As long as Coza didn’t know it he would never understand, never be able to pass judgement upon his son’s dark passenger. He saw his son as the good, kind hearted boy Coza hoped he would be, hoped all his children and grandchildren would be. Thus far he had gotten his wish. Amoxtli had been a good Guardian while he could, Teza and Tepi were both holding fast to the beliefs they were taught, though Tepi was a little more wild, he never meant any harm to those he stole. Coza never liked the idea of kidnapping and taking children away, but Tepi thus far had chosen wolves who seemed to need somewhere to go, a place to stay or an escape from something horrible. Even in his own ways he was following the strong guardian blood that rang in him while still possessing that tenacity and confidence the angels seemed to all hold. Then of course Zelda, so sweet and quiet, making strides in her own way. Asriel and Shem were still growing, and Coza wasn’t yet sure what they would become, but they had only reached the age of two years and already they faced a great loss they had to overcome. How they did that he just had to watch and see.

He had few in the way of blood grandchildren though, the four of them here on Moladion, one in the great world beyond and another being embraced by the gods, despite having three children of his own, though he didn’t yet know that that number nearly doubled this spring with Dexter. He of course wanted Dexter to have his own family someday, asked the gods even to send him a female to be what Moth was to Coza, his rock, his drive, until he had his children that was. Someone who helped give him more to his life and made it better. A friend as well as a lover.

If he had one regret though it was that she was so much older than he, leaving him alone, he couldn’t lie there was times where he wished the bond would have made him go with her, at times he thought it would. He still felt the horrible sting of being severed from her, the emptiness that his grandchildren covered but did not remove from him. He wished he had been her age… or she younger, their time together had been amazing but cut short by time, though soon he expected time would take him as well. He wished that Dexter would have someone just like his mother had been to Coza. Like Shiloh was to Amoxtli. Little did he know his favor of the gods did not leave him even though he had abandoned his home lands, they had granted his wish though went in excess to what Coza had wanted for his son.

Dexter though was more worried about him it seemed. Coza gave a little chuckle at his son’s worry for him and Asriel. ”He is needing good male figures in his life. So I is hoping you be finding him soon. His brother, Shem, too. They both needing a good wolf to help guide them on the right path.” Perhaps Coza’s distaste for Eden showed through. Always Coza was uncertain about Eden. He had come to Taviora under a false name after all, then later took over another pack. Getting alliances with him would have been a struggle if it wasn’t for Solaris, who Coza suspected may have been the only wolf Eden really listened to. It wasn’t as if he hated Eden, he was not capable, wary was more the word he felt towards the grey alpha. ”She brings me many things, I is thinking she worries almost too much. I is just getting older Dexter, it is the way the gods have us be. I take things to make Zeltzin feel better, you too if you are worried. They help.” He wasn’t entirely truthful there, sometimes the pain and stiffness was worst than others, already he could feel his hearing go, his body slowing, his eyes thankfully were still sharp and it was only a slight muffling of sounds. Still he could not hear the birds as well as he used too, the leaves rustle in the wind. Things were quieter, but there was nothing he could do to fight what life was doing to him now. This was one fight he couldn’t win, as much as he wanted too when Time took his Moth away.

Coza was experienced and knew his children well enough to know when something was bothering them. He could see Dexter was about ready to explode when Coza mentioned him being around the puppies of the pack. His smile faltered for a moment, falling into a more serious look as he said he had news. His mind immediately wanted to jump to conclusions of bad news. After all Coza hadn’t heard anything about Dexter having a mate let alone expecting children. He would have expected to have been told after all! It was how Zeltzin and Amoxtli had done at least, he knew both of their pups were coming long before they were born. Plus what advice could there be for such things like that? He stilled his mind though simply replying, ”I will do anything and everything I can to help.” but he wasn’t expecting what was to come.

The first words immediately caused Coza’s face to light like a beacon, he was about to exclaim such joy of the news, having known previously or not, simply glad his son had found himself a mate and gotten children though such things immediately quieted as the gravity of what actually happened, the truth of the matter set in. Coza never could have imagined doing what Dexter had done, there was only one time in his life he thought maybe there was another other than Moth and that was Fathom, they were simply friends, but they were close… but quickly his feelings for Moth, his attachment had grown so deep that he couldn’t think of Fathom of as anything more than the dear friend she was. Up until the day she vanished that was. Cenmatl had been his proof that out there she had family somewhere he knew her traits well enough to see them in his adopted grandson, but even then he knew he could never have been with both. He had chosen Moth, his imprint, the one who shared the deepest connection with him over the light hearted girl. Moth once even encouraged him to be with her, but he wouldn’t have it. He had chosen his soul over any other and there was no truer love than what he had for Moth by the end.

His son though seemed, rightfully, distraught at what he had done. He had shared something very sacred with two different females at the same time. Zeltzin even had been a little confusing for Coza to accept, for a time he wondered if they would proclaim to be mates but it seemed that had passed. She was not his mate though, Coza wasn’t sure what they were, but Zeltzin did say she cared for him… just as Dexter now was saying he did for these two girls. Zeltzin though had remained loyal to her past mate for many years though and he had been gone for three years and still hasn’t returned. Dexter, Coza couldn’t say, he was proud of having done such a thing. Perhaps he was… old fashioned, but it was the way of his homeland, was something he did truly believe in after his time with Moth, the tender moments they shared, the children they created, it was sacred… it was something he had with her and no one else. He knew she had past mates, past imprints even, but that was what they were… the past. He knew she surely still cared for them all, but they were mates and imprints and shared their own connection.

By the end Coza looked very pensive. His eyes didn’t leave Dexter though it was clear he was concerned, dissapointment even shown behind his fire opal eyes. Of course he was still happy to have his grandchildren but this situation was… less than what he had wished for his son. ”The gods listen too well it seems. For long time I hoping you would find mate to make yours. To share love to which your mother and I had, it is a wonderous feeling. One that is sacred to the old lands. One that… I have no good answer too.” Coza admitted.

”I is confused… it must be.. very hard sharing such a sacred action with both.” It probably wasn’t the reassuring words Dexter had wanted to hear, but Coza kept going. ”One thing is being for sure, one might get hurt, but the lives of the small ones will be fine. Zeltzin and Eden is proving that such things work if both are trying to make it so. It is hard, but you is deserving love. You deserving your children. You is not heartless, you show that by talking to me, trying to set things right. You is just… scared about hurting one or the other, is reasonable fear… the path you pick though, you must fix. Hurting... that is being your mistake, but failure to the children, to your family, you are not. Mistakes.. happen, we do what is best to fix. Or try. That is our way.”

He wasn’t sure what to say else to help him. Other than that. Did Dexter want his help in choosing? He wasn’t sure he could. He didn’t know Talien at all and Tuari he knew by site and around the pack for years of course. He knew her for a strong huntress, she was the granddaughter of his beta warrior Kiska who was a strong wolf in her own right. Daughter of his past True Arrow Zeteri who was a very.. well he would say spirited wolfess in her own right. They were wonderful, Tuari has shown to take after her maternal line as well that he could see, but he couldn’t judge what Talien brought to his son as well. Tuari though was his friend for a long time he remembered, but Coza knew most well that Tuari’s imprint had been Levi and not his son. Was the other his imprint? Was that was he was confused? He and Moth had shared just their company their friendship at first. Coza was trying his hardest to make himself understand, put himself in his son’s paws. Empathy was something Coza always excelled at, even if it was something he shouldn’t have given to some.

”Is… there being more I can help? Is you wanting my thinking on what I was most happy with your Mother? Is you wanting to know about… Fathom?” Coza asked, wondering if Dexter even knew about Fathom. They were never anything so close… but it was as close as he could get to putting himself in his paws. At some point Coza had too had to pick but it was long before anything as deep as what Dexter was dealing with happened. There was one more thought though.

Is… I allowed to see my grandchildren? Did you and your… erm… Tuari and Talien. Not wish for me to see yet? Have they been gifted with names? Oh! I is needing to gift them something most wonderful. Must get boar or calf to offer them so they are being blessed by the gods, grow strong and healthy. They are needing something most good.” It was clear excitement slowly was building as he went on though he stifled himself quickly looking sheepish again. After all.. he was kept a bit out of the loop for a reason, the reason being there were, well… two mothers he was certain now. He wanted to see his grand children though. Their births were questionable, they were needing something great to make up for such things. He didn’t want the gods to prematurely take Dexter’s children away from his mistake, he didn’t want another Moteuh happening…