Since he had grown so distant from his son in recent weeks, it had taken a conscious effort to even begin to attempt to mend that. First, disappointments aside after his fall to branwoda, he had taken it upon himself to try to motivate him somehow but it wasn't easy. Even spending time with him was difficult for the pale wocha; he had stressed to him time and time again how it was important that they all be at their most worthwhile now, winter upon them and war a distinct option in the weeks to come. They had to be prepared for anything and already Dio was able to keep busy enough, so it was high time @Sirio know how to pull his weight for real--especially if he ever had any intentions of a life as a Drakru here.

And not to be so frankly like that, but his other lookalike Artaax had managed alright. Even Bobbin.. so his half-brothers were in good standing for their first wintertime so far as integrated members of their fold just like Blixen--and even little @Dalia made a fine way for herself. Dio still didn't understand why Sirio remained such an outlier, and even downright difficult to connect to (what bothered him most of all, perhaps). The father hoped he would grow out of it soon enough, or he worried what fate he may have here if not.

He had taken him on patrol and tried to rally a small spar out of him. In the end, he had little to say for it but it was something. He had also managed to bust a rear toenail somewhere during it all, and although he had slowed some of the bleeding at first to ignore it for then, it was bothering him again now that he dismissed the juvenile and went on his own way. This sent him moving (tenderly) back into the heart of the lands, and if he was lucky, where a fresh trail on his mate would lead before long.

As it always was, he tried not to dwell as he reached paw over paw for each new stride. Maybe Sirio just somehow needed more time, or maybe there was a need for a different approach.. or none at all, if there was nothing left to hope. Dio still couldn't tell if his efforts may pay off, if he was even making some sort of an impression, anything.. really. At the very least, by getting him out and just doing anything, he was hoping to help condition him--but again, time would tell and it was hard not to be impatient with everything looming so heavily overhead.

When he heard a yip, he was back to attention of the here and the now--easily done now that it was far more interesting than moments before, and just as easy to forget about his toe for a bit. He still stepped lightly into a small little prance, at least until there was new nearness and she was at his face, full of fondness and warmth that was contagious. Then, his motion transferred to a waving tail, and trying to slip in a nip edgewise between her own, but she was awfully quick. He waved a playfully lifted front paw at her, and rumbled happily back. Others concerns, like Sirio, fell further away, but shifting his weight back on his hind feet did remind him to mind where he put himself for now, although he wasn't bothered enough to stop.

The moments passed easy, light, and loved with her. With her at his chest, he arced his neck easily over her and buried his nose along in her fur, to where it smelled the most like home to him. He tried to keep her close--simple and warm, and simultaneously making him greedily want more--and wonder how he'd been so lucky to have her waiting for him.

Matters of the looming war, their eventual march back south to Redhawk, and worrying for the safety of the home in their absence.. all of that had him on some keyed-up instinctive alert. Not with her cozy at his chest though. For all of that, for the weight she could lift off his shoulders with that tiny little self of hers, he was grateful. "Love you," he murmured into her coat, and pulled back with a gentle huff.

But, right.

Still stepping softly, he remembered.. and in case she'd been remotely worried, because she'd probably noticed, he lifted the hind paw in question. "I was trying to spar with Sirio," he said, ears splayed, hating to change the subject like this but it made more sense in the next moment. This wasn't shaping up to be another complain about how weird our son is session. "Broke a nail," he showed her, but it was pretty well dealt with by now--barring any later aftercare. There were old signs of crusty blood.. which he didn't want to pick at so not to make it bleed again. He'd deal with it later, but wanted her medical opinion before anything else. He wasn't worried but it was annoying, and worth addressing since he definitely had the means to. He already knew he would just have to mind it for a few days, and assuming no infection set in, a little time would have him able to forget about it entirely.

Happy with the kisses and trying to match her with some of his own, he waved a cheerful tail. As for their son.. He grunted, meaning not good, but not bad either. "As well as you'd think," he rolled his shoulders. The boy had to have the potential. Healthy, well-built, able. A little awkward on some of his angles, sure, but age was that only fault. He could not see how he could be totally hopeless and didn't want to believe it, no matter how many times it was suggested and shown when he proved so difficult to motivate.

But, now and again, there were the rarest of glimpses when he could rile him just right that showed him there was something. There had to be. "Could be worse." he concluded after refocusing. Sirio could be dead, Dio supposed morbidly. He'd not messed it up that badly yet.

Looking down at his foot, he just frowned and shifted his weight more to his front paws. Last thing he wanted to deal with was this blowing up into something ugly and him having to manage with it come time to travel south again. But he trusted Portia's doctoring absolutely and would mind it extra particularly with all of this on the nearing horizon--thanks to his own shitty timing, on top of an already unfavorable wintertime march and battle. "Yeah? I will. I've been trying to stay off it a bit, but, ugh." the wocha huffed. He did like walking with all of his feet and on all the surfaces he cared to. Plus it was fresh, so he still needed to adjust to compensate it for it. A little prick of pain was there to remind him when he forgot though.

He scoffed, even if it was half a small laugh--he certainly saw the humor in her remark. "All I'll say is.. could be better, but not the worst I've ever known.. He has some sort of potential but damn is it difficult to choke a glimpse of it out of him," he deadpanned, really not looking to dwell too much more on their father-son spar time spent together. As much as he wished to connect to his tan-furred son more, none of his approaches were gaining the headway he wanted to see. At least he could tell a whole lot of what didn't work now. More and more, he wondered all of what else simply didn't work for Sirio.. the only one of Drageda's whole lot to really miss the mark as badly as that.

But even as he worked to shelve the idea, that didn't mean it was going to be far from his mind. He had relaxed while watching her, and did muster up the sass to grumble about leaning on her if needed--"While it's a tempting offer," he teased a bit, showing off a quick grin before he strode on carefully with that nail in mind. "I think I can survive if you don't go too fast," he smirked--again, there was very little real concern since with a little effort, even on a hurt paw, he could probably match stride to her tiny legs.

When she asked what she did, he didn't have an immediate answer. "Sometimes, no." Most times. He wasn't fearful of their strength. This was nothing new; they were just flesh and bone like they were too at the end of it all. "Sometimes maybe, when it's the whole picture--and the what may come afterward for anyone," he replied, thoughtful, and treading into some depth carried close to the heart. Where morality met the duty of life. "I have faith in Drageda," of the utmost, he knew. Even if the worst came to pass and any of theirs were felled, others would not let it go unpunished. "It's the.. chance for so much unknown once we get there that doesn't always set well." The strange forest, the Redhawk's forces, their reception of Drageda's warriors. Plus, if he needed more reasons: he just didn't care like that swatch of the Teekon much anyway and all of this was just making that worse. It had never been anything special to him, so less time there, the better.

"And, I never like leaving for too long because all I want to do is think about here," he complained, then gestured with a jerk of his head. To her, to all their outerlands, to their beaches right back around to the cave where his family slept. Leaving his loved ones this time wasn't going to be easy, even if it was for the best. "So you'll keep watch on things for me here, right?" he jested almost with the lightness of moments earlier. Defense of home was so ingrained in his daily routines now that when venturing outside that, he missed it.

Everything aside, he exhaled a big sigh and resolved to just trust in what was to come. He would make it happen, and make it back in the end. He was determined to see that through, for everyone's sake. But even so, this helped lighten his mood about it quite a bit, and it was just another important piece in getting ready to go.

"Good," he rumbled fondly and nudged against her, although let the note build to a laugh soon after as he imagined what message that should send to their visitors. Whatever it was, he hoped it would all be quiet here, and that nothing would need watched over by her or their daughter. He knew that was a generous desire to have, however. It would be safe, and, he would be back soon to make sure that happened. All the while, her stores drew near, and he would probably just lounge around there for a while after she collected whatever she needed. He didn't have anywhere else to be right then anyway, so for the next few hours, he was all hers.