There was a comfortable, companionable silence to that office. Carolina, perched on a nearby chair, had proven to be pleasant company. A truly rare find amongst the majority of Sly's clients. Maybe she had fooled him with the elevator and yet- the warlock so hardly found he minded in any sense. A joke was a joke, after all- and it had been a good one. The blonde woman was likable, in far more ways than one. Her position, perched upon that chair, offered the Romanian a distinctly uninterrupted view of her slender, femanine legs as he worked and truly Sly so hardly found he minded that in any sense. Even if he was entirely careful to not allow his gaze to linger as he neatly laid out those pieces required for the desk. Those flat packs, once, had been very near a foreign language to the man and yet, over time (and forced practice), Sly had become nothing short of apt at their construction. The warlock worked diligently.One piece after the next screwed into place- before that requirement of Carolina's assistance saw the young woman neatly rise to hold one of those final sides as Sly worked to screw it into place. There was, he had decided, several more questions he had in regards to Weres. After all, it was hardly as if he was given the opportunity to speak to one very often. Carolina, for their part, so hardly seemed to mind. Sly already considered asking more about that unusual pack system the species tended to employ before the scent of burning rapidly began to fill the room.

The faintest of frowns seemed to find the young man's features then as he glanced over his shoulder and towards Carolina. That query of whether she smelt it too seemed to bring a look of horror to her features. That exclamation of not again so hardly filling Sly with confidence as both eyes rose. Again? Did the Ark burn down a lot? Then again- that was exactly how the last Ark had sunk- or so they said. It had been on the news and in every newspaper for weeks. Carolina was quick to head for the door as Sly rose to his own feet with every intention of following- only to abruptly catch sight of someone else within that room. An almost defeated groan echoed from within the depths of the warlock's throat. His hand rose, his fingers pinching at the bridge of his nose as Mihai's name was all but shouted across the room. His flaming familiar, who so rarely chose to actually set anything alight, seemed nothing short of thrilled with himself as those pieces of cardboard smoked and burned within his jaws. The Ark, at least, was hardly in impending danger and yet Sly so hardly found himself impressed with his companion in any sense. That command to put the cardboard down met with a distinctly defiant release of that flaming piece- right onto another box. That one, in turn, rapidly engulfed in flames like its predecessor. That fire, however, so obediently remained upon the box alone. That cardboard engulfed with rapid speed before leaving only a smoldering pile of ash as Mihai all but pranced across the room to sit at his Master's feet. That fox, despite his attempt to look innocent, felt no remorse for the momentary panic he had caused- of that Sly was entirely certain.

Carolina's utter bewilderment was hardly lost upon the man. Mihai tended to have that effect on everyone until they became used to him. That look of shock on her face so readily seemed to dance between concern and curiosity for his familiar as she dared to edge herself closer. Sly, in that moment, unable to prevent the faint simper that tugged at his lips. Watching people attempt to get close to Mihai always had been...amusing. Carolina's question however was met with a bob of his head- and a soft snort of amusement.

"Well- I think they are supposed to listen. Mine just....has selective hearing."

Mihai's gaze shifted from Carolina to focus upon his master once more. His tail flicking in clear disdain before his small head lifted hastily upward- as if he hardly cared to hear such words. Carolina shifted further forward, lowering herself to the ground in front of the flaming fox as Mihai pushed himself to his own feet- only to stride towards her. His flaming paws halted only a few inches from the blonde woman, his nose sniffing curiously at the air as if to better inspect this new oddity. Sly's arms moved to fold over his chest. The warlock leaning back agianst that nearly finished desk as he watched the pair interact.

"He understands everything- he just pretends he doesn't. He won't hurt you though. The fire feels hot but it only burns if Mihai wants it to."

Sly gestured lightly toward the ground then. The fox's footsteps, after all, had been resting harmlessly upon the floor for several minutes now without leaving so much as a scorch mark. Those boxes, however, had been an entirely deliberate act on the part of the creature. That sudden question in regards to work calls, however, prompted a soft chuckle from the Romanian, his blue gaze readily meeting Carolina's own once more.

"Mihai is always with me. He usually just stays hidden. I don't know what you know about familiars but usually they are just one animal, the opposite gender to their master and not made out of fire. Mihai is..... I don't really know why he's like this and no ones ever been able to tell me."

Sly's features frowned ever so slightly in consideration. He had given up, years ago, ever having any answers on why Mihai was so drastically different from every other familiar he had ever seen. The little fox, as if on cue, abruptly leapt upward- its entire form shifting. That fox was replaced with a flaming hummingbird. This new, flying Mihai seemed to hover in front of Carolina for several moments before abruptly fluttering upward to land neatly upon Sly's shoulder- before beginning to preen his wings in an entirely bird-like fashion.

"See? I don't even know what animal he is. He's all the animals. I'm not really sure what that says about me frankly. In the warlock community, familiar's represent the soul of their master. I'm not sure if I'm more concerned that my 'soul' has no idea what it is- or that it just took pleasure in burning two boxes."

A warm simper tugged at the warlock's lips once more in a clear display of amusement. Sly, almost instinctively, allowed one hand to lift, a singular finger affectionately rubbing at the little bird's head before he reached to grasp the last piece of that desk and slide it into place. There. A finished desk. The Romanian stepped back a moment as if to eye that finished product before nodding. His head turned to face Carolina once more. Mihai, upon his shoulder, tilted his own head as if to examine that desk in turn.

"You still up for that drink, Carolina?"

sly.