Location: Grapevine Cathedral

Duchess led them into the cathedral, the thicket obvious from afar even while the grasses were lush and green under their toes. The grounds were not any harder inside the cathedral, the rainwater catching on the canopies above them and flowing down the grape vines of tree trunks. When they entered the grape's sanctuary, the only noises Duchess heard was the streaming trickle of the rainwater seeking the ground. Everything else was silent.

After taking a number of steps inside, the grapes started appearing in little and larger quantities, and once they were nearly surrounded by them in clearings Duchess turned with a smile towards Artorias, "This is your gold mine." She joked quietly, wandering off course and looking at the number of different colored grapes in clusters off the trees.

"Duchess"

Duchess is an !M rated! character for themes of Depression. Please Discord me if you have concerns.

Following Duchess beneath he thick, vine-laden canopy of branches and leaves, Artorias took in the strange sense of sanctuary the Grapevine Cathedral offered. It was darker and shady with the heavy foliage overhead, and all outside sounds were almost totally blocked out from them, sensitive ear sonly just picking up the gentle patter of raindrops hitting the leaves above them. They were sheltered and dry within the cathedral, and the deeper they ventured in, the more Artorias began to notice clusters and bunches of grapes growing on the vines, just a few at first, then dozens, until they arrived at the center of the cathedral and were surrounded by a veritable forest of grapevines. Artorias gawked at the sheer amount of them, all different kinds and colors hanging around them. The air smelled faintly of ripening fruits and natural sugars.

Duchess introduced him to his "gold mine" as she called it and Artorias couldn't help but laugh softly. "Yeah, you're not joking about that!" he remarked, sauntering between the rows of vines clinging to bushes and trunks of trees. Some wooden stakes had been driven into the ground, likely from one of his own pack mates, to encourage the growth of the vines. Although he didn't recognize the grapes, their distinctive colors were. He plucked a dark red berry, popping it in his mouth and chewing slowly. The sweet, slightly bitter flavor of fermenting grape rushed over his tastebuds, and Artorias instantly recognized it as the flavor their merlot had.

"Man, I wonder how many of these you'd have to eat to get a buzz," the large alpha said with a chuckle, popping a couple more grapes into his mouth before wandering to the next set of vines to inspect some lighter green, almost white grapes. "You've been here before, haven't you?" he asked in idle curiosity. She had found the path here so naturally, this certainly couldn't have been her first time to the land. "It's so isolated in here... Like it's just us in the world." The more Artorias traveled Auster with her, the more Duchess' claim that Auster was still an unpopulated land turned out to be true.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "Corbin" | "Argent"

One big happy family

Artorias has two ravens named Corbin and Eira and a fox named Argent. Assume they are within calling distance at all times.
As his mate, Briar may enter Artorias' threads unless marked Private.
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The two stayed close but observed different trees and vines, Artorias feasting lightly on the sweeter grapes. Duchess hummed as he wondered how many grapes he’d have to eat before he felt buzzed. She didn’t know much about crafting wines, but she was sure that’s not how it worked. She didn’t scold him though.

As he moved on to another colored grape vine, Duchess slowly traveled in his direction. He asked if she had been here before which was both an easy and hesitant response, "Uh, yeah, I was born here in southern Auster. I’ve lived here for most of my life." Her paws gained some leverage on a tree as she reached her claws out to prick a few white grapes off the vine. Maybe about eye level with him, she popped one of them in her mouth from her claw, carefully gesturing her paw out to him so he could taste one too if he desired.

Dropping back off the tree, she responded further to his statements, of course thinking of what she could do to him behind the vineyard. But she turned away from him instead as if to look for more grapes to taste. "Most of Auster is that way. Mostly travelers but also more secluded areas. Easier to find a place to stay safely for the night."

"Duchess"

Duchess is an !M rated! character for themes of Depression. Please Discord me if you have concerns.

Artorias was surprised to hear that Duchess had been born in southern Auster. He'd never met a true Austerian wolf before now, and for a while, he'd just assumed no wolves had resided in Auster prior to his family's move down to the southern continent. It was a silly thing to think now that he reflected on it, but Duchess still had the honor of being the first true Austerian wolf he'd ever met. The giant brute watched the petite fae stretch her limber body up a tree to snag a few white grapes with her claws, popping one into her mouth before offering him one. Artorias graciously dipped his muzzle to carefully take one of the grapes from the end of her claw, sharp fangs gripping the delicate fruit as he extracted it away with a flick of his tongue. The white grape was sweeter and reminded him of the white wines his pack produced.

While Duchess explained that most of Auster was this way—quiet and isolated—Artorias slowly began to realize that this was why his mother had chosen to move the pack down here. The solitude, the tranquility, it was what she'd wanted for her family and the Hallows. Still blissfully ignorant of what Duchess had in her mind, Artorias reached up above them and snatched down a bunch of ripe grapes above his head, tasting a couple of the sweet fruits before offering some of the harder to reach berries to Duchess. Sometimes being so incredibly big had its perks. "I like it. It feels more peaceful and intimate than some of the more crowded lands in Boreas." He turned fiery amber eyes back to the pretty little fae at his side, giving her a crooked smile. "So I bet you know all the secret areas and hideaways around here, huh?"

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "Corbin" | "Argent"

One big happy family

Artorias has two ravens named Corbin and Eira and a fox named Argent. Assume they are within calling distance at all times.
As his mate, Briar may enter Artorias' threads unless marked Private.
____________________

Duchess turned to see Artorias just as he picked the grapes off the higher vines, offering them in the same way she had to him. She gingerly pulled a grape from his own massive paw, a lustful gaze turned up to his words, "You don't say." But she didn't linger along on his form. She felt like maybe he was starting to warm up to her in ways that she wanted him to, and she wouldn't stop there. She was almost playing a game with him, how long could she go without be so brutally honest about what she desired from the brute, or would he come onto her without her making the first move. Her head turned almost bashfully away from his, though she peeked out of the corner with again more subtle temptation in her tones, "If you don't have to run off anywhere, I'll show you my favorite place to hideaway." She didn't move forward without him, only waiting for his curiosity or acceptance to continue on. Maybe he could feel the heat off of her for craving him the longer they were together, maybe he was oblivious, or maybe he just chose to ignore it. She hoped she didn't gamble on their time together for too long.

"Duchess"
F2U base by Snowylaika

Duchess is an !M rated! character for themes of Depression. Please Discord me if you have concerns.

Artorias saw the heated gleam in Duchess' eyes while she pulled a grape from his large azure paw and chewed it slowly, a bit of surprise crossing his features. Had he missed a sign or something here? She wasn't coming on to him, was she? Surely he'd know if she was trying to flirt with him, and no doubt she'd be able to smell the scents of Briar on his coat. It never even crossed his mind that Duchess might simply have not cared. No, the only logical answer he could think of was that he was reading too much into it. He gave Duchess far too much benefit of the doubt. Still, the way she looked at him and spoke to him sent a flutter of tension through his belly, an instinctive reaction to his body responding to things his mind hadn't yet picked up on.

"I don't have anywhere else to be," replied Artorias with an eager grin and excited eyes. If Duchess was going to show him some of the secret spots around Auster, there was no way he was going to miss out on that! "I'd love to see your special hideaway, Duchess." eating the last of the grapes, Artorias moved up alongside his petite companion, ready for her to take the lead. Perhaps his brain was still trying to assume positive intent for her intentions, but he chose to disregard the nagging feeling of something from Duchess pulling at him, like she were appealing to a baser side he held no control over. There was no hesitation in his willingness to follow her wherever, all the more eager and interested to see where their path would take them next.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "Corbin" | "Argent"

One big happy family

Artorias has two ravens named Corbin and Eira and a fox named Argent. Assume they are within calling distance at all times.
As his mate, Briar may enter Artorias' threads unless marked Private.
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