Aten sat with Rhys in his arms, letting the tiny hybrid floof and play with his fur. He had grown rather fond of the child. Cassie and Smolder were both attending University now, and it was Aten's turn to follow. But Rhys was still growing, and he needed a lot of attention. As much as Aten trusted the babysitter and caretakers to do their job, it made little sense to him to not raise the child himself. He had always loved children, always wanted to be a part of their world. And as much as he wanted to be a caretaker, perhaps this was the way to find out whether or not he was made of the right stuff. To not burn out, and to truly be happy in such a position.

True, Rhys was his child -- so perhaps the experience would be a bit bias. He already possessed unconditional love for the boy. It seemed a bit of an unfair contest. But there was truly no other way to find out.

For now, he would forgo post-secondary, until his family was established, and then pursue his dream of becoming a Caretaker in later years.

For a fleeting moment, Aten felt as though once again he would wind up the underachiever. Cassie and Smolder both had such strong personalities. But Aten was far more reserved and quiet-natured than the other two. Perhaps it would help aid the child in balancing himself out. Only time would tell ... only time could tell him.