”Feather? Rhythm asked curiously as the bird suddenly appeared beside her. She hadn’t seen her for a few weeks, not that she expected to. Rhythm had recently sent her out to seek information about Abaven and if her family was still well. The bird returned now, and even though Rhythm couldn’t see her, the energy she put off was alarming. The bird rarely spoke, its beat wasn’t made for common tongue, but now she did with much difficulty. ”Shaye. Rocks. Death.”

Her heart stopped and grief fell upon her. She tried to focus as the bird continued. ”Abaven. Move. Safe.” Rhythm didn’t have near the story but she could only guess that Shaye had fallen victim to the volcano’s earth moving wrath. The old wolf suffered horrors and sadness that she still had difficulties dealing with. Her turn to alcohol a near direct result. The news hurt terribly, and Rhythm felt the pain to her bones. Her dearest Shaye, her bright beautiful niece’s life had been cut short.

Her glazed eyes were quick to fill with tears as she sobbed silently to herself, knowing she couldn’t remain here after such a loss. She had to go be with her grandchildren. She wanted to visit Shaye’s final resting place and give her respects. There was comfort in Rhythm’s age though, she knew that her own demise would not be far. She would see Shaye again soon. She sighed heavily and pulled her aching limbs underneath her. With sorrow undisguisable in her voice she called out to Valentine.

Valentine, fearing the worst, can tearing through the tall grass. He exploded onto the scene in a spray of dead grass and ash, and careened towards Rhythm like an out of control train. There had been such a deep note of loss in her howl that he knew something terrible had happened. The old king feared the worst. He was at her side in an instant and poking her all over in search of injuries. "Rhythm! Are you alright?" Prod, prod. "What happened?" Poke, snuff, prod. "Come on, tell me. What's wrong?" He could find nothing amiss on her person or her surroundings but something was definitely wrong; pain was written all over her face. ""

All she needed to do was to call and Valentine was right there beside her whenever she needed him. Their relationship had been rocky for a while, but that didn’t diminish how much she cared about him, and he’d show with his actions that he cared for her as well. She took in a deep breath as he nosed her, making sure that the old she wolf was not herself injured. ”I am in one piece.” She assured him as he pressed further, not to be kept in the dark. A heavy sigh left her chocolate lips and with tired movements aimed to leaned against his titan frame. She needed his support, the words were difficult to say. ”Shaye has died.” The words were quiet and sad, knowing how many more years Shaye might have gone on.. ”I.. I need to go and be with my grandchildren.” Shaye’s girls were barely yearlings, Eulogy just had a litter and Rhythm hadn’t even met them yet. Rhyme’s children… And Rhyme.

A wave of relief swept over him after Rhythm declared she was "in one piece". While that wasn't quite the answer he was looking for, in a roundabout way it told him everything he needed to know abut her physical well being. If she had been injured at all she would have told him.

Valentine held her tightly as she told him the news about Shaye but stiffened and leaned back in indignation at the mention of Rhythm's grandchildren. He studied her face for a second in search of malice. Was that a veiled accusation? Did she still harbor ill will towards him after all this time? It certainly felt like a slap across the face. His jaw worked as he chewed on a response. He reminded himself that she'd just lost someone important to her and that if that statement had been a jab at him, he would be wise just to eat it and move on.

But that wasn't in his nature, was it? When had he ever been good at keeping his mouth shut? Valentine wasn't one to simply swallow the shit shoveled his way. At the very least he had to say something about it before he got to eating. "I'm sorry to hear about Shaye. I know how much she meant to you and I know she would want you to be with our grandchildren."

He was quick to segue to something else. "We need to tell Chaos I'm taking you to Abaven. Is there anything you need here? I'll carry what I can."

In all honestly the old woman hadn’t even realized what she said. She meant her Abaven grandchildren as a whole, and though Valentine had ended the slavers that made Eulogy possible she knew he had no love for her. Even less would the thought of him claiming those children as his grands. Rhythm didn’t catch his inflection as he used the word ‘our’ to her ‘my’ already she had forgotten she used the singular possessive. All she knew was that he was right, Shaye would want her there for them. If she had caught it, she might have managed a smile. After Rhyme was disowned she didn’t think the old man wanted anything to do with their son’s offspring.

”She would, wouldn’t she?” She asked in a somewhat dream like sense. Tears fell from her clouded eyes and she aimed to share in Valentine’s strength. Even all these years later he was strong and impressive. Rhythm aimed to press herself against his chest, only wanting to soak him in for a good long moment. They were old, and the likelihood of Rhythm leaving Abaven again was very slim. Through her grief of Shaye Rhythm also felt the regret of wasted time between herself and Valentine.

Once she had been unable to take her eyes off him. She was completely in love and in awe of the impressive man. Time changed all though, and now she felt keenly the distance that was put between them. She with years of abuse, and their inability to see eye to eye with recent events.

”I can’t believe she’s gone.” She whispered into his coat, her mind unable to focus well on any one heartbreaking subject. ”Right, Chaos.” She affirmed. ”One more date…” She mumbled as he tried to get her to tell him what he needed to carry. ”I don’t have anything anymore, Valen.” She said softly in more ways than one. Any worldly possessions she had were left in old Imperium, any medicine she needed would be easy to find in the eastern lands. Reluctantly she pulled herself away from him enough only their fur touched and she allowed him to lead the way.

Rhythm's tender voice brought him back to her and he leaned down and closed what little space he'd made when annoyed with her choice of words. Over time his hatred of Rhythm's mongrels had mellowed to indifference before they had been forgotten entirely as their relevance faded from the world stage. Because of this he was unaware of Rhythm's grandchildren through that wretched line and his offense had stemmed from the belief that she had been referring to the children of Rhyme as her grandchildren and hers alone, which was not the case. Those children, while he thought their parents too foolish and soft to bear and raise Imperialis offspring properly, were still blood relatives. Though not in name they were still his grandchildren and it was only their father that stood between them an a relationship with their grandfather.

"I can't believe she's gone," said Rhythm in a small voice. "I know," he replied gently. He'd felt similarly when Cascade had died. It had been hard to wrap his head around the fact that one moment she had been so snappy and full of life, and then the next she had been gone never to harass, pick fights or counsel him again. Valentine knew what it was to be devastated. Though they didn't see eye to eye on most things Valentine was willing to admit that Shaye had been a good woman. She'd believed strongly in her pack and while she had been, in his opinion, foolish and naive about the true workings of the world, even he could admire her commitment and moxie.

Valentine sighed."I'm sorry, Rhythm. I know you two were close." She agreed it was time to go to Chaos and indicated she would follow him to his son. Valentine snorted a soft laugh and smiled gently before nodding to himself. One more date. "How's this for a game plan then: we see Chaos, we got to Abaven and then once you are settled, we have our date?"

-exit?-

Valentine was gentle with her, but he was still a strong imposing force. He was soft to her but he didn’t delve into non realities. He knew how much it hurt losing someone suddenly. He’d been through too much during his many years as well. She shook her head into his fur as he offered an apology. It wasn’t his fault, but his words helped to soothe the sting. She sighed heavily, fighting off a few ill placed sobs.

”That sounds good.” Were she not so sorrowful or tired Rhythm may have offered up a more witty or teasing response. ”The alpha never left you, did it?” She mused to herself into his fur before lifting herself to her paws, ready to follow as she’d always done.

-exit-