The dark fae would wake with a start, her tongue already rolling out of her mouth at the hot sleep she'd woke from. Her mind still racing from the vivid dream she'd been forced to wake from. With distressed quick breaths Rhythm lifted her features from her paws and tried to force her consciousness back to the present. With a shake of her head and a long sigh the last bits of it were driven away, though with each dream she endured shaking them off became more difficult. It was still daytime, but she was sure it was just barely. With little hesitation the girl slipped from the den, finding the day was indeed ending. The sun's light lingered over the horizon and Rhythm's bright blue and purple gaze would take in the scene. Rainclouds littered the sky, though this seemed to be the tail end of the storm. Her thin frame leaping to the rather flat surface of her boulder and she'd lounge on the wet stone. She didn't feel like she'd slept the day away. She missed her sister, Motif knew how to comfort her. She was, in many ways, Rhythm's other half. She didn't want to admit it but missing her hurt worse than anything she'd ever experienced. Hope that the sibling pair might one day rekindle the relationship they once had, she just didn't know how. She'd try to redirect her attention to the sunset instead of missing her family. Something would come to her eventually. ""

Her dark fur was plastered to her slim form from the storm, but Cascade's tongue swiped across her muzzle with an air of satisfaction. A less than vigilant pair of grouse had met their unfortunate demise as the Saxe had made her way through the rain, and the scattered feathers that were all that remained of them had been left behind some time ago. Mud coated her paws from the now-defunct storm, but that wasn't unusual for someone raising a bevy of rambunctious pups anyway so it didn't bother her any more than her rain soaked coat did. What was of great interest was what caught her eye as she went to pass Valen's den on her way back to her own - the delicate brown figure lounging out on his habitual rock was certainly not Valen's figure and for a moment she stopped to squint in askance before her muzzle split into a wicked grin. Oh-ho, look who it was. Valen's current playtoy. She debated with herself for a beat whether or not Valen would be greatly put out if she stopped to play but really... he'd never said she needed to stay away so he couldn't very well fault her for stopping to say hi and make the girl feel welcome.

Bouncing jauntily up to the rock, she hooked her muddy paws over the edge to peer over suddenly and directly into the girl's face. "Couldn't manage find a den of your own, huh?" she said with a voice that fair dripped with earnest sympathy. "Too bad, Valen's probably feeling pretty damp just now with his den occupied. But anyway, you settling in all right? Comfortable? Need me to get you anything?" As she chattered away in a lightning-speed friendly fashion, her eyes gleamed with mischief. She could smell that heat scent clear as anything, and doubtless Valen could too every moment he spent with her. She had to wonder if he'd claimed the girl as his own yet, and more importantly how mad he'd be were she to needle the girl about it...

Turned out that the sunset was not exactly what she'd be distracted with as another form slipped through the grass and up to the large boulder. Rhythm's jaws would fall open slightly as she realized who it was that sought her presence, though she had to resist the urge to move away from the edge of the boulder. The question that was brought made the girl want to pull her ears to her skull, she felt weak enough she knew it wouldn't take Cascade but a few words to beat her fully into submission. "It was a gift," she'd answer when the other woman let her speech grow quiet. She had doubts that she'd get away with saying that Valen was welcome in her den, though even as she thought of how it could be construed brought a flush to her cheeks. She was completely over the whole being in heat thing, the sexual thoughts were to much. "I am, thank you for asking." Her voice was soft, she'd yet to recover from her nightmare or the longing thoughts of her family. "I'm comfortable, but doubt you could get what I would ask for." Rhythm didn't want to dislike Cascade, but every time the woman looked at her she felt like a pawn in the woman's game. She couldn't trust her as far as she could throw her, and wondered if she'd ever warm up to the woman. Wondered if she even wanted to. She'd grow quiet though, she wanted to question the she wolf about everything. Why she found her way to her now, why she even wanted her here to begin with. Cascade was the catalyst that destroyed the relationship with her sister, and she really should have hated the woman. She again felt the need to cry at the situation brought back to her mind, but she couldn't help but think Cascade would get some sort of satisfaction at her tears. Averting her gaze as best she could Rhythm would take in a deep breath and rid herself of the wetness of her eyes. ""

The curve of her lips quirked up at the girl's face when she answered Cas back about the den. Was that a blush she saw? Oh this little nibblet was too cute. No wonder Valentine was interested. "Oh yes," she said with a wise nod, "Valen's always been too generous for his own good. And this way he knows all the fastest ways to get to your den at night, eh?"

Cas tilted her head to the side in acknowledgement when Rhythm thanked her for asking about her comfort. She didn't know whether or not the nibblet was being sincere or sarcastic but either way it didn't matter to her. "Oh you'd be surprised what I can get for you, sweetie. Got a bit of an itch you can't scratch, don't you? It's ok," she said, lowering her voice as though conspiratorial, "I know how it feels to be in heat. Didn't realize it last time though, fooled around and well... you know the rest."

She shrugged, a smile still playing over her muzzle. "Course I know a bit more now about it, like a few neat herbal tricks to keep you from getting pregnant from a little fooling around. Scratch the itch and no problem afterward. Of course... if you found a girl willing to help you out you wouldn't need to worry about that part of it at all..." Her eyes maintained their innocent expression as she watched Rhythm in amusement.

She still didn't know what to think, Cascade's antics were anything but predictable or even readable. Still not feeling incredibly confident about their interaction, especially after the she decided to mention Valen's many paths back to the place. She didn't think it was possible but she felt her face grow hotter. Cascade would continue, Rhythm couldn't even really evade her gaze either and the conversation went somewhere the innocent girl had not expected. Cascade was completely unfazed by it though as she told Rhythm the simple version of the creation of her and Valentine's children. Though she was still rather unwilling to really put much thought into the subject, she'd been just fine suffering through the temptations and desires that begged her to be taken. She couldn't deny the urge to seek out this herbal knowledge the woman boasted, even if Rhythm never took advantage of it the more she knew the better. Not that she could really focus on those more rational thoughts as the words kept tumbling from the dark wolf's lips. Rhythm felt more embarrassed than she had in her entire life, talking about sex was incredibly awkward, especially with Cascade like this. Not that the earthen colored she wolf was talking much. Was she really offering what she thought the other woman was offering? "ah," yeah she wasn't sure if she could even find words. Knowing that she could be satisfied with out the repercussions of pregnancy was more tempting than she cared to admit. Her voice was obviously unsure, "what kind of herbs?" She'd try and not think about another she wolf satisfying her abhorrent cravings. ""

Cascade grinned.

She couldn't help it, the girl was just too darn sugar-sweet. She had nevermet aany on who got so very flustered over something so natural. Damn, if the girl had met Cascade's sister, she would probably blush so hot as to spontaneously combust. "No need to be so shy about it," she told the girl matter of factly. "I can guarantee you the males of the species arent and we dont want them to have the advantage, do we? Go into things inexperienced and its just a disappointment all around."

She crossed her paws and lolled her head to the side thoughtfully. To tell her the truth about the herbs or a little white lie just to see what happened... not like she would do anything to get her killed, what would be the fun in that? But an otherwise harmless herb at the wrong time could lead to some very interesting consequences... "Juniper berries," she said finally. "The seeds of a wild carrot work really well, I understand."

Rhythm really was incredibly flustered about their topic of conversation, it might have been natural but Rhythm couldn't help but get a squirmy about it. She just grew incredibly uncomfortable. Her ears would perk slightly at the other woman's words, she knew that the last time Cascade talked to her the words continued to haunt her still. She couldn't help but feel a curiosity that made its way to her features as the white marked she wolf went on. She'd heard of juniper berries before, but she hadn't heard of this use. She'd take the information and store it away, not deciding here and now if she would use it or not. "thank you, I've studied a few herbs and childbirth with my mother for a while. It's just.. making them is difficult to talk about." She'd sink a little as she confessed to her pack mate, unsure even why she went on. She'd not felt any desire to talk to the woman at all and now she wanted to start a conversation? Maybe she was to nice. ""

Rhythm's obvious discomfort made her smirk but it was the shifting of Rhythm's eyes when Cascade mentioned the juniper berries - a shifting that spoke of something being committed to memory - that made her have to bite her tongue to force back a gleeful grin that threatened to break out. "That is rather obvious. It's no wonder you and Valen haven't gotten anywhere if you can't even talk about it," she fired back with more tartness than she'd showed thus far, though that was in part because she was still wincing over the necessary pinch on her tongue. "So you're a midwife or something? Don't really have one of those anymore, our last one took off after Valen claimed the range. Maybe she didn't like his methods." Now she did grin, thinking of the slaves he'd brought in that day - even if she did end up being the designated caregiver for the slaves' munchkins. "Considering the amount of kids born since Valen made Imperium it might be something you might want to brush up on. Who knows how many more he's going to end up with here?" Her wording was deliberately cryptic - did she imply that all of the litters born here had been Valen's? Well of course she implied it, what would be the fun if she didn't? But it was vague enough that if someone happened to run to Valen about it she could deny everything.

She 100% was not trying to get into anyone's pants, and even if she had been offered (which she hadn't. except for Cascade's earlier almost-offer.) she wasn't sure if she'd be able to go through with the motions. Yeah her body craved to be touched like that but Rhythm still felt very much against the idea. Would she go so far as to say the idea frightened her? Maybe. Even with her heat it was going to take an impressive amount of persuasion to get that far, and with her current track record it was likely she'd end up an old maid at this point. Not that anyone but her reproductive organs would protest about that. Cascade's words would take her attention again though, her discomfort with talking about sex the obvious reason Valentine hadn't tried to sleep with her yet. Was that really it, the only reason he hung back? He was just respecting her desire to take their relationship slow.. right? She'd mentally shake her head, Cascade snuck in there a lot better than Rhy was willing to admit. She'd offered more than one doubt in her mind before. She wouldn't be given to much time to react as the dark woman posed another question. "Kind of. I don't have a lot of hands on experience but I did help with my sibling's children. My brother and my sister's litters." Not that she was about to make any mention of the lives lost during Motif's labor. Rhythm was to concentrated on banishing the thoughts of her nephews from her mind to really give much note to the other woman's words. Valentine had not been shy about boasting about his kids. She knew he only had three of them with Cascade. (for now) She also knew that at least three of the young pups were her distant relatives, Soliloquy's spawn. Though it did make her think for a moment of the possibility of more and an awful thought crawled into her head. One that she was loathe to even acknowledge. "However I can help," She'd offer, though her voice was obviously somewhat forced as she fought to keep the little tick at bay. ""

Cas chuckled dryly, eyes glinting at her discomfort. "I'm sure you'll get experience if Valen keeps you around. Plenty of females in heat running around here, plenty of pups to come. Anyway," she stretched with a mock yawn, pushing herself off the rock. "I have duties to be seeing to elsewhere." She made as if to leave then paused, looking back as though debating with herself. "You know," she said slowly, "it's a surprise that Valen's lasted this long into your heat without being tempted, but if he is, do be careful. If those herbs don't work... and sometimes they don't, you know, or if you forget them... Valen makes big babies, and a delicate little thing like you, that could kill you and the pups both. Awful lot of trouble for a bit of fun so don't you forget those herbs. Anyway!" her voice returned to it's sly, chipper norm. "You have fun, now." With that she bounded away to return to her hunt.

-exit Cas unless stopped-