Stages of grief

Ulric quietly enjoyed the warmth from her side pressing into his as they inched closer and closer together, both of them seemingly drawn to each other - or at least each other's physical touch. He tried to not let his fuzzy mind jump to places where it shouldn't be, though it was difficult with this beautiful woman resting beside him. He took the bottle when she pushed it away for the last time, lifting it to his lips and drinking down the rest of the remaining alcohol, finishing off the bottle before putting off to the side. He was slowly starting to feel more of the effects of it, his head feeling a bit fuzzy and floaty, but he was till thinking clearly enough. He wasn't sure if that would still be true if he tried to get up though so he was more than content to remain laying her with Eska, even shifting to press against her a little more certainly.

His pale gaze lingered on the top of her head were it was resting on her foreleg as she told him how she didn't have any plans, only that she would leave in the morning to get out of his - their, she corrected - fur. His ears flicked at the thought of her leaving and he tried to justify it to himself as not wanting her to have to go out into the world alone again. There was more than enough room in The Hallows for another wolf right now and she was an intelligent, confident, capable woman that any pack would be lucky to have in their ranks. But that wasn't entirely it, was it? Her head shifted from her foreleg to his and a little smile tugged at his lips. No, right now with the looseness and the fuzziness of the alcohol it was easier to admit that he didn't entirely believe it was just the thought of losing a valuable member that made him want to keep her here.

He hesitated for a moment before he dipped his head down, bringing his muzzle boldly to her scruff - far more boldly than he might have otherwise. He brushed his nose affectionately though her fur before he really thought through what he was doing. Perhaps he was more drunk than he realized or maybe it was just allowing him to act without all of the second guessing and concerns that he typically held. "Could I convince you to stay?" he asked softly against her neck nuzzling gently into her fur unless she pulled away. "The pack could certainly use someone like you. Someone strong and dedicated. I'd... I'd like for you to stay." That was the truth of it. Yes, she would be a wonderful addition to their ranks, but he personally wanted her to stay. He wanted the connection and comfort they seemed to share with each other.

Ulric Adravendi