went through her, her shoulders feeling like they were folding in on themselves. "I'm sorry, I didn't want to bother you, I just... I just really didn't want to be alone," she told him, giving him an apologetic glance before she looked down at the small space between them. "Do you think... Could I sleep in here? Would you mind?" "Briar" | "Marigold"

When Briar began to explain what had caused her to seek him out in the dead of night, Artorias felt a strange combination of relief and heartache for his best friend. He was glad that she was physically all right, but it was clear that mentally and emotionally she was still recovering from some trauma. It was understandable; she had been through a great ordeal recently. He was happy to see that she seemed to calm down a bit just by being near him, and even though she still spoke in hushed tones and looked more embarrassed than afraid now, he was glad to be able to give her some comfort from the horrors inside her head. When she reached the part of her nightmare about her father, Artorias' amber eyes followed her paw to the fresh scars forming on her neck left behind by Sirius' fangs, softening with compassion for his Deer Girl.

He swallowed hard, his eyes still lingering on the marks on her throat while she shivered in fear and asked if she could stay the night in his room without looking at him. Artorias didn't even consider the consequences or punishment he might face if his mother found them, he knew he wasn't going to say no and turn her away when she needed him the most. "You're never a bother to me. I was just lying awake anyway..." he remarked, cautiously omitting the fact that he didn't sleep much recently. He leaned forward to rest his forehead gently against hers, careful to avoid poking himself with her antlers while he felt their fur brush together. "Of course you can sleep in here with me. My bed's plenty big enough."

Giving Briar a small smile, Artorias tilted his muzzle up to boop the end of Briar's snout with his nose to try and coax a little smile from her as well and hoping to look into her beautiful turquoise eyes again for a moment. He got back to his paws, leading the way over to his bed and climbing up to make space in between the blankets, furs, and pillows strewn about the old mattress. His bed was easily spacious enough for the two of them, and while he hadn't slept next to another wolf since his family had moved down here, he suspected Briar was much more used to sleeping with company than alone, given the closeness of all the Fatalis wolves. So long as she was comfortable with it, then it was fine with him. He waited for Briar to join him and get comfortable before nestling himself down into the bedding beside her, trying to ignore the way his heart was hammering at his ribs while he settled next to her warmth.

While Artorias wanted nothing more than to wrap Briar back up in his embrace and shelter her from all her nightmares, he took the respectful approach and gave a little bit of space between them, keeping a cautious—maybe even hopeful—watch over her while she got settled. If Briar felt more comfortable snuggled up like a family of wolves in a den, he wouldn't refuse her. "This good? I'm not on you too much, am I?" he asked in a low whisper, still hovering on the edge of hugging her close and protecting her and not wanting to smother her or make her uncomfortable.

"Artorias" | "Corbin"

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.
____________________

She did feel a little better when Artorias told her he had already been awake. At least she hadn't woken him up then and she could take that as a small consolation. He surprised her when he leaned forward, his forehead resting against hers, and making her heart flutter in her chest. She blinked with surprise, though she didn't look up at him until he had told her that she could stay, making relief wash over her immediately. She didn't have to be alone tonight and she got to be with her best friend. Nothing could seem as dark with Artorias was around. A little smile pulled across her lips when his nose booped against hers, making a flush warm her face beneath her fur as she looked up into those amber eyes. He was always so sweet and she genuinely didn't know what she had done to deserve any of it. From the very beginning she had been nothing but snooty with her attitude toward him, but somehow he was still always so sweet and now it felt like she was constantly making it up to him for how she had acted as a young pup. She followed him over to his bed, letting him arrange the furs and pillows before she hopped up as well, nestling herself into the comfortable bedding with a contented sigh, resting her head on one of the pillows. Once Artorias joined her and they were both laying with a little bit of space between them, she smiled st him softly, looking at him with appreciation and affection. Just moments ago she had been so panicked and didn't know what do to, but Artorias was there for her and that was more than enough to calm her down. She did admittedly just felt more comfortable sleeping with others near by - a byproduct of living in a den with her parents and siblings for so long. Sleeping alone felt too lonely, especially right now. She gave a little shake of her head when he asked if he was on her too much. If anything he wasn't close enough. Her eyes found his again and she could see the hopefulness and indecision in his gaze and she smirked a little as she wiggled her way over to him, nestling herself into the same nest of furs and blankets he was in and letting him wrap her up in his embrace. Being held by him was quickly becoming one of her favorite things and it was most certainly where she felt safest - something she wanted more than anything else right now. She rested her head next to his, feeling that same flutter in her chest that she had when he rested his forehead on hers when their eyes met with her nose so close to his. Somehow, feeling his warmth around her and feeling how comfortable she was here, it made her think that she should have been here from the beginning, that she never should have been sleeping alone in the first place. She thought about any other wolves that she considered her friends and while that list was fairly short and mostly just consisted of her siblings, she wondered if she would have been this comfortable going to any of them in that moment when she was scared and panicked and vulnerable. She only ever wanted to show others how strong she could be and how she was this perfect Fatalis Princess, but not around Artorias. Around him she felt safe and knew that if she let down that facade then he would only protect her more. A realization hit her as she laid here, smiling and looking into those amber eyes that she loved so much. The way she looked at her, the way she looked at him. It wasn't the same sort of look they gave anyone else. It was like the looks that she had seen her parents share. She remembered thinking the night that they burried her mother that she only ever wanted someone to look at her the way her father had looked at Zee and she already had it. The blush returned to her face ten fold at the thought, a little grin pulling at her lips. She liked him. Actually liked him. Not as a friend, not as a best friend. Really, truly liked him. Her heart did a little nervous flutter in her chest, her actions speaking for her before she could formulate words to say. She sneaked her muzzle forward across the very small space that separated hers from his and left the lightest, gentlest, sweetest kiss on his lips, but that was still enough to make her stomach flip flop excitedly, her heart beating against her ribs as she watched for his reaction. "Briar" | "Marigold"

Once Briar had climbed into bed with him and gotten settled down, he immediately felt so much better. Seeing her in a state of fright and nervousness had broken his heart, but now she seemed much more calm and content that she wasn't alone anymore. It brought a tranquility to Artorias' soul that only she seemed to be able to bring. She had been his calming thoughts during his meditations, his grounding force to keep himself contained and sane, his sanctuary when he felt his world spin out of control. It could be said without a doubt that his life was better for having Briar in it, and he would never be able to let that cherished relationship go. He would protect it, defend it and her from everything that dared threaten them. Briar Fatalis was his, and he protected his loved ones to the death, from all enemies physical and intangible.

Briar wiggled closer until their bodies snuggled together, her weight and warmth making his heart race in his chest while a startled smile made its way across his face. He was silently thankful that she seemed to have read his mind, allowing Artorias to wrap Briar up in his arms and embrace her among their nest of blankets, furs, and pillows. They had touched one another on many other occasions before, but something about this felt different. Pressed close in the quiet of the night, only the fading glow of the fire barely illuminating her outline and her turquoise eyes shimmering in the dark hypnotizing him, making it impossible for Artorias to look away from her. Warmth and affection smoldered in the gold-flecked amber of his irises, a tender smile on his lips, heart pounding against his ribs, feeling flurries of unfamiliar emotions jumbling him up inside. He felt her fur against his paw pads, really felt her, the softness of each strand while he ran a paw slowly up and down her back to comfort her, taking in her warmth, her scent, her presence all around him. He never noticed other wolves the way he noticed Briar—not from the first day they met, and still not to this moment now. Briar was special, she was unique, and she was so, so important to him.

While the two of them laid there, heads resting on the same pillow near one another, close enough for him to feel her breath on his cheek while they simply stared into one another's eyes, losing himself in the presence of his Briar in this moment. She had such a strange expression on her face, something crossed between contentment and a sudden comprehension of something he didn't see. No matter how much time passed with them cuddled like this, Artorias' heart refused to slow down, beating so fast he was sure she could hear it. His paw continued its slow roam up and down her back, memorizing the way her skin and fur felt under his touch, watching her with a curious raise of a brow. Was she getting embarrassed? Had he done something wrong? Those panicked thoughts didn't live long though as Briar closed the narrow gap between their muzzles, and Artorias felt her lips meet his in the softest and sweetest kiss.

The stunned boy froze, eyes wide like a deer in headlights, but inside his heart was doing somersaults and a heat radiated from his chest. Briar had just kissed him. Briar had just kissed him! A whirlwind of thoughts swept through his head like a tornado. Briar kissed him! Did that mean Briar had a crush on him? It had to, right? You only kissed other wolves you had a crush on, right? So Briar had a crush on him! Oh no, did that mean he had a crush on Briar? Did he want to kiss Briar back? He paused, staring into those big turquoise eyes while she stared at him expectantly, feeling her breath against his snout from how close their mouths still were. Yes. Yes, he wanted to kiss Briar back. So kiss her then!

Artorias obeyed his inner voice and desires, his mouth twitching into a nervous smile while he moved his muzzle forward to meet hers again in return, moving entirely on instinct while he kissed her slow and soft. His kiss was a bit more anxious, but also lingered longer, taking in the sensations of how her mouth felt on his, the way the kiss sent fire racing through his blood and made his heart beat so hard he thought it might burst. He reluctantly pulled back again, leaving the thinnest strip of space between them, a content sigh slipping past his lips while he opened his eyes to find Briar's gaze once more. She sent his heart beating into a flurry, his breathing turned shallow with nervousness and excitement. He had kissed Briar now, and his mind was coming to the realization that he also liked her. Not just as a friend, but in the same way he saw his mothers whenever they looked at each other or shared a kiss. It was a longing to always be close to this girl, to keep her in his arms, protect her, care for her, make her feel special and loved. Artorias' smile was more assured after their second kiss, his forelegs tightening around Briar to keep her held close to him, never wanting to let her go again. She was his, and he would be hers.

"Artorias" | "Corbin"

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.
____________________

Seeing his eyes go wide with shock made an amused grin pull at her lips, a giddy giggle escaping her and her tail wagging gently against the bed. It never really occurred to her that he couldn't possibly like her too. She was a bit like her father in that regard - once she decided he was hers there was no question about it. Luckily, he seemed to agree as a small smile twitched across his lips and his stunned expression softened until he brought his lips back to hers, giving her a longer, more tender kiss in return. Her eyes naturally closed for that moment as she savored and enjoyed the gentle affection, making her heart go wild in her chest. This was it, this was proof that she had been right. He liked her and she liked him back. She tried to remember everything about this moment from how his lips felt on hers to how his paws felt running up and down her back and running through her fur, how his fur felt under her paws as they rested on his chest, even the sound of the fire crackling from the side of the room. All of it. She didn't want to forget a single second. When their lips parted again she blinked open her eyes, a huge smile pulling across her lips. She couldn't get her heart to stop pounding in her chest and her stomach was full of butterflies, but she was so happy. Looking into his amber eyes, she knew this was exactly where she was supposed to be. She giggled softly and gave his nose a playful lick, one of her paws coming up to brush gently along his cheek when he held her tighter. Her Artorias. Her Blue Boy. "Am I still allowed to tease you even if I like you?" she whispered, grinning at him, her turquoise gaze gleaming with happiness and affection. She didn't want anything to change about how their relationship was, she only wanted it to get better and better and closer and closer. Any thought of her nightmare was now far, far away, completely erased by the absolute joy she felt laying here with him, so incredibly excited to finally understand why she was always so drawn to him and why he made her so happy. She leaned forward to press another gentle kiss to his lips, lingering for a few moments the way his had as before their lips parted with a content sigh. She didn't know how long she'd stay in The Hallows this time, but she knew that leaving was going to be even harder than before. She never wanted to leave him ever again, even though she knew she'd have to. But maybe he could come with her and they could travel back and forth together, living in both places... She didn't really care what she had to do to keep her Blue Boy close, but she'd do whatever it took. "Briar" | "Marigold"

Watching all of Briar's reactions to their shared kisses brought out emotions in Artorias he hadn't felt with any other wolf ever. Pure joy, bliss, a sense of ease and contentment, fulfillment, affection and adoration. It was Briar; it had always been Briar. It was why he had been so drawn to her, why he had been so concerned for her and protective of her, why he had nearly torn her father limb from limb when he'd hurt her. His heart had always beat for Briar, belonged to her. And as he was experiencing firsthand, it appeared Briar had felt the same for him—for how long, he didn't know, but it didn't matter. Briar was his, and he was hers. Their relationship had always been so strong, unbreakable, and now it was evolving into something even stronger and more beautiful.

Artorias savored the moment of his first kiss with Briar. The way she looked at him with that big smile on her face, the way her turquoise eyes twinkled with joy, the way she smelled pressed so close to him, her paws clinging to his chest, their fur mingling where their bodies pressed together. The sound of the rain on the windows and the crackle of the dying fire, the dim light that blurred out all of the world except for her. The soft sheets and furs surrounding them, keeping them entwined and warm, the plush pillows their heads lay on less than an inch apart. He would remember this moment for the rest of his life, and if anyone ever asked when was the moment he knew he fell for Briar Fatalis, he would remember this night. Briar leaned closer and placed a lick on the end of his nose, making his snicker under his breath while he wrinkled his nose jokingly. His paws stopped on her lower back while hers touched his cheek, both wolves holding tight to one another. If he had his way, he would never let her go every again.

Briar's whispered question made him grin as well and he chuckled quietly, his amber eyes flashing with mirth and affection for his Deer Girl. "I would be disappointed if you didn't, cause then I couldn't tease you back," he remarked, returning the playful lick to the end of her nose as a punctuation to his reply. Even if their relationship was growing, Artorias didn't want to lose or change anything they already had. He wanted their new relationship to build on the friendship they had, to keep the same snarky comments and teasing jokes going, to keep pushing each other to be the best, and to always be there to support the other through anything—just now they could kiss each other too!

In that instant, Artorias realized this was what his mother had been talking about. That moment when you would just know you met the wolf who was the one, the wolf who was right for you and who you were meant to be with. His heart yearned and ached and beat for Briar, as if no amount of closeness or kissing could quell the need to be hers. She made him happy just being in her presence, she was his best friend—but better. This was that obsessive and passionate kind of desire she had told him of. And when Briar leaned closer to push another kiss to his lips, Artorias' eyes lid closed and he felt complete. The kiss felt both perfect and over too painfully quick at the same time. He breathed a soft sigh as well once their lips parted, eyes opening halfway to find hers with a loving smile. Gods, how was he ever going to let Briar go back to the Armada now?! Maybe he'd be able to talk Ulric into letting him spend a season training with Sirius back in Boreas, then he wouldn't have to leave her for a while. They could go back and forth between their homes together, never having to spend much time apart.

A thought flickered in his head at the notion of Sirius, and Artorias' dopey, lovestruck expression sobered up just a little bit while he peered down past Briar's beautiful face towards her neck for a moment. In the heat of the moment, he had entirely forgotten why Briar had come to him in the first place. He was sure she wouldn't be having any more nightmares tonight, and probably not any more when she was sleeping next to him—but what happened when he couldn't be beside her at night? He had to make sure he did everything he could to protect her from those memories and the fear. Looking back up into her gorgeous turquoise eyes, Artorias gave her a protective, adoring look before coming in to give her one more quick, gentle kiss.

"I kinda wanna do something... I just need you to trust me and not move, okay...?" he whispered, waiting for her to agree before he softly brushed his muzzle against the side of hers. Ever so slowly, he began to follow the curve of her jaw with his muzzle, nuzzling his way to her cheek, then dipping lower to beneath her chin, then slooooowly lower down her throat. As he moved, he made sure to pay close attention o Briar's reactions, not wanting to freak her out and preparing to pull back if this became too much. But he had to try. If she didn't stop him at any point, Artorias would move his muzzle to find the nearly perfect circles of scars on her throat left behind by Sirius' fangs, his heart racing as he gave the two marks a few slow, gentle kisses each. He was trying to show Briar that he still thought she was the most beautiful wolf ever, regardless of what had happened, and give her something other than her father's fangs to think about whenever she touched her neck. His forelegs squeezed her gently, keeping her held close the whole while, making sure she knew he had her, and he was there for her.

"Artorias" | "Corbin"

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.
____________________

Briar chuckled as well when he insisted that they would have to keep teasing each other so that he could tease her back, amusement dancing in her gaze as she held herself close to him, matching the little wrinkle of her nose that he had done when she licked his. She was so glad that he felt the same as she did, just wanting to keep this close, amazing friendship and just continue to add on to it as they grew even closer. She already felt like her best self when she was around him, like he completed her just by being near her. Now that he had her heart too she couldn't wait to see how they improved each other and supported one another going forward. Her Blue Boy. Always hers. His loving smile as their lips parted brought a similar one to her lips, her paws slipping up around his neck to hold herself closer to him. There was still the same flutter in her chest when she looked into his eyes or felt his paws on her back that she had felt whenever they would touch each other before, but it was different now, better. She didn't know how she'd ever sleep now with this intense happiness radiating through her, but at least now that's what was keeping her up instead of anxiety and fear. Artorias had chased all of that away and replaced it all with love and affection - something she'd never be able to repay him for. She could see a thought cross his mind as his expression shifted, and she gave him a curious glance, wondering what it was he had thought of. She watched as his gaze drifted down to her neck where the fresh scars by her throat were visible through her fur, and she understood. Her ears flicked back and she was just about to insist that she was okay, assure him that everything was fine now, but he left another kiss on her lips that silenced her and she gave him another curious look when he spoke, telling her to trust him and hold still. "I trust you..." she replied softly without hesitation and she meant it. She'd trust Artorias with her life just as she hoped he would do with her. She held still as he brushed his muzzle against hers and started slowly and carefully and gently moving his way down along her cheek and jaw - and to her throat. Briar tensed slightly and swallowed hard when she felt his muzzle against her neck, but she continued to hold still, her ears pinned back against her head as he neared the familiar gaps of fur where the bite marks now made their home. It felt like her throat was overly sensitive, any little touch against her skin making her immediately want to recoil and protect it. But it was Artorias. She trusted him with her whole heart and soul. She didn't stop him, though her breath caught in her chest and her paws on the back of his neck gripped lightly at the fur between his shoulders. Her heart was pounding so hard against her chest that she thought it might burst free and it was hard to not think about the little phantom pains she felt there from time to time. But when he started leaving little, gentle kisses over the new scars she started to relax, letting out a soft, shaky sigh with the breath she had been holding. She swallowed past the lump in her throat and blinked away a few tears that had formed in the corners of her eyes without her realizing it, a loving smile pulling at her lips again. One of her paws came up to the top of his head, her claws extending just enough to gently scratch around his ears affectionately, squeezing against him a little tighter. She loved how thoughtful he was and how gentle he was with her. It had been hard to explain just how much her father biting her had shaken her, but he seemed to understand anyway. They got each other in a way she didn't really understand, but she supposed that falling for someone didn't really always need to make sense. "Briar" | "Marigold"

It was impossible for Artorias to ignore the way Briar began to tense up with anxiety when his muzzle moved down toward her tender throat. He knew how badly she had been shaken up by her father's attack. She had never told him the extent of what happened, and he hadn't heard the story from her perspective, but he knew all the same. His Briar had been hurt and scared, and now he had to make it better. Once he began to trail soft kisses along the fresh pink skin, he heard the soft, shaky sigh that she had been holding in and felt her tense body slowly relax and melt. His own tension eased as well, glad to see that his plan hadn't backfired horribly. There had been a real possibility that he'd accidentally trigger Briar's fear and that he'd ruin their moment, but he couldn't let her continue to suffer with her inner demons over this. She was his now, and this was the only way he knew how to invade her brain and her dreams and do battle with the things scaring her the most. This was how he fought the intangible to keep her safe and sound.

Artorias' paws gripped tighter around Briar's midsection to hold her close to him in the blankets while his lips pressed slowly over and over and over to her throat, sometimes straying through the thin fur along the rest of her throat before returning all his love and attention back to those two scars that had become as much a part of her as her antlers were. He felt her paw come up to the back of his head, pressing encouragingly to him there, and then he felt the thin razors of her feline claws slip out to scratch over his scalp and around his ears tenderly. The reaction from the Carpathius boy was visceral and immediate, his body tensing and relaxing all at once as shockwaves of pleasure ran down his spine, little murrs of delight coming from him while his eyelids fluttered. The sensations of Briar massaging and scritching his head felt incredible! He didn't know how she knew to do that without any prompting, but he just chalked it up to them knowing each other so well. Sometimes things didn't need an explanation or a reason with them; sometimes they just were.

Another groan of delight against her neck and Artorias placed a longer, firmer kiss against her scars, gracing each one with a slow, affectionate lick as well, as if he could lick the pain away like a physical wound. His paws flexed and twitched from her paw on his head, kneading at her back while she squeezed herself even tighter to him. With the way his muzzle was positioned, he could easily bury his nose into the side of her neck, just breathing in her scent like this was his only chance to, like she would disappear as soon as the sun rose. He was savoring every bit of their intimate moment and it was obvious, but he didn't care. Briar was his to savor. His to love. Always his.

"That feels soooooo goooooood, Briar..." he groaned out, voice muffled by his lips against her neck. Small quivers rocked his body, his toes splaying and flexing underneath the sheets and his tail wagging happily against the bed. He planted one more firm kiss against her throat, then whispered against her skin, "Sorry if I freaked you out... Do you want me to stop now...?"

"Artorias" | "Corbin"

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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She immediately felt his immediate reaction to her scratching around his ears and it made a huge grin spread across her face. That was something she knew she'd be taking advantage of in the future and that made her all the more excited to spend more time with him and learn even more about him. What other things did he like? What was his favorite food? Is favorite places to go? His favorite smells? She wanted to know all of it. She wanted to know every single little thing about him, inside and out. She gave similar little murrs when he pressed firmer kisses to her scars. The affection made her skin tingle and her heart beat a little faster even though she couldn't really figure out why. She just knew she liked how Artorias' kisses felt and that seemed to go for every part of her, not just her lips. Briar chuckled when told her how good her scratches felt, encouraging her to keep doing it. She liked short circuiting him. It was so fun to see Artorias go from his tough, sword wielding wolf to this mushy love bug. "It's okay... I kind of like it now..." she assured him with a shy giggle, tipping her head down to look at him with a grin. Just seeing him and looking at his warm eyes that looked even more handsome in this orangey-gold fire light made her chest swell with happiness. Was this how her parents had always felt when they saw each other? It was really no wonder that losing Zee had torn her father's world apart. She thought she had understood, but now she understood even more. Briar leaned down to his muzzle to give him slow, tender kiss for a moment before she tucked her head over his and pulled him into her chest, hugging him tight. "I'm so happy I have you..." she told him quietly, nuzzling the top of his head. She held him like that for a while, completely relaxed in his embrace and perfectly at peace. A yawn pulled at her and reminded her of the fact that her sleep had been rudely interrupted by her nightmare and she let her eyes start to drift closed, still tangled up in Artorias' embrace with his head tucked over her neck, feeling as if this was the only way she should ever sleep from now on. Without really meaning to, sleep snuck up on her and pulled her under, drifting off into a deep, peaceful sleep wrapped up in Artorias and snuggled into the plush bedding around them. "Briar" | "Marigold"

Listening to those louder murrs that came from Briar when his kisses to her throat became more insistent sent a shiver down his spine that he had never felt before. He couldn't discern the feeling, but he liked it. He liked making Briar happy, make her feel good, make her smile and giggle and murr and squirm whenever he touched her or kissed her certain ways, using her reactions as a guide to figure out what she liked best. He suddenly realized that he would get a lot of chances now to learn what she liked best. What her favorite meal was. Where her favorite places to be were. Whether she was an early morning or late night kind of wolf. What were her favorite kinds of flowers? All the little nuances and details that made up Briar Fatalis were now a mystery game for him to figure out, and he couldn't wait to get started!

His enthusiasm would have to wait, however, as Briar's rubbing paw on his head was quickly relaxing him so much that his body had gone limp, right on the verge of lulling him to sleep. His kisses to her neck became slower and more infrequent as the boy grumbled and struggled to keep his eyes open. It just felt sooooooo good! Eventually Briar would relent, allowing Artorias to lift his head to peer up at the gorgeous wolf in his arms while she smiled down at him, content to study those beautiful turquoise irises for the rest of time. It made his heart soar to be able to bring her this kind of joy and peace, and he was once again reminded of his mother's words, how the wolf he fell for would have him concerned over her wellbeing for no reason other than existing. He gratefully lifted his muzzle to meet hers halfway in their slow kiss, more electricity running through his veins courtesy of his racing heart. It didn't matter how many times they did it tonight, each kiss felt like that first one had: fire and electricity all at once, hot and shocking and lively. He never wanted to lose that feeling for Briar.

"I'm so happy I have you..." whispered Artorias in reply while the wolf of his affection nuzzled the top of his head and rested herself there, snuggling and cradling him to her. He nuzzled his nose into the fur near the base of her neck, surrounding himself in her scent while keeping her held tight in his arms. The two of them laid like that for a while, Artorias listening to Briar's breathing next to his ears and the rain outside. The fire had since burned out, leaving the room in darkness while they relaxed in one another's embrace. He heard Briar yawn while he held her with his head crossed over her neck as if to guard her, never again allowing anything to come close to harming or taking the thing he loved the most in this world away from him. For a long while, he stared around the dark room, taking in Briar and just enjoying being with her until he heard her breathing slow and knew she was asleep. A small, contented smile found its home on his lips, and as soon as his eyes drifted closed as well, Artorias was also asleep, finding his peace entwined with Briar in the softness and warmth of her fur and the comforting swaddling of the bedding surrounding them.

"Artorias" | "Corbin"

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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