i'm not like them, but i can pretend

A rumble of chuckling laughter echoed deep in the dire brute's chest while his niece-in-law quipped back with all the sarcasm he expected from someone of Manea's blood. Nirvana remembered him; that was a good start. How long had it been since he'd last seen her? A year? Two? No, she didn't seem to have quite hit adulthood yet, but she wasn't far off. What had the girl been up to since she went off about on her own? At the very least he was happy to see she had survived the Long Night. Manea would no doubt be ecstatic to see her niece alive and well once more! Nirvana mentioned congratulations being in order as she rose to sit beside him, both wolves gazing out over the expanse of field dotted by large rocks and boulders—and just off the coast in the distance, Alias Island, the jewel of Elysium.

"They are, but not for me," replied Alastor with a beaming grin that to anyone besides a Mendacium would no doubt be read as intimidating and unsettling. Those that knew Alastor knew the demons that plagued his fractured mind never threatened them, however. Nirvana was one of those wolves. "Your aunt put a tremendous amount of work into making her dream a reality. A lot of time, blood, sweat, and tears went into building her pack. Oh, and a bit of semen too." He grinned and nudged Nirvana's shoulder with his own. "You have cousins now. Our little ones, Avacyn and Saracyn. Although I suppose they aren't very little anymore, since they'll be yearlings in less than half a season." Gods, how the time flew by! His two little blessings, both hitting their first birthdays...

Alastor turned obsidian black eyes back to his niece with an appraising look. She didn't look too worse for wear, given the world had nearly ended just a season ago. "Manea is going to be overjoyed to see you're all right, Nirvana," he said, then tilted his head curiously. "What have you been up to since we saw you last? Couldn't have been too much trouble if you're still sitting here in one piece."

"Alastor Mendacium"