Silver Creek it's a mineral, marie

Shreya's voice sounded, scolding him, and Casmir's ears fell back. he wasn't quite sure what the 'patriarchy' was, but the old wolf set him straight, and he pondered it briefly, taking into account her other words regarding the kids and being scared as well. "Laika is my partner, yes," he said slowly, "but these are my blood cousins. second cousins. whatever. their mom is gone and ... i'm not sure if they will ever see their dad. unless they want to," he added quietly, wanting to show he was trying to be open to the idea.

"s-so, i love Laika -- i really do, but i have a responsibility here. i came to the Maplewood when Saena was pregnant and she ... needed my support. and it's like ... i don't know," he trailed off, scuffing his foot across the ground. "'m trying to do the right thing, for once, and it seems like this is it."

"i'm gonna talk to her!" he added abruptly. "but ... i don't know ... i'm not sure what to do if she says no, you can't adopt your cousins who have no mom. bah." he shook out his ruff. it hadn't occurred to Casmir that he might be a father in the next year, or that Laika might be threatened by the resource drain that two puppies could be, let alone two that weren't her own.