After their day spent roaming Elysium lands apart from Fia giving Stolas some of his own time to do so and at least another painful family dinner to get through, Fia assumed Stolas would have been tired and saw him back to the guest den he had occupied. She figured he’d be going home soon, maybe even tomorrow. She could understand the hardship of being away from family herself even while she hadn’t done so before or even really thought about it. It wasn’t a particularly easy thought when she thought of him being here.

She headed back to her own den, maybe not realizing the differences in time that Stolas usually occupied at his home in Ashen. She guessed it was normal for most wolves to find time during the day and sleep at night. She did a little of both to be honest. And so she would take a short, few hour nap back in her own den. Her mind got the best of her though even while she found some sort of tranquil enough solitude and slept some. And after so long of laying awake in her den she rose to leave, and head towards her friend’s temporary den again.

Quiet paws on the mountain paths were second nature to her, and the only thing Stolas would have been able to hear if he did was her lightly calling out, "Hey, Starboy," She’d walk into the den if she needed but at least wouldn’t push him around. "Come on." asking him along before heading up the trails to an open ledge the island had to offer. She knew he’d love the view of the clearing spring skies and past the shores on the horizon of her home.

"Fiametta & Stolas"

Stolas had greatly enjoyed his time in Elysium! He had never been to another pack for any extended periods before, and getting to see and experience Elysium's culture had been an exciting and eye-opening experience. The fact that he was spending all of this time with his best friend was the cherry on top of the proverbial cake for him. Fiametta kept him occupied with tours and sightseeing opportunities across her home, capturing Stolas' fascination with the beautiful island and the lands the pack had claimed along the coast as well. Her family was friendly and welcoming to him, whether because of his family lineage or his relation to Fia he didn't know, but he supposed it didn't really make a difference. He was glad to be welcomed so hospitably by the Mendacium wolves, and despite the ribbing and dark humor sent his way by Alastor, he had a nice time getting to see their way of life and their customs.

But all good things had to come to an end eventually. After a few days away from home, Stolas knew he would have to return to Ashen to resume his duties and studies. His little vacation had been a grand experience and he was already eagerly anticipating the next time he'd get to visit, or perhaps even planning when he might be able to host Fiametta down in Ashen. Still, he knew going back home would be bittersweet for the both of them. He could only hope the time between their visits wouldn't be too long or difficult. He really did not want to lose his only friend again. After another dinner with Fia's parents, the flame-marked girl had delivered him back to his den, the two parting without incident. He would need to be heading home in the next day or two, he supposed. But gods, was it hard convincing himself he needed to go back when all he wanted to do was keep hanging out with Fia. Left alone to himself in the quiet of his den, Stolas fell into a gradual dreamless sleep.

A few hours passed before his light napping was disturbed by a voice calling to him from outside. The paw steps of his visitor had either been so quiet or he'd been so asleep that he hadn't noticed them, but when he came to, it was Fia's voice calling to him from outside. "Fia...?" he mumbled back, getting to his paws with a stretch of long legs before trotting out to find her. It was still dark, just around midnight, the times Stolas was usually most active. His sleep schedule had gotten a little out of sorts adjusting to Mendacium time, but he could fall back into his routines easily enough. Besides, he wasn't that tired enough to not want to hang out with his fire-marked friend. Fia told him to follow her, and follow her he did, a curious tilt to his head while dark paws fell easily in line with hers. "Uh, sure. Where are we going?"

"Fiametta & Stolas"

As soon as he was outside the den and following along Fia shot that all too familiar crooked smile his way, a face she only shared with the few in her family. Maybe Stolas didn't know about the cold shoulder she typically gave others, he may have had the chance to witness sooner or later. He should have at least known she wasn't made of sunshine and rainbows. "You'll see." A silly thought of some kind of initiation had crossed her mind, but that wasn't why she was dragging him out of bed. They weren't going to go see a dead body or anything.

She led him up the mountain paths to one of the clearings a little higher than halfway up the ranges, somewhere there wasn't a lot of den traffic so they could be on their own up here. Nothing new. She took a seat, rounding her gaze to look back at him and pat her paw on the ground beside her. She wouldn't plead with big eyes though, like she knew he'd come to be beside her anyway. Fia had little or even no doubt of Stolas being her good friend.

She'd wait until he was making himself comfortable seated beside her when she leaned up against his shoulder with her own and her cheek into his neck. Not really pushing into him but with no awkward tension between them. "I knew you'd like it." She wouldn't even ask if the skies and the midnight oceans were beautiful, she just believed she knew enough about him to know he'd think so. Maybe not so different from his old southern home of Ashen, but maybe something completely different. She felt it was for her even with his being the only place she knew best. Being here beside him brightened up something new in her life, something she was digging into discovering.

"Fiametta & Stolas"