Silas had been allowed out of the room for a time now, but he hadn’t made it very far on his own. He started out life rather timid and uncertain. His dark paws had only taken the aurora marked boy out into the hallways outside the room. The boy knew the royal chambers better than he knew himself, but he was afraid he was going to get lost here in the castle. It was so big and vast, how was he ever supposed to remember where everything was?

Curiously he slipped out of the heavy door, his dark pelt nearly unnoticeable in the shadow but his bright green and purple markings vibrant in comparison. His paws were not so disproportionate to some of his siblings, but they were still quite large as they stepped out onto the old carpets that covered the hardwood floors. His vibrant turquoise eyes lifted to the dusty artworks that hung upon the walls, their depictions of creatures and places the young boy couldn’t truly imagine. His face was full of awe as he looked around, there was so much to see and he had barely left his birthplace.

The world had been opened up to their youngest litter, and Artorias soon came to learn that he would find his rambunctious little rugrats all over the castle, exploring their home and making all sorts of discoveries every day. Being a father and getting to share such thrills and excitement with his children was one of the greatest joys Artorias had in his life and every day he got to spend with his growing family was a treasured memory he would keep forever. However, it hadn’t slipped by Art how one of his newest pups showed a higher degree of timidity towards venturing out amongst the castle halls. His boy Silas had kept mostly to himself, staying within the sanctity of the alphas’ chambers. While Artorias would never begrudge his children anything that made them feel comfortable and hoped that with time, Silas would build up the confidence to come out on his own, it did concern the father.

That was why when he began making his way up to their bedchambers to change out of his armor and disarm himself after a routine patrol and he didn’t see Silas waiting for him inside, the curious sire set out to go find his son. His heart was gladdened to find the small dark form of his boreal boy wandering the halls, gawking in awe at the paintings that lined the walls. A loving smile pulled at Art’s lips while the giant wolf took a moment to just watch his son from a distance as he made his own way down the corridor, investigating his world at his own pace. After a few moments of heart-melting cuteness, the dire-sized sire rounded the corner and strode up towards his boy, all smiles as he craned his neck down to nuzzle at the aurora-banded lad.

"See any places you’d like to visit one day?" he asked, glancing up at the paintings of forests and lakes and mountains that decorated the walls. "I know some places nearby that look a lot like these if you ever feel like an adventure one day. We can all go as a family, or it can just be me and you for some father-son time if you'd like."

"Artorias" | "Carpathian"

Silas could still see the door of the family bedroom, he had confidence in turning maybe one corner. Further than though though, and he was quite afraid he would go and get lost. Besides, there was plenty to see here in the old hallways, he might have been able to sit and stare at the paintings for hours. There was so much to look at in each one, and his little mind couldn’t help but wonder if they were indeed real places and things. He was most interested in one that had four bipedal creatures with long pointing spears pointed at a shimmering white creature. It looked almost deer like, but with the tail of a lion and a long silvery horn. Silas had so many questions about it he didn’t even notice his father coming up and down the hallway.

He jumped only slightly when he heard his sire’s massive paw steps falling beside him, but happily leaned into his father’s affection as he offered it. Artorias questioned if Silas wanted to go see any of these places and at first the boy tilted his head in confusion. The aegis went on, explaining he knew of many places like the ones in the paintings. ”Can I see all of them?” He asked softly with a little thump of his aurora marked tail.

To no surprise of his, Silas asked if he could go see all of the places depicted in the castle's paintings. The boy was showing off his adventurous spirit, the same spirit his father had also shown at the boy's age. That simple question brought Artorias back in time, to years ago of living at the Sunset Falls, just a small pup aching to go see the world that he watched from the top of the waterfall. How simple life had seemed back then, taken for granted... He hoped his child never lost that wanderlust or curiosity. With a smile on his muzzle, Artorias chuckled and raised a giant paw to gently pat Silas' back while he gazed up at the scenic painting with his pup. "Of course you can. You can see all the world if you wish when you get bigger. When I was your age, I also wanted to see as much of the world as I could." Art glanced down to Silas with a wistful half-smile. "Just promise your dad that you'll always come back home, okay? I want you to see all you can and have all the adventures of a lifetime, just never forget where you come from and where you're the most loved."

Artorias noted the way Silas' eyes focused on the subjects of the artwork, the lad's turquoise eyes that matched his mother's studying the strange bipedal creatures and the mythical beast they were hunting. He cocked his head to the side in pensive thought, a sagacious smile slowly making itself seen on the sire's lips. "What interests you most about this picture, Silas?" he asked the boy, wondering if perhaps his son had a penchant for hunting as well as exploring. Would his aurora-banded son aspire to be a great beast hunter like his uncle, and like the bizarre beings in the painting?

"Artorias" | "Carpathian"

The obvious allure of places unknown set a yearning in the boy that conflicted with his inner fears. He couldn’t even make it out of the bedroom before he was worried he would become lost, let alone exploring the world. He could see vast amounts of land from the balconies, and wondered if their castle home could be seen from all across the world. Memories like this, wondering about the world with his dad nearby, he’d remember for the rest of his life. One day he’d look back at his timidity and believe himself foolish, but it was the natural course of being a pup. He had to experience and learn as life went along.

His dark paws didn’t really stop moving even when his father joined him. Silas was certain that he could explore the castle for a lifetime and never find out all of its secrets. Did his sire know all there was about their home? He felt like if he asked it would be a bit like cheating if he didn’t find out for himself. As turquoise eyes wandered the halls Artorias went on. Yes, he would be able to explore the world, even on his own eventually. Just as his father had done years before. The caveat being that he needed to return, that he would never forget where his home was. ”I won't forget.” He smiled as he looked back at his dad, a promise he would do his best to keep.

His attention hadn’t strayed too far from the painting he’d been staring at when Artorias walked up. It had faded colors, but the hints of gold and the impending doom of the strange creature captured his attention. He wasn’t sure what drew him so much, except perhaps the feeling of anticipation and the thought that the creature should not be killed. Though it was just a painting, and who knew what its true fate was or might have been. Or even if it had existed in the first place. ”I.. I want to know what happens. Why do they want to kill the white beast? Did they do it, did it escape…?” He didn’t know, and he didn’t think they would ever really know.

Artorias smiled and nodded his head to Silas' promise to never forget his home in the Hallows. He knew it was impossible to predict what the future might hold for any of them, as was it impossible for him to expect his entire family to remain in their homelands. Life and fate always had a way of spinning its own threads, writing its own sentences in their books of life. Silas would need to follow his own path and chart his own course. If that path one day led him away from the Hallows, Artorias would of course be heartbroken, but he would be proud of his son—as he would any of his children—and trust in the wolves they grew up to be. Instilling them with the best life lessons and morals he could would be the greatest gift he could give them to prepare them to face the real world. But no matter where they went or how far they traveled, the Hallows and Hearthstone would always be their home.

The question he posed to Silas was answered with surprising depth and insight from the young boy. Silas questioned the fate of the white beast and the reasons behind its slaying. Art cocked his head to one side as he studied the painting with his child, amber eyes following the sunwashed paints over the finer details of the image. "I'm afraid it's impossible for us to know for sure," he surmised with a thoughtful hum. "It's very possible the creature survived the attack and escaped. As for the hunters' reasons... perhaps the creature is a source of food for them, much like how deer are for us. Or perhaps it posed a threat to their homes and they're defending themselves." All plausible answers, yet sadly none more definitive than another. It was up to them to make their own interpretations of what was being presented to them. Art peered down at Silas. "What do you believe the case is...?"

"Artorias" | "Carpathian"

Silas didn’t know what the future would hold, his young mind couldn’t really grasp the weight of the promise that he made his father. Anything past the next day was just too far into the future for him to comprehend. As of that moment, he would always come back, he was afraid he would get lost otherwise. And yet the boy desired so badly to see the world. There was so much more to the world than these castle halls, and he hadn’t even seen all of them.

At the moment he wished that he could jump into the painting and explore the environment that was fabricated upon the dusty surface. He questioned his father, but the man didn’t know any more than he did. Their information was limited, it wasn’t like there were more paintings… but maybe there were.

Artorias echoed his own thought process, it was impossible to know the many possibilities that could have unfolded in the still picture but in the end, the Aegis asked what his son believed. ”I don’t know. I feel like… the white beast is the good guy. Look at how white and pure it is.” Silas reasoned. There were not many naturally occurring white beasts, for obvious reasons. They were much easier to notice and hunt. This creature had to be different. ”The hunters are wrong to kill something so special.” He said determinedly.

While Silas considered the painting and voiced his perspective and interpretation of the events, Artorias simply listened to his son. He was always impressed with how intelligent and thoughtful his children were, but some of them showcased that depth of wisdom greater beyond their young ages. Silas was considering a great number of things while he analyzed the painted scene, from the color of the white beast to the action of the characters portrayed within. Artorias tipped his head to the side while he considered Silas' interpretation, humming in pensive thought. "You may be right, Silas. Pure white creatures rarely occur naturally, many having other shades of gray or cream in them. A true white animal is a rarity."

With his boy's assertion that the hunters were wrong to try and kill such an exceptional being, Artorias nodded his head assent. "And so it is then. You've used your smarts and your insight to build a belief and shown what values and morals are important to you. This is something that you will do for the rest of your life, Silas." Artorias lifted a large paw and rested it on his son's back, rubbing and ruffling his downy puppy fur a bit. "Our family and our pack are built on these principles and morals. Do no harm unless it is needed to protect or preserve life. Take only what we need to survive. Maintain the balance of nature and defend it from those who would do it and us harm. That is why we keep our doors open to any who may need our help. We all live in a delicate balance together, a cycle of life that we can choose to work with or against. We Carpathians have committed ourselves to being the harbingers of peace and order. My mother—your grandmother—was our archetype, and now I do the same. One day, when you're older and grown, you will also have to make decisions and build your own beliefs. It's up to you to find what feels right for you. As long as you stay true to what you feel is right and good, then you will never lose yourself."

This was all a very deep and complex conversation to be having with a pup, so Artorias tried to veer the conversation back towards some more lighter topics. He glanced down at his borealis boy and smiled. "Are you interested in hunting, Silas? Would you like to be the example to these hunters to show them the right and wrong ways to hunt?"

"Artorias" | "Carpathian"

Silas might have been wise beyond his years in that moment, but then again he did possess a bit of an old soul. His insight brought a bit of thought from his father as the Aegis tilted his head curiously and considered his son’s words and interpretation. He spoke to Silas’ credit, his interpretation was one that was very much valid. Again, there was no creator if the image to come and tell them what the full story might be, and perhaps the boy was correct. They would never really know.

His gem-like gaze lifted to Artorias’ features as his father spoke, giving him a lesson veiled lightly as praise. He spoke of the future, and of Silas’ natural instincts. Then further onwards to speak of his lineage and of the virtue that he would be expected to preserve as he grew older. He was from a long line of wolves who sought to achieve the balance of nature and of life and death. The boy listened intently, knowing the importance and weight the words his father spoke had.

"Yes, Father.” He spoke softly about everything his sire had said. He would stay true to his morals and lineage, but he also felt like he wanted to be a hunter. To preserve magnificent creatures such as the white beast. "Do you really think I could be a good hunter? I.. I can barely make it further than the staircase by myself.”

"Speech"

Silas listened with rapt attention for the duration of his lesson, confirming he understood his words, but Artorias knew the importance of knowing balance and justice would be lost on a pup as young as his little Silas—at least until the boy grew and had matured some more. A child's mind could not comprehend the depths of how ambiguous things like morality could be, nor would he ever want to burden his children with such thoughts. Artorias simply wanted his pups to enjoy being children and to savor their innocence for as long as they could. His own had been stolen by the darkness of the world far too soon. His children deserved better.

Artorias smiled down at Silas, giving his forehead an affectionate nudge with his snout. "Good lad." Silas questioned if he truly believed he could be a good hunter, and the sire wolf gave a soft chuckle, a proud lopsided smile adorning his features as fiery eyes blazed with love for his son. "I believe you could be a great hunter if you put your mind to it and never give up on yourself," Artorias playfully corrected his son. The remark Silas made about not even being able to navigate the stairs on his own earned him an appraising head tilt from his father. "And why should that stop you, my boy? Life is full of challenges and checkpoints. Just because you can't do something right now doesn't mean you'll never be able to do it."

Again Artorias leaned his neck down to offer Silas a reassuring nuzzle to his crown. "Courage in yourself does not mean never being afraid. True courage is being afraid and still acting in spite of the fear." Another lesson he felt his son would understand better the older he got and the more personal challenges he faced and overcame. "You are still very young, Silas, and you have so much life ahead of you. Everyone faces things that scare them or make them nervous—even me."

"Artorias" | "Carpathian"