His son, his eldest, his hope, ran ahead of him on uncertain legs, still nothing more than a toddling toddler. Well, it was more like limping around unbalanced, but the man watched his child carefully. Giselle let him take both of their boys so that she may have some time to herself, to enjoy herself. There was nothing to fear with her mate keeping a careful watch and hold on the two boys, one headstrong and the other a quiet child. Pascal was in his arms, quiet, but his eyes were taking in the sights even though he probably did not understand what he saw or what things were. Gene could not have either but he was happier to bumble around on his own, though he still seemed to pause and wait for his father. With long strides, Silvano could easily keep up with the uncoordinated pup who had tumbled over a root.
Light laughter rang out as he bent and picked up his firstborn son, pride in his emerald eyes as the blues of his sons peered up at him. One son babbled at him, sounds he did not know, but were the beginnings of words. The second looked around and did not open his mouth to eek out a sound at all. Perhaps he was like Parker, his silent sister who had taken so much longer to truly speak. But her mind was sound. Perhaps, this was a child like her. Silvano held his boys close, Pascal still and Gene squirming.
His eye caught site of the area he had seen a heavily pregnant Terra in, and he descended towards it, careful of a puppy that was eager to explore on his own and out of his father's hold. "Terra?" he called gently, remembering her negativity at the meeting, and eager to see if he could improve her opinion of him.
Her pups were more involved with each other now. It wasn't just accidentally running into each other. They were truly dealing with each other, competing to see who would be in charge. It was hard for Terra to decide who was coming out as the dominant one, Ananse winning fights by being the biggest, with Loki sneaking around and doing what he wanted, leaving his brother confused as to what had just happened. They no longer fought over the stuffed animals, though occasionally one of the pups would try and claim both, a low growl from Terra usually halting it.
They were in the middle of such a fight right now, growls pitching between the both of them. Terra had considered interfering, but they weren't hurting each other. Mostly they just pushed at each other, expecting the other to give in. The battle might have been fierce in their minds, but no harm was inflicted. A sudden call brought Terra's attention up, standing sharply. A yip brought the attention of both of her pups up. Glaring she growled, pointing towards the den. Reluctantly they went back, not caring for the interruption of their play. Silvano entered the clearing, two young pups in his arms, the same age as Loki and Ananse. Constable. What did he want?
Eugene squirmed in his arms and only a short growl from his father temporarily stilled the pup, who froze in the man's arms. Pascal had twitched but remained as he had before. Silvano peered at the den, knowing the woman was there often for her scent was prevalent and strong. It was because she had clearly been there often, and if he wasn't wrong, she had delivered there too. Their little room at the Hotel smelled fresh, but the windows were always open to let clean air circulate. It was nice to have that with messy pups. Giselle certainly enjoyed the chance at birds coming to sing, so he kept it open, even at night. Between the two of them, the pups would be warm and content at night.
The pups were no where to be seen, so he kept a hold on his sons. Her words, well word, was short and clipped, as though she spoke only out of the respect the rank brought him, and not of himself. His lips tightened but he loosened them quickly to be more approachable. "I thought I would pay you a visit. That and perhaps a chance for the young to meet?" he asked gently, a light smile on his face. He would not mention the meeting, where she had vehemently cried in agreement with Mars as well as him, though perhaps with more dislike about Strel. Hopefully the man was at peace, though his presence was hard to find now. "May my sons and I join you?" He would not force a friendship with any of his subordinates, now that he dominated over them. If they wanted to be more than leader and subordinate, they were welcome to accept his bows of peace. Some, he knew, would never accept him, but some would.
Mirth danced in her eyes at the pup's antics, constantly squirming and fighting the grip of his father. The same way she kept control over her speechless pups, communication was silent and primal, growls and barks used to talk to them. The tightening of his lips did not go unnoticed. Would he take offense with her clipped nature? He could not blame her for distrusting one she didn't know. How could she be expected to follow a stranger? The meeting had left her tense and restless, scared for her pups and her pack. What would come of them? Would there be peace, or would the pack fall to chaos through inner strife?
Tilting her head Terra considered his offer. He was the leader. Rightfully she should trust him, let him near her pups. Instincts battled briefly inside her before she nodded her consent. Turning to the den she let out a quiet yip. Loki had already been near tumbling out, and took the invitation with great haste, tripping as he tried to hurry out. Ananse was slower, managing to not fall as he stepped into the open, blinking up curiously at the stranger. Her gaze didn't leave him, ready to strike at the slightest sign of him moving to harm her pups. He was trying at least, but she didn't trust him yet.
She was suspicious of him, but he could not fault her that. He would be wary of strangers too in her position, though with all his bulk and strength, little frightened him truly. He was rather tense as he waited for her to finish scrutinizing the situation. Finally, she nodded her consent and turned about to bark an order to her children, who seemed to scramble out of the den in eagerness. The primal way that parents commanded their children before words came easily was something strange, especially how they just knew how to do it. Magical.
The sound of other pups set Eugene to scrambling, fighting harder against his father's grip. Silvano crouched down to his knees, letting the child tumble out of his arms. He wobbled the entire way, body bouncing disproportionately with his big head, paws, and a rotund body. Pascal began to squirm a bit, though it was a little strange. Perhaps he was getting excited for the other children? Brows furrowed in concern for his strange little boy, Silvano let the pup bounce forward as he paused to look at something, the other pups clearly forgotten. Oh, Pascal..
Reaching forward, long arms grabbed the oldest puppy and pulled him close. "This is my eldest, Eugene, or Gene." The pup looked up at him, tongue lolling as best as it could small as it was. Then he scrambled from the grasp and ran at the other puppies, more wobbling. "That is my other son, Pascal." The pup did not look up at his name, barely even twitched, just kept nudging at blades of grass in fascination.
Both of Silvano's sons began to squirm as Ananse and Loki studied them, tiny heads craning up. Terra watched, hackles half raised with tension. Was this really alright? Perhaps she should not be so open with her pups. Perhaps she should have turned him away. So many things could go wrong. He could punish her for speaking up at the pack meeting by taking her pups away, or harming them. Instinctual memory told her of males that would kill pups to be able to mate with the female, and force her to bear their children. It was not a pleasant feeling to have, sensing that danger.
The pups tumbled down, the quieter pup moving over to investigate the grass while the more energetic one bounded towards Loki and Ananse. Loki's stark red coat stood out next to Ananse's more patterned brown one, the pair pushing at each other as they sniffed at him. She nodded at the names, wondering what they meant. She felt that the names she had given her children were obvious, hoping to endow them with the spirits of those that had carried the names before. What did Eugene and Pascal mean though?
Silvano was relaxed as he watched his two sons play with the sons of the red woman. She seemed so young, and so unready, to be a mother. But so had he and so had Giselle and they seemed to be doing alright with the situation. Perhaps Terra was doing just fine as well. The boys seemed healthy and the pack would always provide the help another member needed at a time of need. "They look good, Terra," he said genially, smiling as his eldest barreled on uncertain legs into the other two, sniffing them as they scented him. His emerald gaze traveled to Pascal and he noted that the boy looked toward where the three other pups were, but when Eugene peered at him, he looked back at his grasses. The mixed pup nudged little stones with his nose, and Silvano looked away. As long as he was content, what more could a father hope for?
"What are their names?" he asked the woman, looking at her calmly. There was no fear here and he made no sudden movements. He let his sons play, explore on their own. That was how his child hood had been. He had played all over with his sisters, and loved them dearly. But time would tell if Eugene would be like he had been as a child, watching over his sisters, his family, over Parker in her quietness. Would he be his strange brother's guardian?
The compliment satisfied Terra, a small smile on her face as she looked down at them. They were good. They were her children, mate or no mate. She'd make sure they had a good upraising. Terra's gaze fell to Pascal, noting his behavior. Submissive, quiet, on the edge. Not good traits in a pup. Perhaps he would grow out of it. If he didn't, there was a good chance the pup would be tormented by others, and possibly killed. The three pups sniffed each other thoroughly, Ananse deciding to initiate play by pushing at Gene with his nose.
Asked what their names were Terra straightened, her tail wagging happily behind her. Loki is the red pup, named after the great trickster who dared to play with fire. Ananse is the one who looks more like me, named after the trickster that pretended to be dead to steal the meal of an entire pack of wolves. The meaning of names were important. It would hopefully mean that both of them would grow up strong and clever, able to outwit their enemies and take on anything that came after them. What does Gene and Pascal mean?
From what Silvano knew, Terra was the resident trickster, which only made him smile as she rambled off the names of the boys. She had picked the names of trickster gods and seemed to want to give them the same qualities she had. Perhaps she loved being a sneaky trickster so much that it was expected of her offspring that they would be as well.
His brows shot up as she asked him about the meaning behind the names. His emerald eyes stared at the pups as they played, wondering what had prompted them to choose the names. Both were ones they had read somewhere, and he did not know that there was much behind their names that made them pick. Certainly, they had meanings but they were simply the meaning of the name. "Eugene means noble. And, well, we just liked the name Pascal for the second son." He looked at the errant boy, who started to line up stones in rows, pawing them carefully to put them together. "I think it simply fits him. Eugene, too." The older boy tried to tumble with the other pups, eager to show his dominance in pup fight.
The confusion in Silvano's eyes surprised Terra. For her, names having meanings was the first thing that came to mind. It was an essential part in choosing the name. If the name had no meaning, how would the pup know it belonged to him? It was the first part of the canine, the one that told of who they were when they were born. Terra's own name was chosen for her earthy nature, her ability to blend in with her surroundings, almost lost in the fall colors when she'd first been born. Loki was named for the color of his coat to match the fire in the tale, and Ananse in hopes that he would never go hungry.
Noble. That made sense. A hard trait to see in the eager pup, but at least it was a name she could understand. Of course the luperci would choose a name with that grand meeting, fitting with the rest of what she saw as a fancy living style. The tumble that broke out was a flurry, Loki and Ananse fighting with each other as often as they did with Eugene, hard to tell who was truly dominating the rest. Ananse certainly had the upper hand in weight, but Loki was hard to catch and properly pin down. They were both more thin than Eugene, the coyote blood clear to behold. How can you pick a name with no meaning? Is he cursed?
Silvano furrowed his brows and shot a glance at his youngest son. Cursed? No, he was just a little different from the rambunctious pups. It was nothing to worry about yet, and even then, it was his son and he would love the boy no matter what. Eugene made his puppy growls and barreled himself into the other boys, larger because of his wolf blood. There was nothing small about the blood he had inherited and none of Giselle's dainty nature permeated through the boy's physique. Pascal was on the smaller, thinner side; a blend of the two parents.
"My son is not cursed. His name has a meaning, but we just do not know it. It's not a bad name and we found nothing bad associated with it. If anything, it'll be a distinction among his peers. I've never heard the name on anyone else. So, I guess it just makes him all the more unique," he said as he leaned over to scoop up his son. The boy stilled, staring at the ground as his father pulled him close. Pascal struggled a little bit, but was, in the end, content enough to be held by the familiar presence. "I don't know what my name means, either, honestly."
Loki and Ananse found themselves scattered and tipped over by the barreling wolf pup, yips of protests breaking out. Loki attempted to fix the problem by twisting around and trying to latch his teeth onto Eugene's leg to chew on it. Ananse just laid there, looking a little dazed by the sudden change in scenery. Laughing Terra looked up to Silvano. They were amusing! The pups always got into messes, easily confused and distracted. She loved introducing them to new things and watching their curiosity play out.
The constable's words were serious, calm as he gathered up the pup. A name that had meaning, but they didn't know it? As far as Terra was concerned there were few names with bad associations. Even naming a pup after a killer didn't bother her. Naming a pup after someone who was weak, or names that would make the pup weak, such as Soft and Omega were ones to be avoided. That, and names that outright meant bad luck or cursed, such as star names. A name without no meaning did seem awfully unlucky. Her eyes widened at the new knowledge. Why would you name someone something that has no meaning? They can't hold onto their name that way.
"Everything has meaning," he began instantly, almost sharply as he barked at the woman. Whatever her ideals, she had no right to question what he named his sons, his heirs. Normally a much calmer man, Silvano had been worn from the ordeal with the meeting and was so wary of the people who had loudly complained against him. Terra had been one of the more vocal members and he knew how important it was for him to win over the members who were not convinced. So far, there were so many of them that he could hardly imagine being successful. He knew that many of them would not become close friends, but he expected obedience and duty from them, not friendship.
"The names have a meaning that they can throw away if they want, and become whatever it is they want. It's up to them, not their name." Pascal could overcome his gawkiness and bizarre tendencies and become a great warrior or a flourishing artist with a beautiful grace. Maybe he would become a heartthrob and bring women flocking to his side. Silvano shifted his gaze away from the cerise woman, to the boys playing. "They can decide if they accept their names or not. Plenty of people change them so it can't have much meaning if they don't want it to."
His words were sharp, barking out at her. Terra's ears flattened, stepping so that she was crouched protectively over her pups. A growl brought them back to her, ready to defend them if things went wrong. She didn't trust him, his sudden break startling her. Terra was already deeply protective of her pups. The sudden threat did little to sooth her nerves and help her to trust him. What she was talking about was an idea she'd grown up with, something she considered fact. Learning that his name didn't have meaning just made her more nervous, along with the sudden rise in temper.
Throw away the meaning of the name? Why would anyone do that? Terra knew the convenience of having multiple names to use, but just discarding that key part of herself was shocking. This entire thing was beginning to confuse her. Throwing away names and meanings, even when she'd been taught how important they were? Shaking her head she wordlessly looked down at her pups, the pair continuing to play under her protection, away from the noble pup.
She protectively moved away from him, and the Constable felt a slew of emotions race through his blood. First, there was anger. She pulled away from him? When he had been vocal and had not even twitched a harsh heavy hand in her direction. His pups had flinched at his tone but had ignored him until the pups ran off. Pascal was still in his arms despite his twitch, and Gene stared at the pups that had run away from him and back to their mother. The pup whined a bit and took a step forward, but the protect nature of Terra emanated enough for him to stop and toe back to his own father with his small tail tucked between his legs in sadness.
Then there was guilt. He was the Constable, it was his job to protect and help. But he had barked at a subordinate in anger and annoyance. Yet he couldn't help but feel that her fear of him was entirely unfounded. What kind of a monster would hurt another's children when his own were at their mother's teat? He sighed as Gene continued to stare at the woman and the two pups he had been playing with so happily. "I'm sorry," he said softly, taking a free hand to grab the oldest boy into his arms. He squirmed but a tight squeeze stilled him. "Would you like me to leave you be?"
Terra glanced down at Gene, feeling a touch of pity for him. She'd rather keep her own pups safe than entertain another's however, and the threat that she'd felt wasn't one she was about to ignore. He was the leader after all. Even if he was one she didn't quite trust enough. He was larger and more powerful. Letting an unknown element like that near her pups was dangerous. She could sense his anger, and didn't know if he was going to choose to strike out for her impudence.
The apology sounded sincere. Green eyes studied the male, taking in the marks on his frame. He'd been stressed. While her questions had been sensible in her mind, there was a good chance that he had no idea how important names and meanings were. The luperci were ignorant of many of the basic facts that she had grown up with. It made them rather emotional at times, but also calm where her emotions would run hot. You came to try and reach out to me. I'd rather not drive off such a considerate pack leader.
At least Terra understood he meant no harm and that he was making an effort. He lowered his head, letting his arms loosen around his sons. Perhaps it was wise to continue on with this moment in time, but it felt as though he could hardly move for fear of startling the new mother. Giselle was hardly this jumpy, but she did have a good supporter in Silvano. He was a fighter, a protector, and he had long since proven himself as one. Perhaps not to Terra, but he had where it had counted; with his own mate. It was unfortunate that Terra had no one to intimately take care of her and keep her safe. It was a wonder that her sons' father was not helping, or perhaps he had no idea.
"I can hardly reach out if you jump at every move I make. I'm not going to hurt you or yours, Terra. I am not a murderer," he added with an edge. He was a murderer, he was. Silvano had killed to protect, but that did not make him a cold-blooded killer. No, he had killed out of love, and worry. So did that make him a villain in this game? Even then, Silvano would not harm a child; it was not a knight's way to cause harm to the young and the women. Surely Terra could see that there was no reason for him to harm her or the boys behind her, especially with his own boys in his arms.
Silvano did relax, Gene and Pascal able to get some wriggle room. As curious as Ananse and Loki were about the other two pups, unfortunately, Terra had called them back, and neither were willing to cross her. She let them get away with plenty, but being exposed to danger wasn't one of the things she allowed. Unfortunately the sharp tone in Silvano's words did little to relax her. He could speak of not being a murderer, but every time he faced her speaking that way she had to wonder if he was going to snap and strike out.
Shaking her head Terra turned, nudging her pups back to the den. I'll trust you with that. Do you need me for anything else? She wouldn't be close to him, not when he was this cold and apart from her presence. She couldn't understand him, the harsh voice bringing fear to her instead of the peace that she sought. Perhaps she would be able to face him and speak to him one day, but right now she didn't think she could take anymore from him. Loki managed to escape past her herding, running over to Silvano and yapping up, wanting to keep playing with Gene. Firmly she scooped him up, growling a little as she pushed him into the den.
So that was the end of the visit. Silvano had been dismissed and there seemed to be little change between the two of them. He had hoped to appeal to her and get her to support him more, but it was more than a little bit fruitless. With a heavy sigh, the Constable let his sons hang off his arms. Pascal seemed focused on something, either in his head or simply on something in the grass. Gene was staring, ears flat and whining softly as he watched Terra herd away the two boys he had been playing with.
"No, I suppose not. I'll let you be with your boys," he said gently, letting out a heavy sigh as he thought of the futile effort he had made there. The point had not been made, but he had shown that he had made an effort to come find her. Suddenly one of her pups escaped her guiding motions and yelped up at him. He still towered over the small child sitting down, and he peered down at him with a slight smile. Gene yipped back at him, the little tail beating against his father's stomach as he attempted to scramble forward. But Terra stepped forward and took the pup away, to the den with finality. Silvano rose, sons in hand. Perhaps it was time to see Giselle. She was always a much friendlier person; people seemed to like her more. "I'll be seeing you around, Terra."
