The evening of the grand event had finally come. Under Bramble's direction with some guidance from himself and Briar, the necessary organization had been made, the invites had been sent out, and Hearthstone had been decorated and prepared to receive their guests. In the Great Hall, a veritable feast had been laid out across the many tables, and a space had been cleared out to function as a dance floor. A traveling troupe of musicians had been contracted by the Aegis to play for the night to provide ambiance and entertainment. No expense had been spared to give his daughter the best chance at success he could afford. The only thing that had been kept out of the mix was the alcohol for obvious reasons, which remained locked up tight in the cellars. The last thing Artorias wanted was for a bunch of yearlings getting wasted under his watch.

As the sun began to set, the Aegis donned his armor and sword. He had said this event was for wolves two and under and that Bramble would be in charge, and he meant it. He would be acting as door security for her to make sure no one tried to crash the party and no incidents broke out amongst the guests, but he didn't expect any sort of trouble. He was more of a precautionary measure than a necessity. Taking his position at the front doors to the castle, Artorias sat and watched out over the gardens, waiting for the first of their guests to arrive to direct them as necessary—and to make his position known to Bramble in case she needed anything from him.

"Artorias" | "Carpathian" | "Corbin" | "Eira" | "Argent"

Bramble was excited. Her father had allowed her to basically plan the fall ball at the head with the help from her sister and many of her other siblings. Ember’s equal excitement in the ordeal had made the anxiety-ness of the planning easier on Bramble’s fast paced mind. Everything was near perfect. The castle had been cleaned top to bottom, decorations of all sorts of fall colors hung from the halls and every doorway. The ballroom was lit to a perfect ambiance as it all came into place.

Standing in her room before the ornate mirror that her father had cleaned and shined from somewhere deep in the castle’s basement, Bramble smiled. She had spent more time grooming herself than she ever had before. Not a hair was out of place. Having her mother neatly attach her tail cuff on and braid the teal and gold ribbons into her tail, she looked at it with near tears in her eyes. Bramble hoped her parents were proud of the woman she was becoming.

Taking a deep breath, she set her shoulders back, lifted her head high, and took one more look at Bramble Carpathius, Princess of The Hallows. Yes, everything would be perfect tonight.

Leaving her rooms, she makes her way down the stairs and toward the front door. Noticing her father opening them, she rushes over as gracefully as a lady should and goes to stand beside Artorias. “Your armor is looking rather shiny, father,” Bramble says sweetly, a smile on her lips as she leans in to nuzzle his cheek. “I can’t wait for everyone to arrive,” (and most importantly Tate because she had been telling him for weeks now about everything she had been doing). Standing beside her father, she looks out over the gardens and lets out a content sigh. Yep, tonight was to be perfect!

"Speech"

Nelu eyed the hourglass, the sands running low and signaling to him it was time to stop with his pottery project and get ready for the ball. He wasn't sure what to expect but he had no intention of missing it. "Samiri, can you help with putting the tools away?" She chirped and nodded before using her deft hands to move the pottery tools aside while Nelu wandered over to the basin to clean his paws. Once clean he headed out to join the festivities, his companions close behind.

He arrived to see his father and Bramble gathered and he dipped his head in greeting. "Good evening, father, Bramble. What shall make up the festivities tonight?"

Maki had been thrilled to receive an invitation to the ball. Sure, it wasn't made out to her specifically, just a friendly but vague offer to anyone who wanted to go. But Maki was intent on making it into a big deal, the biggest even. She'd fussed for hours, getting herself ready- wanting to look perfect and pretty but also like she wasn't trying too hard. Effortless beauty didn't come so naturally to Maki, at least not in comparison to Delphi who just looked stunning forever and always. She spent forever grooming her fur and even found some nice smelling leaves to roll in, allowing the jasmine scent to seep into her fur. Sweet, fruity and sensual, absolutely nothing like Maki then.

She'd never really roamed this far from home, but as the castle loomed in the distance a feeling of anticipation rose in her chest, near getting into a fist fight against her nervousness. A fight so closely matched she couldn't tell which would beat the snot out of the other.

"Do we just walk in? That seems kinda rude, don't it?" Maki mused as they approached, peeking around the archway as if she thought someone might crunch her nose off for being too- well nosey. She supposed they could howl and announce themselves?

Ugh, but she could already smell the food and the sound of music lingered in the air, equally tempting as the feast. Maybe even more so if the night was gonna be all she'd made it out to be in her head, a night of drama and intrigue, mystery and aesthetics. She'd been daydreaming about it as soon as she'd heard about the bash and now she was here- well what if it didn't live up to her ideals? What if she just stood in the corner staring at people, willing them to dance with her?

"Thas' it. I'm goin' in and I'mma dance with so many people Delphi, you'll see!"

And off she went, heading into the castle till she emerged into the ballroom, all decked out and pretty and perfect.

Silas was growing more confident by the day, he was no longer a frightened pup that could hardly make his way from the castle walls anymore. However his adventurous side had yet to translate to gis social side. The young Prince was reclusive, preferring his own company over that of another. An oddity for a social creature such as a wolf. He was content in his own world though. Maybe that was why he was expected to attend his sister's party tonight, while he had made strides in himself there was still much work to be done to make him a proper prince.

The time had finally come, and the aurora marked boy tried hard to cover the discontent he felt deep down. He needed to be supportive of Bramble and be a good example of a hallowed princling. He certainly did not groom himself meticulously like his sister, but did pat the fur on his head down so he didn't look like a ruffian before he made his way down. Make an appearance, eat some food, sneak away when his sire was not looking. He could do that. Presenting himself obviously at first so none could accuse him of skipping out he smiled to his family before meandering over to the feast laid out before him.

Delphi agreed to go to this ball-thing to appease her sister. After being rude to the girl, Delphi had felt terrible about it. Something about always being nice to family or something came from their father so of course she had to right her wrongs. Truthfully, Delphi was having a great time with Maki. Though she didn't really care to get pretty and groom herself, she did so anyway so Maki wouldn't be embarrassed. Allowing her sister to neatly wash, brush, and rub some stuff all over her, Delphi was as ready as she was ever going to be.

When they approached the castle archway through the plain, she looked up at the inspiring castle. Damn, why couldn't they live somewhere like this? Her eyes go wide as they hesitate at the opening to the grounds. Her eyes flicker up to Maki as she shoulders shrug. From this distance, she too could hear the music, the murmur of voices, and even smell the delicious food wafting over the grounds. Her stomach rumbled and she already settled that she would eat more than she would dance. If Strai wasn't going to be here to keep her company, she didn't want to be tempted by others.

As Maki proclaimed she would march in, Delphi made sure to follow close behind. Walking past the towering figure of the Hallows wolves, Delphi smiled her prettiest smile and nodded her head in greeting. "Thanks for the invite!" She calls back as she scampers in to catch up to Maki.

Bramble had been excited about this evening for weeks. Really, she'd told him all about the planning and preparations, and he'd done what he could to grease palms, making sure the right shipments came in on time. Not that she needed to know exactly what he'd done with the traders, but uh... well, only good things. Right, only good things. What good was having a spy for a boyfriend if he wasn't going to quietly go out of his way to make life easier? While Tate had planned to attend alone, it seemed that wouldn't be the case. Erik had secured himself an invitation from one of Bramble's younger sisters-- what the girl saw in his younger brother Tate couldn't know, but more power to her. Wherever Erik went, Morganna was close to follow, so he was in charge of getting everyone where they needed to be. After that? Thank fuck he was off the hook. "Don't do anything that will make me look like an asshole." Tate hissed quietly at his siblings as they arrived, beginning to unpack Kaiju's saddle bags. A gift for Bramble, his girlfriend-who-he-hasn't-asked-to-be-his-girlfriend-yet. A gift for Bramble, the host, that he handed to Erik. His brother snatched another parcel before Tate could fully inspect it, but the boy had been awfully interested about what he'd been making for Bramble. Finally, the young man lifted a bottle of sake free. Though Artorias wasn't hosting, he was still allowing them into his home, and in his mind it's the polite thing to do. While Tate wouldn't typically so troubled with decorum, he also wants Bramble's dad to like him. With a few things still tucked away for later, the boy sent his companion off to make himself comfortable. It was hard to deny Tate cleaned up well. Broad and strong, the last of the puppy fat fading away to brawn. Not the tallest, but rugged and well-built, the fading sunlight really bringing out the reds in his coat. Feeling like a million bucks, smelling much less like drugs than usual, and really more put together than she's probably ever seen him, Tate strides to the castle. Bramble was front and center, and he couldn't help but stop for a moment. Damn, he wasn't even sure if he had the words for her. The look on his face said at all as he paused to take her in. Holy fuck. Erik had, opportunistically, tried to slip past him and into the party. "What did I just say?" Tate gently scruffed his brother, holding him back so they could approach together. Finally approaching the Aegis and their host for the evening, Erik was at least able to present Bramble with the box (filled with exotic fruits) before disappearing. In the same moment, Tate presented the bottle to Artorias. Right, right, formalities. It's only after his younger siblings have made themselves scarce that he shifts to Bramble. "'s beautiful. Knew it would be." Tate grinned, reaching out to pull her in for a hug that's... maybe more chaste than it would have been if he wasn't acutely aware she was the center of attention. He pressed a small parcel into her possession, a little smile playing on his lips. "Promise me a dance tonight?" A little hopeful glimmer to his orange eyes, tail wagging loosely. It's her party, hopefully she could free herself for a dance, right?

Something about a ball? Erik wasn't sure about this one. Sounded stuffy but then... if Ember was excited maybe he should be too? She'd gone out of her way to send a raven asking him to come, and Tate was going too. Hell, Tate seemed to be making a bigger deal than usual about things. Preparing and making something for Bramble that seemed to be taking a lot of time and effort. When Erik had finally taken the time to figure out what it was and ask, he got to thinking he should maybe bring something up for Ember too. He'd been quick to snatch it from Kaiju's bag as they unpacked, and he found that he'd been burdened down with yet another box for Bramble too as they made their way through the door. He feels weird, all scrubbed clean and put together. His brother had dumped something on him too, Erik wasn't sure he liked that. It smelled... clean.

Tate had stopped-- hey what gives? Erik tried to slip around his brother, not really listening, but grumbling indignantly as he's held back. If he was so eager to get inside then why stop? Hello, they have things to do. He wouldn't let his annoyance get the better of him, especially when Tate had specifically warned them off being a pain in the ass tonight. As they finally make their way up the steps, Tate has him offer Bramble the box, the contents of which Erik isn't even sure of. Some sorta formality, but with a little respectful-enough dip of his head to Artorias and Bramble each, he's finally free to disappear into the crowd.

Delphi and Maki each got a little wave, from the boy. His not-sisters had already made their way in, were already making themselves comfortable. He'd join them in a moment, but he needed to find Ember first. Little parcel for her still in his clutches, he took a step back to survey the room. Being indoors isn't like being tucked away in the caverns and caves on the mountain, or the compartments among the bamboo. This is different, novel, weird. But maybe it was fun too. At least it would be as soon as he found Ember.

"Speech"

A ball. Meadow had read about them in the books, and they sounded... kinda fun, actually. But with one happening in the castle? She wasn't too sure about that one. She knew she didn't have to go down, of course, but with the sounds of the evening starting to float up to her room... maybe it wouldn't hurt to appear for a little bit. That, and it was important that she supported Bramble. This was her ball, and she'd worked so hard to get everything set up. Right, spending just a little time down there probably wouldn't be the end of the world. Taking a deep breath, Meadow decided that she could probably handle this.

Making sure she looked presentable enough-- shoot. After scrubbing at some of the red clay staining on her paws and realizing it probably wouldn't budge, she decided that it wasn't going to matter. Not like she was staying for all that long anyway. Ear plugs in to dampen the noise, and... well, it's as good as she was going to get. Tentatively, Meadow slipped down the back stairs, not wanting to draw any more attention than necessary. Not sneaking, but also very much hoping no one noticed her. Deciding the coast was clear enough, she made a move for the snacks.

A ball... it wasn't exactly her thing. Dusk would fight you, talk circles around you, make you feel unworthy of her attention, but she definitely wouldn't dance with you. Bramble was so excited though... Perhaps she would just make an appearance to support her sister, then slip off into the shadows to do something that she found more interesting. She couldn't do anything too interesting with her neck and shoulder still healing from her battle with the rogue wolves, but, really... what wasn't more interesting than a dance party?

To hide the bandages, Dusk wore her thick, bison fur cloak. It was autumn and the wind was a bit chilly, so she wouldn't overheat. If she did, it would be simple enough to slip outside for a few minutes. The obsidian lady seated herself at the base of the stairs like some cloaked gargoyle. She sat tall and straight, fire opal eyes scanning the room and it's occupants. Injured or no, if any of them got out of hand, she would take care of them.

Dusk met Bramble's gaze and she gave her sister a confident smile. Just because this wasn't something that she would have chosen, that didn't mean that she didn't want her sister to be happy. Bramble had always been much more feminine than Dusk. If dancing and finery made her happy, then that's what she would have.

"Dusk Carpathius"

The harvest ball was something Ember had been looking forward to since her sister had come to ask for her help planning it. Getting to work on something special with Bramble was a huge delight to the young girl, and seeing everything coming to fruition now felt a bit like a dream come true. The first floor of Hearthstone was fully decorated in autumnal decor, lending to the festive celebration of fall slowly transitioning over into winter. Next season would be her litter's birthdays, and in some ways this felt like a final big hurrah while she was still a child. All of her elder siblings had begun taking on more prominent roles in the pack once they turned one, and some even got to begin their weapon training with Dad! Ember wondered if she would get to do all of those things once she was a yearling as well, and what she might be expected to do as she got older...But those were all thoughts for another day! Tonight was about having fun and making friends with the other younger wolves from across Boreas and Auster. In particular, Ember was stoked to get to see her viking friend from the mountains again! She had sent her raven to invite Erik and was elated to get his RSPV back confirming he'd be coming with his siblings! Knowing her friend would be here, Ember took extra care in making sure things looked perfect. He'd been such a good host showing her the best sights when she'd visited his family in their mountain, she had to be sure she gave him the same kind of welcome to her home.

Just before the ball was set to begin, Ember and all her sisters were in their parents' room getting ready, Briar helping to bathe and brush out their fur and groom them nice and neat before the big event. The girl held a faint smell of the lavender shampoo she'd used and her midnight fur was soft and silky smooth, a far cry from the usual disheveled mess of dust she usually wore after a long day of play and adventuring. This close to her first birthday, Ember had gone through a bit of a growth spurt, not quite yet her adult height, but nearing it, her legs longer and body beginning to slim away from that round puppy form. Interestingly, her tail had begun to take on some of the traits her mother's had—her tail fur glowing longer and finer than the rest of her coat, turning into a midnight black waterfall. Tonight, her mother had helped her keep it up with a simple braid; elegant, yet understated. She had opted not to wear any sort of dress or attire, but had taken up Briar's offer to wear some of her jewelry for the special occasion. She wore matching silver cuffs around each of her ankles on her forelegs, the cuffs studded with brilliant fire orange sapphires, the hallmark color of the Hallows. The silver gleamed magnificently against her dark fur, and with a final smoothing of her fur to make sure she was presentable to her mother's standards, the Carpathian princess headed down to the party.

Descending the stairs, Ember found her father and Bramble greeting their guests as they came in and directing them toward the Great Hall. Just as she was rounding the bend near the top, she caught a brief glimpse of familiar plum wine colored fur down the hallway and a big grin spread across her muzzle. Not that she'd ever doubted he'd come, but because knowing he was here immediately made the night all the better for her. Ember gave a quick nuzzle to her sire's foreleg and a paw-bump to Bramble in celebration of a successful evening before she left them be, heading straight for the Great Hall to track down Erik. Stepping into the hall, she's immediately greeted by the smells of food, the sound of music, the brightness of the fire in the hearth roaring to life, and all the new wolves showing up. But the only newcomer that had her attention was the viking boy she spied waving to a couple of girls across the room. Sneaking quietly around the edges of the tables, Ember stalked up to Erik and gave his tail a playful swat when she got close enough. "Hey there, mountain man! I'm glad you could come!" she greeted her viking friend, all smiles and wagging tail as she moved up beside him. "It's no mountain, but now you get to see where I live. If we're sneaky enough, maybe I can get us up to the tower to show you our views too." Maybe she could even show him the armory too; boys liked weapons, right? Ember shot Erik a cheeky wink. She certainly wasn't above bending a few rules for her friend. Besides, if Dad never found out, was it really breaking the rules?  

"Ember Carpathius"

The night was young. A cold chill to the air brought promise to a formidable winter. Tamping down the balmy weather of the typical Auster surroundings, Akito greeted it with a head held high and soft grey gaze ahead of him. He was no stranger to the northern regions of the continent. Having traversed areas of it with his brothers before, but tonight was different. His coat had been bathed, brushed, and smoothed out until every fleck of grey could be seen among the black of his fur. A true image of the stars above minus any color one may have seen. Growing legs brought about long steps as he trailed behind his gaggle of siblings. Tate was at the head, sternly chastising Erik for any misbehavior. Of course, he was sure Morg was a part of that too. Unlike the others, Akito didn't need reminding to behave. He understood well that relations between packs were fragile at best and any decision they made could ultimately ruin it.

Approaching the front gates of the castle, Akito looks up at them in almost a fond manner. He has been here before to visit and meet with one of the other pups, Vendrick. They had had a decent time and he didn't mind coming back. As they cross through the gardens, he doesn't mind picking a rose that looks as if it is on the cusp of wilting. Not that he had anyone in mind to give it to, but better safe than sorry, he supposed. Coming up the stairs, he watches as Tate embraces a taller girl who stands beside Artorias. Akito hasn't officially met the Aegis yet, but from conversation with Hattori, he can place the man with the image. Stopping before Artorias, Akito bows his head respectfully before following in after his more rambunctious siblings.

Standing amongst the crowd of wolves, delicious food, and warm aromatic air, he looks around. Feeling rather out of place, he shuffles his weight and lingers to the side for now. It is then that he sees her. At first, his fur bristles slightly as he watches her dance with someone else. He wasn't expecting her to be here nor the feelings that bubble up inside of him to even be happening. Swallowing hard with his teeth clamping down on the rose that is grasped between his teeth, Akito takes a few songs to gather up any courage he thought he had.

Moving through the crowd, he approaches the chimera spotted girl and clears his throat. A romantic, Akito was not, but he had to at least extend an attempt at friendship. Turning to the stranger she dances with, he gives a curt smile. "Mind if I cut in?" He says between the thorny stem in his mouth. Once the wolf leaves, he turns to Maki, the tight smile still on his lips as he dips his head to her and holds out the rose in his paw. "May," he pauses, clearing his throat again, feeling his face flush with warmth, "I have a dance?"

"speech"

A ball, an event held by her cousin Bramble, was the event of the evening. Elowen had never danced with anyone before, but the idea of joining a gathering meant for merriment and interaction sounded wonderful. Things had already begun by the time El was descending the stairs, but the femme wore a smile. She had spent the past hour grooming herself, trying to make herself presentable so that she would represent as a member of the Hallows proudly. Wolves from other packs were already there, some even asking others to dance. She even caught sight of Meadow sneaking down the steps in the back and her smile brightened.

She was proud of her sister for making an effort to join the others and slips around the edge of things, moving toward Meadow. Dancing could wait, right now she wanted to say hello to her sibling. By the time she reached Meadow, her sister was already at the snacks, and her own gaze trailed toward them. Oh yeah, dancing could wait until after saying hellos and some snacks. “Hey Meadow~ What do you think looks best for chowing down on?” She certainly was having a hard time choosing. It all looked good!

"Speech," 'Thought.'

Art & Code © Rex/Witchdogtor DO NOT USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

According to his grandmother, Dusk had been hurt and needed time to heal. Gav had been beside himself while Bellamy kept him away. Even now, knowing she was still recovering, scared him. She was his hero, an unshakeable and strong protector and best friend. He had protested a great deal, but still his grandmother would not let him go back to Dusk's room so that she could heal without a clinging and crying child at her bedside. He spent a lot of time trying to escape, even biting his grandmother as he tried to make a beeline for Dusk’s room and make sure she was okay. But every time the older woman stopped him, scooping the tiny boy up and bringing him back into the room. When she slept she did so with a paw over the winged boy, hoping to prevent him from disrupting her healing by stressing her.

But Gavroche was not one to give up. Considering the lines he came from, Bellamy should have expected him to keep pushing, a reincarnation of her past mate or not. He needed to see Dusk, to make sure she was okay. And whoever hurt her… they would pay. Gavroche had spat at Bellamy about all the things he’d do to whoever hurt her, and the fact that they’d never find them after. Concerning stuff for a kid to be saying, but Gav meant every word. Dusk had saved him, and he hated that he hadn’t been able to do the same for her.

That evening, as Bellamy drifted off into an early slumber, Gavroche set to wiggling himself free. He’d find Dusk, he’d make sure no one hurt her again! Maybe she needed to go to Ethne so the bad things wouldn’t find her again! That was all he could think about as bit by bit, he pulled himself free. The moment he was, Gavroche was off like a shot. He made for the great hall, to make for Dusk’s room, when the sound of music reached his ears… and the scents and voices of a great many strangers. Forgetting his goals temporarily, Gavroche went to investigate.

So many faces, the smell of food, and tons of strangers were around. Gavroche moved forward, his green eyes wide with wonder. What was this? A party? It was more upbeat than the bonfire he’d been to. In his sweep of the room, he spotted the only thing that mattered to him and raced toward her. He didn’t stop, plowing into Dusk’s foreleg before wrapping his own around it and laying down on top of it with a soft whine. “I missed you…” His voice was saddened, ears falling as he looked up at her. Tears had begun pricking his eyes.

“...I don’t want you to hurt…” His voice was quiet, meant for her ears alone. Was she still hurting? How did he take the hurt away? It wasn’t like crying, he couldn’t just do something silly and make her smile or laugh to make it better…

"Speech," 'Thought.'

No one had come to bother her yet. More like, no one dared. Dusk sat by base of the stairs, back straight, cloak around her shoulders. The young lady looked more like some shadow incarnate than a wolf. Let alone and approachable wolf. That was, until a small form came rocketing across the hall, slamming into her forelegs. Unfortunately, such an action was rather painful and the antlered girl winced, lips peeling back in a quick grimace before she righted herself. No use in letting Gav know.

The winged boy clung to her, his words sweet and full of emotion. Eyes filled with tears looked up at her moments later and Dusk gently placed one paw around Gav, hugging him to her. "I'm sorry that I worried you," she spoke softly, then used her hugging paw to spin the boy so that his back was to her and he was facing the room. "If you can sit still, I'll let you stay here with me and watch all of this silliness, okay?" Dusk's long, silken tail curled around one hip, then continued to encircle the pair. The tip of that prehensile appendage gripped gently onto Gav's paw as though she were holding his hand.

"Dusk Carpathius"

If he had realized the pain he had caused Dusk, Gavroche would have been horrified. But he missed her grimace, thankfully. His friend hugged him close and immediately Gavroche relaxed. It didn't matter that she had worried him. She was here, she was feeling well enough to join the party. His whole body relaxed then, tail wagging as he sniffed and found a smile again. “It's okay…” She is already forgiven, not that she needs to be. In his eyes Dusk could do no wrong.

She would move him then, with no resistance coming from Gavroche as his back is now to her legs. He wipes away his tears, giving a nod as Dusk gives her terms to stay with her. “I'll be still.” He promised. Her tail wrapped around them and the tip of it rested over one of his paws. He gently leaned back now, his feathers brushing against her legs as he sought to give her the same sort of comfort she gave him. For the boy, there is no need to dance. He is happiest with his best friend, watching and keeping her company. All thoughts of aggression about those who caused her pain had melted away in her presence.

Dusk may have still been healing, but her presence here was enough to relax Gavroche in an instant as he took on a content smile.

Magical, mystical, magnificent, magnetic, majestic, masterful, mindblowing, memorable, mesmerizing... there were so many words that could describe Siduri and she'd been doing just that on her trip back to The Hallows. She'd made it to letter M so far and was already gathering her thoughts to start on letter N when the entrance to the castle came into sight. She'd heard word of a party. A kid party. She was a kid, and who didn't like a party? Sid wasn't exactly invited... but she hadn't been told that she wasn't invited either.

The noble, notable, nautical, notorious child seemed to materialize out of thin air. One moment she wasn't there. The next she was sitting beside the big, formidable form of Artorias. Sid stared straight ahead, ringed eyes wide as she scooted closer an inch at a time. She was a little bit bigger now, but not by much. Full grown, she wouldn't exactly be a dire wolf. She was big in spirit though and that's what counted, right?

"What're we doin' this time?" the multicolored girl whispered to the Aegis of The Hallows. From inside she could smell the rich scent of various foods and could hear the crackling of fire and the murmur of conversational voices. Sid began to get a little antsy, little toes wiggling as though it was the most difficult thing in the world to sit still rather than burst into the gathering like the whooping heathen that she was. It was the most difficult thing in the world.

"TXT"

Aji had trailed after her sisters in a reluctant pace, heading towards the mountainous grey castle that sprawled out in front of them. Her face scrunched up in anticipation of yet another sneeze — she’d caught a cold during their journey, and she was absolutely miserable. A swift ah-choo! and a brief sniff, and she proceeded to follow her siblings through the building crowd. Ugh, and the last thing she needed was to spread her plague. She glanced around the grounds to look for a decongestant, perhaps some peppermint leaves. Or even a bit of lavender. Alas, her stupid nose was stupidly plugged up. Maki and Delph had to deal with her foul attitude the whole journey here, and she wasn’t about to spoil the whole event..as gross as she felt. Might as well not ruin it for them, too. With another thick sniffle, Aji’s eyes casted warily upon the growing crowd of similarly aged youth, feeling about as out of place as her growing multitude of scarlet splotches on her coat.

Finally, the night of the ball! When Bramble proposed the idea of holding a harvest ball and inviting yearlings from all over to join them in a night of fun, Clove was ecstatic. Though Ember had taken on most of the helping role, Clove inserted herself where she could- not wanting to be left behind by her sisters, also wanting to contribute to a night she was so excited for. Father also helped a ton- the band of musicians he found was wonderful, and all the food! Oh the food! He gave them an amazing feast, spread out across multiple tables so there was something everyone could enjoy. Aside from the ball itself, the second event Clove was most excited for was getting ready for the ball. Hours before the event, she and her sisters had gathered in their parent's chambers. Bathing in luxurious bubbly baths, having their pelts brushed to perfection. And it was all attributed to their mother, who painstakingly attended to each daughter's needs. Clove requested to be sprayed with a sweet, floral scent for the event. She wanted something soft on the senses, but captivating. Not that she was trying to attract anyone… but she had invited a boy to the event and wanted to present her best self. Before leaving her parent’s chamber, Clove requested one last thing- one of her mother’s necklaces, which she had asked to wear on other occasions. A gold chained necklace, embellished with a rather large sapphire. The stone was a fiery color, one that resembled her father’s eyes. Taking one last look in the mirror, and making some final touches. Clove kissed her mother goodbye and raced down the corridor, going out into the gardens and towards the border. When she invited Wilder, she asked him to meet her near one of the towering oaks that grew at the borders. Which was exactly where he was. Smiling as she approached, she felt warmth spread across her cheeks. An unfamiliar sensation stirred inside of her. Maybe it was the excitement for the party, because she felt like there were butterflies in her belly. “You came!” She said, obvious excitement in her tone. They shared a few more words before leaving the tree. Falling in stride beside him, she escorted him into the territory, leading him through the corridors until they reached the doors of the Great Hall. Casting her eyes to him, and staring up at him with innocent wonder. She couldn’t believe she had invited a friend, and he showed up! And once he was ready, the duo would enter the Great Hall together. The smell of delicious food, the warmth of the roaring fire, the sound of music. And all the new faces she had never seen before. Whoa, there were a ton of wolves here! And on the dance floor, there were groups already starting to form. It was then she realized, she had never danced with someone before. “Wilder,” She whirled around, a sly smirk pulling at her lips, eagerness sparkling in her eyes. Stepping closer to him, looking up at him with what could be described as, puppy eyes. “Will you dance with me?” She raised a paw out to him, wanting him to take it. Sure, the food looked great, and she wanted to eat. Yeah, all her family was here, and she needed to go say hello. But right now, she was overtaken by the desire to be whirled around on the dance floor. And who better to ask, than the boy she invited?   "Speech"

One by one the guests of the ball began to arrive, the younger generations of many of the packs friendly with the Hallows coming to have a good time and party together. Artorias greeted each of the young wolves with warm smiles, but mostly stood off to the side as a glorified bouncer while Bramble took front and center as the host of the event. This was her idea, her planning come to fruition and he wanted to let his daughter hold the spotlight all night. This would be a good experience for her and help set her up for her future in politics she seemed to desire more than anything else. When Bramble complimented his armor, Artorias simply chuckled and puffed up his chest dramatically, replying with a dutiful, "Thank you, Lady Carpathius," fully playing into his role as security for the evening. He returns her nuzzle, then remains quiet and alert while Bramble set to greeting their guests.

Nelu came up behind them from within the castle while their first guests began to arrive, Artorias leaning over to nuzzle his son's forehead. Nelu was getting so big already, quickly reaching his adult height as his second litter's first birthdays were fast approaching. "Good evening, Nelu. Are you ready to make some new friends?" That was the whole purpose behind the harvest ball—to bring the youthful generations of the world together to meet and greet. The vikings from the north and the samurai from the south were arriving one after the other, each getting a nod of greeting and a smile from the Aegis.

Then came Tate and his younger brother Erik, the two wolves his daughters had been looking forward to the most. Ember had been so insistent on inviting Erik, and he had fully expected Bramble to invite her not-yet-boyfriend to the party. Art smiled at Tate, his eyes shining with approval at the gifts they presented Bramble. Unexpectedly, Tate also presented him with a bottle, which after taking a sampling sniff, he recognized as sake. A rare gift from the usually reclusive Tojo-kai. "Thank you, Tate. It's good to see you again and in one piece this time. Enjoy the ball!" he remarked with a wry smirk to the boy, stashing the bottle of sake at his side. From the corner of his eye, Artorias couldn't help but watch Bramble and Tate interact, happy that his little girl had found someone she cared for and who treated her right.

A gentle nuzzle at his side caught his attention, and Art glanced down to spy Ember rushing away from him to chase down Erik. A lopsided smile painted the happy sire's face—until he glanced up and caught sight of a dark form sitting off to the side a little ways away. Ember's nuzzle had inadvertently turned Artorias' attention up to spy Dusk sitting by herself in silence, wrapped up in a cloak to no doubt conceal her injuries. He made a mental note to spend some time with his eldest daughter tonight, though it seemed like she was plenty occupied with Gavroche for the time being. The Aegis dipped his head to the respectful show from Akito, watching the party really beginning to grow now with pride for Bramble's hard work.

All of a sudden, a shockingly familiar accented voice spoke next to him in a hushed whisper, nearly making the Aegis jump out of his fur with a start. His head snapped back to look down at Siduri, the raider girl who had crashed their bonfire with her brothers last time. She was back and looking equally as comfortable invading the Hallows now as she had been last time. Artorias knew for a fact that he had explicitly told Bramble not to invite any packs not on good terms with the Hallows and she had agreed. So why the hell was Siduri here again? "Gods above..." Artorias muttered the quiet curse, doing his best not to curse in front of the pup. Quizzical amber eyes fixed Siduri with a prying stare that could only come from a seasoned father questioning a child. "Siduri, what are you doing here again? You know you're not allowed to just walk in here. Why are you even down here in the middle of the night?" Gods be good, was he really about to have to capture and incarcerate a child? If he just kicked her out, would it have done any good?

"Artorias" | "Carpathian" | "Corbin" | "Eira" | "Argent"