Rhythm had spent a good amount of time in Abaven catching up with her siblings, but she needed to come home. Valen was the first she would see, but she knew that even though she wanted to spend every waking moment (and sleeping, if she could have slept beside him every night she might have died of happiness.) That wasn't really plausible however and Rhythm made her way back towards the den he had given to her. Sighing softly as she reached her destination the still slim girl would climb atop the boulder and sprawl out in the light of the dying sun. The rock was warm to the touch, and she couldn't help but consider laying here for the whole rest of the night. It was comfortable, she was more than content.. th eony thing that could make the night better was some pleasant company. ""

Esti didn't have much of a goal in mind. Ashmedai had come back for the night, and now that they had eaten, Esti figured it was about time to settle in for the night. There was a scent in the air, though, and Esti had to investigate it. The scent was coming from pretty much directly in their path, so there wasn't much of a way to avoid it anyway if they were going to make it to their dens in any sort of timely manner. When they were closer to the bolder, the scent became stronger, unmistakable. Esti let out a breathy laugh, "Unbe-fucking-leviable." she'd mutter, though a smile spread to her maw. So the little doll was knocked up?  Great. Esti assumed it would happen at some point and was honestly a little surprised there had been a break in Valentine's spawning of beings after Ashmedai. Was Ash that much of a handful or had Valentine been more careful? Esti wondered how long it would be before Valentine took Rhythm as his official wife. It was fine if Valentine fell in love with his little play thing, but if it started to affect the pack more than it already had, she didn't know if she could stand by and watch it sink. She knew she didn't have the heart to ruin Valentine's little love, though, even if she thought it was a little... silly. She didn't think she understood "true love" whatever the fuck that was. Maybe one day she would find it and understand how someone like Valentine could become muck in Rhythm's paws. Coming into view, Esti dipped her head, her smile still clinging to her face, "Rhythm," she almost purred, "So we'll be expecting more Valentine pups soon?" In her head, she thought, "Yeah, Valentine's pup. Remember how Ashmedai was just Valentine's pup? Get used to it." She stayed for a moment, just to see if Rhythm would answer, "Well, good luck anyway. I went through this once too, but a little different." She would aim to walk off, shooting a small look towards the woman as she passed, "You're lucky, Rhythm." she whispered almost bitterly- or was it wistfully- just loud enough for Rhythm to hear as she passed, trying to keep the words from Ashmedai who was shortly behind her. At least the boy could be truly happy for her. ""

One of the last wolves she expected to come barking up her tree was Esti, she'd been there for the birth of her son as well as when he was sick but she still felt like she didn't know the woman very well. She didn't dislike Esti, and didn't know what she might have done to earn such disdain. Despite the friendly face Rhythm couldn't help but feel tension as the much bigger woman strolled up to her boulder. She'd try not to reposition her belly away from the woman, knowing she wasn't really out to hurt herself or the babies. "Hello Esti, yes we will." she couldn't hold back the excitement in her voice. "Thank you. I know." She didn't know what else to say as her eyes drifted to her tall son behind her. Had she really only been passing through? ""

Ashmedai smelled Rhythm. He recognized her scent was different, but he didn't take much notice. He had conflicted feelings on her taking Cas's spot at the meeting and maybe betraying the pack. Ash grumbled slightly as his mother drew closer. Yes this was the easiest path but did she have to keep glancing over to find the woman. Esti shot him a piercing look. Yeah yeah the whole "we should try to be adults and respect your father's wishes" thing. Ashmedai had the feeling his mother fought with her feelings and that made him angry for some reason. Shouldn't she express herself confidently? Wasn't that what Imperium was about? Yup. There was Rhythm. Cool, okay, let's leave. No. Wait. Why was his momma stopping to talk to her? He thought it was the general consensus that they all didn't like her or need to talk to her, "So we'll be expecting more Valentine pups soon?" What. What did his momma mean? "Hello Esti, yes we will." Who? Who was having Valentine pups? Ash was the youngest and he wasn't a pup anymore so what did they mean? Ashmedai's brow furrowed. His mother walked off, but he stayed. His stance was wide, his chest puffed out like a wall. Sky eyes focused in on Rhythm beneath heavy brows, "What." he almost barked, "What pups?" the words came out more of a command than a question. His heart sunk to his stomach, but continued to beat heavily. Was Rhythm... Was she? Could she, "You? YOU? You and my dad? PUPS?" his breath caught and his nose wrinkled, distorting his freckles. His shoulders tensed. That was wrong. He was wrong. His dad wouldn't have pups with a tiny, helpless wolf like Rhythm. She was a traitor if what Vana had said was true! His dad wouldn't! He wouldn't! Ash was the youngest; that was the only thing special about him! This... this muddy weasel couldn't take that away from him. How could she just have pups? This was a joke right? Ashmedai shot a furious look in the direction that Esti had gone before honing back in on Rhythm, "What's going on here?" he hissed, his voice demanding as the fur along his back bristled, "Rhythm tell me!" His ears pinned back as he barked out. He had to hear it. He didn't want to hear it. He wanted to be wrong. Why couldn't they all dislike her together, his dad included?! Was he blind? Was there something else? Did he love Rhythm more than Cascade? More than him? No this was a lie! All lies! "SPEAK!"

Her eyes shifted from Esti to her son, he had stopped in his tracks, his demeanor reminding her of a wolf about to be attacked. Her ears would fall to her head but she still wouldn't move. He looked confused and angry all at the same time and she wasn't really sure what the best way to deal with him was if he decided to stay here. His words came swiftly though, demanding an answer he'd ask about pups. What pups, what had they meant? He seemed to understand rather quickly as he looked her over and again found himself exploding. She'd open her mouth to confirm but another wave of fury would take him and throw him around a bit more as he demanded his answers. She didn't know what he planned on doing, or if she was safe fro harm. Not that she didn't think that she could take the young boy despite his size, his momma might frown upon her smashing her baby into the dust. She'd take a deep breath and steel herself, her form shifting slightly so her feet were beneath her in the event that she would have to make a quick run for it. "Yes, Ash. You're going to be a big brother." Already though she knew very well that he wasn't going to be excited, and she was more than slightly worried that he had more violent intentions. ""

Ash couldn't focus past the rush of blood pulsing in his ears. Rhythm could confirm that he was going to be a big brother. No! He didn't want to be a big brother! He was the little brother. Didn't she understand that she was ruining literally everything? His heart dropped again, somehow, at hearing her words. Narrowed eyes tried to glare through Rhythm's skull for a moment before his gaze was averted to her stomach. There were pups in there already? Did that have to do with Rhythm's scent changing? When someone was pregnant, did they take on the scent of their pups too? His vision went blurry and it took the boy a moment to realize that it was because there were tears welling in his eyes. Crap. He looked back to Rhythm, his brow furrowing with all the force he could muster. The action caused his tears to fall to his white cheeks, "Why?" he choked out, his voice suddenly quiet. He couldn't think past Rhythm to consider his father's hand in all this at the moment. To Ashmedai, this was all Rhythm's doing. It was probably on purpose too. She was probably trying to end the pack by tricking his dad into having pups with her. His dad couldn't love her. Wasn't she a traitor? He kept thinking about that. Wasn't she? He didn't even know who or what he was asking "why" about. He didn't want to know. He just wanted not this to happen. Couldn't he go back to being a pup, back to when his dad took him on adventures and let him play the leader? Ashmedai hiccuped, realizing his crying was becoming harder and less controllable, "Why would you do this? Why are you so..." what was the word? What was she being? Did she hate him? Was she tricking his dad? Was she turning his dad against his kids, like Vana? "So evil?!" the words burst from his maw in a growl. A part of him regretted it already. His face contorted into something between anger and pain, his whole form feeling shaky, "You just don't understand anything!" he yelled, his voice breaking between deep and angry and boyish and hurt. He turned from Rhythm, but not in the direction Esti had went. Whatever the consequence was later, he wasn't going home tonight. He didn't think he could stay here. He didn't even know what all this truly meant. Part of him wanted to just vanish, but the largest portion of him was fuming. Ashmedai took off with a loud, aggrieved growl. His anger would eventually drain his energy and he would collapse, but he wouldn't be around here when he did it. "SPEAK!"

Ash just glared at her, she'd remain as neutral as possible, lifting her ears and gazing back softly until she realized the tears in his eyes. He was genuinely distraught over her pregnancy. "Ash.." his tears would fall and his voice would interrupt her, so full of emotion yet so quiet. She'd not try to speak again as he tried to take control of himself. The young boy and the growing man warred with each other internally as he processed the information she had offered to him. How had Esti not heard his outbreak? He was quick to speak again, another question but she had no answer for him. Because Valentine loves me. She couldn't imagine such a statement would be any favor to the tall boy. She also didn't expect to be called evil, the sock was evident as her eyes opened a bit wider and her lower jaw revealed a gap in her lips. He'd yell at her once more and bound away, not in Esti's direction at all. His howl would fade into the distance and Rhythm would sigh heavily as he left. Lifting herself from the boulder Rhythm thought it a good idea to alert his father of the outburst, at the least Rhythm might prepare him for a similar outburst. Hopefully though, Valen would do his magic and make everything in the boy's world good again. She knew that she wasn't going to be able to help him this time. Ash had come a long way from the tiny boy with a cold. ""

Esti didn't expect such a reaction from Ashmedai. Her bouncy, bubbly Ashmedai. Her hear would drop. Oh shit, he was serious. Hearing his voice, Esti turned, eyes wide. She crept into the brush for a better view, thinking it might not be best to interfere between "Valentine's son" and "Valentines..." whatever Rhythm was at this point. Esti crouched, ready to intercept him if something happened. Rhythm might go get hurt on her own, but there was no way she was going to let Ashmedai fall to that kind of action. Did he have something like that in him? Was he able to attack a pregnant female? She really, really hoped not. Something in his anger frightened the titan woman. She had never seen the boy so shaken. The boy who bawled when she told him he couldn't marry Cascade. He had never become so angry. He yelled and threw a fit and them he did it. He called Rhythm evil. Esti sucked in a breath and held it. She was honestly surprised. Eventually he ran off and Esti didn't know who to feel more sorry for. She decided she should probably apologize to Rhythm later. It wasn't her intention to have the boy upset at her. A part of her thought Ashmedai would have been happy and that it might settle some of his uneasiness about the woman. Gods knew she wasn't a good role model for how to deal with feelings and she didn't think he would ask his father. How did this get so serious? Rhythm got up and started on her own way. Esti could only figure she was either going to cry or tattle to Valentine. The breath she had been holding hissed out between her teeth, ending in an audible groan as Esti slowly rolled and close her eyes. The world was shit. Esti wouldn't return home. She turned to the battlefield. She decided Ashmedai needed some time to himself to think and she didn't need to interfere with that. Her boy was growing up, and growing up is hard. ""