Winter had fully claimed Boreas. The twilight air was chilled, and as the days slipped by, the world only threatened to grow colder. Artorias stood alone out by one of the many pools the waterfalls drained into, his wooden sword clutched in his jaws and practicing his swing and form. The pup had continued to grow, putting on a few inches as the weeks had transitioned between the months and seasons. His black and blue fur was sporting an extra density to it, the thick winter coat growing in nicely and making the boy look both a little more buff and also extra fluffy, with the excess fur peeking out from the gaps in his leather armor. It did help shield him from the encroaching cold of the winter night though, milking the last hour on sunlight he could get for his training. Shorter days meant he had less time to complete his training regiments, and he had to work harder and faster to meet both his and his mother's standards.

Artorias paused after a particularly aggressive swing to glance around the barren trees and dying shrubs for the hulking form of his mother. As had been their routine since he chose to take the warrior's path, he had met Resin by this pool at the end of every day for her teaching, her lessons on battle and strategy, and to get practical lessons on the finer art of combat. Artorias had taken his commitment seriously and was working nonstop to show his parents and the world that he was worthy of the knightly legacy his mothers had crafted for themselves. The boy's amber eyes were focused, but distant, staring through space into the imaginary world he was battling in, each swing of his sword driving off a horde of angry invaders. Little lungs huffed and panted as he leapt to the side, turning his head as he did to bring the sword down in a vicious slice. He made a mental note to start working on other types of moves he could use together, like leaps, jumps, dodges, and flips. But first, he'd have to master the basics.

After a few more minutes had passed, Artorias skidded to a stop in the grass, chest rising and falling with each heavy breath. "Bravo, Master Artorias, you fought them all off valiantly," Corbin spoke teasingly from the branch of a nearby tree as he watched over the pup. Artorias glanced up at his raven companion and nodded, unable to speak with the sword in his mouth and while panting. His mouth felt dry from the physical effort, so he padded over to the pool of water, setting his sword down beside him gently while he bent down to lap at the cold water. The cool liquid soothed his parched throat and allowed him a moment of reprieve to catch his breath while waiting for Resin. She must have been busy with something. That was fine, Art would wait as long as he needed for his mother.

The pup peered down into the water, watching the ripples from his drinking disturb the otherwise calm surface. Amber eyes peered back up at him from the water, and for a quiet moment Artorias just studied his reflection. He considered himself: his blue fur that was unlike any of his siblings, the markings he and Gwyn had that neither of his parents did. He thought about his mothers, about why their family was so different compared to the Adravendis and the Fatalises. He was so lucky to have his two mothers, but every other family had a dad... so why didn't they? And why didn't they have surnames either? Was a family name that important of a thing anyway? He had heard Resin use hers once, but Tamsyn had none. But weren't they supposed to be mated, or married, or whatever the proper words were for it anyway? He didn't exactly want to get into the idea of his parents getting all mushy and romantic, but it did raise some questions in the boy's head. Why did mom Resin have a family name and not mama Tamsyn? And what name were they all supposed to have?

Who were they supposed to be...?

"Speech" | Thoughts | "Corbin"

Artorias must have been heavily distracted. By what, the woman didn't know. She sat off to the side, her ashen form obscured by shadow, and she watched. The maned fae observed the motions of her child as he went through the paces of a mock battle. She admired his dedication. Of all the children, Artorias was the most determined. Of all of them, he was the most like her. Once he seemed to finish, the crow complimented him. Obsidian ears perked and Resin rose, moving forward into the open once the blue boy began to drink. "Well done. You've come a long way." Each day he patrolled with her and after that he trained of his own volition. She was proud of him and the time and effort that he'd put in truly showed. Time was flying by and the pups were all growing. Some grew like weeds. Others grew like sturdy oaks. Coming up beside Artorias, Resin lowered her own muzzle to the pool, slaking her thirst with a few long sips. "What's on your mind?" Raising her head, the woman flicked clinging droplets of water away with her dusty blue tongue before seating herself. She fixed the boy with her singular sulfur eye and waited. All of her attention belonged to him for the time being. "Speech"

The sounds of footfalls approaching him made the pup glance up from his self-inflection to meet his mother's citrine eye with a happy wag of his tail. Her praise was worth more than gold and gems to the boy, not because he felt like he had to work to earn it, but because it meant that he was on the right track for his goals. He had taken his tasks from Resin as seriously as a law rather than a guideline. "Hi, Mom," he greeted her, a proud smile gracing his face from her compliments of his work ethic. "Thanks! I've been working real hard, just like you said!" Artorias' swell of pride in his chest chased away the doubts shadowing his mind for a moment, like a burst of sunlight on a cloudy day. But as he followed his mother's movements with his eyes to the water, he saw his reflection again and his smile drooped. As if she could read his thoughts, Resin asked what was on his mind. Artorias couldn't peel his eyes away from his reflection, feelings of doubt swirling in his heart.

A soft sigh escaped the boy as he tried to put his thoughts into words. He was still young, and the feelings he harbored were strange and unpleasant, but he couldn't give them a name. It was frustrating. "It's nothing, Mom..." he replied, pausing for a beat before finally asking the question weighing on his mind. "We're a real family, right, Mom...?" The question hung heavy in the air for a moment before he elaborated further. "All the other families are similar... They look the same, they all have the same family name... We're not like that. We're... different... You're the only one of us with a family name. Not even Mama has your family name, but you're married, aren't you?" Big amber eyes finally turned back to his mother, seeking answers in her stoic stare. It seemed like such an unassuming thing, but to the little boy, realizing his family was so unorthodox was a dizzying concept. But Mom would know. Mom had all the answers to everything, right? She'd explain it and make everything right again.

"Speech" | Thoughts | "Corbin"

The boy sighed and Resin's brow furrowed. Something really was on his mind. Something heavy, it seemed. What tumbled from the boy's mouth was shocking, to say the least. The ashen woman blinked in surprise and raised one brow. How long had he been carrying those thoughts and feelings around? It wasn't healthy and it would distract him from his training. Well... there was nothing to do but answer him, she supposed. Sinking down onto her stomach, she motioned for Artorias to come closer so that she could hold him between her front legs while he was still small enough to fit there. "Not all families are the same, even though they might look like it. Some are chosen. I chose your mother and I chose all of you. You are my family just the same as if I'd given birth to you myself." The maned woman gave a slight sigh before speaking again. "As for my family name, it's... not a family name. I chose this name for myself." She had left the name of her own family behind. It had been the name of the mountain that her father had ruled. Instead, she'd made her own name, derived from the scars that she had accumulated while leaving her family. To hear that Artorias wanted a family name for not only himself but for Tamsyn as well... it was a little shocking. To Resin, such things weren't very important. Actions were important. Titles were not. Surnames were just that: titles. "You are free to have this surname if you wish. As for your mother, no we are not married." Ah, more things to explain. Inhaling deeply, the woman began to speak once more. "I am not a wolf of titles or spoken bonds. I am a wolf of action. Marriage, sharing names... these things have never been important to me." Her piercing golden gaze softened somewhat as she looked down upon her blue child. "But if they are important to you, then I'll do something about it." Already her mind was hatching some sort of plan. "Speech"

At his mother's beckoning, Artorias came forward to cuddle closer to Resin, happily finding his place between her large paws. He secretly hoped he would grow to the size of his mom; it would make being a warrior and defending his family that much easier. Of course, he wasn't quite as big as his sister Daphne or Grimshaw, but he could still hope. Resin's words brought a lot of answers to his thoughts, but also raised more questions. Families could be chosen... that explained some things. But even then, how come every other family had a father involved in it? Why was theirs different? Artorias did not know how families were made, or where puppies came from, but it still didn't make sense in his head. He decided to hold his questions though as Resin continued on to explain how she had chosen her family name. That caught the boy's attention, and he looked up at his mother with eyes the size of dinner plates. You could pick your own names? That was a thing you could do?! It blew the boy's mind. All the other wolves, the Adravendis and the Fatalises, they were all so proud of theirs. But, if you could make your own...

Resin offered him free choice to take her surname as well, and once more Artorias looked to his mother with surprise. Their family seemed even more strange now... but maybe that was what made it special. They were unique, different from the stuffy structured families. All the other wolves seemed to come from long lines of family history. Theirs was just starting; they were the foundation of a whole new line of wolves. Could they eventually become a great family, like the Adravendis and Fatalises of the world? Resin explained that those things did not matter to her, and while Artorias had never considered it something he wanted, there was something to be said about bringing honor to his mother's legacy—a legacy that included her identity. All he wanted was to make his parents proud and do good in the world, and if all of Boreas came to know of their family and their actions, then it just meant he was succeeding... right?

Amber eyes looked up to meet the single orb of pure gold as pup and mother met gazes. Artorias was still very young, and still did not fully understand the customs of courtship and mating. Girls were icky, after all, and the idea of romance made him cringe. But his mothers were in love, right? All parents were in love, weren't they? And... weren't all parents supposed to be married? That was the way mama Tamsyn had made it sound in her stories and fairy tales to them. The world just seemed all sorts of topsy-turvy the more he learned about it. Artorias looked away for a moment to try and process all the information Resin had given him. Was any of this really important, or was it just him being confused and having his priorities out of order? It was all so much to try and understand... But more importantly than that, did he deserve his mother's chosen family name? This was a very important thing, it was what she had created. What if he did something wrong, or did something to hurt it? He didn't want to risk upsetting or disappointing his mothers, and that seemed like a pretty major screw up. Was he worthy enough to wear her surname as his own?

"I don't know, Mom," he answered honestly, looking back up to his mother's gaze once he'd mulled it over for a minute. "All the other big families make it sound so important... but if it's really not, I guess it's not important to me...?" He wasn't sure where he stood, and it reflected in his voice and his body language. "I dunno... I guess I just wanted something to show off who we were and where we came from. Something normal...? But I don't wanna make you and Mama do anything you don't want to, I just thought all parents were supposed to be married." He gave his mother a small sheepish smile. "Also I kinda wanna be able to rub it in the face of the other wolves with the fancy names." Yes, he was thinking of his fight with Briar. The Fatalis pup had not been shy to rub her family's clout in his nose and he'd had nothing to retaliate with—except for his claws and fangs, of course.

"Speech" | Thoughts | "Corbin"

Artorias lay with her and listened as she spoke. She could see the conflict on his grey striped face and wished that she could make it easier for him. She was not a conventional wolf by any means. Titles meant less than nothing. In fact, you were more likely to be looked down upon if you flaunted or claimed some fancy title than if you were devoid of one. Anyone could make up words to call themselves. It took actions and deeds to impress the scarred woman. Not words. In the world of children though, of course they would still be in the mindset that titles were fancy things. A king or a princess sounded special. A boy lacking a title or surname might see himself as less which was certainly not the case. The child compared them to 'all of the other big families' and Resin chuckled. "We are not like all of the other big families. We're special and unique. We're different." Again she nuzzled the top of the boys head. "Other packs may place their weight on lofty titles but we place our weight on deeds and actions. I have chosen to be called the Aegis simply because I am the shield that protects all of those within my pack. I could have chosen to call myself Queen or Empress or any other high title, but in the end they're all words." She willed him to understand. Titles meant little. A title wouldn't save you from death or pain. A title couldn't prepare you for the world and what lay ahead. It was just extra and unnecessary weight. "Surnames..." the grey and black woman sighed. "Where I am from, you are named after the land that you live in. I was born Resin Carpathius. I chose to give up that name and, over time, chose to become Resin Scarpaw of my own accord." The woman flexed her front left paw. The entire leg and paw itself was laced with bluish grey scarring. It had been a joke at first, bestowed upon her by others. She had taken that jest and had run with it, making it her own. Resin could understand the boys want for his parents to be joined. In the world that they lived in, the bonding of two women was sometimes seen as unnatural. Resin had never given a second thought to convention. She did what she wished to do and the opinions of others be damned. Her feelings and beliefs weren't the only ones involved, however. The lack of family name was obviously affecting Artorias. Perhaps it was affecting the others as well. Maybe even Tamsyn herself. That was enough to make her see things from their perspective. It was enough to make her rethink her value of the given name. Her family shouldn't have to suffer for her beliefs, or lack thereof. "I'll speak to your mother about it." While she didn't wish to deny Tamsyn her name, she didn't want to force it on her either. Resin bumped the boys nose gently with her own. "Don't ever let another wolf look down on you for anything." She added as an afterthought. The mention of wanting to rub his name in the face of another made it evident that he'd already encountered others that looked wrongly upon him. "You are the only one that has control over how you feel. If you feel bad for not having a name, then you've given them permission to make you feel that way." Yeah... she was an odd cookie. Not everyone possessed the same emotional switch that Resin did. She could turn things on and off, making herself cold and clinical. Others felt and they felt hard. She believed that Artorias might take after her in this regard, but one could never tell until they were grown. "Speech"

Resin's words distracted the boy from his dark thoughts and uncertainties, her little shows of affection, while rare for the gruff woman, brought small smiles to Artorias' face. He listened, enraptured, to every word she said, every lesson she conferred on to him. It was such a strange thing, how simple reassurances from his mother could take away the bitter chill of envy and doubt from his heart. It was like Resin could reach right into his mind and scare off all the monsters lurking in the darkness there. Her explanation of her title as the alpha of the Hallows and how it compared to the titles of Empress and Queen brought a light back to his amber eyes, shining like wildfire in a dark cave. Aegis... the shield that guards the wolves in the pack... Artorias felt a swell of pride and ambition in his chest. He could do that too, right? Be the bulwark that kept the enemies at bay, the light that chased away the shadows and darkness? Then maybe one day he could give his mother a break, to take on those sacred duties while she enjoyed some much needed relaxation. She was always so busy... surely she would want some help when he was bigger.

Artorias had learned many lessons today, and he took all of them to heart. Titles, names, words were empty without action to back them up. Their history and legacy would be written in the footprints they left, not in the labels or ranks they carried. He tried to picture that future: when he walked into a room, would he want the wolves to know him by his family or by his own deeds and tales? The answer was clear to the boy and his mother had just helped solidify it in his mind. Still, it would be nice to carry something of his family with him, like a badge of honor, a token memento of where he came from...

The bump from the larger fae's nose against his nearly made him topple backwards in surprise when she disturbed him from his thoughts, Artorias giggling and nuzzling into Resin's chest fluff again. Though the sweet side of Resin was often missed by the world, Artorias knew it well, and saw her for the true colors she often kept tucked away. It felt like a special little secret that only their family got to know. Her last lesson felt like the most important one of all. Never let another wolf look down on you, and never let them control how you feel. Artorias vowed to never relinquish that to any other wolf so long as he lived. No one would dictate who he was or how he felt. He was Artorias, son of Resin and Tamsyn, and he would be a proud knight of the Hallows one day.

His mind put at rest for now, Artorias gave his mother a smile and reached to small paws up to her face, waiting for her to bring her muzzle back down to him before placing a lick on the end of her snoot. "I love you, Mom. Thanks for making me feel better," the boy spoke, his voice much more firm and resolute than when their conversation had begun. That's why she was the leader though, right? Because she had the abilities to protect everyone in her family, even from their own thoughts and self-doubts. There was no one else in the world he would want to be his mom along with mama Tamsyn.

"Speech" | Thoughts | "Corbin"

As was his way, Artorias mulled over the information that Resin had given. A lot of her words had been her own views of the world, but as he grew, he would develop his own. They may not be the same as her views by the end, but they would have started with her own lessons as the building blocks. She wanted the boy to be a good wolf. Just and fair. Hard when he needed to be. Bending when it was necessary. Of them all, Artorias had her faith the most. She loved her children, but there was a real connection between herself and this little blue boy. A connection that she would continue to work on. Little did he know it, but Resin was grooming the boy for leadership. He would take control of The Hallows some day and he would do her proud. Of this, she had no doubt. Others wouldn't agree with the decision or embrace the change, but that was how it had to be. Small paws took her ashen cheeks and Artorias placed a lick upon her dusty blue nose, drawing a soft smile from the woman. His words touched her heart and she pulled him close, embracing him with legs and neck alike. "I love you, boy." Her words were thick as the past rose up in her mind like a viper. This is what she had missed. She could have had this with her first sons. Would one of them have been as intelligent? As just? Pushing away the past and the pain, Resin placed a lick atop the crown of her son. As she looked down upon him, her eye was a little moist, but maybe it was just a trick of the light. This tiny, fragile child would one day take up the mantle that she passed down. She was getting old very quickly. Hopefully he was ready. If not... she would have to trust Ulric to keep his word. She hadn't even told the man about her plan as of yet, but he would make a promise to her and he would keep it or by the gods... she would haunt him. "Speech"

Boyish giggles escaped the wolf pup in a flurry while his mother brushed his forehead with affectionate licks, sweeping his short fur backward in slicked back swoops. Little blue paws smoothed down the damp fur on his brow before turning a youthful smile back up to Resin. Artorias studied his mother's stoic face, eyes following every scar and aged wrinkle that told a million tales of war and loss and weighty decisions and sleepless nights. Her single yellow eye seemed to shine more than usual, but maybe it was just the way it seemed to almost glow in the fading twilight. He was amazed by the strength of his mother, not just physically, but in her character and her commitments too. He hoped to be as strong as she was, in mind, body, and spirit. He hoped to have the capabilities to be a good wolf and to be able to protect his family and his pack if they ever needed him. But most importantly, he hoped to make her and Mama Tamsyn proud of what he could accomplish.

Resin had chased away the shadows clinging to his thoughts and brought him comfort, as well as a lot more to ruminate on in his quiet moments. But for right now, he had been waiting for her to conclude his day's training. He had gotten lost in their discussions and in the venting of his emotions, he'd almost forgotten why he had been out here waiting for her in the first place! "Oh, Mom, look at this!" he said, leaping out from between her paws to find his fallen sword. "I'm starting to be able to do more things now with all your training, so I think it's working! Watch this!" Snatching up his fallen sword in his jaws, Artorias turned to face his mother and assumed his fighting stance, paws spread to shoulder width, with back feet aligned with his front. He lowered his head to keep his neck in line with his spine, as she had shown him, feeling the balance and power in his stance. After a few basic practice swings of his sword, Artorias jumped and spun in the air, swinging his wooden sword in the direction of his turn, using momentum to bring the weapon down where an opponent would be standing with a hard thud into the ground. He repeated the move again, spinning and slicing down as he came to land.

He sought out his mother's reactions with eager eyes. Although she wasn't one to use weapons, Resin had been his North Star when it came to combat lessons, her teachings, pointers, and guidance keeping him on course and correcting him when it was needed. Although he lacked the fluidity of a seasoned fighter or more agile adult wolf, it showed that his brain was already in the mindset of planning out attacks and moves to add to his arsenal for later use. "Ah prohmesh ah hafn't used any of dees on Rhudy," he spoke, words choked up by his sword in his mouth, but his tail still wagged with juvenile excitement all the same. Resin had told him to fight fair with his siblings, and he had, refusing to use his sword on them if they were unarmed—well, except for the one fight with Daphne when she'd ambushed him, but that didn't count. She was practically asking for it at that point. He was trying to be fair though.

"Speech" | Thoughts | "Corbin"