Manea casually strolled around the edge of the lake alongside Artorias, taking the Hallows alpha out for a bit of a chat while he and the lovely Briar were here visiting. Even though they had all gotten to know each other quite intimately when she and Alastor were visiting their castle home, they had talked little about any sort of business or pack relations so she figured now would be a fine time to do just that. It was a bit difficult to pull the handsome young man away and keep the four of them from simply falling into their bed, but that could always come later. It was late afternoon now and the sun was slowly beginning to make its way from the high point in the sky to dip down toward the horizon so they would be making their way back soon either way and that would be a good way to spend the rest of their evening.

A little smirk lingered on her lips at the thought before she made herself focus on their surroundings and the task at hand instead. "We recently claimed this area for our pack," she explained, gesturing to the area around the large lake that was dense with cattails and vegetation. "So Elysium now stretches from here to the Rock Garden and then of course Alias Island." Looking toward the far side of the territory where they had once bordered Abaven, she frowned slightly as she added, "I had been concerned about sharing a border with another pack at the time when we first started staking our claim here, but that seemed to resolve itself rather quickly and unexpectedly." Of course she was still fairly new to these lands compared to some others so she didn't know the extent of the former pack's history, but it did feel slightly odd to have a pack there one day and have it simply gone the next.

"Manea Mendacium"

Large azure and ash paws gently crunched through the grass and pebbles along the edge of the Firefly Lake while Artorias walked alongside Manea, following his gracious host as they enjoyed an afternoon stroll and conversation pertaining to their respective lives as alphas. It was still something the young brute was getting used to, chatting with wolves from all walks of life that were his peers in leadership, but the more comfortable he became with it, the greater those relationships he established were. Every alpha was unique and came from their own walk of life, and he found he could learn a lot from them, particularly from wolves like Manea. Their collaborations together so far had been very beneficial to the two of them—as they were to their beloved partners as well—the memories of the last time they'd all been together bringing a warmth to pool beneath the Aegis' cheeks and deep in his gut. He didn't know what Manea had planned for their time together, but something told him it would likely lead to a repeat of the Mendaciums' visit to the Hallows. If that was the case, then Artorias and Briar were in for a very good night with their hosts.

Warmed by the late afternoon sun, the two wolves strolled along the placid lake, Artorias watching the way the light shimmered off the surface. He had always loved water, ever since he was a pup he'd felt drawn to it. The waterfall, the rivers, the sea by their home, and now this lake... He couldn't explain why, he just did. Focusing on their surroundings also helped keep the brute's mind off the gorgeous sultry fae at his side and from reminiscing about how he'd seen her the last time they'd been together. Manea's voice brought his attention back to the violet alphess as she explained that they had just claimed the lake territory for Elysium. Artorias replied with an appreciative hum, following her aquatic gaze around at the lush land surrounding the scenic lake. "I can see why you did. It's gorgeous out here. Plenty of plant life, prey, a freshwater source, and it creates a solid border around your home." He cast a lopsided smile to Manea, fiery eyes shining with a playfulness. "Very clever planning. The Hallows recently claimed the Wildberry Grove just north of our lands for similar reasons. Good resources, but it also lets us gatekeep Auster to some degree. We'll know pretty much every wolf coming across the Bifröst." It seemed Manea shared a penchant for strategy as well, one Art could appreciate and admire.

Manea's pensive comments about the dissipation of Abaven turned Artorias' gaze to the opposite end of the territory, out past the border to the wild lands where the once-noble and ancient pack had resided. His lips turned down in a small, wistful frown as well. It still stung his heart to think about what had happened to Abaven, the ending of the renowned pack a grim reminder that nothing was permanent, and sooner or later everything that had a beginning also had an end. "The fall of Abaven was a shocking twist that blindsided us all. I know Theory personally, and it's not like her to just disappear the way she did. It's worrying to see a pack as established as shaven simply... fade away." Artorias breathed a soft sigh and shook his head. "Așa este viața." He didn't know the degree of relationship Manea or Elysium had with Theory and the late Abaven, but judging by the violet alphess' response, he assumed it wasn't in the degree of positive. "Had Abaven been giving you trouble lately?" he asked. The Aegis had never gotten to see the academy in action before it prematurely closed its doors. Was there some aspect of its presence that had put Manea on edge?

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "Corbin" | "Eira" | "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.
____________________

Manea smiled appreciatively as Artorias praised her choice of a new land and the resources it brought her pack. He then revealed how the Hallows had also recently acquired a new stretch of land, naming the Wildberry Grove as their newest territory. She nodded in approval and grinned, replying, "That's where my family stayed while we were still just a band exploring Auster and getting to know the packs there so I'm very familiar with that area. It's a very good choice on your part." It didn't feel like it had been all that long since she had been staying with the band there and had gone to the Hallows to meet their alpha where she had met Artorias for the first time—finding him smelling of sex and so adorably flustered by her calling him out on such things.

As the conversation moved on to the former pack that had briefly shared their border, she brought her gaze back to Artorias as he talked about the shocking twist that the disappearance of Abaven had caused. She admittedly hadn't known Theory very well beyond the one meeting she had with the leader of the former pack, but Artorias seemed to know her a bit more closely and showed some concern over her unknown disappearance. She hummed thoughtfully and nodded at the concerning nature of the turn of events while they continued to walk around the lake, taking in the scenery as they went. While she could agree that it was strange that a pack that had seemed so established had suddenly dissipated, she couldn't deny that she was a bit received to have more space around her borders now that they were gone.

When Artorias questioned if Abaven had given them trouble, she glanced his way and replied, "No... Not Abaven or Theory specifically. Theory was amicable the one time we spoke after Elysium was established. However..." She sighed softly and frowned, her ears flicking uncertainly. "Theory was at the challenge that I ultimately lost to the now leader of the pirate pack," she admitted, clearly not enjoying speaking of her failures. "She is related in someway to Sparrow and because of that I didn't trust that Theory wouldn't be swayed by her relative or that she wouldn't allow Sparrow access to our shared border to cause some kind of havoc on our territory. I haven't encountered the pirate bitch since that loss, but I certainly do not care for her."

"Manea Mendacium"

Artorias' eyes lit up in recognition when Manea told him that her family had stayed in the Wildberry Grove during their travels as a band prior to establishing her pack here. "Thank you. It's beautiful country, for sure, and Briar was very eager to get her paws on the fruit supply for her winemaking projects," he explained with a chuckle. He'd brought a few bottles of the Hallows' newest vintages that used some of those summer fruits from the Austral orchards to share with Manea and Alastor, recalling how they had all begun their previous antics with a few bottles of good wine. Besides, Briar was especially proud of her work with the wine, and Artorias never missed an opportunity to show off his amazing talented wife. Secretly, Artorias wondered if these bottles of wine would lead to the same outcome as the last ones had.

When he asked about Abaven and Elysium's relations, Manea reassured him that they had given her no trouble. Before she even explained herself, Artorias had a suspicion of where Manea's concerns likely stemmed from. Sure enough, the dire fae confirmed his hunch when she told him the story of how she first met Theory. She had been at the pack challenge in the wake of Incendium's termination, the challenge he had missed as word of the northern pack's fate hadn't reached Auster until well after the fact, and how Theory had publicly supported Sparrow against Manea. Art gave a knowing nod and hummed a low rumble deep in his chest. All the while she spoke, Artorias gave Manea the respect of keeping his thoughtful fiery gaze upon her, letting her tell him all that she wanted to and sussing out from her body language what she didn't want to say. He understood the reluctance to speak of the times one had fallen.

The two wolves followed the gradual curve of the lake's stony shores, a warm spring breeze rippling through the tall cattails around them. Somewhere nearby, frogs croaked along the edges of the water. When she finished, Artorias met Manea's guarded gaze with a smoldering dark fire lingering in his amber eyes. "Theory and Sparrow are cousins. Close ones at that." His answer would give Manea the details she was missing in the whole picture. Even if Theory was gone now, she could have some closure on the matter. "I know because she told me—just before the pirates attacked the Hallows. I caught Sparrow poking around my borders one day, and when I mentioned it to Theory, she told me everything. Then she said she'd seek Sparrow out, try to convince her that attacking a sanctuary pack was a poor decision. The pirates struck a couple nights later."

Artorias shared an empathetic look with Manea. Both had suffered pirate problems, it seemed. Perhaps there was more they shared in common than he initially realized. "We repelled the pirates easily, even took one prisoner for a time. I was willing to let bygones be bygones and try to lighten up about the whole situation after we ended negotiations for her wolf, but a couple weeks later, Theory showed up at my borders again, asking about the raid. She seemed... off. On edge. Asking me strange things, like if I'd released all of our prisoners and if I'd treated them well. Turns out that Sparrow had tried to convince her that the Hallows could have been a front for more nefarious things, trying to justify her brash violence against us. I don't know if Theory believed her or not... but I suppose if she didn't, she wouldn't have come to my doorstep." Artorias' nose crinkled up the longer he thought about Sparrow. If he never had to deal with the self-centered sociopath again it'd be too soon. A husky chuckle left the dire brute and he exchanged a smirk with Manea. "So it looks like we both have reasons to hate those loud, crass undesirables."

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "Corbin" | "Eira" | "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.
____________________

Manea responded with a quiet 'humph' as Artorias explained that Theory and Sparrow were close cousins. Well, that did certainly explain Theory's support at the challenge at least. She listened while Art shared how Theory had revealed this fact to him right before Sparrow and her group had attacked the Hallows. She raised her brows with surprise at the fact that Sparrow had been daring enough to attack Artorias's pack, but really she supposed she shouldn't be that surprised. This was the same woman that had interrupted the claim she had made and her loud mouth group of wolves had made the whole thing an insufferable spectacle. She frowned at the memory and at the fact that Artorias had also had to deal with Sparrow, sharing a similar empathetic look with her fellow alpha. She was glad to hear that they hadn't had any problem driving them out and chuckled softly at the fact that he had captured one of them as a hostage at the same time.

It did seem like Artorias was more gracious than she would have been in that situation and had attempted to make piece with the pirate leader, only to have Theory be the canary in the coal mine that had revealed the back-stabbing nature of Sparrow and how the tawny woman had been speaking ill of the Hallows. Her brows pulled together with a hum at that. She didn't need more reasons to dislike her one-time opponent, but she was getting it regardless. There really hadn't been any reason to think that Sparrow had any honor or morals, but this seemed to make it clear that was in fact the case. A smirk tugged at her lips and she gave Artorias an amused chuckle at his comment about having a similar hatred of the crass group of wolves that were the pirates. "Indeed we do."

While they continued around the lake, steadily following the curve of the shore and listening to the light lapping of the water at the rocky shore, she tried to divert her attention away from the topic of the pirates and onto something more pleasant and constructive. "Where do you and the Hallows stand when it comes to making alliances?" she asked curiously, raising a questioning brow in his direction. She knew that not all packs wanted or cared for formal alliances so she was interested to see where Artorias fell on that spectrum. A small, sly grin tugged at her lips as she added, "I was about to say that Venom was the only alpha that I know better than you, but I haven't slept with Venom so perhaps that's not entirely true. If there was anyone that I would trust with an alliance aside from her it would be you... if you're interested in such things, of course."

"Manea Mendacium"

Artorias was glad to see that, in spite of the grim topic, Manea was able to share a bit of humor in their situations and shared grievances with him. He didn't know the extent to which the Mendacium matriarch's hatred of the pirates ran; he hadn't been at the pack challenge to witness the events unfold. But it didn't really make a difference. They'd both experienced the opposite end of Sparrow's violent disposition, and it did his heart a little good to know that he'd trounced her and her ilk in some form of pseudo-revenge for Manea without even realizing it. There was a brief beat of silence while the wolves meandered around the edge of the lake, their paws softly shuffling the pebbly shore beneath them. Artorias was finding that he did quite like the northern territories of Boreas quite a bit. They were a far cry from what he was used to, but they had their own kind of charm and wonder. They also had the added benefit of housing some of his favorite wolves here too, present company very included.

Manea's voice pulled Artorias out of his musing to look back to his peer with a curious tilt of his head. Was Manea propositioning an alliance between their packs? As she went on, Artorias realized that yes, that was indeed what she was suggesting. Her sly grin raised a curious brow above one amber eye, but his curiosity was quickly dispelled when Manea commented on how other than Venom, he was the wolf she knew best, courtesy of their extended night of extremely enjoyable passion. Art blinked, still finding himself occasionally surprised and delighted by Manea's forwardness and casualness of her approach to all things sexual. If she was going to make an alliance with anyone, she trusted him. The Elysium alpha's words brought a genuinely pleased smile to Artorias' face, fiery eyes lighting up as he considered the offer before him. He did like Manea a lot—her and Alastor were a breath of fresh air he didn't get from anyone else, they offered a new perspective, and their lifestyle had opened him up to a new side of himself, and opened Briar up to discover herself more as well.

"Well, the feeling's mutual, Manea. About the knowing and trusting you. And because of the sleeping with you part. Not just because of sleeping with you, that is! There's lots of reasons why I trust you, the sleeping together one being one of the major ones. I mean, er-" Gods, he was stumbling over himself again! Heat flushed under Artorias' cheeks as he desperately tried to make his meaning coherent, eventually resigning himself to a sheepish grin to the violet fae, obsidian ears folding flat to his head with a bashful chuckle. "Um, let me do that over. I'm glad I can be someone you trust, Manea. I also trust you and feel I know you intimately well." Eh, still not the greatest, but it was a damn sight better than blushing and getting stuck in a loop of talking about how they'd fucked each other.

"The Hallows does hold alliances with other packs. We are currently aligned with the Armada and Fenmyre, with talks in the works with Ashen as well." The fact that Manea and Venom got along so well was just another bullet point in the growing list of reasons why he found Manea someone he could put stock in. "Although we do ally ourselves to our closest friends, the Hallows' creed comes before allegiances," the Aegis explained to the Genetrix. "What I mean by that is that our allies will always be our priority and the most important wolves we recognize. If we form an alliance, I promise you that both my wolves and myself will take it with the honor that deserves. We would gladly thrive alongside you, stand against any enemies that threaten you and defend your home with you. But my wolves will not be pulled into wars unnecessarily, nor will we discriminate our sanctuary from any who haven't wronged us. The Hallows will always be open to those who come with peace in their hearts and they will be protected accordingly." He gave Manea as much time as she needed to process and digest his words. Artorias would be ecstatic to have another ally on his roster—especially one he and Briar had such a strong and intimate connection with—but there were some conditions that could not be compromised on. Though he doubted the Mendaciums would ever be the warmongering types, he would not send his wolves to fight in someone else's wars.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "Corbin" | "Eira" | "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.
____________________

As Artorias attempted to express how he trusted her as well, she couldn't help the grin that pulled across her muzzle and the light laughter that escaped her as he tripped and stumbled over his own words with the many mentions of them sleeping together. Despite the long, pleasurable night they and spent together with their respective partners he still occasionally showed that adorable awkwardness that had endeared her to him so much when they first met and she very much enjoyed it. Eventually he regained some of his composure and attempted what he was trying to say again, managing to say how he was glad to be someone she trusted and how he trusted and knew her intimately as well. She grinned and replied, "You do certainly know me intimately," while giving him a wink just to tease him a bit. She couldn't resit flustering him and enjoying this side of him that was still at least the smallest bit innocent and not quite as exposed to all things sexual and lecherous as she had been.

She was attentive as he moved on to the actual matter at hand and began to explain the Hallows' view on alliances and how while they did take alliances, there were certain lines that were drawn in the sand, so to speak. She certainly understood the noble ideals that Artorias was looking to uphold and she didn't have any issue with allowing him that. She had no intentions of jumping into fights or wars unprovoked, but regardless she understood him protecting his own and not dragging them into any unnecessary battles as well. "I don't have many laws for my wolves, but the first as always been that if you are the cause of trouble then you will be responsible for your own trouble. I certainly would not expect you to fight my wars for me should I ever find myself in the situation where such a thing might come about. Though I do suppose I'd have to leave my island and pick fights for something like that to happen." She chuckled lightly and grinned at that, clearly more happy simply keeping to herself here than causing trouble somewhere else.

"I am quite fond of Fenmyre as well and have had pleasant experiences with Armada so it seems we all run in the same circles." It did make sense that like minded wolves would find one another, but it was still slightly amusing to her that the same wolves she had been working toward alliances with were already allies with Artorias and the Hallows. "I can easily agree to the terms you've laid out. We will come to your aid as well, should you ever need it, but I also have no desire to put my family in harms way unnecessarily. We certainly enjoy a fight, but not for idiotic reasons." She slowed and turned to face him then, giving him a grin as she lifted a paw in an offer to take his as she asked, "Do we have an agreement then? An alliance between two intimate friends?"

"Manea Mendacium"

Despite his embarrassment, Manea seemed entertained by Artorias' stammering and fumbling over his own words. Though his face burned hot, it was easy to smile and laugh at himself when he was with wolves he liked, such as herself. It reminded him of their first meeting, when he'd been heavily involved with Briar during her first heat season, and Manea had also been amused by getting him flustered then too. It was all in good nature though, so it didn't bother the young alpha. Once he'd recomposed himself, Manea simply grinned at him and replied that he did in fact know her intimately. That hot tension grew in his core from her apparent double entendre, forcing himself to hold her aqua gaze so as not to give himself a chance to let his eyes roam—but that only made it more effective when Manea shot him a sly wink and Artorias' body tensed in surprise. He tried to play it off with a casual laugh, but it would be clear to the perceptive matriarch what she was doing to him. "Well, I'm at least learning you intimately pretty quick," he remarked, keeping up with their banter with a roguish smirk of his own. "I don't know if I can say I'm fully versed in Manea Mendacium after one night... although it was a very informative night." A very long, very hot, very informative night indeed. He'd learned a lot about himself under the skillful guidance of the Mendacium couple. Perhaps he still had even more to learn from them.

Artorias wasn't exactly concerned with Manea having any issues with his conditions to a hypothetical alliance, but he did always wonder how others perceived his conviction to uphold his pack's ideals and creed. As Aegis, he took his vow to maintain his mother's vision of the Hallows with grave severity, and though he was far more flexible than she had been, he would not permit those core beliefs to be compromised. Fortunately, Manea readily agreed to his conditions, voicing her own desire to not have her wolves tangled up in the messes of others, even stating her pack law that designated consequences for actions belonging to the one and not the many. "On that, we agree," he said with a pleased brightness in his eyes. "I didn't think you were the type of wolves to go on conquests anyway, but I'd rather make my stance known up front and honestly." He chuckled a light laugh along with Manea, turning his gaze back to the scenic lake and to the island just off in the distance. "I suppose that's true. Why bother leaving when you have everything you need right there? Food, water, resources, and Alastor. Everything to meet your every need." Artorias turned a sly grin to Manea then, a mischievous spark in his fire-toned eyes as he returned some of the provocative teasing back on her.

Manea confirmed that she was also fond of Fenmyre and that she had met with the Armada in the past. The realization that Manea knew Sirius caused the brute's eyes to widen in surprise, becoming suddenly aware that the lecherous leaders of Elysium had known who Briar was and still went to bed with them all the same catching him off guard. Manea, you kinky fae... he thought to himself with a naughty smirk, wondering just how lewd Manea's behaviors and tastes actually ran. Maybe if they became allies, he and Briar would get even more opportunities to explore their sexualities with the lust gurus of Elysium. When Manea slowed to a stop and offered him her paw and the deal of an alliance between Elysium and the Hallows, it was easy for Artorias to face her with an appreciative grin and take her paw in his own.

"We have an agreement, Manea. The Hallows and Elysium will be allied. We'll be open to trade of all our resources, our borders will be open to you and your wolves, and we will gladly stand by your side in a fight." Adding to their developing interpersonal relationship, Artorias took things a step farther when he lifted Manea's paw and brought his muzzle down to meet it, maintaining eye contact while he placed a slow kiss over the back of her paw, a formal show of respect but with an added hint of sensuality that left little doubt to what thoughts were in the Aegis' head on how they might christen their new alliance. "Maybe we'll get the chance to spend even more quality time together with our mates as well. I'm sure there's still much you can show us, and much I can learn from you." The azure-furred brute punctuated his words with a wink back to Manea, a playful mimic of her teasing she'd done to him.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "Corbin" | "Eira" | "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.
____________________

Manea shared a sly smirk with Artorias as the larger male spoke of how quickly he was getting to know her intimately after their very "informative" night. "Fully versed, probably not, but still quite familiar, I'd say," she replied with a chuckle, enjoying their banter of barely hidden innuendoes and suggestive comments. She did enjoy talking with the Aegis and enjoyed other activities with him even more—especially when his delightful wife was in the picture as well. She and Alastor had partaken in all manner of lecherous activities at this point, but the night they shared with the Carpathian couple did stand out as a highlight among it all. After they had gone over the general boundaries and agreements between their packs and their possible alliance, Artorias mentioned all the benefits of why they had no reason to leave and how all her needs were met here, catching Artorias' mischievous gaze as it turned toward her. She already knew what he was implying and she returned his sly grin and chuckled, sneaking her tail over to lightly brush it against his thigh with a daring look in her aqua eyes. "Well... Maybe not every need, but most of them, yes."

As she stopped to face the Hallows leader, offering him her paw as a formal show of their alliance, she gave him a pleased smile when he took the offered gesture and accepted her offer easily. She had been fairly sure that he would agree, but it was nice to have a true agreement set in place between them. She nodded as he listed off the ways that the Hallows would benefit them in trade, open borders, and assistance in their fights. "I offer the same to you and yours. I look forward to working very closely with you and your wife in the future," she replied, her smile pulling into a suggestive grin toward the end. As if reading her mind, Artorias lifted her paw to his lips and placed a kiss there in a very chivalrous gesture that made the generally lustful, violent, salacious woman grin at Artorias' adorable nature. He spoke of spending more quality time together with their mates and how there was still more she could them and her aqua gaze showed even more of that heated interest and desire mixed in among her amusement and attraction for the azure brute.

Her paw lifted from his and reached up to his cheek, tracing along the curve of his jaw and down along the underside of his muzzle with her deadly claws lightly tracing along his skin through the thin fur there as a wider grin tugged at her lips. "Oh, there is most certainly more I can show you. Maybe we'll even get a chance for that quality time tonight... As long as you don't mind leaving a bit more tired and sore than when you arrived." Manea chuckled softly and tipped her muzzle forward, leaving a light, teasing lick across the end of his muzzle before she let her paw fall away and she turned to start walking back toward the island with a beaconing swish of her tail. There was only one real way to celebrate their new alliance and they would need to fetch their respective partners to do that.

"Manea Mendacium"

A sly grin of his own spread across Artorias' lips when Manea returned his playful banter back to him, making a quip of how he might not be fully versed in her intimate side yet, but he was still quite familiar with those parts of her. By now, the young alpha's pulse was racing in his veins, quickened by their verbal exchange. He enjoyed their banter of suggestive remarks and thinly veiled innuendos. This sort of talk with the Elysian alphess felt naughty, salacious, scandalous. Despite having consensually joined this polyamorous relationship of sorts with the Mendaciums and Briar, talking so lewdly with a woman other than his wife had this thrilling indecency to it that he was still getting used to.

As if to emphasize that point, Manea brought about another pang of heat bursting from Artorias' core when her silken tail brushed up along the back of his thigh, drifting awfully close to some very sensitive parts of his anatomy while giving him a daring look and remarking that almost every need of hers was met on her island with Alastor. Artorias' surprised expression from Manea's sudden touch settled back into a knowing grin, chuckling under his breath which he was struggling to keep even right now. He knew the needs the Mendacium fae was referring to—ones he and Briar were filling for her. "Well, perhaps some frequent guests could fill all those other needs here on your island for you," he teased back, trying to maintain his composure though it was obvious how much Manea's skillful teasing was starting to make him unravel.

Manea echoed his offers in their alliance, and like that, the pact was made. The Hallows and Elysium would enjoy an alliance together, one Artorias was sure would be a mutually beneficial and productive one at that. There could always be more offered later on as their allegiance evolved with their packs, but for now, this felt like a good start to their relationship. Showing just how much they were on the same wavelength, Manea commented on how much she was looking forward to working with the Carpathians, her ever-present grin leaving little to guess and so much to the imagination. Artorias chuckled, but the sound was swiftly cut short when he felt Manea's large paw lift from his own to catch his cheek in velvety paw pads, the soft touch making his heart skip and tingling fire to spread beneath his skin where she touched him. The lustful, heated interest that smoldered in Manea's aqua eyes enticed and excited the young brute, captivated by that sultry gaze while Manea simply grinned all the wider like a hungry predator eyeing up her prey. Artorias had been under the wanton gazes of several women in his life, but something about Manea's in particular left him reeling and enthralled.

Artorias felt shivers of delight race down his spine while Manea's leonine paw traced from his cheek down along the curve of his jaw, slipping underneath his muzzle to cup his snout with a tender yet possessive caress. He felt the sharp pricks of Manea's deadly claws extend from her toes to comb through the thin fur on his chin and stroke the warm, tender skin beneath his muzzle, the soft vulnerable part of Artorias right within the alphess' dangerous grasp. His breath caught in his throat, his tail twitching with anxious yet eager energy behind him as a dizzying mix of adrenaline and arousal coursed through his bloodstream, his breathing rough and short while he gasped under those new sensations. Manea delighted in teasing him, and she tempted him further when she spoke in a sultry purr of the many things more she could show him and Briar—perhaps even tonight if they didn't mind leaving Elysium more tired and sore than they arrived. Artorias' lips twitched upwards in an eager grin, fiery eyes shining with a keen interest and intense arousal.

"Sounds like a good night in my books," replied Artorias, his voice husky and broken with his heated breaths. All the while the young brute held the voluptuous fae's eyes, amber losing themselves in aqua pools. He felt paralyzed, trapped by Manea's hold on his jaw, heart hammering in his chest. The violet queen of Elysium responded with an airy chuckle and placing a light, teasing lick across the end of his muzzle, drawing a shuddering exhale from the alpha—and then she let him go. As if a spell was broken, Artorias shuddered and regained control of his faculties, drawing in a few breaths while blinking rapidly to clear his foggy head. When he looked back up, Manea was already walking back towards Alias Island, her hips swaying in a salacious display with her feathery tail swishing as if to beckon him after her. There was little doubt what was on the violet fae's mind, and the azure and obsidian brute was all too eager to celebrate their way too. With a quick trot, Artorias caught up to Manea, following alongside his new ally all the way back to the island to find their respective mates. It was about to be a very long, very enjoyable night for the four of them.

"Artorias Carpathius" | "Carpathian" | "Corbin" | "Eira" | "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.
____________________