White paws carried Rhyme toward Abaven once more, Imperia decided she preferred flight over rising on Rhyme and quickly took to the wing. Not with out a wince from the slate wolf when she took off. Flying ahead of him a bit, waiting for his four legged pace to catch up and over take her before repeating the process. Rhyme found himself mesmerized with the bird as she flew over his head between the trees. His bright eyes reflected the sun as he passed underneath the canopy, and slowly he would retell his life's story to the intelligent bird. She listened to him with out comment as they drew more near to Abaven's border, he knew she had to be doing at least that. The look in her eye when he spoke or mentioned something she found herself interested in was too pointed. Occasionally he found she told him a story as well, a short memory that the wolf had to decipher with some difficulty. Though he realized even in the short time they were together he could understand her better. The conversation slowed as Rhyme crossed back into Abaven's borders. Still following the river home Rhyme loped to where he'd held fight training. He hadn't seen Shaye on his way here, so he'd summon her to his side with a short bark. Rhyme lowered his haunches to the pebble strewn field as Imperia left the trees and took her place on his shoulder. Rhyme winced again, but stifled the motion much faster this time. ""

The Alpha was surveying Vail’s garden, walking carefully through the herbs as she admired the well-tendered plants. It was clear that love and attention had been placed into the forming of the garden, and already a variety of herbs where blooming in the late summer sun. The scent reminded her of a lot of things. First, of course, her more recent experiences with the hermit who had saved Vail’s sight. Those memories where bittersweet. Her and Vail had learned to work together, to lean on each other, to depend on each other. That part was wonderful. The isolation, the questions about what they had left behind… those had been harder to deal with. More faintly, it reminded her of family, of long-gone memories of Rhythm and a bustling Abaven. Times before things got a little more confusing. She allowed a faint smile to pass her lips, her head snaking forward to sniff at the delicate aroma of plantlife, before a soft bark would catch her attention. She recognised the sound of Rhyme, and carefully left the herb garden behind, as she fell into an easy lope and made her way toward the Secondary Alpha. When he came into view, her pace would slow in surprise. There was an awkwardly humped shape on his shoulder, and as she neared, she would recognise the shape of a bird. She chuckled softly, glad her own little TreeSwallow had stayed behind. Somehow, she doubted the presence of this new hunter would have been soothing. “Rhyme!”  She called out in greeting, coming to a stop in front of him. “I see you’ve joined in on the family tradition.”   she would tease. "Speech"

The second alpha wasn’t forced to wait long at all, before he could start another conversation with the impressive bird Shaye could be heard making her way towards him. His bright gaze found her as she made her way towards him in the clearing and he smiled kindly at her. She called out him name and he bowed slightly, disturbing Imperia on his back. She extended her wings and tightened her talons as she regained her balance. Both causing the large wolf to look like he possessed wings of his own and to cause a wince to run across his features. He chuckled at Shaye’s observation, it did seem their little Abaven family developed a habit of acquiring birds. Vail with her white screech owl, Shaye’s tiny swallow, and now his iridescent raven. "I was beginning to feel left out," he joked as Imperia settled back down and loosed her claws from his flesh. "This is Imperia, she’s decided to tolerate my company in exchange for food." At the word food Imperia’s eyes became focused on his features. ”You’ve rabbit? Crack. Rabbit.” She uttered looking from Rhyme to Shaye, taking time from preening herself and showing off the beautiful feathers that coated her body and wings. ""

She grinned good naturedly at him as he teased her back. The presence of Rhyme was comforting, and she plopped herself down beside him after a moment. She enjoyed the warmth of the sun, and the familiarity of his presence.
She loved Rhyme, she saw a lot of her Auntie in him, and wasnt afraid to lean against his support, to gain his aid in whatever she and the pack needed.

"Pleasure to meet you Imperia. Good tactic, I would tolerate his presence for food too. Sadly, I think I'm the better hunter, woe to me." She grinned flicking her tail lazily against the wolf. "Theres probably a rabbit in the catch pile." She admitted, through she made no move to get up.

"She really is a beautiful bird" shaye commented, as the creature in question flared her wings, preening proudly as both wolves admired her. "Welcome to Abaven, I feel you'll fit right in." Her voice was serious, but her eyes where teasing.

He felt at ease in Shaye's presence, much like he felt with his mother. He shared a similar love between them, one of trust and of blood. They were cousins, but he would have almost argued siblings being the better way to describe them. While Motif might have been Shaye's mother Rhythm had quite the hand in raising her. He wasn't quite so sure with Vail, but Shaye had been there when he was born, she was practically he sister. 

Shaye didn't hesitate to tease him as she greeted his companion, Imperia seemed to more than enjoy the attention lavished upon her. Rhyme shook his head with a smile on his features as Shaye mentioned her more impressive abilities in the hunting field. He couldn't argue with her, while he could manage to feed himself she was more skilled in that area. Imperia's attention remained on Shaye as she mentioned the rabbit, but the raven did not take flight to seek out her promised reward. She flapped her wings in approval of Shaye's compliments and clicked her beak at the welcome. 

"She will certainly come in handy when scouting, a pair of eyes from the air could also help in the event of a raid." he mentioned as Imperia settled herself again. "Hopefully my shoulders won't become her preferred perch, those talons are sharp."

It was a nice day, for early-autumn, and there was warmth in the touch of the sun, with the occasional gliding cloud to keep her from getting too overheated. It was a good day, especially when spent in the presence of her fellow Alpha.

She had been frantically working in her first few weeks of Alpha, at a pace that would have burnt her out if she had kept it up too long. She hadn’t gone to the battlefield for a little while, to call new recruits to Abaven. She had gleaned what she could from that path, at least for the moment. She grinned, realising that pack duties had crossed her mind within minutes of relaxing with Rhyme. She shook it free, and let here eye return to the glorious bird upon his shoulders.

There was a silky sheen to her feathers, and a sharpness in her beady eyes. “Maybe we should make you a harness for her to ride on.” she grinned at the imagery.

Shaye worked hard to restore Abaven to the glory it once held, Rhyme felt as though they still had much more work to go. However they had come a long way from the occupied pack that lingered here months previously. He felt pride in his cousin and the goal they worked towards. Imperia’s attention lingered on Shaye even as she suggested the ridiculous notion. She flapped her wings again in distaste. "I don’t think she wants to use one, and I would be even less thrilled. I prefer the talons to a saddle." He scoffed in slight amusement. "While a harness wont help anyone, how can I further help you Shaye? You’ve been working your claws off and I’ve been off.. collecting birds." He offered the example amusedly. What more alpha duties could she transfer to his back? He knew she hadn’t been to all of the packs yet, "Are there any alphas you would like for us to visit? Surely with her eyes we might even be safer travelling across Boreas." ""

Shaye recognised the emotion behind the birds dismissive wing-shake. She had been around birds enough in her life. She couldn’t help the miscevious grin that touched her face at the thought of Rhyme in a harness, the bird clinging to the material. “And a fine bird you’ve collected.” she teased him, before letting the seriousness that came with her mantle of Alphership fall over her.

When he mentioned helping her, even going on to suggest speaking with Alpha’s, it touched on something she had been considering herself.
“Actually. There is something, there are new packs forming that I intend to broker alliances with. Well I do this, can you make your way to Lirim in the West and speak with the Alpha’s there about an alliance with Abaven?” a pained expression touched her eyes. She had been intending to go herself for a while now, and had yet to make the journey. Of course, hald the reason of promoting Rhyme was to share these burdens. She smiled fondly at her cousin even well she kept the conversation serious.

“You can promise them trade, and friendship, and anything creative you can think of. Try not to make too many promises on Abaven’s behalf, if you can help it.” she suggested

Imperia would certainly make a fine companion, she was intuitive to his motions seemed eager to form a partnership. She was a fine specimen, and he wondered what had made her leave her own flock. Of course being in a pack of wolves was only different in the species making up the group. She would finder self at home here soon enough. Rhyme twisted his head slightly to admire her a moment as Shaye tried to tease him some more. Though business needed to be gotten down to.

His cousin did indeed have important business to attend to. Lirim, the western pack was in need of visiting. Rhyme hadn't been back in the area very long, already knowing Imperium was gone while Abaven still stood here. The other packs were unknown to him. He'd find them easily enough though, he was sure.

"Trade, friendship, creativity." He smiled, bringing a little bit of play into their serious conversation. Hopefully he wouldn't make her doubt the decision to send him out into the wild. He'd really been taking advantage of being free again, he'd been mostly smiles an jokes thus far. Completely turned around from the wolf he had been while captive. "I will take your words to heart." He nodded in acceptance, causing a wince as Imperia squeezed her grip tighter as he moved.

He agreed easily to her request, taking a load of her shoulders. She knew he would do a good job, he was a clever wolf with a good heart. He might not show it as readily as she did, but she knew it was there. There a fondness in her smile as she looked at her Cousin. She wasn’t as mushy with him as she was with Rhythm, but she found them both an important part of her life, as wolves she could lean on.

“Good, consider this your first big test then.” she would tease him. “Maybe after that i’ll send you to the RIsen Empire.” she paused, and shook her head with a laugh. “Or maybe not, I don’t trust any of those wolves as far as I can throw them. They are arrogant, the lot of them.” she found another glimmer of a smile trying to break through. Speaking of arrogant… “So how’s your father been since your mother got back?” she asked curiously, she knew Rhythm had found him again but that had to have been an interesting conversation.

His first big test, like Shaye didn't already have complete faith in him. As well she probably shouldn't, sometimes he wasn't even completely confident in his abilities. They could lean on each other though, they complimented one another well and seemed to be getting the hang of leading a pack well enough. He hadn't heard of the Risen Empire, but he trusted Shaye's judgement. He had no doubt he wouldn't particularly like what he found there. Rhyme wondered absentmindedly if it were anything like Imperium had been in its hay day.

Shaye seemed to sense a familiarity as well as she followed up with a question about his father. He hadn't spent a whole lot of time with the old man since he has returned, though he knew by now he would be itching to make the raid on those slavers. "As grumpy as always, but he seems genuinely happy to have my mother again." He wondered how such a rough guy had snatched Rhythm more than once, but tried not to think about it too much. He wouldn't exist if they hadn't. "Thankfully he seems as strong as ever, I'm beginning to think even the grim reaper won't be able to take him." He said with a chuckle as he tried not to think about the eventual loss of his father.