It was with a certain and undeniable amount of ease that the lanky deviant so settled back into his place at Tetradore's side- as if the man had never left at all. Tobias perhaps the sole being whom had remained ever assured that the panther would return at all. Though whether through some supernatural understanding, unquestioning faith or indeed merely the boy's insanity refusing to allow him to grasp the very concept of death remained to be seen. That single caress of his tongue across Tetradore's hand was, it seemed, all that was needed by the deviant to so confirm that this was indeed his Alpha before the boy settled quickly into place, eyeing those boxes and bags his companion had returned with in clear curiosity. His attention was distracted only by Raven's arrival just behind him. Those dark eyes lifted readily to his mate, her nervousness and too her apprehension almost...confusing to him. Tobias so unable to process that wariness when his own mind knew so assuredly of the truth. The lanky Leopard in this, it seemed, entirely assured even when his mate remained ever-cautious, those emotions that turned within her so vibrating within that pack bond as his features frowned in dislike of them so afflicting him. Why Birdie was not 'happy' to his limited understanding of the word remained to be seen, that hand that reached to ruffle those dark locks of hair bringing a grin to his own face before his companions assurance that he had, indeed, brought presents seemed to delight the boy all over again- his gaze fixating upon Tetradore now with something almost akin to obsession. Tobias hardly daring to miss a gift.

That sports car calendar he was presented with momentarily saw his own eyes widen, hands reaching eagerly to take it from the other man. Tobias often content to delight in anything Tetradore gave him regardless of whether it truly held use or not. Those long fingers turned it over easily, dark eyes roving over the pictures and too those circled dates with clear intrigue, the numbers entirely lost upon him and yet it hardly seemed to matter. His love of cars, even in pictures, earning his fascination and appreciation all at once. Tobias so believing his best of friends had given him a picture book of cars rather than a calendar, one finger lifting to trace along the lines of that first box within the month, following it to the second and third. His obsession with shapes, patterns and line so readily enflamed in that moment as his lips parted to mutter those nonsensical things- his mind taken with tracing alone.

"It is....a ....picture book."

It was not truly so much a question as it was a statement. Tobias unable to identify that calendar he had been promised, his features shifting into a look of curiosity at Tetradore's assurance that this was his first one. The boys mind slow to process those words before Raven's own quiet voice drew his attention in turn. The flood of words that left ravens lips was far too much for his own mind to either process or truly care to attempt to, the boy taking delight in simply the sound of it until his own name was mentioned- though whether it was merely the sound of it or what was being said that drew his gaze remained to be seen. Those fathomless dark eyes flicking from Birdie to Tetradore and back again, his fingers fiddling still with his gift as his tongue brushed across his lips as if he was...contemplating something within the depths of that wholly fractured mind.

"Does....Tetra want to....be...Alpha again?"

That he understood was perhaps not near so alarming as that question itself, Tobias perhaps aware as no other had been of just how that position had weighed upon the man at times, even if the deviant to rarely seemed to be aware of anything outside of his own collection of farm animals or broken toys and just where his next meal was coming from. Those dark eyes lifted from his gift to meet the emerald of his companion a moment before the arrival of Alexis saw his attention shift again.

"Do you...see...Pretty? Tetra....came home."

He had told the fox woman, just as he had told each of them in turn that Tetra would surely come home if only they had waited. This mention of a gift for Alexis too seeing his own features scowl once more, unimpressed, it would seem, with any other being given a gift outside of himself. The sudden appearance of Regan that final distraction and yet Tobias had perhaps been aware of the arrival of each of those women before they had come, those bonds of pack so alerting him to such things even if it seemed he rarely cared to listen. His own hand extended forward in a mimic of Tetradore's action to stroke Regan's fur, letting his hand rest upon her a moment before his attention returned to Raven- that nervousness within his mate still pressing against him as he regarded the woman again.

"Birdie should....lick Tetra's hand.....then Birdie will....see."

That Birdie perhaps did not desire to lick the man's hand remained to be seen. Tobias assured this might well set the world right as he glanced again to his companion. Where Tetradore had been or what he had done seemingly unimportant in the wake of that single pressing issue....

"Do I have...more presents?"

madness, as you know, is like gravity: all it takes is a little push