It had been a long time since he stood at the plains, although now he stood at the border rather than in a warm den within the swaying grass. It had been Autumn that faithful day when he first met Bass, he recalled, because the snakes had been in hibernation. The man had said so. He remembered tumbling through the leaves and being joined by Váli who played with him. He remembered the sweltering summer he had been born in and how eager he had been to join Bass on what would be their first and last lesson. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. It had also been the place that had chosen to follow Bass’s bloodline for inheritance, rather than appoint him as leader, the place where Bass had lost his mind and set out looking for his sisters never to be seen again. It was the place where he would never become what he was meant to be. With a howl he called to be met. He had not missed the lack of Sparrow’s scent coming from the plains or thicket, or the new scents that graced its borders. He was curious to know what exactly had happened since he left, and how had things changed.   "Talk"  "Thought"   "You"

Rhyme felt himself become disturbed by the sound of a sharp howl at the border. He shook the sleep from his pelt as he stood, Imperia cracking in the branches above him as he did so. He had already been around the border that day, and sought himself a well deserved rest. He sighed heavily as he shrugged the sleep drunkenness from his form. Recent events had been mostly uneventful, Abaven was still more quiet than he preferred. The sound at the border was a welcome change. Imperia decided to hitch a ride on his shoulders instead of take to the air like she normally would have done, much to his displeasure. Was she falling asleep on his back? He shook himself to disturb her, earning himself some talons in his flesh. Only a few minutes had passed since he heard the howl when he approached the border, his eyes falling on a man he had never seen. The markings under his eyes made him wonder for a moment if he had Destruction blood somewhere in his line. "Greetings, sir. Rhyme Imperialis, Wisteria or second alpha." He nodded his head as Imperia fluttered her wings impatiently on his shoulders. "What can Abaven do for you today?" ""

“Greetings. I am Tyranis Praetor.” He introduced stoically, his eyes keen as he watched the other male and never breaking direct contact. As of now he had no pack, but that would change soon, as such he held the body language of a leader. From behind Tyranis an ink black shadow slid between his paws like a stream of water and rose to nearly touch his chest. Raanee flicked her tongue at the male and the bird, her beady eyes promising death for anyone who dared to hurt her companion. The male seemed to have been resting previously, hardly a surprise to him, but what a message it sent to Tyranis of the nature of those who had taken leadership of Abaven. “Forgive the intrusion.” He said politely, carefully masking his internal thoughts with a genteel tone. “I was born in Abaven, under Bass’s leadership, I left when I was a year old, just as Sparrow took charge. It seems much has changed since I left.” "Talk"  "Thought"   "You"

Rhyme felt refreshed after his quick nap, despite the sleep that had clung to him on his way to the border. He was fully prepared for any excitement that might present itself, but with his scouting the lands surrounding and with Imperia as a partner he had been given no clues to any danger that might threaten his pack. No rumors of a raid or enemies to be sought out. He couldn’t complain, as he had experienced more than enough excitement as a slave. The freedom Abaven offered was also exhilarating, and even now as he appeared before this wolf at the border he felt his purpose being carried out. Being by Shaye’s side had breathed new life into him, and he felt a passion for living that hadn’t been there as a captive. "No intrusion at all," Rhyme replied in friendly tones. He was never bothered by a call to duty and he found himself looking forward to such interactions. Indeed though, Abaven had changed much in what he could only guess were years since Tyranis had been here. "Your observations are correct, Sparrow passed around the time I joined I’m sorry." He hadn’t really known his cousin, but her passing had saddened him. "Her.. Our, cousin Shaye Destruction is the new Sequoia, first alpha now. After Archon released the pack from his occupation Shaye convinced him to allow her to take over leadership instead of the old pack disbanding." They had worked hard to keep Abaven in its ancient place, and though progress was slow much improvement had been made already. "But surely a history lesson is not what has brought you all this way?" Of course for all Rhyme knew maybe that was. ""

“Actually it is.” He responded neutrally. The male had mentioned a name he had never heard of, and evidently the mysterious Archon had taken Abaven while Sparrow had been in control. "who is Archon?” He asked calmly, his expression still unreadable. He suspected that whoever Archon was he hadn’t belonged to the Destruction line, then again the name “Shaye” hardly matched the theme of either Bass’s get or any of the musically named Destructions, not as far as he knew anyway, so he supposed it wasn’t impossible. The thought that Sparrow had let the family fall into the paws of a stranger however gave him a savage pleasure. After Váli had insisted the pack pass to Sparrow for her bloodline Sparrow had fallen so short in her duties that she had allowed the very thing the white female had denied him come to pass. He reminded himself that Elias had told him Abaven would have only held him back, but the subjugation of what he expected happened pleased him immensely. "Talk"  "Thought"   "You"

Rhyme was surprised that Tyranis only wished knowledge on his visit, but his features didn’t let it show. He shrugged internally, giving what was mostly common knowledge at that point. Who was archon? Rhyme had never met the man, couldn’t say what he looked like or even what his scent was like. By the time he had arrived in Abaven all traces of him were long gone. He did manage a physical shrug, testament to how much he knew about the wolf. "An Abraxas, I believe." Though Rhyme knew little of the surname and the wolves who carried it. He’d been kept from the general goings on in Boreas for a long time. "I never met the man personally, and couldn’t tell you the dynamic between him and Sparrow." Rhyme hadn’t ever asked, nor did he really care. He’d learned quickly to focus on the present, his past had been rough and he wished not to remember it too clearly, and the future was unpredictable and best not worried over much. ""

He permitted a smile to break across his features, wistful with a brief touch of sadness to it. “When I was a boy I had told Bass I wanted to lead Abaven. After he left the position was given to Sparrow because I was not of Bass’s bloodline.” He felt a small, slightly manic chuckle creep up the back of his throat and he shook his head to himself. They had denied him everything he wanted for reasons that ultimately hadn’t mattered. How could he not be amused? He took a deep breath and sighed. He had predicted the doom of Abaven after he had left, and after he had joined Ruina, he had fully expected to be the reason for its demise. “I’ll admit I was resentful for a time, but it seems now I have no reason to be.” He mused idly.  Silently he shook his head again, then returned his attention to the black male.“I will be raising a pack in the south.” He declared. “I would have once considered Abaven my enemy, but now it seems I have no reason to.” "Talk"  "Thought"   "You"

Rhyme hadn’t expected a history lesson of his own, but as Tyranis offered him his past Rhyme would politely listen. His ears were perked as the Praetor explained himself. He didn’t seem to remember Abaven with particular fondness, a fact Rhyme thought best stowed away for a later date. He would go on after a long sigh, Rhyme patiently awaiting his next words as he admitted to the resentment Rhyme had thought he heard in his voice. The Imperialis tilted his head slightly as he listened, not completely sure why the man was opening up but certainly not complaining. He had plans to create his own pack, and Rhyme felt himself hoping Tyranis succeeded, especially after he mentioned they were not to be enemies. He didn’t particularly wish to push his luck, and wondered if they should just leave their relationship at that. Shaye’s words rung in his mind as well, don’t make promises. "I hope you succeed in your task." He offered genuinely. "When that day comes we shall speak politics again." No promises, but the flower of a relationship, if Tyranis wished it so. ""

“I should dearly hope so.” He said calmly and rose to stand. “It was an unexpected pleasure to meet you Rhyme Imperialis.” He said diplomatically. “I can’t say I share your mourning of Sparrow, but now it seems my old wounds can begin to heal.” He tipped his head slightly and with those words he turned to walk away. In the coming weeks his uncle would whisk the lightning king siblings away to Abaven, and he surely would return to the border to reclaim them, but that was still a great deal of time away. For now the two males had met and Tyranis had gained much needed information on the state of his birth pack. There was no chance of vengeance in the sprawling pack and no family living there to beckon him back beyond its borders. Erövrare would rise on its own foundation, rather than the hate that had fueled Dauntless. -Exit Tyranis- "Talk"  "Thought"   "You"

Bright blue and purple eyes watched as Tyranis rose, wanting to meet again under more equal footing. Rhyme nodded his head, feeling the same about the man who had come to their border today. He wasn’t quite sure what to think of the visitor, Tyranis seemed to have been honest. He valued honesty as a personal virtue and looked for the same quality in other wolves. Even going on to say he did not mourn Sparrow’s demise. "Take care," Rhyme offered as Tyranis turned to be on his way. The alpha watched him go, lingering on the border until their guest had disappeared into the trees. Sure he felt sufficient from his earlier nap Rhyme would try and find Shaye to tell her about his encounter with the would be alpha. Loping comfortably in the dappled sunlight he thought he might catch her checking the border. -exit rhyme- ""