So Much Harder To Leave

Alastor had known about Manea's intentions to promote Relm to the rank of Generalis as his right hand before she'd made the offer to the young woman, but ever the fan of surprises, the Mendacium man had said nothing nor given away any hints of his knowledge to clue Relm in. This was a big deal; a reward for her efforts put in toward improving herself and Elysium as a whole. Her work had not gone unnoticed, and Manea was compensating her justly for it. Still, he was eagerly awaiting the day she came and told him the news of her promotion so he could celebrate with her, letting Relm find out from Manea first hand. It took a few days from when he and his wife had the discussion about the pink Abraxas woman, life continuing on as normal. A warm spring began to thaw the world out from its frigid winters, aided by the many storms that soaked Boreas as the seasons transitioned. On this particular day, the weather was thankfully dry, if not a bit muggy, and there was a thick blanket of heavy storm clouds rolling in the sky, but so far the weather had remained temperate. It remained to be seen if it would stay that way, however, as a distant rumble of thunder preceded a coming storm.

The massive black dire wolf was patrolling the borders of Firefly Lake with several of Elysium's other warriors, making Sur their newest territory acquisition remained squarely within their control. Their neighbor to the south may have been disbanded and the lingering threat of Abaven dispelled, but that did not guarantee safety for the pack. So Alastor ran patrols, wandering around the edges of the lake as a gentle breeze tousled his long flowing fur. He could smell the coming storm on the wind; hopefully it stayed away until he could return to Alias. Drying out his fur was never a fun endeavor. Partway through his circuit, he saw a flash of pink approach him, and obsidian eyes turned to greet Relm with an equally warm smile as she accompanied him in his patrols. Together the pair moved in lockstep, neither saying anything immediately, content to enjoy each other's presence. It was Relm who broke the silence first, informing him of her promotion. Alastor's placid smile grew, sharp fangs flashing in a wide grin as attention was turned to his companion.

"Congratulations! It's what you deserve. You've done so much to prove yourself," he replied, dark eyes shining with a warm pride for the young woman as he feigned ignorance to what he knew was coming her way. Alastor could sense Relm's anxiousness, more than just her usual amount of discomfort at being out and about. There were nerves there, though whether they existed because of her new rank or for another reason he couldn't tell. Relm asked if this was something he wanted and Alastor gave a curt nod of his head. "There's no other wolf I'd trust to be by my side—well, except maybe Kichi, but you could easily knock his ass on the ground in a fight." Alastor gave a humming chuckle, his voice almost lyrical while he celebrated Relm's accomplishments with her. As they walked, the dire brute slid closer so his side brushed hers and his shoulder gave hers a playful bump, glancing down to Relm with such pride and delight for her in his expression. "Is this something you wanted?" he countered with her own question, wondering if this was what Relm had desired also or if she had taken the rank out of a sense of obligation to.

"Alastor"