The meeting with Ryan and seeing Connor's fursona was helpful for Kent and Diane, and while there was some concern over Connor not fully following the rules regarding his curfew, both parents of the Ross family were pleased in seeing how comfortable Connor was now after everything. It was something that had worried them before the move to Moon Lake and Connor being comfortable was a relief to them. That was enough to let them move on into the kitchen and collect what they would need for breakfast, as the evening and morning prior to Connor and Ryan's return had its own quiet worries to it. Now, though, they had some reason to be comfortable and get things going for the day.
Kent had started brewing coffee earlier in the morning, largely as part of his own work schedule that he'd need to be heading out the door for soon and he set about pouring himself and Diane a mug while his wife and Ava began assembling bowels of cereal. This lift the clattering of a few bowels and the flipping through the cardboard on the cereal boxes, but it was actually soft enough that Kent could overhear a bit of what was coming from the living room. Connor and Ryan weren't talking too loudly, but with the kitchen only being a doorway away from the living room, it wasn't too hard to overhear some things. Some of the back and forth between Connor and Ryan wasn't too bad, but some of what Ryan said about his father's pride didn't quite sound right.
"Dear," Diane said to him as she approached, "I know your schedule can be fairly flexible right now while we're still moving in... but you will still have work..."
Kent shushed her for a moment before whispering, "I know... but something doesn't seem right. Remember when Mrs. Twist and Tad came here as part of the welcome to the neighborhood?"
"Yes," Diane whispered back.
"Remember how she explained a bit on how each where group is organized and used her pride as an example?" Kent answered.
"Yeah... so?" Diane raised an eyebrow.
"I'd think that Ryan is playing a bit of a joke, as what he's described to Connor doesn't match what Mrs. Twist told us to explain her pride," Kent spoke.
Diane was about to say something when she was able to pick up on what was said next back in the living room. This time it was Connor who spoke.
"I'm sure everyone is friendly and I'll fit in," Connor answered, "but I get the sensation you're messing with me on one point."
"Oh?" Ryan answered, his voice a bit more mischievous.
"That you and your father are in the same pride as Samantha and Francis Twist," Connor commented, "Tad said his mom joined their pride when he and his mom moved here, and from what I've heard through him is that their pride is pretty small, like only six counting Tad's mom. And while Tad is neither a werecat nor werewildcat, I know him well enough to know he wouldn't lie."
Kent and Diane looked to each other while Kent sipped his coffee, barely noticing Ava pouring herself a glass of milk. They overheard a bit of a laugh then come from Ryan.
"Okay... okay," Ryan laughed, "You got me. Just a bit of a joke. Sorry, it's pretty rare for someone to ask questions about what the pride is like from newcomers. And there are a couple of guys our age in the pride as well, so you could say I'm trying to make sure you don't go wandering off."
"I wouldn't," Connor answered.
"Anyway, dad's pride has a fairly decent size," Ryan answered, "ten to fifteen members, and we did miss the pride' last meeting for the reasons I gave... but it is all male, all werewildcats. Some are fully homosexual, like me... some are bi, like you and my dad. And those that are bi have sons that are in the pride and are among those ten to fifteen. Meetings can be pretty flexible, and occasionally Samantha Twist has come for some induction ceremonies when a new man moves to town and wants to join the pride, but that's more in her role as Town Chancellor. But everyone is friendly."
Kent and Diane breathed a small sigh of relief that Connor had caught onto the joke and that Ryan admitted that all it was, was a small joke. That was no problem, though with the discussion drifting off to Samantha Twist as it did, that brought a different set of questions to Kent's mind and since Ryan was the only person born in Moon Lake here, he was the only one Kent could ask. With that, Kent refilled his coffee mug and moved to head back into the living room where Connor and Ryan were seated on the couch. They made for a fairly cute scene in its own way with Connor holding Ryan's hand in his were form while Ryan was still in his human form.
"Say, Ryan," Kent spoke as he approached the doorway, "I'm not sure if you fully have the answer to this... but I have a question, if you don't mind."
Ryan looked up with a bit of surprise, but ultimately nodded, "of course I don't mind..."
"Well... this relates to the mandatory were law," Kent commented, "when we moved here, Mrs. Twist said one of us HAD to become a were, as the city was concerned about protecting the were secret...."
"That is the reason for the law," Ryan answered, bit Kent raised his hands.
"We understand that dear," Diane spoke as she came around, "but we'd be more concerned on now that Conner has become a were on how we were to let the city know that our family is in accordance with the law."
"I'd think everyone knows I'm a were now," Conner answered while reaching with one arm and wrapping it around Ryan.
Ryan smiled as he felt Conner's hand come around and then rest on his shoulder. It was nice, and he was happy to have the bond between them forming. Though the also knew that things between them were only just starting, there were still a lot of things to work through. And with the Ross family being new, there was some legal efforts that new residents typically followed to give the city the assurances that the Mandatory Were Law was followed. Ryan knew that nothing in Conner's transformation was illegal, as this sort of thing turned out to be fairly common that someone in a new family got involved with someone local to the town. Ryan knew of a Junior in the High School that had hooked up with one of the few gay werewolves in Moon Lake and a Sophomore that had fallen for the eldest son of one of the larger farming family's on the edge of town, so these sorts of things happened and Moon Lake tended to let "young love" be, but that didn't change that there were rules to follow.
"Our families know, and some that might have seen us walk back here may suspect it," Ryan said to Conner, "but in terms of dealing with the city and the Mandatory Were Law... that's a different issue and in theory can be serious."
"We didn't break any law, did we?" Conner asked.
"I don't think either of you did," Kent said a very assuring tone, "but I think there is some protocol the city wants so they know the Mandatory Were Law has been filled. That's all your mother and I are concerned on right now."
"And that's understandable," Ryan answered, "even with everything else going on... that would be something to pay attention to. Though, I don't really know the full details on how all that works. My best guess would be to visit city hall. Mrs. Twist does provide a lot of help to new families pick what were group they'd wish to join and arrange meetings to lead for the transformation and so on. Since Conner already joined, that makes some things easier and thus all you'd need to do is go in and announce that that change has been met."
"That may be something you and I do before you have this "pride meeting" discussion," Diane said to Conner and then glanced to Ryan, "after lunch, I believe you said this meeting was for?"
Ryan nodded, "and don't worry, you shouldn't have any trouble."
That provided some sense of relief to Kent and Diane, who thanked Ryan and then moved back toward their own breakfast.