Allies with benefits

It was still so funny for Alastor to look back on how far he had come in his life. There had been a time in his youth where he had been an unhinged, dangerous killing machine with no soul, heart, or conscience. Now, thanks to Manea's love tempering him and mellowing him out, he had become something of a house husband, willingly playing host to their guests when they came for some extracurricular diplomatic purposes. At least, that's what Alastor assumed the Carpathians were here for as well, and not just to stop by to say hi and drop off some wine. Briar, bless her heart, had been so nervous and awkward when they'd greeted the alphas at their borders, but she once again showed her resilience and constitution with how easily she settled herself back in amongst the Mendaciums. She was becoming more comfortable and confident with herself; it was a truly impressive sight for Alastor to behold and know he'd lent a paw to that change!

His initial question about how Briar maintained her fur seemed to help put the Hallows queen at ease with how mundane and normal their conversation was. What, did she just think he and Manea walked around all day in a constant state of horniness? If they did, then no work would ever get done around Elysium, and Alastor was indeed capable of behaving himself when he needed to! Not often, but he could do it! Briar looked over him with an empathetic glance, then detailed her grooming regiment to him. Alastor listened with keen interest, already dreading the idea of needing to take baths every other day and with oils and soaps, but hey, if it would help him tame his unruly coat, he was willing to try anything. "Well, you've done a wonderful job caring for your coat, my dear! I can't recall many, if any, other wolves with a coat as pristine and beautiful as yours!" he replied with a hearty chuckle.

Black eyes landed on Briar's tail while it rested across her thigh, ever so subtly following it up along the curve of her leg to where it connected with her shapely rump. An appreciative murr rumbled in the dire brute's chest, though it could have been mistaken for a sound of acknowledgement. He then cast his dark gaze down to his flowing tail, giving it a couple of flicks before turning a sly, mischievous grin back to his lovely guest. "Do you think Manea would want to braid my tail, or would that look silly on a brute like me? It could be helpful, especially when she's trying to get to certain parts of me." While Briar's braided tail was an elegant accent to her natural beauty, something told Alastor that the hulking, muscular, dark Commander of Elysium would look more ridiculous than anything else with his tail done up in braids. Battle braids didn't exactly have a great ring to them.

He mentioned the wine she'd brought and Briar lit up with ecstatic glee. Her mood was infectious, and Alastor was equally as giddy while he gathered up the bowls for them to drink from. Settling back down near her on the furs, he watched with keen intrigue while she expertly uncorked the bottle of wine and began to serve them both. Alastor enjoyed listening to Briar speak about her sommelier passion with such gusto. He found it fascinating to learn what other wolves were passionate about. When Briar handed him his bowl, the dark dire scooped it up in one giant paw and studied the bright red liquid within. He gave it a tentative sniff, already smelling the sweetness of the sugar from the fruits infused in it. Briar explained this vintage and its inspiration. "Well, in that case, cheers to your bountiful harvest!" And then Alastor brought the bowl to his lips and took a long, slow drink of the rich wine. Briar was right—it was very sweet indeed! He suspected a wolf with a sweet tooth or one new to the flavor of alcohol would like this one. While sweeter than he would normally prefer, Alastor could not deny that it was indeed tasty! Smooth, light-bodied, with a delightful sweet-tart finish.

The Mendacium alpha smacked his lips and ran his pink tongue across the ebony end of his muzzle while he considered the wine. "Mmm you can definitely taste the berries!" he remarked, taking another slow sip to get a second sampling to round out his verdict. "This is going to be a popular one, I think. It's crisp and light, easy to drink. I'd let my yearlings try this as an introduction to wine and they'd probably love it. The added fruit flavors help bring a unique flavor to it as well. It's a delightful blend! I think claiming the berry grove was the best move you could've made!" Alastor then lifted the bowl to his lips and downed the rest of his wine in one long swallow. He set the bowl back down and slid it over to Briar, a silent request for more of the alcoholic beverage while they relaxed and waited on their mates. "What got you into winemaking in the first place, Briar?" asked Alastor, making small talk while he waited for his refill. "Do you do all of this work on your own? The planning, the recipe making, the harvesting...?"

"Alastor Mendacium"