Nothing terrified a father like hearing news that something bad had happened one of his children. It was news that Artorias would never fully be prepared for. Disobedience and breaking the rules he could handle with a stern gaze and firm words, but actual harm befalling his offspring? It was the young father's worst nightmare. So when he had been informed that Thorn had been injured, the dire wolf wasted no time running as fast as he could to the infirmary. His heart sank into his chest when he saw his son in one of the cots, surrounded by Briar and Gwynevere while they tended to him. His ear was bandaged, but even he could see the end of it was missing. Briar did her best to keep the upset sire calm, trying to explain everything to him. She had told him about Dusk sneaking off to the God's Garden, their daughter finding the razor wire and turning it into a weapon, of Thorn following her and the accident that followed. It broke Artorias' heart to think that his own children had done this to one another, and accident or not, Dusk had permanently maimed her brother by being careless and foolhardy.

Now the Aegis was walking down the long corridors to their chambers where Briar had sent Dusk to await her father's arrival. All the way there, Artorias debated how he wanted to handle this. Despite his upset over Thorn's condition, Dusk was still his child and he still loved her very much. But the little soot sprite of a pup had been reckless far too much for his own comfort, and this time it had injured her brother, an innocent bystander. Punishment had to be doled out. He was just grateful that this hadn't happened on Hallowed lands. Heavy pawsteps echoed down the empty corridor, getting closer and closer to the bedroom doors. Artorias stopped just outside them, staring at the dark mahogany frames for a moment while he mentally prepared himself. The brute took a deep breath, released it slowly, and then pushed the doors open.

Stepping inside, Artorias closed the doors behind him. This was a private matter and he didn't need any unwanted audience or interruptions during this talk. "Dusk," Artorias called out to his daughter as he turned around and stepped further into the room, his eyes instantly searching for her, "we need to have a talk, young lady."

"Artorias" | "Carpathian"

To put it simply, Dusk felt horrible. What had first been an exhilarating new experience had quickly turned into a horror show. Thorn had bled and bled and there was blood on them both. Thankfully her mother showed up to fix things and reassure her that her brother wouldn't die. The fact remained that part of his ear was missing and part of it had been her fault. What? She hadn't swung the thing at him on purpose, so she didn't take full blame. Still, he was in pain and she had caused him that pain. It didn't make her feel good.

Dusk had been sent to her room and the girl went there without argument, ears folded and tail hanging limply. The room was dark, but she didn't care. The midnight child jumped onto the giant bed and curled into a little ball amongst the furs. She thought about what she had done and how things could have gone differently. The worst part was that she had been really good with the swinging wire. Now she would probably never be able to use it again.

Light spilled in from the doorway, making the figure within it nothing more than a shadow, but she knew it was her father. A moment later his voice sounded and she could hear the disappointment in his tones. A frown pulled at her lips and she pushed her paws into the furs, sitting up on the bed and waiting for whatever punishment was sure to come her way.

"Dusk Carpathius"

The only response that Artorias received that tipped him off that Dusk was in the room was the quiet shifting and shuffle of furs and blankets on the massive bed in the middle of the room. In the darkness of the silent room, Dusk was almost perfectly camouflaged, only her fiery amber eyes giving away her location. Artorias spied the silhouette of his little soot ball pup thanks to his augmented vision and immediately felt his heart break. The usually boisterous and vivacious pup was quiet and withdrawn, a sad effigy of her usual self. That was the first thing that clued Artorias in to how guilty she must have felt and that she was grasping the severity of what had happened. Yes, what had happened had been a bad accident, but it still hurt the father to see his daughter so uncharacteristically dour and taciturn.

Breathing a long sigh, Artorias crossed the room over to the unlit grand fireplace at the opposite end of the room from the bed. He loaded a few fresh logs and dried kindling into the hearth then grabbed the flint and steel from the mantle. With a few quick strikes, the fire sparked to life, and after a few moments the flames had devoured the kindling to rise to a level bright enough to illuminate the dark bedroom. Warm firelight cast an orange glow over everything and spread its warmth around, chasing away the dark of night. The sire then turned to face his daughter, carrying himself across the room to hoist his giant form up onto the bed and curl his massive form around his child, offering protection and comfort. No matter how worried or disappointed he would ever be, Artorias' love for his children would never be diminished. Dusk was still his daughter, he still loved her with all his heart, and right now she needed her father's comfort and reassurance more than she needed a scolding.

Once he had settled in around her, Art patted his side with an azure paw, offering an embrace to the little Carpathian if she wanted it. "I saw Thorn a few minutes ago. His ear's been patched up and he's doing well, all things considered," he began, hoping to offer Dusk some peace of mind that her brother would be okay. Briar had told him how afraid Dusk had been that she'd killed him. "I've heard your brother's side of the event. I'd like to hear yours now too. What happened in the Garden today?" There was no sternness or scolding in the dire-sized sire's voice as he inquired into today's events. He simply wanted to give Dusk the chance to tell him her side of the events.

"Artorias" | "Carpathian"