I honestly did not expect to hear the sound of running footsteps behind me. I did not expect him to run after me and Lazarus, my boy now wiggling in my mouth. 'Daddy, daddy, that man is following us!' I hear among the wiggles in my mouth, my own name being called out by Tesseract as well. I could tell that Lazarus was simply thrilled and then perhaps a little scared about being chased. I feel my legs slowing to a halt with my ears flickering upon my head. Fine. I guess I do not have a choice in this right now, not with Lazarus here.

I set the wiggly, still very small boy down in the grass between my legs. He stands up, his little head peeking back to watch his grandfather come towards us. I do not turn to face him yet, I only look down upon Lazarus as I see his green touched eyes light up with curiosity. I had not wanted it to be like this, for Lazarus to meet his father like this, but what choice do I have? I must make it as pleasant as possible for him, for my boy. Despite the burning embers of my heart, I must make it good for him. I reach my nose down to lick the perked ears of my son, his little tail wagging as Tesseract comes before us. Tesseract certainly did not hold back in getting here at least, but I know not if the woman followed.

I lifted my dark head, my eyes locking with his as he spoke, my face serious and yet softening only as I feel Lazarus rub against my front right leg, his little muzzle reaching out to try and sniff the new wolf before him. I do not answer Tesseract's question.

"Lazarus, this is your grandfather, Tesseract, why don't you say hi?" I say as my face looks down at Lazarus, my son's face lighting up happily as he finally gets to meet his grandfather. Lazarus' little body of black and white cannot seem to contain his excitement as he makes a small lung forward and onto Tesseract's front left paw, his dark legs reaching up if allowed to get a better look at his face. 'Grandfather! It is really Grandfather??" he asks, and I nod in response when he looks to me to confirm.

"Yes, Lazarus, it is really him," I respond. 'Grandfather, where is Grandmother?' Lazarus asks, my ears falling back some with his question. I may have told him about my parents and how good they were together even with Caligula's silence, I did not ever really add in the detail that my mother was not really around anymore.

"Lazarus, she..." I say, pausing as I look to Tesseract again, words not seeming to come to my mouth as I only seem to find a sigh. Lazarus stays excited, and I am sure it is obvious even to my father that he is a very small pup. A runt, but a boy that will grow and adapt to his size. Do foxes not live long lives despite being so much smaller than wolves? I know my boy will be fine, but I know that I cannot seem to explain the whereabouts of his grandmother to him.

Praetor
Eight-Soul of Aithne-Emperor of Iromar