The boy would yawn as he opened his eyes, blinking the optics open. It was morning, but barely so. The time of day that they called sunrise. He would rise, his fur fluffing out some as he emerged from the den, laying his smoke green gaze upon the world. It was pretty, the golden light touching everything. Kind of like the color of honey had been sprinkled over every object. He would grin a bit, glancing back at the den. His parents and sisters were asleep, or at least he thought, and he wanted to explore a bit. It was only when his sisters weren?t with him that he allowed himself a moment of happiness.

Paws would leave him over to a small, rotting stump near the den. He would circle around it, his tail swishing back and forth as he sniffed the ground. Something had been here! What was it though? It was a weird scent. The boy was about to get a better wiff when he tripped over his own paws, tumbling through the grass and landing on his back. ?Oof!? Eyes would slowly open and Naoise would look around. Had anyone else seen that? He hoped not.

Nalyda had been asleep for some time. Her right eye, after the storm when she was with Akemi, would never heal for the metal shard had slashed her eyeball and eyelids. Her crimson gaze shifted to see that her son, Naoise, was absent. She stood up right and sniffed around as she soon looked outside, just in time to see him trip and fall upon his back. She smiled and walked over to him, nudging his neck as she helped him back onto his paws. "Careful Naoise, the outside world can catch you off guard if you're not careful." She gave him a small lick on the cheek and lied down in the grass, her one good eye seeing the clouds, it would be a good day today. She yawned and looked to her son, "And such an adventurous pup such as yourself would need someone to keep an eye on you."

While Naoise had expected to be alone, he would find that it would not be the case. As he was trying to get up his mother would come to his side, assisting him to his paws. Smoke-green gaze would flick to her, and Naoise would tilt his head to the side some. He was frowning, but when he saw no others followed her out of the den it made him happy. Maybe... Maybe since his dad was always with his sisters he could hang out with his mama instead?

Naoise would move, laying down next to her shoulder, pressing into her fur. ?...I wasn?t going to go far though, mom. I just wanted to play some... Before Mystic and Amaterasu got up.? He would set his head on his paws. ?I like the games I come up with better...? It was an excuse of the jealous pup to not spend time with his sisters. A poor one, but perhaps it would be enough for his parents. He?d look up at his mother, ears pricking up. ?Maybe you can play a game with me?? His tail started to wag a little, hoping she?d say yes.

She would smile at her son, feeling his gentle touch against her shoulder. She couldn't help but keep the smile on her face as her crimson optics shown kindness. Her ears were erect as she could hear him ask to play a game with him. She nodded and smiled. "Of course, little one. I don't mind about playing a game, in fact, I love games," she stood and wagged her tail, placing her paw upon her son's cranium and patting it slightly.

Naoise felt a touch of happiness brush over his heart when she nodded, smiling at him and saying that she would play a game. Maybe... Maybe it would really be fun. Just the two of them... He could actually enjoy himself in the companion of another. The thought had the boy feeling hopeful. He would drop into a play bow, but wiggling in the air as his mother set her paw on his head, patting him. He would give a playful-growl, twitching his ears as he jumped at her front paws. Excitement would grow in his heart. He was glad that his mother was different... That she would give attention to him, just him, unlike his dad. He?d nip at her front right leg, trying to dart between the front ones. ?Come catch me mom!? He wanted to run... To play. To enjoy this movement before it was gone. Ruined by his sister?s need for attention. "Hear Me Talk," 'Read My Thoughts.'

Nalyda chuckled and nudged her son. She knew her son felt alone and probably wished that she had a brother to hang out with, but she would be willing to do some roughhousing with him if he wished for her to. Her crimson optics met his own as she smiled. She loved her children equally, but, since Naoise seemed to be alone, she wished for him to form a better relationship with his sisters. She hated it how they hardly played with each other, and usually played with Kar and herself. Happiness was something that Naoise hardly ever felt, and she wished that she could help her son feel that happiness whenever she played or did things with him.

She licked his cheek and began to chase him, making sure to go at a slower pace so that she would not plow over him when she ran quicker than he did.

What Nalyda felt was only partially true. It wasn't so much that Naoise wished for a brother to hang out with, he just wished his father didn't spoil his sisters so much. He felt cast aside even if he dared to go with them. His own fault, but the more it went on the more the black hole of hurt and hate was driven into his soul. He was jealous. So jealous that his sisters got to spend as much time with their father as they wanted and he never got to have any alone time with him. But he got to have some time alone with his mother... and it made him love her more. She cared about him the most, he was sure of it. For now, right now, he could let himself be happy. A wide smile would spread across his face as he ran. The wind blowing through his fur, excitement running in his veins. He was a happy child in moments like these. A yip would leave him as his mother got close, looking back over his shoulder to grin at her. Of course, since he wasn't paying attention to where he was going the young boy would trip over his own paws, starting to fall forward. "Wa-aah!!" "Hear Me Talk," 'Read My Thoughts.'

Nalyda's eyes widened in alarm when her son went falling forward. They were having so much fun, in her eyes it would seem that way, that he would fall forward and not catch his footing. Her emerald optics scanned and soon stayed pinned onto Naoise, a high pitched scream of shock escaped his maw. She stormed over and before she had time to react, it seemed that her legs would do the acting for her. She collapsed to the ground, able to catch Naoise, hoping that he would fall on her and not the ground. Even though she was smaller, she was willing to get hurt for the lives she would be trying to protect.

The boy expected hard impact, but instead the softer paws of his mother were what he fell upon. He would blink, his green orbs looking up at her. His mother had lunged to keep him from falling so harshly, though he couldn?t quite figure out why. Still... It made the rather aggressive boy more gentle in nature. He would give a small smile, rolling to his paws and coming close to her, pressing his smaller body into her fur. His silver and white fur would mingle with her darker coat, and he would close his eyes, taking in her scent. ?Mom...? His words were soft as he spoke. His mother loved him. Even his father seemed to ignore him, and he couldn?t deal with his sisters... His mother loved him. Wanted to protect him. Sure it was something so small, protecting him from falling and getting minor injuries... But perhaps just seeing that she wanted to protect him from even that was what stirred the male?s heart. He would open his eyes and look up at her, his tail wagging some. Maybe... There was hope yet for his heart... For his attachment to his family. ?A-are you okay?? He?d asked, knowing how hard she had the ground just to save him from his own fall. "Hear Me Talk," 'Read My Thoughts.'

Nalyda looked to her son happily, the thought of him getting hurt pained her greatly and listened to him ask if she was alright in a worried fashion. The sense that she was hurt did not plague her as she licked his cheek happily. Her crimson optics meeting Naoise's emerald gaze as she couldn't help but smile happily at him. She loved her son as much as she loved her daughter's, and smiled and nudged him.

"Do not worry about me, I am only worried about you right now. Are you in any kind of pain?" She asked imw a worried tone, looking over his body to see if he happened to get hurt in any way when they were chasing each other. She stood up and looked over to him, happy that there was nothing noticeable on him and gave a small yawn and lied down on the ground, watching the sky.

Naoise would shake his head as he was asking if he was in pain. “Nu-uh. I’m alright.” He would rub the spot where his mother licked his cheek, feeling a bit embarrassed at the mushy-gushy love she was giving him. Gross! The boy would come closer to his mother though, his tail lowered. He felt a bit uncertain... But he was also really glad she was with him. He didn’t want to be left alone... And she felt like the only family that she could actually spend time with. Naoise found himself laying down next to her, setting his small head upon her body. He would give a yawn of his own, ears lowered some. “Hey mom...? How come you and dad had three pups?” His eyes were still open, focused on nothing in particular. The jealous boy felt his heart aching. He wanted to be their only kid... Not having to share them. To truly feel loved... By both his parents. "Listen to me talk," 'but read my thoughts.'

Table by:: Shelby

Nalyda had lied down and could feel her little boy come close to her, his small form beside her as she smiled and nudged him in a loving fashion. But, the next question that he asked her, her eyes widened slightly in question. She was not sure how to respond, but she would speak the truth either way to her son. "Naoise, no matter what, I will love you and your sisters equally. You mean a lot to me, and you should no that. I would die for you if I had to, even your father would. He loves you too, Naoise. But, he has told me that he has offered to take you places with the girls, but you said no."

She gave a gentle lick upon his head, "And the reason why we had three pups was because Siri blessed us with three. We did not know how many we were going to have, but you were a blessing to me and your father, just like your sisters were too. And, once you're a father, you will have pups that you will care for dearly as well, I'm sure of it."

Naoise would give a soft sigh as his mother spoke. He wanted to believe, to trust her words. He was loved, she said, but the boy wasn’t so sure. Loved equally, that he truly doubted, unless it was by his mother. Her words were so strong, so sincere. The boy would nuzzle up to her a bit more, giving a soft sigh. So she knew about him saying no, huh? His ears would lower, not meeting her gaze. “Mystic always gets to spend time with him by herself... Even before he asked me!” The spoiled child would whine with protest. As for the goddess, well, he didn’t know what to believe. His father believed in her, told them stories... And his mother seemed to support the theories that his father spoke of. They didn’t know how many they would have... But Siri seemed to choose. Maybe it was the goddess that he needed to speak with then! Naoise didn’t even want to think about having his own pups. “I don’t want to have children of my own... I don’t even want to grow up! Ever!” Naoise looked at his mother, not moving to her side. “I wanna stay with you...” "Listen to me talk," 'but read my thoughts.'

Table by:: Shelby