It was a beautiful Autumn day, the sun was out and the breeze blew warm air from the South. There were only a couple of light fluffy cloud in the sky, and despite this perfect weather Rhythm lay painfully at the entrance of her den. It hurt to lay, it hurt to stand, it hurt to move. Her joints were on fire, and even with all the alcohol from her system she felt groggy. Zahir and Lefty provided her with water and small bites to eat, and she liberally applied the slaves she had prepared within the den below. They didn’t help as much as she wished.

And they couldn’t cure the pain in her heart.

The old woman rearranged uncomfortably, her movements stiff and made with much hesitation. To relieve the pain she’d either need to drug herself or she needed to move more. Which was difficult when it hurt to move. Steeling herself Rhythm made the effort to stand, maybe she’d feel better after she took a walk or two around the tree grown into the stone.

Enough time had passed for Rhythm to sober up. Tyrian’s companion and hers had seen to her needs, but aside from the occasional checking in Valentine had spent most of his time with the kids. They were growing, they were rambunctious and they needed his attention - and he didn’t begrudge them that in the slightest. He loved watching them play and learn, and even though he spent a great deal of time exhausted he was loving every second of it.

It was time for them to talk so with that in mind Valentine presented himself to Rhythm. He stopped in front of her and stood there a bit dumbly for several seconds as he tried to find the will to speak and to say the words he didn’t want to say. It was slow in coming but at last he said, “I think it’s time we talked.”

She was barely through a lap when the sound of heavy pawsteps caught her attention. Valentine didn’t hesitate to appear before her and stand to address her. Rhythm lifted her head, sightless eyes would stare into his form as she waited for him to speak. This was the first time he hesitated, but eventually they did come. It was time to talk. For a moment she felt like a scolded pup, there had been responsibilities she needed to see to before making a mess of herself. ”Past time, I think.” She said heavily before shifting herself to a more comfortable position in the grass. Her movements were stiff as she settled down into a sphynx like pose.

Valentine slowly sank to his haunches before Rhythm, using the action as an excuse for silence as he considered what to say next. He wanted to be angry with her. Mostly for what her behavior was costing him – them as a couple – but partially, maybe though he would never admit it out loud, because he knew she had to be angry with him for what he had done to Rhyme and he wanted an excuse to be angry back at her.

Out of habit and unaware he was doing it, Valentine nodded in agreement. He followed the gesture up by saying, ”We are in agreement there which begs the question: where do we go from here?” Obviously this couldn't continue. A drunk and blind biddy wandering around Legion sounded like the set up of a dark-humored joke. It seemed entirely too plausible that he'd find her bottom up in a deep hole one day or mashed into the ground after a stampede. ”And what do you want, I suppose.”