My Gratitude

Dalila's head tipped slightly with curiosity when Chimera told her that she wasn't here to do something for him, but exactly the opposite. When he invited her to sit with him she smiled and came to lay beside him, her side lightly leaning into his. What had started as something she made sure she did to maintain the slowly improving relationship she had with the King had become much more comfortable and easy. She no longer felt as out of place at his side or nervous in his presence. He had seen her at her at her very worst, lowest points and had provided a way for her to get to where she was now. Despite their past, despite what he had done and she ultimately had to forgive, she did appreciate everything he had done for all of them.

She listened with interest as he began, telling her how reliable and competent she had proven herself to be and she smiled shyly, glancing down at her paws at the complement. "Thank you," she replied as her toes curled and flexed through the sand. Complements were not something she was accustomed to and certainly didn't expect from Chimera, but perhaps that made them even more impactful. He was a man of few words so she knew that when he did speak he meant them. She thought maybe that would be it, a complement and maybe a small surprise or something in thanks, but what he offered her caught her completely off guard. She brought her pale gaze back up to his with wide, surprised eyes at the idea. A Queen of Fenmyre. Not in the temporary compasity that she was now, but a permanent place at his side along with Aliana and Siren.

For a moment she struggled to respond in stunned silence. She hadn't felt like she was worthy of leading the pack in his stead, but it had logically made sense as the only one of Chimera's trusted wolves that knew how to fight so she had accepted the responsibility. This was something entirely different. This meant putting herself at the same level as someone as regal and beautiful as Siren and someone as brilliantly talented and kind as Aliana. She was still working on her own mentality to stop thinking of herself as a slave and now this... At yet somehow she managed to reply softly, "I would be honored." She heard herself accept his offer and it wasn't really until after the words left her mouth that she really believed that she would be up to the task. She smiled with her ears folded back shyly, her tail wagging gently against the sand as she tipped her muzzle up to leave a kiss on his chin.

"Dalila Vista Rocha"