DaVinci had tried to set out on his own today, he needed to find Naniko, his mother had informed him that she'd given birth and that her litter was probably old enough now to be setting out through the lands with their mother. Some part of him wanted to see what her children were like just to try and understand if the awkwardness that came along with his own was normal. He sighed and moved towards the border of their lands, catching slight sounds behind him trying to stalk through the grasses. He already knew without turning around that one or both of his children had managed to follow him this far across the lands.
He wouldn't admit it but he was rather impressed that they had gone this far without him realizing that they'd been on his trail. He smirked to himself, rather damn proud of whichever was after him and the abilities they were already showing. Pausing as he stretched up above the grasses, his twin oversized ears flicking back and forth as the gold caught in the sunlight. Yawning widely he spoke up. "Alright.. come on out you.." The boy felt sort of silly talking to the shadowy grasses but he knew that one of his kids was there.. if only they'd just appear.
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Enter the nephew! 
Finally! He was able to go out on his own! His whole body wiggled in excitement and he clumsily made his way through the packlands. Even though his momas had told him he would be able to go about on his own, he hadn't quite believed them. They were always following him and his brother and sisters around. So today he had snuck out of the den before anyone else had woken up. Oversized paws padded happily along and jade eyes shot to anything and everything they pleased to. A goofy smile was plastered over his small muzzle. This was awesome!
Haven still had no clue as to how to properly use his sense of smell, so it wasn't until he saw the silvery figure that he knew he had stumbled across anyone. Who was that? He looked kind of funny. Different than either of his parents. And who was he talking to? An imaginary friend? This situation was far too interesting to pass up. Short little legs ran over to the strange looking guy, only tripping a couple of times before crashing into one of the other canine's front legs. He shook his head after impact and looked up to the stranger's face. "Whos you? And whos you talkn to?" The boy cocked his head curiously.
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DaVinci hadn't expected to be caught outright by a packmember from his sister's pack, and yet he could do nothing but cring at the small voice that found him. He flicked his ears back as he turned to look at the pumpkin hued kid that had tried to bowl him over. This seriously could not be good, puppies loose without guardians were never a good thing.. he was a horrible child at this ones age, luckily this one didn't seem to share his young budding anger. Stepping back from the pup he lowered his face to the small one and smiled, having yet to make the connection to his own sister as he spoke. "I'm DaVinci, who are you?" he asked.
Suddenly a golden form bounced out of the field and close at hand as Davinci lifted his head and met the strange eyes of his son. Speaking dryly, "That, is who I was talking to.", his eyes stared down in disapproval at Tyrone. The boy knew he was suppose to be back in Phoenix Valley and yet here he was, stalking his father. DaVinci wouldn't admit how proud he was of the boys skills at the moment, but atleast he'd shown his face when asked.
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Now, if any of the adult members of the pack had known that one of their Commander's young pups was out and about on his own, running up to a stranger, they would have been mortified. The thought that this was even a potentially dangerous situation didn't cross the boy's mind at all however. He was simply excited to be up and out on his own. There was very little, if anything at all, that he was afraid of. As the stranger lowered his face to talk to him, Haven smiled back. "I is Haven Aatte! Nice to meets you!" His mothers had taught him to always say that it was nice to meet someone when you were introduced to them. At least he was remembering some of his lessons and manners.
Suddenly a gold and silver form bounded in and joined the two of them. The copper pup didn't even flinch at the unexpected arrival. Ah, so that is who the man had been talking to. It was someone real, not imaginary. The boy that had joined them was older than Haven, but still fairly young. Immediately the pup lowered the front of his body to the ground, his butt sticking up in the air, tail waving. Maybe he'd want to play! "An' whas your name?" He asked the canine with the weird looking eyes.
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Strangely enough DaVinci would have looked to any packmate of the young pup as a stranger and a thread, probably for the fact that he was a stranger and his mixed blood, but to their own leader he was just her younger brother. The smiled that greeted the hybrid male made him smile back, the scent of the puppy finally reaching him as he realized that the child before him wasn't just any pack pup, but one of his own sister's. He grinned down at the boy as he responded. "Nice to meet you too little one.." Flicking his tail back and forth he raised a brow at the boy and asked. "Now isn't your mother probably wondering where you are?" He knew that Nani wouldn't ever hurt him but he couldn't be certain how the rest of the pack would react.
When Tyrone had appeared out from the field DaVinci moved back at let the younger two investigate one other, the young Aatte boy seemed so excited to find someone along his age that DaVinci couldn't help but chuckle. Shaking his head at the two he watched as Tyrone granted the smaller kid his name, though he looked at his dad like he wasn't so thrilled to be called out with a runt in tow. "I'm Ty, and.. you look funny." DaVinci's ears flicked back at the insult his son had thrown, but the boy was a brilliant hue except that white ear. He yawned and waited to see what the two would do before getting involved.
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Haven was liking this DaVinci guy. He was nice! But his smile disappeared as the silvery man questioned him about his mother. Ears flicked back and his stubby tail stopped all movement. He had just finally gotten out on his own! The last thing he wanted was to be taken back to the den already! But then a thought struck him and he perked back up. "I don' tink so!" He stated confidently. "They's prolly still asleep!" By they he meant both of his mothers. He had no idea that DaVinci knew, or was even related to Naniko. Or that the man was unaware of the fact that the pup had two mothers and no adult male presence in his parental units.
As the multi-colored younger one named Ty said that he looked funny, Haven jumped back to his full height (which wasn't much). He stuck out his bottom lip and his tail was lifted straight in the air. He didn't look funny! "Well, yous look funny too." Which Ty did, with his eyes, fur colors, and strange body type. That reminded the boy of the fact that he wasn't sure that either of these canines were wolves. "Is you guys wolves? You looks different than mah mommas." He supposed just because they looked different didn't necessarily mean they weren't, but since he asked he would know for sure.
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DaVinci chuckled as he realized the boy probably had made some daring escape from his mother's side as he informed the male that they were still asleep. DaVinci assumed it was either both parents or the pupsitter and mother he was speaking of. Raising a brow at the boy as his words had become so confident DaVi questioned teasingly again. "Didn't your momma teach you not to talk to strangers anyway?" He wasn't really a stranger to the wolves of the lands but the kid didn't know him, that was for sure. Though those eyes belonged to non other than his sister DaVinci wasn't going to give way to who he was just yet now that he'd realized who it was before him... or atleast one of the whos he'd aquired into their large family.
He watched the two boys, Tyrone already demonstrating his dominance towards the boy, something that made the father shake his head, though he'd never actually watched kids at play he knew he'd been the same when he was younger, atleast towards the other males. When Haven responded DaVinci couldn't help but laugh out loud at the two of them. Tyrone threw a glare at his father but DaVinci was amused by the fact that the burnt orchid child was gutsy enough to stand up to the older kid. His merriment ended as Haven changed the topic at hand.
DaVinci moved forward and cleared his throat as he tried to explain. "Well, we're part wolf.. and coyote" He nodded towards Tyrone as he continued. "He's also part dog as well.." He wasn't sure if the boy would understand but he had his own question to ask as he realized the boy had said mammas. He hadn't been graced with the knowledge from their mother that Naniko had taken another as a mate, and a female this time around. "Mammas?" He was starting to believe the boy was a little confused.
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Haven's head cocked to one side. Had they taught him not to talk to strangers? Most likely they had. Whenever they were in a group and came upon someone they didn't know, they had been taught to wait until they were given the "okay" sign before approaching. But no one was with him right now, so how was he supposed to meet new people if he had to stay away from them! Besides, wouldn't mean people look mean? "I dunno. They was always wif us, and let us know when it was oks to talk to stwangers. But no ones wif me now, an' you didn' look means." To the boy it was a perfectly good explanation.
He smiled as DaVinci laughed when he stood up to Ty. In his experience with his parents, laughter had been a sort of encouragement, especially from Anu. His tail wagged as his gaze shot back to silver man. Coyote? Dog? He had heard of coyotes from his moms, but not about dogs. And even though he'd heard of them, he'd never actually seen a coyote before. Haven shrugged his shoulders, it didn't matter to him what they were as long as they were nice. "I has heard of coyotes before, but not dogs. But I dun care, doesn't really matter whats you are, right?" The boy was unaware that, to some of the people in the world, it mattered quite a bit.
"Yah. Momma Nani an' Momma Anu." The fact that his family was of the nontraditional sort was completely lost on him. After all, that's the way it had always been, why would he have reason to think that it should be any other way?
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The whole situation was more than amusing to the dark hued hybrid and yet he knew his son was in someway confused to why his dad seemed to be in such high spirits at finding a pup to talk to. DaVinci's tail seemed to thump alongside the small pups as he chuckled and finally admitted to the small fry. "Well, I'm really no stranger. Atleast, Nani doesn't think so." In the time that he and Haven had been speaking his son had wandered from the group and was exploring the field around them, obviously bored with conversating with a younger being.
DaVinci nodded in agreement to the serious conversation that Haven had turned so simple. He knew that the yonug one had some mixed blood in him too but it wasn't even a matter. In the eyes of a child when nothing matter than the whole world was perfect. "We're all the same.. some of us just look a little funnier than others." He grinned as he admitted. "I know I probably look reaaaally funny. Bet there's not many here that look like me!" He laughed at the silly simple joke on himself. Never before had DaVinci really been able to look at what he was and find something funny in it, but the eyes of a child took away all the complexities of it all, plain and simple. That was the best way.. too bad he knew it would never last forever.
He heard Tyrone snort softly from behind him but the father ignored it as he smiled when the boy announced his two mothers. Atleast now something was clear to the male, though he'd have to have verification from his sister at one point or another. He gazed down to the little boy as he smiled. "If Nani is your momma.. then I guess you're suppose to call me Uncle.." He wasn't certain how he felt about becoming an uncle but he'd learn in time.
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The wagging of his small tail increased, mouth opening in a broader smile and his tongue hung out. "Yous know mah momma!?" How exciting! He wondered how DaVinci knew momma Nani. He even called her Nani! Ty had wondered off to explore more, but Haven didn't mind. He was having more fun with the older male anyway. His head nodded happily in agreement with DaVinci. They were all the same. Just cause they looked a little different really didn't mean anything. DaVinci was funny and nice, kind of like momma Anu. And Ty reminded him of his sister Brooklyn, always thinking they were a little better than the rest. He giggled at the male's last statement. "Nope! There isn'! But yous just as fun an' nice as evewyone else!" And that was what mattered, in the pup's mind.
Uncle? Honestly, the boy hadn't the slightest clue what that meant. "Whas an Uncle? Tho ifs you's an Uncle then I is fine wif it!" Uncles must be a good thing if DaVinci was his Uncle. He supposed that meant that they had some sort of connection and they would see each other often. That made Haven happy. Spending time with DaVinci was fun!
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DaVinci kept one ear towards the sound of his son as he spoke to the small one before him. He laughed softly as the boy exclaimed happily on the fact that DaVinci knew his mother. He chuckled and admitted with a nod as he crouched down to Haven's viewpoint, looking eye to eye with the boy. "Nani is my sister, I've known her since I was a pup!" He'd known her since before that, she'd been there when he was born but he didn't want to get into that discussion with the child before him!
He titled his head to the side after he'd revealed the little secret but couldn't help but grin as the boy went on. He laughed and gave up. "Ok.. so I'm not really a stranger.. and I hope I'm nice, though I use to be moody and grouchy when I was younger!" Really, he was still moody and grouchy but not towards a child. He'd never realized how much he liked the younger ones.. having children of your own really could change someone.. and it had changed him. He placed his muzzle to the ground as he watched the antics of the pumpkin hued youngster with amusement in his stormy eyes.
He hadn't expected to have to explain what uncle was but he should have, his nephew was very young and the sudden ammount of words and phrases brought into his life was about to increase, as with all the questions he would ask. "Uncle.. means.. I'm Nani's brother. Only my siblings pups can call me uncle." He wasn't for sure if he was very good at explaining all this but he was trying!
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The boy nearly did a flip as DaVinci finally revealed that he was his mother's brother. How cool! It had never even occurred to him that his parents might have brothers and sisters just like he did. He wondered what his uncle looked like when he was a puppy. His little body wiggled all over the place and he went and began to plant licks all over DaVinci's face. It was what he always did with his moms, and since he was family, he deserved them too! Haven even rolled over onto his back and began to paw at the male's muzzle. He was always a playful pup, but all this news and excitement had really gotten him riled up!
So only a few people could call DaVinci uncle? That was great! The small wolf just loved being able to call someone by special names. It was like some secret privilege, and it made him feel important. "Yay! I so glad yous mah uncle, DaVinci!" Now that he knew that word he would probably use it every chance he got. He would always be uncle DaVinci, just like Nani and Anu were mommas. He wondered if he had any other uncles, or what other kinds of relatives there were. "So...is Tys your son? An' if he is, what does dat makes us?" Surely if Ty was the son of his uncle that had to make them something.
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DaVinci would help but laugh as he was assaulted with pattering paws and wet kisses by his tiny nephew. He could hear Ty make some unruly huffing sounds behind him as the small pup played at attacking the silvery blue hybrid. Poking the small boy with his muzzle as he tickled his belly with his nose Davi's eyes peered up at his son, daring him to join in on the merriment.
The father hadn't expected his son to take up the offer but he was surprised even by Tyrone. Suddenly he felt the full force of his son's weight on his shoulders and head as Tyrone was tugging at his ear and growling playfully. DaVinci laughed and tried to shake his son off while trying to escape battering paws as the two ganged up on him. Raising to his full height the father dumped his son gracefully in the dirt beside Haven as he shook the dust from his fur and tried to breathlessly explain all the weird family names. "Alright.. alright." He shook his ruff once more, the tag in his ear flicking in the dull sunlight as he smiled down at the two boys. "Ty is my son, so.. that would make him your cousin... I think." He felt rather foolish at not knowing all the terms for family but he believed he was right.
He paused to think on it a moment.. His mother and Laruku were cousins.. and their parents had been siblings.. right? He didn't think it really mattered if he was right or wrong, the boys could call eachother whatever they wanted. Tyrone leaned over to investigate the still playfully flailing paws of Haven, getting smacked in the ear as he exclaimed. [i]"I don't wanna cousin.. I want a brother."[/b] DaVinci snorted at the remark and grinned. "I don't think you're getting anymore siblings anytime soon Ty.. Skylar will have to do." Really, he already had two.. he did not need another one.
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Haven laughed wildly as his uncle tickled his belly, continuing to batter with his large paws. Suddenly the assault on him stopped and he looked to see Ty tugging at DaVinci's ear. The pup clapped his paws together and laughed as he watched the two, tail wagging rapidly against the ground. But soon the eldest of them all dumped the split-eyed canine next to the burnt orange boy. His uncle worked on regaining his breath and tired to explain the connection between the two boys on their backs.
"Cousin Ty!" He yipped playfully as he batted at the other boy. As Ty said that he wanted a brother, not a cousin, Haven jumped back to his feet and gently tugged on Ty's ear. "Yous could pretend I'm your bwothers!" Why not? He already had three siblings, what would one more be? Especially if his cousin wanted a little brother. His attention briefly returned back to DaVinci. "Whos Skylar?" Perhaps another relative to play with?
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DaVinci stared down at the two as Ty was suddenly assulted by the smaller pup, his actions and words too much for the uncle and father as he grinned as his son tried to stamper out a reply as he rolled the smaller kin back over and tried to hold him down his his large paws. "Long as I can come visit when I want too!" Ty said as he stared back at his dad with longing in his eyes. DaVinci grinned and nodded. "As long as Jefferson or myself knows.." He said, knowing that the male would probably had no issue telling his mentor over his father, but that was ok with DaVinci.
When Haven turned back to DaVinci with more pressing questions he grinned and raised a brow. "Skylar is his sister.. she looks like me.. but smaller." he said. He smirked as he nudged Haven with his nose and questioned the pup himself. "Thought at your age girls had cooties or something though.." He didn't mind if Skylar wanted to come and play but he'd feel safer if she was in the packlands unless someone went with her to other lands. He was still too protective of his children, though he knew it was unfair to allow Tylar a longer leash than his sibling.. he had his reasons.
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Maybe begin to wrap this up?
Haven let out a little puppy growl as his cousin rose and rolled him back over. As Ty attempted to hold him down with his paw the boy wriggled and squirmed, trying his best to get a mouth hold on either a toe or part of his leg. Finally he succeeded and began to gently gnaw on his cousin's toe. Jade eyes lit with happiness as DaVinci said that Ty could come visit whenever he wanted. His stubby tail thumped against the ground. "Yays! You can comes play wiff me whenevers yous want!" It would be fun to have an older playmate, but one that still wasn't an adult yet.
Finally he got out from under cousin/brother Ty's paw and rolled back to his big feet. He bounced around in front of the older boy until DaVinci nudged him with his nose. Then his focus was back on his uncle and he bounded about his tall legs for a few moments. "I has sisers too! An' whas cooties?" Were they some kind of monster? They didn't sound very scary. Maybe there were a flea that girls had? Who knew.
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DaVinci watched with amusement at the two wrestled around on the ground, Ty gentle with his younger cousin as the small pup gnawed on his paw. He chuckled and let them play until he realized that it was getting a bit late and there was still plenty of ground to cover to get back to their own territory. He didn't miss the fact that Ty seemed happy to finally get some freedom and find friends outside the packlands. He just wished he could let them roam free.. but it scared him to think of what the outside world might say or even worse, do to his children.
He smiled down at the boy as he mentioned his siblings and asked what cooties were. The dark hued male chuckled as he said offhand. "I'm not certain either, but they say girls have them!" He winked at Ty as he exclaimed. "I'd watch out with all the girls running about, they might try and give them to you!" DaVinci watched the younger boy bouncing through his legs as he laughed, finally after several moments things seemed to calm down and he was able to catch his breath.
Turning to gaze at Ty he sighed and gave in to the truth, knowing that Haven would be disappointed, but it was time. "Alright boys.. we've still got a lot of traveling to do to get home to Phoenix Valley.." He cast an apologetic gaze towards Naniko's son as Ty began to gather himself up, shaking the dust out of his fur and rolling his eyes. It was obvious that his son wasn't ready to go but there was still so much to be done back home as well.
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The boy still wasn't really sure if he understood what cooties were. Honestly it didn't bother him much. He spent a lot of time around his siblings, especially Mati, and she didn't seem to have any bugs or anything. "Psssh, I's not worried! If they gives 'em to me I'll jus kill 'em or somefink." Then a thought struck him. "Is it when they kiss yous? Is dat how you get 'em?" He was much too young to be interested in such things as kissing, but he saw his mothers do it. Maybe since they were both girls they were impervious to cooties? This might call for some more investigation.
Suddenly all the play was knocked out of him as his uncle said that he and his cousin had to go home. His bottom lip stuck out in a sad pout, bi-colored ears folding back against his head. "Awwwww. Bu' I dun wan yous to go," he whined. Maybe he was being selfish. Haven hadn't really noticed that it was starting to get dark. It got colder when it got darker, and he didn't want his family to be cold on their way home. "Bu' I guess you's right. You has to promise to come backs soon tho!" Jade eyes looked from his uncle to his cousin, making sure they would promise to visit.
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DaVinci laughed and he placed a paw on the top of Haven's head and mussed up his fur. "Yeah, something to do with kisses.." he said as he grinned. He knew Naniko probably wouldn't be too amused at him for teaching her young son about cooties and the likes of keeping away from the girls but it was all in good jest. She couldn't stay mad at him forever anyways. He stole a glance at Tyrone who was trying to hide a grin of his own as suddenly DaVinci was being pelted with pouts and pleadings for him to stay. DaVinci shook his head and said softly. "Sorry kiddo, our family's gonna start worrying if we don't get a move on it."
He wondered just why Iskata had placed her pack so far away from the rest of the family but he didn't head very far into that thought as Haven seemed to turn to more pressing matters since he wasn't going to be able to get them to stay. DaVinci nodded down at the boy as he spoke. "Of course, and when you're allowed, you'll have to come to Phoenix Valley too!" He stressed the point of being allowed since he didn't know how far the young ones were allowed to wander at this point.
Giving the small pup a lick between the ears DaVinci moved down the trail to join his son, knowing that he'd half to come back someday to find Naniko but for now atleast the day hadn't been a total loss. He smiled to himself as he paused and turned to gaze at his nephew for a moment, hoping that he'd find his way back to his mothers safe and sound.
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