The sun's warmth was somewhat cooled that day, the sky partly overcast as patched of sunlight rolled over the knolls. Rhythm was perched lazily upon the boulder that covered the den she'd taken from the tall Alpha. Bloodstained paws would rest daintily on her chest as she let her food baby digest in the sun. Her features rolled to her right, hanging over the edge of the giant rock. Below her lay a pile of prairie dogs, the creatures were swiftly becoming one of her favorite prey items. She'd had every intention of taking the rest of them to feed some of the many pups that she spied from her perch. Rhythm hadn't yet sought out the company of her fellow pack mates yet, but in the time she'd been there she had seen many of them. Some would be learning to hunt for themselves soon, that would make for an interesting time. There was one wolf she'd made note to seek out, Imperium's healer turned out to be a Destruction as well. He'd told her of his sister as well as offered her some lavender he kept. She'd have to make better mention of her healing experience to Valentine sometime. Rhythm hadn't quite seen him by herself since summer began and she wondered if she might be able to keep the habit up. The girl would sigh contentedly as a splash of sunlight found its way over her, she'd soak in the radiated heat as she digested her meal. After seeing Motif a second time the chase had really calmed her down, and her food induced coma was gladly embraced. ""

Valentine made his way across the territory with a spring in his step. Things were running smoothly; training for the younglings was going well and progressing nicely, Mercy had brought the pack together for a hunt, and everything just seemed perfect. The weather, the state of the pack, everything. He was pleased with it all and it showed. Seeking out Rhythm, he found her lying on her back on top of her den. Approaching her, he stopped beside the mound of dead prairie dogs and eyed it. Since he and Cascade had rid Imperium of coyotes the smaller, heavily hunted mammals had flourished. Evidence of their comeback dotted the knolls and many a buffalo had been crippled because of it. Valen, for one, wasn't complaining. Lifting his gaze to her's, he said, "You certainly did a number on them." He went on to tease, "What did those innocent little creatures ever do to you?" ""

A dark ear would twitch involuntarily as a butterfly danced at her features. The movement would help to startle her awake as the sound of approaching footsteps caught her attention. As though her half conscious thoughts had summoned him she'd stare at him at her head's weird angle before realizing his presence fully and righting herself on the rock before he stopped at her impressive pile. Thankfully his eyes would linger there, and as smoothly as she could her form flipped so she was facing him on her stomach. The quick movement was not appreciated by her stomach, but she'd recover. She'd catch his gaze in a much more lady like position, smiling amusedly at his comment on her pile. A sly smirk would play on her features before she feigned sadness, "They were just to delicious." and she'd shrug, holding back a giggle as she continued to suffer from an over full tummy. Life was mostly in balance for the girl, but she still had the weight of the thoughts of her family chained to the back of her mind. ""

"They were just too delicious," she said with faux despair. At this he chuckled, the sound low and amused. His own tone regretful, he sighed, "Such is the life of a small tasty creature." Striding closer, the brute stepped over the pile of carcasses so he could rest his chin on the rock between Rhythm's forepaws. He had a reason for seeking her out today. Looking up at her, he queried softly, "How are you doing?" He wasn't asking about the state of her belly, although the pile of dead animals that littered the ground suggested it wasn't doing well, rather, he wanted to know how she was handling the transition from life in Abaven to life in Imperium. He knew she'd made a couple trips beyond Imperium's borders, presumably to visit that niece of hers, and he was hoping that had lifted her spirits. ""

She would elicit an amused chuckle from the brute, the sounds curling her lips all the more as he played along and gave them a last eulogy. Tasty was certainly right, they had such a different flavor from the rabbits that populated Abaven. Even the hares here had a different taste, but nothing seemed to be able to beat these creatures. Though all thoughts of prairie dogs and hunting were vanquished as Valentine drew more near, his features coming to rest between her dainty paws. Her heartbeat quickened as their fur touched slightly, her senses would cloud with his scent, but his words would be the anchor for her focus. She couldn't help but lower her features to his level, her nose just a hair away from his as she processed his question. He obviously knew how she was doing outwardly, hunting was good, her belly was full, and she was smiling easily. No, he spoke of much deeper matters, and her vibrant smile would shy away. She couldn't hold his gaze despite being so close, she couldn't lie, her adjustment had been more than difficult at every step. "Alright," She'd answer eventually, her voice a whisper as she found his gaze again. It was the truth, though it might not have been had Shaye not appeared to her. His gift of her nice new den had also cheered her greatly, even if she'd made a fool of herself that day. ""

Rhythm dropped her head so that it was level with his and Valentine became acutely aware of where their fur mingled. It was funny how that small amount of contact could generate so much feeling. He could feel her breath on his face, the smell distinctly prairie dog-y although not unpleasant. All in all the brute enjoyed her nearness. His enjoyment, however, didn't last long. In response to his question Rhythm's smile faded. Silence reined for far too long after that, the seconds ticking by with agonizing slothfulness. "Alright," she finally admitted, and the brute's ears cocked back. Alright? He frowned. "Tell me what's wrong. Don't leave anything out." Perhaps there was something he could do, something he could say; some way he could make it better. ""

His close presence was a comfort despite the fluttering butterflies in her stomach and the nervousness in her limbs. The now too familiar feeling of desire would creep up on her despite her best efforts to fend it off. Even though their conversation was serious those thoughts would play at the back of her mind, the slight touch they shared was as clear to her as day. She wanted to shy away and give in to the fear that these feelings brought her, but the girl would enjoy his close proximity too much. Though with his words her focus had changed. She wouldn't dwell on their closeness as she relived the hardships that brought her here, the confusion and pain she felt would easily overshadow their intimate conversation. His expression was quick to change, and as her bright blue and purple gaze fell back to his blue orbs she wouldn't miss the frown. He couldn't know about her struggles unless she told him, and he'd ask her sweetly just what was wrong and she couldn't leave anything out. The dark girl would take in a deep breath, wondering where she should start. There was so much she could tell him, how did she make him aware of how much trouble she was having? A soft whine left her lips unintentionally as she let out the breath, she wasn't used to addressing her problems so directly. The first was her nights, spending them alone was difficult, though with Shaye's recent presence and the still lingering scent of the wolf before her she was comforted she'd found the nightmares hadn't completely forgotten her. "If you're sure..." her voice was uncertain but she was ready to tell him. Rhythm realized then that if Valentine asked her or to do anything it would be done with very few questions asked. "I haven't been sleeping well," which was complete truth, "In Abaven I shared a den with Motif every night, it's been hard to adjust to being so.. alone." That stung, the words had stuck in her throat as she slowly confessed to her tall companion. "My nightmares are coming back." this was hardly an audible whisper as she admitted the truth out loud. Her emotions were already slipping from her control and she'd barely started, thoughts of Motif threatened to send her over the edge. "I've seen her since.." she'd been banished, "It feels like I've lost them for good, and it just hurts so bad." Probably the most difficult of confessions would be the doubt of her decision, not that she could take it back or reverse the implications. Regret tried to cloud her vision. Had pleasing her giant once-tour-guide been worth losing her soul mate over? Not that she could ever blame the alpha for this choice. "I keep questioning if I made the right choice. I don't.. I can't place exactly why it was I said yes." Looking for all the right things in all the wrong places? She had her love and devotion at home in Motif so why had it been so impossibly easy to stay here with the blue eyed man? She had to bite her lip to keep the tears from spilling over, somehow she'd managed to keep his gaze through her speech. Now all she wanted to do was look at anywhere but him. She felt ashamed, and terrible for not fitting in and integrating into the pack with no flaw. How could Valen even want to keep her through all her troubles and self doubt? ""

Valentine found himself nodding as she spoke. Not in agreement, but in understanding. He knew what it was like to be alone and he definitely knew what it was like to be scared. But just because he could relate didn't mean he had a complete grasp of what she was feeling. He regarded her in silence as she spoke, never once interrupting. The brute understood Bass' hurt feelings, but if he had known the extent of what Rhythm's family had put her through he would have gone to Abaven himself and either rung out an apology or broken a jaw in the process. Never once had they thought about Rhythm. It was their happiness and their heartbreak and their hurt feelings. What of hers? What made their feelings so much more important? At least when he'd asked her to say, Valen had been thinking of her safety. He took several long moments to sort his thoughts, but once Valentine thought he had a good grip on them, he parted with the words carefully. "I'm sorry." For the things he could influence, like making her feel at home, and the things he could not, like her shitty family. "Whenever, if ever, you're scared, you can always call for me. Any time of day or night, I'll come." He wanted to offer to be closer, to sleep atop the boulder if necessary, but the emphasis she'd placed on not accelerating their relationship prevented him from doing so. The brute's ears flicked and he sighed. "As for your family, I..." Oh, this was an awful idea, he hated it already, "I can talk to Bass if you like, see what, if anything, I can do." As for the 'her'... "Her who? One of your sisters?" For Rhythm and Rhythm alone, he was willing to speak to them too. "Maybe they just need more time," he offered. Her final statement was the hardest to respond to. Before answering it the brute's eyes sought out the sun. When his gaze returned to the fae, his voice was soft and his expression sincere. "Miss Rhythm, only you know the answer to that. I of course think you made a wise decision. If I didn't think it was safer here I wouldn't have asked in the first place." He still stood by his decision to ask. There was no doubt in his mind that Bass was a capable leader, but he did feel as if Imperium was a safer haven. His pack was geared towards a strong military force and from what he knew of Abaven, it was not. "May I be honest? You living here shouldn't signal the end of your relationship with your family. If your family bases your relationship on how close you live to them then they're the ones creating the problem, not you." ""

The understanding in Valentine's eyes was in itself a huge amount of support that she hadn't expected. Rhythm wanted to handle her problems by herself, she didn't want to be thought weak for struggling with the emotions that swirled within her. She hadn't expected such a soft, almost loving expression he offered her as she let the words spill from her lips. He didn't offer a single interruption and not once would she see disappointment cross his features. Though he took a moment to reply to her she had no reason to expect anything but support. Still she hardly expected his first words to be an apology. She'd release a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding as he relieved her from some made up thought that the would blame her for her inadequacies. He'd put a smile on her face as he addressed her nightmares, anytime she needed him he would be there. He'd help to rid her of the tears with his promise, and even managed to bring her smile back. She'd find herself breaching the last of the distance between them, her nose tenderly offering a silent thanks by nudging his muzzle. He'd sigh though, and even as he said the words she felt a distaste for the plan as well. Though Bass had been given much time to clear his head she still held her doubts. Motif had not shown any change between the times she'd seen her why would her brother have? "Yes, Motif." Though her doubt was evident on her pulled back ears and almost desperate expression. "Maybe." She'd agree, though maybe always meant 'no' when she was growing up. She'd lose his gaze as he took a look at the sky, her breath would escape her in a soft sigh as she struggled with her own words. She couldn't say no to him, but why was that? His words would return to her, keeping by his stand and encouraging her wise choice. Not that he could help her realize the actions of her heart. He'd switch their topic again though, offering the best advice so far. She shouldn't blame herself for her family's reaction to her decision. They were still family no matter how close they were, no matter what misunderstandings had happened. She'd nod in answer as she held back the rather visible emotions that wished to surge forth. They were difficult to rid herself of though, but before she would let Valen see the spring that fell from her eyes she'd lean forward and bury her features into his dark fur, an unintentional whine slipping from her lips as she pushed into him. "I'm scared." She'd whisper, scared of not getting her family back, scared of the future, and scared of the feelings that she felt growing for the man she sought comfort from. ""

The surge of positive emotion from Rhythm wasn't quite what he'd expected. His response drew a smile from her and Valentine found himself returning the gesture. It was nice to see her smile again and certainly something he'd have dwelt on had her happiness not run over and morphed in an affectionate gesture. The brute's smile widened and threatened to react comical proportions. He tamed it with some effort as the corners of his mouth began to ache. Her answer was abrupt, but enough for him. Motif. The sassy one he'd met and also the little girl Shaye's mother. Maybe her sass was going a little too far? He didn't want to pry and possibly drudge up more sad feelings, so instead he filed away the information. The brute was sure there would be a use for it later. "Maybe," she agreed halfheartedly, her expression falling. Dammit. That was the opposite of what he'd been hoping for. The mood would continue to fall, Rhythm leaning forward to bury her face into his neck. "I'm scared," she admitted. Valentine didn't know what to say, didn't know how to make it better, so instead he said nothing and attempted to convey his support another way. He lifted his forepaws up onto the boulder in an effort to rise up so that he could wrap his forearms around her shoulders and draw her into a hug. ""

For a moment she'd turn his smile impossibly infectious, the expression brightening her features. She still had to answer his question though, and motif's name would calm her grin. The hope that tried to brew within her was minimal at best, she hadn't seen Shaye in a few days and Motif's visit had been painful at best. She'd eventually be sent closer to his form, and he would accept her touch. He'd shift, though closer to her rather than retreating, she'd feel his arms wrap around her slight shoulders and shaky breath would leave her. She'd close her eyes, she wanted to be strong and push through this, to keep her wits about her and refrain from sobbing into his pelt. As he held her though she would feel a few tears escape her tightly closed eyes. The girl would push closer to him, wanting nothing more than to completely forget about her problems. The task would be easier than she expected as his scent filled her senses and her mind fogged from the sudden overwhelming desire for him. She'd almost lose her breath at the suddenness of it, but would do well to keep herself composed. Rhythm tried to convince herself that she had too much on her plate to think about the budding relationship she had with the alpha, but at the same time there was an eagerness to continue where they'd left off before she'd been challenged for. That had been the night of their last date. She wouldn't move her features from his fur, but she would voice a question, eager to occupy her mind on conversation. "Will you go on another date with me?" The sadness lingered in her voice, but more than that an eager excitement would shine through. ""

Rhythm's attempts to hide her tears were unsuccessful; he could feel the tiny spots of moisture where they stained his fur. The brute said nothing. Instead he let her be; content to simply hold her while she silently sorted things. Leaning down, Valentine gently rested his chin on the back of Rhythm's neck. He honestly didn't know where to begin in solving what was plaguing her. It felt like pieces were missing from her explanation ad the brute was fairly certain she'd left some of it out. Why exactly, he had no idea, but he assumed her reasons were good and for the moment had no intention of pursuing it. Her muffled voice broke the silence, "Will you go on another date with me?" He wanted to make a show out of considering it, but since her face was buried in his fur all of his expressions would be in vain. His voice, however, was still an option. "Hmmmm," he mused, "Well, gee, that's a tough question..." Sighing in mock exasperation, he went on, "Yeah, I suppose. If you really want another date. It's your turn to pick." ""

She'd sigh heavily as he held her, silently she wished that maybe they could just stay like this forever and she could just forget about the rest of the world and all of its troubles. She felt so safe there sitting in his embrace, for a moment she wished that she really could voice all that she wanted to tell him. About their relationship and the feelings that had become so much deeper than she'd have ever thought possible the day she'd met him. She wanted to ask what place she really held in his life and in his heart, but even with his easy comfort the possible answers scared her. Eventually she would settle down, able to voice one more question through their silence. She had been completely content with the pace of their blossoming relationship, and if she had not asked she feared it might stagnate. His playful banter caused her to smile, though she was still loathe to pull away from him. His strength was intoxicating, and she was ever so aware of how close they'd really gotten. Valen would make sure she knew that it was her turn to choose. She'd take a deep breath and forcer herself from his grasp, wanting again to look into his handsome gaze. "Will you teach me how to fight?" ""

Rhythm pulled back to look at him and for a second the brute wondered if he was in for another rise in emotion. To say her question surprised him would be an understatement. Valentine pulled back in surprise, his chin tucking slightly and his browspots lifting. That was his kind of date. But was it hers? Ah, what the hell. He wasn't going to question it. If she wanted to learn how to fight, who was he to question her motives? Good for her. Valen nodded. "Of course. We can start tomorrow, if you like." If she was up for it he'd come and get her sometime in the morning. That would give her time to recover from the food coma she was likely to fall into soon. ""