Valentine had done everything in his power to make Rhythm comfortable. Considering where she'd been all these years, she deserved that. He would give her the moon if he could and it was for that reason he was now a dirt covered mess. It had been years since he'd been in the den he'd given Rhythm and time had done its best to erase all trace of it. Perhaps it was a silly gesture, but he wanted her to have it again and it was for that reason that he'd just finished cleaning it out and preparing it for her. Achy and tired, Valentine sank back on his haunches and looked his handiwork over. He'd tried to replicate its dimensions from memory, but the scene was still very different than it was all those years ago. At some point some kind of small creature, probably a badger, had made a home out of it and its claw marks could be seen in the roots around the den's entrance. The tree that had stood tall and proud over it, that had nearly split the rock at its feet, had been halved down the middle by lighting. One side of it was still growing strong, but the other lay grey and lifeless on the ground. As for the rock itself, it was the only thing unchanged. Hopefully Rhythm would like it. Valentine had plans to fetch her and surprise her with the den once he was presentable, but for the moment he just wanted to rest. The river was just a little too far away. ""

Rhythm had been rather comfortable upon her return to old Imperium lands, she might had forced Valentine to share his beloved tractor while she recovered. Of course, anything was more comfortable than the conditions she had left to return here. She had given up hope of ever seeing her mate again, but Rhyme had delivered. He brought her right back here, to where her love had waited upon her all these years. A smile lingered on her features now, and she hadn't quite been able to rid herself of it. She was honestly happier than she had been in years. Rhyme hadn't lingered with them long, the boy had his own adventures to catch up on. What she regretted the most was that he had grown up enslaved, but freedom did him good and she wasn't about to corral him. He had also brought news of Shaye! Her beloved niece was alive and well, and taking on a pack all her own! None of Rhythm's siblings remained it seemed, but she was old and they had been too. She had been surprised just to see her mate. Thinking of him she'd realized he hadn't been around the whole of the morning, and while she knew he needed his space, having been away from him so long she could tell he'd felt contained. Rhythm felt like she needed him in that moment. Not for anything specific, but just to be in his presence. She lifted herself from the tall grass by the barn, and went in search of him. She eventually scented him out, confused as to why he might have the scent of earth all over him. Of course she could no longer see the state he had found himself it. She stifled a giggle as she approached him. "You smell like mud." ""

Valentine could feel the mud on his toes drying. He wanted to rest awhile longer, but if the mud dried in his fur it'd be harder to clean out and he didn't want to waste his retirement plucking muck out of his pelt. If these were his golden years, all that he had left, he could think of far more entertaining ways to pass the time. Really, it was only some semblance of decency and a lingering spark of vanity that kept him from forgoing bathing altogether and running wild through the hills as filthy as nature saw fit to make him. "You smell like mud." Well, hell. He wasn't ready! The den was clean, sure, but he was wearing enough mud that he could compete for brownest wolf in the Knolls. "That," he said, smirking as he turned to face Rhythm. "Is because I'm covered in mud." Valentine looked into Rhythm's eyes, thoroughly expecting to see them as he remembered them, and his heart broke all over again at their sightless gaze. It was a good thing Rhythm couldn't see him because his smile died on his lips. His lips quivered as his eyes took on a hard and bitter edge. He would blind every last one of those sons of bitches. He realized quite quickly that he needed to get it together. Rhythm hadn't seen him so she was still in the dark about his mood which meant he had a chance to fix it. While he wanted to sulk and scheme, he was determined not to do that in front of her. She would inevitably sink to his level and he couldn't have that. No, he wanted her to be happy. She'd spent years in captivity while he'd gamboled about; seeing to her happiness was the least he could do now. Reaching out, Valentine gently touched Rhythm's cheek. He then moved to stand beside her so he could guide her to the den. His tone light and devoid of the bitterness that continued to lodge in his throat like a rock, he said, "I have something for you. Do you know where we are?" ""

Rhythm’s silver flecked ears perked as her mate revealed that he was indeed covered in muck. She couldn’t help it then and found herself giggling out loud. Memories of mud wrestling were brought to the forefront of her mind even as the words left his lips. She was literally in the dark about the mood her eyes brought upon him. Had she known the sight of her once brilliant gaze brought him displeasure she might not have ever opened those sullied eyes again. He hid his emotions well, even his voice masked what he thought.

She stifled an urge to jump at the unexpected touch, after being so long in the grasp of those cruel wolves had done its damage. She was broken, but mending. After her first initial show she leaned into his touch. While she had leaned on Rhyme for his strength for many years it felt so good to feel Valentine’s touch once again. He was guiding her then, gently asking where she thought they might be. She tilted her head, looking back the way she had come. Her sightless gaze surveyed the surroundings as her nose sniffed out her clues.

”Judging by how far I’ve walked, and the scents in the air, I know we’re in the knolls.” Many many years had passed since she had even thought about the old den. The one that Valentine had given to her only days after she had been banished from Abaven. ”What is it?” She found an excitement build in her that hadn’t surfaced in years. A gift?

It was hard to stay melancholy when you had a surprise in the works. As Valentine turned his attention to the task at hand the anticipation he felt helped to ease his troubled mind. The lump in his throat slowly shrank until it was little more than a nagging, sour taste in his mouth. "This," he said cryptically, "Used to be mine. Then it was yours, then ours, then our family's..." Would she be able to guess it? So many years were behind them that he would have understood if she'd forgotten. He could only guess at what those years had been like. What had happened to her. The many evils she'd been faced with no doubt eclipsed her memories of this den. Perhaps he should have spent his time working on other things. It was, after all, just a den. Valentine gently urged Rhythm forward while he hung back. "Your surprise is three steps in front of you." He considered the distance between Rhythm and the den's entrance with a frown and then amended, "Well, three giant steps for you. It's our den," he finally admitted. "I thought, if you wanted, you could store plants or something in it, or if you'd prefer to be here over being at the range...you know..." He shrugged, forgetting for a moment that the gesture would go unnoticed by Rhythm. While he personally preferred the tractor, he would understand if Rhythm wanted something a little more personal, something more integral to her history in Imperium. Given where she'd been all these years he would also understand if she wanted her own space and so he was prepared to give her that. ""

Rhythm tilted her head curiously as her ears swiveled forward to catch his words clearly. She was lucky her hearing still remained in pristine condition, being blind and deaf would have been too much. She would have let the slavers kill her if she'd been handicapped so thoroughly. Valentine answered her with a riddle, his hers, ours, the families.. She thought for a moment as he encouraged her forward. Rhythm had few if any possessions back in the day that were not plants. She would never forget his gift to her though, his own den. Which had become her den, their den, and finally where their children had been born. 

She gasped quietly at the surprise in her realization as Valentine babbled about how many steps she was away from her boulder. As he said "den" she jumped with an accuracy fully sighted wolves would be envious of. A huge smile swept over her face, just as surprised and elated as the first time he'd gifted her the spot. She turned back around to face him, despite not being able to see his features she could see him just as clearly in her mind as if her eyes remained I damaged. She lowered herself to the rock, dangling her paws over the edge as she beckoned him to come closer. 

"You remembered," she said with not surprise but love intertwined within her words. She felt her eyes tearing up at the thoughtful gesture. She felt like home. "I love you so much, Valentine. I've missed you so much all of these years." the tears fell freely from her sightless eyes now and she tries to wipe them with her silver flecked paws. "So much happened, I wished you were by my side every day." 

The pain of the emotions tangled around her other offspring welled up in her chest. "I can tell thinking about what happened makes you angry," how could it not? "I'd rather not speak of it, but.." she couldn't find the right words, they were hard to say out loud. "I need you to know I bore them offspring." she knew how he might react, but the words left her lips as she cried. "I know you're having Rhyme take you back, and I know I can't and shouldn't stop you," she hated that she had trained this special moment with such talk, but everything had come pouring out. "But if you can save them too.." she begged, he had no connections to them but they were her blood. She loved the ones that had not been tore from her side. Rhythm would never ask him to love or care for them, but she wanted them to taste freedom too.

"Of course I remembered," he said gently. "How could I forget?" He reached out to nuzzle her cheek and wipe away the tears that ran down it in thin rivulets. "I love you too." His breath hitched as Rhythm mentioned the topic he'd been so careful to avoid. At once he was both curious about her years away from him and eager to let them fade from memory by never speaking of them. He wanted to know and he wanted to remain oblivious, and it was that inner conflict that made made him silent on the subject so far. Valentine had decided that he would let Rhythm choose. She could tell him or not and he would neither broach the subject or try to coax the story out of her. As it became clear she was going to share something with him, Valentine steeled himself. His biggest fear was that he would be a contributing factor in her next episode. That he might, either through his temper or ill manners, accidentally worsen her condition or be the thing that finally pushed her over the edge. So as she struggled to find the right words, he tried to preemptively contain the fire her words would undoubtedly spark. Valentine was only partially successful. He clenched his teeth so hard they squeaked in protest and then he let out a long, drawn out hiss. While he shouldn't have been surprised, should have been prepared for such a statement, he wasn't and the knowledge left him feeling empty. The hollow feeling was quickly filled with hate as he ricocheted between emotions. Had Rhythm not requested that he free her bastards, Valentine would have happily reached death without laying eyes on them. He knew immediately that he wanted nothing to do with them. If he allowed himself to be honest he would have had to admit that he didn't care if they remained in captivity all their days. Of course this he would never tell his mate. Rhythm loved them (for reasons he would never be able to understand) as if they'd been conceived in love and knowing that he - even though he'd never laid eyes on them, had only known about them for a short time - hated them would no doubt devastate her. For several moments Valentine struggled with how to respond. He loathed the idea of risking his neck to fetch her bastard children, but there wasn't really a nice way to say that, was there? What he wanted was to kill the slavers, period, end of story. But perhaps there was a face-saving compromise, one that would allow him to get his revenge, ignore the bastards, and do all of that without Rhythm knowing his true feelings. His mind made up, Valentine sat down beside Rhythm and threw his neck over hers in (what he hoped was) a consoling hug. "I love you," he said again. "And there's nothing I wouldn't do for you." He paused, trying to find the right words that would give her the confirmation she was hoping for without committing him to something he refused to do. "I've no doubt Rhyme will be able to find them while I deal with their...father." The last word was said with contempt he couldn't hide. "If they're there, we'll get them for you." ""

She didn't want to breach the subject, she just wanted to go on with the rest of her life like her time as a slave hadn't happened. But if she couldn't talk to her mate about what happened who could she talk to? She leaned into his nuzzle, thankful for the comforting touch. He was her rock. The strength when she had none. Rhyme was there for her too, but he had suffered as much as she had, she didn't want to burden him more than she had already. 

Valentine's quiet contemplation was interrupted by the sound of grinding teeth, she was surprised he was able to contain himself so well. There was no doubt in her mind how much he loved her, even if the words were not shared between them often. She couldn't help but feel like she was an inconvenience and a burden to him. Though he wouldn't approve of her thinking such thoughts what did she have to offer him? She was old, greying, her body no where near as beautiful as it had once been. That he had even welcomed her back into his arms was a testament to how strongly he felt for her, and now she was asking even more of him. 

As her doubts and insecurities tried to drown her Valentine was suddenly surrounding her, holding her tight. Reassuring and sweet as he repeated those sacred three words. He made sure she knew he would do anything she asked of him, but he made sure she knew it would be Rhyme to look after his siblings. Valentine's rage would be for the wolf who forced the whelps upon her in the first place. His words ignited a fire within her that burned away the insecurities and Rhythm allowed herself to cling back to him. 

"I love you more with every moment," she muttered into his fur in response. "Destroy him for me, like I was unable to do." there was a passion in her voice she thought she had lost forever. "Castrate him and rip out his throat." The violent words felt cathartic as they flowed from her lips. She sighed heavily then, "I know words are useless now, but I wish we could go back to before." She admitted her deepest wish, that time had stopped when everything had been perfect.

Much to his relief, Rhythm didn't seem to notice that he'd weaseled his way out of saving her bastards. He was confident they'd still be saved by Rhyme, so if he was lucky he wouldn't have to get close to them to fulfill his promise. Valentine's skin prickled at Rhythm's command, the anticipatory flush making him warm all over. He was pleased to have her blessing. Her wishes - in this instance - would be carried out with pleasure. He would enjoy righting the wrongs that had been done to his family. "I will," he promised. After nestling his chin into her fur, Valentine sighed and let his gaze rove over the horizon. "Me too." If they could go back, would Imperium still be standing? He couldn't allow himself to dwell on it - it made him too angry. "Is there anyone else on your shit list that I need to give special attention to?" He may as well benefit from her brief trip to the dark side by coaxing more targets out of her. ""

Rhythm wouldn't worry herself much on the logistics of the raid her mate and son hoped to carry out. Rhyme would make sure his half siblings made their way safely from captivity, and in her mind at least, Valentine would be there to back him up. She hated the thought of Rhyme returning to that place, putting himself at their mercy once more. However the trip was inevitable. Knowing the two of them would be there to look out for one another was one of her only consolations. The other was knowing her tormentor would be brought to justice. 

Valentine promised to carry out her wishes, the thought made her feel warm inside. The one who brought so much misery into her life would be taken from his own. Though she had never been one to condone such methods she cherished the thought of Valentine spilling his blood. 

They wouldn't linger on the past, but he echoed her sentiments, if only they could return to days gone by. That was an impossibility though. What was possible was garnering further revenge. "His bitch." her words came out more forcefully than she meant them too as she leaned into his soft fur. "She can burn with him for all the misery she caused me." The woman had been responsible for stealing away the pups forced upon her. Though she had no rational reason to love them they had been born of her own flesh and she did feel those strong emotions for them.

Valentine leaned back to look at Rhythm as she declared that the slaver's bitch needed a tune up as well. He shouldn't have been surprised so after searching her gaze, he leaned against her again. It seemed he was going to have his paws full in the slavers' camp. Not that he was complaining. "Then she's as good as dead,"he declared. If he had his way not a soul would escape the slaughter. "We don't have to keep talking about this if you don't want to," he offered gently. "We have the future to think of. You know, after the slavers." He thought about it, then added, "We also have the present. Where we're going to go from here." ""

Rhythm felt a relief with just their words exchanged, she would savor in the justice that would be dealt out soon. Her tormentors would meet the fate they deserved, the fate she wished them a long time ago. She hated to think about what might have been if she had not been taken. Those children she had borne by the slaver would have been from Valentine. Their family would have been safe and happy in Imperium. Internally she shook the thoughts from her mind. Those events hadn’t happened. She had been stolen and she had produced bastard children. Valen offered release from the topic at hand, other than hearing of their victory when they returned Rhythm wouldn’t have been upset if she didn’t have to think about them again the rest of her life. She debated if even death would be a sufficient punishment. "I can’t remember the last time I thought of my future." She couldn’t even imagine where her life could continue to, relief at being free and not being able to think about herself held her goals back. "Where do we go now?" She was an old sightless woman, what more in life did she have to look forward to? Grandchildren? Rhyme was middle aged at this point as well, what were his chances of settling down with a family? ""

"Where do we go now?" Even though he'd brought it up, Valentine didn't know how to answer the question. How did they pick up the pieces now? So much had changed since Rhythm had been taken. They couldn't try to go back to the way it used to be because nothing was the same. He'd built a life without her and it would be difficult now to fit her into it. So what was to be done? He had no idea. Valentine decided to take an honest approach. "I don't know," he admitted with a soft sigh. "I guess a better question would be, what do you want to do now? You've spent years doing what others want you to do without a say yourself, so what do you want?" ""

That was the million dollar question, what did she want to do now? Rhythm wanted to go back to before she had been taken away. Had she not been stronger in her resolve she might have felt tears in her eyes with how much the feeling of being robbed like that hurt. Rhythm huffed softly, partially at Valentine for turning the question back onto her and party to disperse the impossible thought. She would gain nothing from complaining and less from crying. She sighed heavily then, uncertain about her answer to him. "Enjoy my time with you and Rhyme." She answered honestly. "I’d like to talk to Rhys again." She’d only heard bits and pieces about their daughter, but from what Rhythm had gathered she was out doing what made her happy. "I would enjoy spoiling some grand children." Rhyme was free now, though the years had escaped them she wouldn’t give out hope for the last option. ""

Rhythm's wants were simple. She wanted to be happy. To enjoy her freedom and spent time with her family. For reasons that were a mystery to him in that moment, that realization shamed him. As for their daughter... "I'm sure she'll visit someday. If I knew exactly where she was I'd go down there and bring her up to see you, but knowing Rhys it would be a wild goose chase." Rhys was...wild and unpredictable. She may not have even been in Auster anymore. "The last time I saw her she was happy though," he added gently. Her statement about grand children made him chuckle. "I'm afraid I can't help you with that either, unless you want to spoil some of mine. They're good kids," he said begrudgingly. "Jerks the whole lot of them, but good kids." ""

Rhythm felt good about knowing Rhys was doing exactly what she wanted to be doing and was happy. Her mother couldn’t help but this about her though, and remember the handful of puppy she once was. Just like her father. Valen went on, obviously not one to be able to help with the grand in children. She chuckled softly at the thought. He was generous enough to offer some of his own though. Unfortunately she would never lay eyes on them, but she had no doubt they were as handsome as their grandfather. One day she would meet them, and she found herself looking forward to it. "I’m sure they are, with such a great influence." She chuckled again as she tried to hit him playfully with her shoulder. "It sounds like I’m not giving you much of a challenge in my wishes." ""

She mentioned his grandchildren having a great influence and in response Valentine snorted a laugh. Great influence indeed. It was funny in the moment but if he thought about it too long it would no doubt make him sad that his family was so scattered. That he didn't know his grandchildren as well as he would have liked. That there were some he didn't know at all. After banishing such thoughts Valentine cocked his head and eyed Rhythm with vague amusement. "Are you wanting to be challenging? Should I be worried you're going to wish for the moon and demand I retrieve it?" ""

She made him laugh, which caused her smile to brighten at the sound. She didn’t realize where his thoughts went to, but she might have tried to commiserate if she had. He had sired a decent amount of children, and if they all reproduced like he had there would be grandchildren falling out of his ears. She smiled wider at that thought. She could hear the amusement in his voice as he asked her what kind of challenge she was going to give him. "I may do just that." She giggled, a sound she hadn’t made in years. "Not much good it would do me though." She couldn’t see it anyway. Rhythm aimed to paw at where she thought his chest was. "I’ve told you what I want, now what do you want?" Fair was fair, she answered the question now she wanted his thoughts. ""

Valentine was quiet as he thought over Rhythm's question. What did he want? Besides the obvious, of course. The slavers were a no brainer. He wanted them dead, but answering with that felt like a cop out. His thoughts had been consumed by their existence long enough that it was hard to shift gears and think past them. If - when - they were dead, what would he want then? He wanted all of his family together again; a united front. What else did he want... He wanted all of his grandchildren close so he could tell them all the things he held dear. That he wanted them to be strong. He wanted to make them understand that they are superior; titans who stand head and shoulders above the useless masses. He wanted them to know how superior their blood and name were and to teach them to hold themselves to a higher standard and to strive to lay claim to whatever they wanted because it was theirs if they could take it. He wanted to grow old(er) with Rhythm. Now more than ever he wasn't sure she was made for his world, but he wanted her there. Even though her heart was hard when it came to those who had hurt her Valentine wasn't convinced she was prepared to see him at his worst or to stand by his decisions. His worst came a lot more often now and he was unwilling to change. Valentine snorted a soft, humorless laugh. "I want to pick up where I left off with Imperium. Sometimes I worry my children have been on their own for so long they've forgotten who we are." He loathed the idea of them going soft in mind or body and being unworthy of their name. The worry seemed unfounded...and yet it lingered. He worried the powerful family he'd sought to build wouldn't last more than a generation or two before giving way to the weak ways of the masses. "But that's a bit like getting you the moon, isn't it," he said dryly. "I want to drag all these grandkids of mine in and make them listen. Got all these years behind me, I must know a thing or two worth passing on, right? I want..." He shot a glance at Rhythm. "To get to know you again." ""