Ooc: takes place around the time Rhyme has found motif

Shed been maturing all winter, though it didnt feel like winter. Alma still was silent and her ravens were her constant alarm systems. They always knew what she wanted to do even without words. Maybe she was predictable though. It wasn't like she needed to not be though.

She declined against a tree as she observed wordlessly the sky and the surrounding area of her temporary home. Shed settled here when she discovered that she wouldnt make it home without endangering her life. She may not be happy with her family but she would never place the thought of her body laying dead in fire and fury in their minds. She sighed as her ravens started a cacophony of cawing, disturbing the quiet of the day. She was hungry, and with their racket she'd likely have no food yet again today. The prey was scarce and even more flighty than normal.

She looked up to the sky where they circled and caught sight of yet another bird. Her ears pressed. There was something familiar about the black raven, but she shook the thought away. Her father's birds wouldn't be so foolish as to brave the ash and smoke to fly so far from Abaven. As far as she knew though he was safe at the Rapids where her mother was buried. Her paws hurt and she sighed. She'd burned them trying to return home some time ago. They weren't infected but they still hurt now and again. She'd never been without a healer in her life, nor was she a healer, but she did her best to keep them clean and healing.

Her eyes fell to the land north. The bird couldn't be her father's. There was no need for the alarms so she ignored it for now. Alma rested between her forepaws quietly. She was still mad at Rhyme and shaye but with time it had dulled a little. Rhyme was still to blame for her mother's death and shaye even more so. But she didn't blame them as much as she did herself. Had she been a smarter child and had not left after her father that day she wouldnt of had to have the seizure or gotten her mother in trouble. It was truly in her head her fault her mother had left without so much as a word to any of her children. She kind of doubted that anyone even noticed that she was gone and unable to return home right now either. Rhyme was too wrapped up in poem and motif and Noir had been the only one to find her den location. She couldn't even tell she was part of Abaven anymore by her own scent. All she had smelled on herself lately was ash, burns, fire, and her companions.

There was no telling when the lands would calm and let her go home. Not that she really was in a hurry to return. At least now she didn't have to constantly hide and run to keep her home a secret.

"Speech"

Imperia was indeed the raven to spot Verse and her own two birds. Rhyme was quick to follow when told of the discovery. He was half sure that Verse had left of her own volition as Noir had. From his companion’s observation it seemed she was surviving at least. The she raven led the way and Rhyme followed on the ground at a slower pace. The air was cold and the trees were dead, the sky was filled with ash and smoke even so far away from the site of the eruption.

If she didn’t want to be found he didn’t want to disturb her either. When Imperia gave him a signal the tall once alpha slowed his gait and came to a halt. With dark ears perked his blue and lavender gaze scanned the woodlands. He couldn’t see her camp at all. ”Verse?” He called out softly, it was no command but a gentle request to share her presence.

She laid there where she was, watching in the distance when lo and behold, the exact man she figured wouldnt be out looking for her right now appeared upon the horizon. She was silent as she watched. Her ears pinned, slightly annoyed. He was probably out looking for Mo or Po. Her birds were swift into action landing in the dead branches above her. She sighed as he spoke her name. She lifted herself delicately. She then moved forward her gait uneven but like she'd been getting used to it. With ash over the top of her coat she almost looked like a different woman. Her eyes were on her father the whole time as she came out of her aclove.

"If your looking for Motif or Poem, they're not here. Neither is Noir or Theory." she fixed her father with a harsher look, clearly still blaming him. Her voice was harsh as well. She knew she was not the favorite. No that title went elsewhere. She was the one most like Tana, the one who Rhyme couldn't help. Alma bounded up her hind legs and settled on her back as her ravens watched protectively from the dead tree. She came to a stop in front of Rhyme, only to lay down to take the pressure off her still healing paws.

She unlike her mother was a spitfire and not a single bone in her body was submissive. She did her best to wipe her face of emotion, though likely failed. Her father and shaye were still to blame. She also did not enjoy the, to her, blatant favoritism. Without Tana her litter had, for the most part, been a forgotten mistake until one of them did something that got them in trouble.

"Speech"

Verse was the child he had most trouble connecting with, especially after the death of her mother. She dropped him like a hot rock, and he’d been unable to get through. Rhyme wasn’t any less worried about her, but her independence gave him more peace of mind than knowing Motif was out here all alone. Motif was immature for her age, but Verse was forced to grow up fast. She had more real world knowledge than the last time he’d seen Motif.

Rhyme turned his dark features to the sound of his daughter’s voice, she sounded bitter and he was surprised she even came forward for him. He didn’t miss as she lowered herself to the ground, the wounds upon her paw pads. Likely from escaping the wrath of the volcano. He didn’t know why she hadn’t been with the main branch of Abaven, but he was vastly relieved when he saw her alive. ”No, I called out your name. I was looking for you.”

He assured her, still uncertain how he should handle his lost lamb. She obviously wanted her solitude and independence. ”I don’t want to force you into anything you don’t want. I’d love to bring you back home with me though. If you’d rather not.. at least allow me to help with your paws.” Rhyme told her quietly, taking a tentative step forward, a hope they could bridge the gap in their relationship.