Clang! Clang! Clang!

The sound of steel being pounded out on an anvil echoed from the forge as Artorias brought the hammer down on the billet of Carpathian steel again and again, stretching out the red hot metal and shaping it into the form in his mind. Focused amber eyes matched the fiery sparks that flew from the metal with every strike upon the steel, following the rippling metal as it was shaped with each firm swing, moulding the steel like an artist with wet clay. Sweat beaded across the dire brute’s forehead as the Lord of Cinder worked his forge like a master, dripping from his brow and the ends of his fur, powerful muscles rippling beneath his skin and coat. He was truly living up to his title as fire and metal bent to his will and command.

The heat of the forge kept the chill of winter at bay while he worked, beating the Carpathian steel into its intended shape until the red glow began to fade as the metal cooled. When it was no longer suitable to be worked, Artorias set the hammer down and picked up the billet with a set of tongs in his jaws, then shoved it back into the smoldering forge, the burning coals within glowing a steady orange. Artorias stepped down on the billows with all his weight a couple of times, pumping air into the forge and bringing it roaring back to life as fire erupted from between the coals to heat the metal once more. When the forge was crackling away at a satisfactory rate, Artorias stepped back to give the steel time to heat up again, carefully turning the tongs around every so often to ensure the metal was heating at an even rate. He'd have a few minutes of downtime while he waited for the metal to return to its malleable state, so he used his time to take a breather, down some water to keep himself hydrated, and consider his next steps in working the metal his family was renowned for.

"Artorias & Briar Carpathius" | "Carpathian"

The season shifted and changed, bringing a chilled, icy landscape outside and a familiar, constant warmth to her. If it wasn't bad enough that the cold Auster winter kept them inside and made her a bit stir crazy, her heat made her even more restless. Still, she and Artorias had duties and tasks to attend to, projects to work on, and family to care for. She had spent the morning making breakfast for the family and any pack members that might want to join in, tending to her wines, and doing some general cleaning and maintaining of the castle, but eventually the sound of ringing steel that reached her from Artorias' forge reached her ears and drew her attention. She always enjoyed watching him at work and couldn't keep herself from moving down the hall toward his workshop.

She quietly stood in the open doorway for a while as he hammered away at the red hot steel, leaning on the doorframe with a little grin for a moment. Forming the weapons that Artorias had quickly become famous for took a lot of work and physical strength and every swing of his hammer made his broad, muscled frame rippled with effort under his dark fur. Gods... She did enjoy watching him work an awful lot. Eventually the steel had to be put back into the fire and once he had fed more air into the forge and stepped back to wait she took the opportunity to step into the room herself, the heat from the fire filling the space and echoing the warmth in her core. She stepped up beside him, her side sliding along his as she looked up at him with a smirk. "You were really pounding away at that one, hm?" she purred, tipping her muzzle up to kiss at his jaw.

"Artorias & Briar Carpathius"

Artorias had been so focused on his work that he hadn't noticed his beloved wife watching him from the open doorway with attentive desire. It was only once the click of her claws on the stone floor were heard did Artorias show acknowledgement, one dark ear flicking back and his head turning to meet his wife's cool turquoise eyes with his own fiery amber ones as she slid her side against his. Touch was his love language and he loved any physical contact with her, but during the Austral winters that seemed even more true. Having spend almost all his life with Briar, his body was attuned to hers and he instinctively recognized when the natural desires and urges rose within her. As if to prove that, Art could already smell Briar's heat scent above the lingering smells of coal and fire in the forge. That natural perfume of concentrated pheromones that turned his brain toward one thing and one thing alone—and it seemed that Briar's mind was on the same thing.

The Lord of Cinder gladly leaned his muscled form back against Briar's side so she could lean into him, a shiver of delight running down his back and making his fur bristle in the most delightful way from the brush and press of her slender side into his. Her warm skin, her soft fur mingling with his, it left tingles spreading wherever they touched. He chuckled under his breath and gave Briar a lopsided smirk when she remarked on his smithing, leaning into her kiss to his jaw with an appreciative murr. "You have to be forceful yet delicate with Carpathian steel," he remarked, turning to catch her lips with his own before she could pull back, letting his muzzle linger on hers in a slow, simmering kiss before he continued in husky tones, "Something I'm very familiar with."

The playful gleam of desire in his eyes as he grinned at Briar, planting another kiss on the end of her nose before he reluctantly parted from her side to retrieve the steel from the forge, now glowing red hot once more. He placed the billet on the anvil and picked up his hammer again, shooting Briar a sultry and inviting look as he grinned around the haft of the hammer. She liked watching him at work, so he'd let her enjoy the show a little more, just to turn her on. With several strong swings of the hammer, Artorias pounded out the superheated steel, stretching out the billet longer and thinner with each blow. Deep masculine grunts came from the dire brute with the effort he put into his smithing, the musical clang of Carpathian steel being struck echoing around the forge. Artorias put a bit more intention into his work, showing off his rippling muscles as he worked for Briar to enjoy while she undoubtedly eye fucked him.

Once the steel began to cool and lose its glow, he once more shoved the billet into the forge and pressed the billows to repeat the process, setting the hammer aside before turning back to his wife with a knowing grin. "This one's going to be for you. For our anniversary," he told her, his tail beginning a slow wag behind him as his eyes unabashedly roved over Briar's beautiful, svelte form, eating her up with his wanton gaze. He always wanted his wife, but never more than when she was in heat and wanting him just as bad if not more.

"Artorias & Briar Carpathius" | "Carpathian"

Briar knew that her husband would easily catch her slight double meaning with her comment about how he was working the steel and her grin widened with a amused chuckle as he gave her a bit of word play in return. She returned the quick kiss he gave her as his lips caught hers with a soft sound of delight and gave him another sultry grin as he added just how familiar he was with his handling of steel. They always had so much fun together and even after all of these years they still found ways to keep their love playful and exciting.

He moved away from her side to go back to the forge and she settled off to the side on her haunches, enjoying the show he put on for her as he fetched the heated metal from the fire once more and returned it to the anvil. She answered his grin with a knowing smirk before he went back to work, the sound of his hammer striking the metal filling the room again. He knew what he was doing and how much she enjoyed seeing her muscular, handsome, masculine husband shape and bend metal to his will. Her turquoise gaze roamed freely all across his body while he worked. She was never really shy about her attraction or affection for her husband, but this time of year her inhibitions were especially low and she was even more forward about her intentions than usual. There was no hiding the hungry, lustful look in her eyes as she enjoyed how he was showing off for her.

By the time he returned the gradually lengthening metal back to the forge once more, it was becoming increasingly difficult for her to wait for him to finish his work. If it wasn't for the fact that he was handling very hot, dangerous steel she likely would have interrupted his hammering by now. Instead, she kept herself seated and waiting with increasing impatience while her imagination began to lead her mind away to lecherous places. Her focus returned to him, however, when he looked toward her and informed her that this particular blade was going to be for her and her eyes widened with surprise. He had already surprised her once with her lovely dagger so she had never expected another blade!

As excited as she was for the surprise that he was so diligently and lovingly crafting for her, her mind was still firmly on something else. "I can't wait to see it," she replied with a grin as she got to her paws and moved toward him again, her braided tail swaying behind her with each movement of her hips. She tipped her muzzle up to press her lips to his again for a moment, lingering a bit longer this time before she broke the kiss to add, "I'm afraid I'll need your help crafting my gift for you... A bit of that... forceful yet delicate hammering you're so familiar with." She looked up at him with a sly grin, her heavy lidded gaze leaving little room for him to mistake what she was implying.

"Artorias & Briar Carpathius"

A pleased smile sat lopsided on Artorias' muzzle while he enjoyed the look of surprised delight on Briar's face. He adored showering his wife with love and affection and gifts, and he knew how partial she was to the unique rippling steel his family had adopted. It only made sense to give her more things that showed her deep rooted place within their family. She was as much a Carpathian as she was a Fatalis. While he stared lovingly at her, Briar got to her paws from where she'd been enjoying his display of raw masculinity and began to make her way towards him, moving with such grace and overt sexuality. Artorias' smile slipped a little as he got lost in the hypnotic sway of her shapely hips with every step she took, her braided tail swishing like a metronome behind her, like a flag beckoning him to her rump. Then her lips were on his again and they were kissing, Art's eyes slowly closing as he enjoyed the lingering kiss until Briar withdrew once more, much too soon for his liking.

Briar said she'd need his help crafting her gift for him, leaving not-so-subtle hints as to what she had in mind with her reference to his forceful yet delicate hammering. Artorias' lips curled up into a sly grin as their gazes met, lecherous amber smoldering into heavily-lidded heated turquoise. He knew exactly what Briar was implying and it surprised him somewhat. After their second litter, Briar had decided to go back on her birth control regiment just to ensure they didn't accidentally conceive another litter. Artorias would have been more than happy with her staying off the contraceptives and accepting whatever came of their impassioned love, but he understood that would have meant a castle overflowing with puppies year round, and while that idea made the coil inside his belly tighten, he knew that wouldn't have been practical. But now it sounded like Briar was ready to be a mother again and intended for this heat to result in another litter.

"Oh really? A gift that needs my help? Hmmm, I wonder what it could be..." Artorias' grin widened as he teased Briar, lifting a powerful foreleg to wrap around his wife's side and gently yet insistently pull her body closer to his until their chests pressed together. A low rumble of delight vibrated in the dire brute's barrel, his muzzle coming down to claim Briar's mouth with his own. Eyes closed and lips parted hers as he slowly dipped his tongue into her maw to taste her own, murring under his breath while he made out with his perfect mate. After several long delightfully arousing moments, Artorias slowly broke their lips apart, pulling back just enough to get lost in her beautiful bedroom eyes again. "Sounds like you want your husband to put out your heat this year," he teased her some more, pressing his nose into the side of her neck to breathe in her pheromone-laden scent with a hungry growl. "Mmmm you smell good enough to eat, Deer Girl..."

"Artorias & Briar Carpathius" | "Carpathian"

Briar grinned at her husband's teasing, but she already knew that he was following her lead as his strong foreleg pulled her into him and pressed her chest into hers. As their second litter reached their second birthdays this season, all of their babies now adults in their own right, she had found herself longing to have pups running around their legs once more. She knew that they realistically couldn't have a litter every time she desired it simply because of the constraints of needing to provide for a large pack of wolves that couldn't survive if they were constantly adding to it, but she figured she could allow herself one more litter before they called it quits. She knew Artorias wouldn't have any complaints and that was only confirmed as his lips caught hers and he drew her into a deeply passionate kiss.

A hum of delight escaped her as she returned his kiss and her forepaws slipped up over his shoulders and around the back of his neck to pull herself tighter to him. The heat coming from the forge made this room plenty hot, but the heated, tightening coil in her core felt even hotter. She savored every moment of their kiss and enjoyed the familiar taste of him until he broke away from her lips, pulling a quiet sound of displeasure from her in response as she peered back up at him with lustful desire. She chuckled as he pointed out the obvious with his continued teasing, giving him a little smirk as she teasingly said in response, "I'm glad you're paying attention..."

Her head tipped back to give him access to her throat as he pressed his nose to her neck, feeling his warm breath against her skin and making a shiver run through her. His comment about her scent made her grin and she combed her claws through his scruff. "You can certainly have a taste, whenever you want, Blue Boy..." she purred against his ear, giving the edge of his ear a teasing lick. "But first I want you to treat me like your steel and quench this heat, my mate..." Her teeth caught the edge of his ear, knowing how sensitive they were for him, while she leaned her body even more into his and drew him in with a needy insistence.

"Artorias & Briar Carpathius"

Artorias loved how Briar matched him in every aspect of their lives. It was like their hearts, minds, and souls were in lockstep with one another, further emphasized when she immediately melted into his steadily flaring passions. She leaned into him while he pulled her close, kissing him back with all the same need and fervor, even showing the same displeasure when their heated making out came to an end. She teased and aroused him just as he teased and aroused her, her paws combing sharp feline claws through his thick fur and sending tingles running down his spine that came to rest between his thighs. Her head tipped back to grant him full access to her throat which Artorias took with pleasure, drinking in Briar's rich estrus scent like it were a drug—and to him, it might as well have been. Primal receptors inside his brain activated, compelling him to mount Briar and claim her heat, to extinguish it with a litter of pups. And matching his desires, that was exactly what Briar wanted too.

Briar tempted his oral fixation with purring sultry words that invited him to take a taste of her whenever she wanted, using his pet name she'd given him oh so many years ago. Another quiver of delight shook Artorias' body while his giant paws roamed down Briar's sides, tracing every curve and plane on her flawless figure. His breath caught in his throat when he felt her tongue roll over the edge of his ear, then caught again with a sharp gasp as her sharp teeth joined in to catch the delicate skin in her mouth. Art's paws gripped at Briar's waist on reflex, his tail lashing about like crazy with barely contained excitement. Briar told him to treat her like his steel and quench her heat and Artorias groaned softly against his wife's neck. She wanted to be treated like Carpathian steel? Then he'd give her what she wanted.

"As you wish, my beautiful mate..." Artorias spoke in husky, lustful tones rumbled off his tongue. Without missing a beat, Artorias pushed his body underneath Briar's and demonstrated his immense strength by hoisting her right off her paws across his back, moving over to the anvil he'd been working the Carpathian steel on and spreading her across the smooth metal surface on her belly. With a toothy grin on his muzzle and a playful and carnal gleam in his smoldering eyes, Artorias gripped Briar's hips in his strong paws, holding her steady and pulling himself up over her to mount her across the anvil. He leaned his muscled form across her back so he could nip playfully at one of her ears, pressing his hips up into Briar's to align their most intimate parts. "Hai să-ți stingem căldura cu mai mulți căței, Briar meu." With his carnal promise whispered into her ear, Artorias did as she asked and brought their bodies together with a smooth yet forceful thrust, grunting and growling at the initial intrusion as the pair of Carpathians worked feverishly to bring one more round of new life to their family.

- fade -

"Artorias & Briar Carpathius" | "Carpathian"