There was an ache in her heart, a missing piece of herself that even the newly comforting presence of Shai could not wipe away. She began to recede in on herself, she rarely ventured out from her den, and she avoided any placed that still smelled like Rhythm, like the plague. A large part of her, could never forget that this was voluntary on Rhythm's part, that she had chosen to do this to her, she was not forced. She didn't think, even until the day she died, she would ever understand why the wolf she loved could have so easily chosen to break her. At first it was the hurt that kept her away, and then it was her pride, but as even weeks began to slip slowly from her grasp, and the miserable girl became thin, and hollow cheeked, a ghost in Abaven's territory, even her pride slipped from her grasp. Who was she kidding.. she had no pride left, no heart, she was a miserable half-person, she was weak and useless alone as she was discovering, because apparently she simply could not be without her other half, without her almost twin. She knew she needed to get her life back together, Rhythm had made her own choice and now they all had to live with it, she had responsibilities, she had Shaye, she needed to find out what would get her past this so she could move on with her life... even if that meant a life without Rhythm. Finally, she would make her choice and she would leave Abaven territory and make her way to Imp's. She had no idea how this meeting would turn out, but it was long overdue. She had asked Rhythm for time, and had not seen a single sign of her sister since those words, either her sister had simply given up on her, or she was still giving her time. She stood outside Imp's territory, attempting to hold herself together, as she raised her head and howled for her sister. ""

 

The chocolate colored girl was doing better a few weeks down the road, mostly. She'd gotten out and participated, Shaye visited her often enough that she felt the connection to home. Though Valentine was succeeding in slowly making Imperium feel more like it. Her heart still took up residence in Abaven. Motif and Bass were still out there, still barred from her. She was fearful what might happen if she really did show up at Abaven's borders, having no word from Chord or Shaye on Bass's position. Though she'd heard nothing from her brother and could only assume his words were really as final as they were on that day. She hadn't expected her sister's voice to sound that day either, and Rhythm felt the pain it brought. She'd secretly hoped for Motif's return to her, but still felt weary of their next meeting. Had Shaye said anything about her visits? She'd feel an anxiety build in her chest as he slipped from the boulder that was her den, she felt like she spent more time on top of it than inside. Taking deep breaths and trying so hard to keep herself together Rhythm made her way to Motif's presence. She'd send up a howl as she crossed the distance, eventually coming in sight of her almost twin. She felt like her heart would break once more at the degraded appearance of her sister. Why was she so uncared for? A whine fell from her lips as she drew more near, unable to touch the sister she once so easily embraced. She didn't know what to expect, but longed for the bond that they once shared. She'd bite her lips as tears threatened to fall and she'd attempt to nose her sister's cheek in a worried greeting, finding words were impossible. "Speech"

Hope when you take that jump You don't feel the fall Hope when the water rises You built a wall Rhythms soft howl would reach her ears, and she flinched from the strange, familiar sound of it. Once, not so long ago, Rhythm had been her life, the sound and scent and touch of her sisters coat against hers had been as familiar to her as her own breath, now the sound seemed changed to her, different, or had over time her mind taken from its beauty, because the sound of her sisters call was so sweet, her lyrics so beautifully musical that her memory of it no longer matched up. How could she forget such a simple thing in just a few weeks? How could she forget what her sister sounded like. Hope when the crowd screams They're screaming your name Hope if everybody runs You choose to stay As the other girl closed the distance between them, she found herself becoming more fearful, afraid of what she would find – would she even recognize Rhythm now? After only a few weeks, would her sister be a stranger to her? The thought was so horrifying that already she was blinking back tears and struggling to control herself. As her sister fully came into view, she had managed to get a grip, and took a deep breath, reminding herself why she had come – for closure. Hope that you fall in love And it hurts so bad The only way you can know You gave it all you had She managed to calm herself, to pull a serious air about her and stand up straight as Rhythm stopped before her, and her sister would lean forward to nose her cheek, and Motif would go rigid with tension at the touch, remaining still until her sister had pulled away again. Taking a deep, calming breath, she looked at Rhythm, and spoke. “You've had a few weeks to see how life in Imperium is, would you still rather stay there, then come ho- return to Abaven?” she asked, struggling so bad to sound almost.. detached, to take out the mental tramour the line of questioning brought her. And I hope that you don't suffer But take the pain Hope when the moment comes, You'll say: I, I, I I did it all OneRepublic - I Lived Lyrics ""

 

Rhythm suffered with out the feeling of her sister by her side, she survived but she hadn't yet found her way to thriving. Though she tried with all her might for her little niece and Valentine, the sight of Motif threatened to break all of her progress down. She was learning to live with out her sister, but in reality that was a futile attempt. Now as Rhythm looked upon her almost twin she thought she might again throw herself at the other's feet to bed for forgiveness and re acceptance. Motif was stoic though, serious and completely unresponsive to her touch. Rhythm would recoil like she'd been burnt, withdrawing in as her haunches folded underneath her and her shoulder's slumped. Motif's words would not help, was their separation merely a punishment for the choice she made? Motif wanted all or nothing, and Rhythm would realize that she was not solely to blame for their separation. What was so wrong about living in Imperium and being with her family? Why must that be forbidden? She wouldn't let her gaze fall from her sunny eyed sister this time, "Motif, I miss you and Abaven so much," She'd raise her head but her voice still cracked with emotion, "It hurts that you've only come to see how homesick I've become." Did Motif even feel remorse about stepping out of her life? The time away had obviously hardened her to the one who once held her heart. "Speech"

The stars lean down to kiss you And I lie awake and miss you Pour me a heavy dose of atmosphere 'Cause I'll doze off safe and soundly Her rigid hold was simply the only way to keep herself from falling apart at her sisters touch. No matter what she did, she simply couldn't get past the feeling that her sister had done this, she had chosen to break them, and now they where both struggling to live with the consequences. She wanted Rhythm home so bad, for things to go back to the way they where, and they could pretend this had never happened, they could curl up in each-others dens and stay up all night and talk, and just.. make everything perfect again. But I'll miss your arms around me I'd send a postcard to you, dear 'Cause I wish you were here Rhythm would recoil from her, and she would feel herself start to melt, her rigid pose began to relax and she opened her maw, her paw shifted subtly beneath her, as she thought about reaching out to her sister of cupping her check, touching her forehead to Rhythm's, of crying together, of doing something, anything to heal this. But Rhythm bet her to it, her sister opened her maw, and the words that fell out where poison, and she could feel its toxic touch on her heart, searing her slowly, agonizingly, and at first the girl frozen the subtle shifts of her movements feeling still, the bridge she had considered building burnt, and Motif growled, her desperation giving way to anger as she found her pride again and hid behind it. “Screw you, Rhythm, we had something amazing, and precious, and you broke it, and I don't think we will ever get that back” she spat, her fur standing on edge as she glared at the woman that had, all their lives, been a part of her. I'll watch the night turn light blue But it's not the same without you Because it takes two to whisper quietly The moment the hateful words where out, she regretted them, and she was torn. All her pride and hurt wanted her to throw up that wall, to keep it there, to break them both and even as it broke her she thought she might feel some terrible satisfaction of watching her sister hurt with her, but, she knew in her soul she could not do that, that Rhythm was too precious a thing to her, that watching her sister hurt would not give her an ounce of pleasure – it would break her all that more, until she might think only death could free her from the pain. “Oh... Rhythm” her voice broke, and she was crying now. “I love you Rhythm, I miss you and I want to be a part of your life. I'm so terribly selfish, I dont want it to be anyone else who dries your tears, or comforts you when you cant sleep, I don't want it to be anyone else because helping you is who I am.. I just, I just wish...” but she couldn't go on. She sat down heavily on the grass. The silence isn't so bad 'Til I look at my hands and feel sad 'Cause the spaces between my fingers Are right where yours fit perfectly ""

 

Motif would do nothing to make Rhythm think anything different than knowing her sister had come to drive a stake through her already broken heart. Her muzzle fell as she closed her eyes and pulled her ears to her skull, the words hurt and ever more she wished she'd not even answered the call. She didn't see how angry Motif was but she heard her growl and felt the words. Why did she wait all this time just to reopen the wounds once more? If that had indeed been her purpose she had succeeded completely, Rhythm wanted to run away and never see Motif again. The tears would squeeze out even as she bit through her lip. She'd hear her name though, and even frightened at what she might see misty blue and purple eyes would blink open to see a similar expression on her sister's features. Another confession from her lips. She was silent for a long time as her bright eyes watched Motif slump to the ground and show her how much pain she shared with her sister. "Mo, the only wolf you need to compete for that with is your daughter." She'd find there was humor in her voice, she wanted so badly to reconcile with her sister. She'd try to inch forward again, still finding her heart weary after Motif had tried so hard to push her away. She wouldn't complete the distance, but she'd take a first step towards forgiveness. "Speech"

Through all the misery she was putting them both through, and the words she had spoken, the reply that slipped through Rhythm's lips would startle her, and for the moment her tears would be forgotten, her head would jerk up to meet Rhythms and she would study her sister for a moment, feeling herself grow cautious and weary. “My Daughter?” she asked finally, not removing her gaze from her sister. As Rhythm inched towards her, she would make no move, too caught up on the last thing Rhythm had said. What had she meant, by her 'your daughter' her growing suspicions looked on at her daughters behavior the last week or so, she thorough her daughter was finally moving on from Rhythm, certainly she hadn't mentioned her Aunt much, and she was always out and about – she had assumed with Shai, or Bass's kids, but what if.. what if she hadn't been? ""

 

She felt like her trust might have been broken once more as Motif stiller herself, again keeping still as Rhythm tried to reach out to her. Instead of the amusement Rhythm wanted there was only accusation. "My daughter?" She would ask like she didn't know who Rhythm was talking about. Though she was obviously oblivious to the visit Rhythm had received fro the young girl. Could this just be another plot to hurt her though, she'd watch Motif timidly, treading on uncertain ground as her eyes never strayed from the other girl's face. She'd never meant any harm, Shaye had taken two trips across the continent surely Motif trusted her sense of direction? She'd been forbidden though, was the what she hesitated for. "Yeah," She'd offer softly, watching for her sister's reaction. It really shouldn't have been a surprise that the two had found each other. Shaye's bond with her aunt was strong, and Rhythm was unsure how well she would have coped so far with out the girl. "Speech"