Syrena indicates an interest in the boy's information and Patrick chooses to hear what is said rather than the dead tone behind it.  Of course, he is always more than happy to talk about any member of his family so the woman's suggestion that she would like to meet one of them, sincere or not, pleases the boy.

"Yep! Pat intro.. intra... interd... inta-duck-ed... er, show!  Pop nice an' Izzy like all horses, no problem!"

The tall, dark King, while clearly most interested in the mare, does not entirely ignore the child standing between them.  When the lad admits what he appears to view as a failing Volterra is quick to take the fatherly roll of reassurance.  Patrick, never one to stay down about most things for long, allows himself to be reassured.

"Right, 'course! Pat good at waiting."

He says this brightly and answers the stallion's small smile with a much larger grin.  Around this point in the conversation the colt is really pulled in by the antics of the shape-shifting companion who is now a sea lion and no longer keeping any distance at all from the youngest of the three horses.  He squeals in glee at the sight of this newest form and put's his head down to her though one ear remains tipped towards the adults and the words passing between them.

"Nice! What's it?"

Of course the creature isn't going to respond, at least not in an obvious way. I've learned over time that this isn't because they don't like me or because I've said the wrong thing, it is simply that they can't for one reason or another.  Still, I haven't been able to break myself of the habit of speaking to companions directly rather than through their partners.  It just seems more polite... at least, if I were a companion I would appreciate it I think.

His head remains lowered towards Thea as the words of the scaled mare turn to keys.  Her question brings an unconcerned grunt from the boy, even though it isn't exactly directed at him.

"Pat just tag behind. Adults all going in, out, all time.  No seem to mind."

Clearly it hasn't occurred to him that another adult might not be quite as content to simply trail along behind as a young boy is.  Now he has to turn away from Thea because her partner is speaking to him directly again.  It is something of an explanation about her previous comment, the one that had seemed to bother him. For a moment his ears flick back and forth in uncertainty.  Then, rather than just accepting or not, he decides to attempt some explaining of his own.

"Pat have pointy thing on head not like Seah, not like King."

This is punctuated by an attempt to look cross eyed at the slowly growing horn on his head which he then points in turn at both the colorful woman and the large stallion.

"Pop have feathers, Pop's sis have feathers, not like Pat.  Pat not broken, Pop not broken, Pop's sis not broken.  Thea not broken just 'cause not like dragons or woofs, or bird-head cat-foots. Dragons good, woofs good, bird-head cat-foots good, Thea good too... k?"

The pale blue eyes blink earnestly up at the mare as his head tilts quizzically to the side.  Of course, this can't be something he worked out all on his own. Growing up in a family who are all quite different from him in one way or another he has no doubt had to have differences and the fact that they don't, or shouldn't, really matter explained to him on multiple occasions.  That repetition has made it more or less second nature to him now.  At least he is doing a good job of making it seem that way.  He is clearly more than happy to share this knowledge, in his simplified and childish manner, as if it were his own discovery though.

When it is decided that Syrena will be welcomed the boy grins yet again but drifts quickly back to his listening silence as the King begins questioning her.  Of course that silence doesn't last long, it rarely does these days.  Once the mare has answered with her preferred profession the boy pipes up again.

"Seah good chooser!  Makers never get stuck 'cause they make the key-things!"