Bearclaw Valley So you say I'm complicated

Potema.

The name made him pause, her face flashing—briefly—through his mind. That this was her daughter was rather odd, able to recall, still, meeting her when they were both far too young to even think of being parents—but, at the same time, it reminded him of their time spent together, so long ago. Glancing the girl over, and hearing how she knew not who her father was, however, made him certain that his coupling with her mother had not resulted in her spawning his children; the child was so dark and, surely, Potema would have mentioned him if he was related in any way to her.

“I’m Xan Apaata,” he responded, dropping his previous train of thought; it didn’t matter, he’d already decided that they were not related. “Kove’s son.” His eldest, his true firstborn—though he doubted the girl would know about him or his littermates, since another group of his father’s children resided within the woods and likely stole the attention away from the elder ones. “Has your mom ever mentioned me?” he asked then, unable to help himself. If he was going to even consider letting the kid join his pack, he needed all of the details.