Valentine slowly made his way back to Bass with Rhythm in tow. Hopefully by now Ellis would have gotten Abaven's alpha patched up. Part of him hoped the healer had given him some kind of sedative too, because he doubted Bass was going to take the decision well. Maybe Dione left some of her plants behind. That would do the trick. Aiming to reassure Rhythm, Valentine gently brushed his cheek across her crown. There was no doubt in his mind that this was going to be hard for her, but he stood by his belief that she was better off with him in Imperium. He didn't like how he'd come to that conclusion and he definitely was going to deal with Cascade later, but he agreed - albeit grudgingly. Finally they reached the spot where Bass had smugly sprawled across the border. “Here she is, Bass.” Safe and sound, as promised. “”

NOTE: Valentine has a female striped skunk companion named Lefty. Unless stated otherwise assume she's present.

Those first couple of steps had been the most difficult, but as Bass came into view she wasn't sure if she wanted to turn around and run with her tail between her legs or race forward to make sure he had been seen to properly. She'd feel Valentine's encouraging touch, and she would continue onwards, finding herself speeding forward to embrace her poor brother. How could she put him through all of that just to tell him she was going to be staying here. She found herself wanting to utter a few vulgarities about Cascade and her mother, but would quiet her mind and focus on Bass.

Her paws would bring her close to her littler mate, lithe form aiming to nuzzle against him before she would check over his wounds. Hopefully there was nothing more permanent than a bruise to his ego. Still, she feared how he would take the request Valen had asked of her. "Bass," She'd whisper into his coat like she hadn't seen him in seasons. "Are you feeling okay, did they fix you up well?" The girl would kiss him lovingly, how on earth was she going to tell him?

"Speech"
'thoughts'

Bass was pacing back and forth along the border, pretty much hobbling as he tried to keep the weight off of his left shoulder. When he heard the falling of paws his golden eyes shot upwards, landing on his dark sister. He let out a breath of air and stood waiting eagerly, hearing Valentine tell him that she was here unharmed. "And I thank you for that." He said gruffly. He wasn't angry -- for now -- but he was tired and just wanted to rest. It felt like the longest night on earth, and he just wanted the warmth of his wife at his side. Rhythm rushed up, snuggling into him and he flinched when she pressed against his shoulder, breath hissing between his clenched teeth. He had turned down the lavender, he didn't want to fall asleep here. He relaxed and nuzzled into her, eyes slipping close as he held her. "Not going to lie, I hurt like hell. This is going to take a long time to recover from, but its worth it for you. I would do anything for you," he said softly, pulling back to gaze into her blue and pink eyes. He smiled softly at her, turning his head around his shoulder. "now let's get home."

Bass turned to Valentine then, dipping his head to the fellow alpha. "Thank you for everything Valentine, and I am sorry that I had accused you of all of this. You have shown me more kindness that perhaps I deserved after that. I know it wasn't for me," his gaze flickered towards his sister, "but I really am thankful."

The brute dipped his head in acknowledgement of Bass' thanks. “I can't apologize enough.” He only knew the half of it. Hoping to cushion the blow that was getting ready to fall, Valentine offered, “In the future, if there's anything Imperium can do, just say the word.” All things considered, it was a small gesture, but he meant it. Bass' final words convicted Valentine immediately. Why couldn't he have been a snippy ass? That would have changed everything. Instead he had to be nicey nice. Friendly, even. And so freakin' thankful. He just got his ass kicked! Where was the venom he'd so freely spit earlier? He cleared his throat and let his eyes rove over their surroundings. Here went nothing, right? “Yes...about that...” His gaze drifted to Rhythm before flicking to Bass. There really was no nice way to say it, no way to sugar coat it. “Rhythm is staying here in Imperium with me.” “”

NOTE: Valentine has a female striped skunk companion named Lefty. Unless stated otherwise assume she's present.

She removed herself from his pained shoulder as she saw him wince, ears falling ot her head. If only that was the only pain she would cause him. Would her being asked to stay here have gone over better if she hadn't just been dragged here by that strange man? Maybe, but it happened and they were where they were now, and there was no going back. Everything was going to change, she just hoped Bass would be able to see the good in it. Politically, her staying here would strengthen the bonds between Imperium and Abaven, surely something both alphas could agree was a positive side effect. She hoped her brother would see reason through his rage.

She would be careful as she gave Bass a nuzzle as he told her he was ready to get home, she had every intention of helping him back tonight. Valentine had no intention of keeping her from the siblings she would not be living with anymore. She'd just be a little more like Chord than the rest of them. She wasn't sure how she would have put it, surely not quite so bluntly, but as Bass finished his thank yous the tall alpha found his voice and let Bass know of the decision. Her ears would remain against her skull as she tried to nuzzle her brother again, "I'll help you home, I want to tell Shaye and Motif. I know it's really sudden, I wasn't sure at first but I think I need to be here." She'd sigh, but would speak up again before Bass could get his word in, "I don't know if you realize," oh she wasn't going to do this here, now.. in front of Valentine? "I've been really sad recently Bass, I'm having nightmares of Motif's boys, I can't look at any of the children with out flashing back to that terrible day. I need this Bass." Would that help ease the blow or would Bass just feel worse? "I love you so much brother, I promise I'll be there all the time and whenever you need me." just please.. understand.

"Speech"
'thoughts'

He offered Valen as much of a smile as he could offer when he offered Imperium's services if they were ever needed. The tall brute probably didn't even have an idea how Abaven was run, but he could back another time when he was not so injured. But then the next words left his mouth, and Bass' mouth fell slack. Staying... here? His gaze shot to Rhythm as she tried to explain, trying to press into him. He recoiled from her touch as if she struck him, anger quickly taking over his features. "And you couldn't decide that before I put my life on the line for you? I fought for you, and as a slap in the face you stay here anyways?" She had said that she was going to help him home, and Bass backed up and shook his head. "No, you made your choice Rhythm. I get it, I can't protect you, right? Right?" He spat, quivering as he tried to hold back his anger. But he couldn't, this was too far gone now. "You will not be allowed back into Abaven. You chose Imperium, so here you shall stay. Your nieces and nephews will soon forget your shameful name!" He knew his words were cruel, ears pinning to his skull when he realized it. But it was too late, and he backed up a few steps. "You betrayed your pack and your family. After all you did for Motif? Its going to break her damn heart, the already fragile thing it is. You could have told me about being sad, you could have opened up to me! But instead you started to spend more and more time away from the pack. I trusted you, and you let me down."

Bass felt his eyes sting as tears threatened to fall, but he forced them back. He wasn't going to apologize to her, perhaps once he cooled down he would be back to take care of it. "And you know what? I would have been okay with this if you came to me before the fight. Sure I would have been a bit grumpy but I would have allowed it if you told me everything! You don't love me, that's a lie. I love you, I risked my fucking life to keep you home, because that is where I thought you wanted to be! You could have stopped the fight, but instead you watched me get beat. Did you enjoy that Rhythm? I hope you did." His eyes cut towards Valentine, trying to calm down as he addressed the alpha. "Take care of her, she is yours now. I will be back to speak to you if you wish, but I will no longer be dealing with that woman." And with that he turned, limping away from the pack. As soon as his back was turned the tears started to fall, staining his pale coat. He gave everything to keep her safe, and she chose him. So be it, it was a choice she was going to have to live for for the rest of her life.

-Exit Bass unless stopped-

The shift in Abaven's alpha was immediately discernible and Valentine braced for an attack. He was ready and willing to defend his position, to argue the reasons for her to stay. Needless to say the reaction they got was one he hadn't expected. His anger was justified; there was no denying that. It could be argued, however, that she hadn't known what was in store for her when the fight had taken place. What if Hati had been a disgruntled (okay, more disgruntled than usual) former member seeking revenge? What if he'd had every intention of stealing Rhythm away and doing her harm? There was no way she could have known what she was in for. That didn't make Bass' anger any less justified, but it was a point they seemed to be forgetting. Valentine stood as witness to the alpha's rage, but he did little else. He grimly watched Bass go without moving, instead waiting to see how Rhythm fared. In one single dismissive sweep, Abaven's leader had done what his sister had feared: given her entirely over to the Imperator. “”

NOTE: Valentine has a female striped skunk companion named Lefty. Unless stated otherwise assume she's present.

Her words were hardly enough to stifle the blow she knew was coming, she never would have imagined Bass's reaction though. First the girl would only shrink back a little, as his voice would rise. Bass would reel away from her like she'd thrown a venomous serpent at him. Her brother would explode, and Rhythm found herself cowering in the grass before him, fully subject to his rage. He'd cut her heart in two as he banned her from Abaven and her nieces and nephews, the whole reason for her existence would be blocked to her. The world would start spinning as he continued to lash out at her. Tears would well up into her eyes as he made known every wrong she was doing. "You could have stopped the fight" She had not known this was the offer that would be given to her, did he not see that? "Brother, no." She shook her head, she would have never been able to stop that fight, that black brute had been out for blood. She had no doubt Hati would have attacked her instead of Bass. "she is yours now" If she could have sunk any lower she would have tried. She wanted to beg Bass to take it back, to tell her he was only joking and he would enjoy having her take him home. She'd go slip back into Motif's warm den and find the rest she so desperately needed.

That wasn't what happened. Bass would banish her and give her to Valentine. Bright blue and purple eyes would watch Bass as he turned, and as the tall alpha said nothing Rhythm would find herself running after him. "Bass, no please!" Her foot would get caught on a root which would send her into the mud after Bass's passing. She'd sink into the earth, "please." her voice was soft, surely saying nothing to turn her vengeful brother around.

"Speech"
'thoughts'

She would cry and plead him, but his mind had been made up. Her mind had been made up. She had made her choice, but she couldn't have her deer and eat it too (since wolves don't know what cake is.) The tall alpha said nothing as he turned, and for this he was grateful for. But as he turned to leave, he heard her call after him, a thud following. He looked over his shoulder to see that she had fallen over and into the mud. Rolling his eyes he turned around and walked back to her, biting down gently to her scruff and tried to pull the light girl up to her feet. "You made your choice. Now you have to live with it." He growled. He gave her another once over, so many emotions sparking in his golden eyes that it was hard to name even one. Without another word he turned and walked off, having no intention of stopping again.

-exit-

Her mud stained features would brighten with false hope as Bass returned ot her side. He'd pick her up, like she was sure he'd done a thousand times, before telling her that she had to live with her decision, his growl would make it final, even though he'd once again saved her. The crushing feeling wouldn't leave as she pleaded with silently, but his gaze was unreadable. He made sure she wasn't harmed, and with out another word was off. Not in the direction of Abaven. "Bass.." She'd whisper one last time as he disappeared, her form completely in shock. She didn't know what to do, her family was her everything and now with a simple decision her brother had cut her off from them forever.

She'd sit in her mud puddle in stunned silence, unable to think or move, or even breathe. She'd take in a giant gulp as she'd realized she'd been holding her breath, hoping beyond hope that Bass would reappear. A soft whimper would sneak through dark lips as she realized her aloneness, her tall companion forgotten as she processed what this meant for her.

"Speech"
'thoughts'