Secluded Spring what's lost is found

"Ha," the sound was staccato but hearty as she denied any expectations of Raela being seen as her mother. He certainly hadn't thought it, and doubted Raela would have either. She had never been a replacement for Minka, contrary to what others might have thought they'd seen in their relationship, and that certainly wouldn't start now. The memories were clear and distinct from what had been created here in their little notch of paradise.

"No one'll ask you to, you're fine. And how you wanna view the kids, that's up to you too."

She could be their big sister or just another caring pack mate, however it worked out between them all. Gent had to wonder how they would take to someone new and grown calling him dad, though. Hopefully it wouldn't be a rough transition, and just as easy to explain as it was to slip back into.

"Marianna Leigh. Beautiful."

Whether or not Minka would've loved gesture or been sad for the dismissal of Tokino didn't matter, and so he would not comment his thoughts on that. He didn't believe she was watching them from above, and so what mattered was what made Marianna feel good, what she felt was right. That she didn't take his own name certainly didn't occur to him; he would have been touched just to know she'd considered it.

Then she jostled him, and the poke at his age sent his ears forward and ushered an indignant puff from his lungs.

"Hardly," he countered, picking up the pace into a jog. He would've challenged her to an outright race, if it weren't for that limp he couldn't quite ignore.

"Could tip you over with a wag of my tail."