Corvus couldn't help but feel grouchy. A slight frown was visible on his lips as he peered into the rapids, watching as the water cascaded violently over the rocks that made up the riverbed. Although Abaven seemed to be far more active lately, he couldn't help but feel vaguely disconnected from the wolves there - especially the newcomers. Sure, he has his family, and some of the older members like Caelestis who had become familiar to him, but he still felt wary about the rest of them. It wasn't that they didn't seem nice, either. No, they seemed like fine enough wolves. The truth was, he was just being stubborn for the sake of it, his pigheaded attitude one he'd inherited from his father. He wanted to sulk, goddamnit, and so he was going to sulk. The brisk fall day should've been refreshing, but it did little to change his already sullen mood. Only briefly did he stir, a bitter evening wind moving through and rustling his coat enough to send a shiver down his spine. He cast a glance upward at the horizon, watching the way the sun was quickly setting beneath it, and casting a lovely array of colors across the sky. He watched it for a moment before standing up from his seated position and heading further down the rapids, nearing the edge of Abaven's claimed lands now.

"Talk" "walk" Shaye was doing border patrols, which was essentially just a good excuse for pacing well lost in her thoughts. She was moving through the borders around the rapids - which was easily her favourite territory in Abaven, when she would catch sight of a russet coated wolf. Even from here she could see the frown that formed across his expression, and there was something to his step that spoke of unhappiness. He walked with the rapids at his side, and hadn’t seem to notice her yet. The Alpha turned from her border patrol, and made her way towards him. He was a wolf she did not see much of, and he was family. She certainly wished to get to know him better. It was her biggest regret with Sparrow, that when she finally had the time and was in the right place to get know the sweet Cousin who had stood up to lead Abaven, she had been taken from her. She felt Sparrow would have known a lot about what Shaye was going through, trying to keep the Risen Empire happy, trying to prepare for winter, and promote activity within the pack. She wished dearly that she could speak to the woman and get her advice and thoughts on the matter. She pushed that thought to the side, keeping it there only as a reminder on how important it was to get to know the family she had left. “Corvus!” she called out warmly as she approached him. “How have you been?” maybe wasn’t the best introduction, but she didn’t even know what they had in common - other then in Abaven. Perhaps she could start a conversation, and go from there.

Despite his glum mood, Corvus hadn't really thought anyone could tell from a distance that he was feeling shitty. Of course it was quite obvious, but he was blissfully unaware of that. Corvus was so caught up in his own head that he hardly noticed when someone approached him. It wasn't until Shaye called out that he noticed anyone had been following him, and instantly the oversized wolf snapped his head to the side to glance somewhat warily at her. "Oh.. hey," the yearling offered her a somber greeting, though forced a smile onto his face. Shaye wasn't at fault for his woes and he had no reason to treat her badly because of his own stupid thoughts. His pace slowed as she neared him, his head lifting slightly. After a moment he paused, turning to face her more properly. He might not be the best at conversation, but he knew his manners - his father wouldn't want him being rude to Abaven's new leader, especially not one that was related to him. "I'm okay I guess," he answered quickly, before realizing how he sounded.  "I mean.. I'm fine. What about you? I mean, with settling in here and everything," Corvus added quickly. God, he sounded like a fool, but he'd always been a bit unsteady when talking to wolves he didn't know and he wasn't quite sure how he was supposed to talk to her of all wolves.

"Talk" "walk" He would respond with his own greeting, through it lacked luster, and his smile looked forced. She wondered at what was troubling him, and what she could do to help. She would give him the chance to mention in own thoughts, or try to find such a chance in their conversation, but she would not ask him outright. She knew she hadn’t been in the lives of these wolves often enough or long enough to hold their trust, through she dearly wished that she did. She offered him a soft smile of her own, searching his form for signs of the woman who had been her childhood best friend, and her cousin. Instead, this man was his own person, one she had not yet had a chance to know. She knew how her younger self would have greeted him, with the excitement of a child and the declaration that she would find him the perfect feather. Those days where long gone now, and the Alpha would take a seat before him, trying not to look intimidating. “It’s been a long journey, settling in here. It’s a lot different from when I was a child. Still, it’s a beautiful place, it always has been, and it’s good to be home.” she admitted to him, her smile a little wistful. There where so many people from her childhood that she missed, and her connection to his mother was one of them.

Abaven was not the same as it had once been, but he supposed change was only natural. While he knew it was better now that family were in charge again, they were still as good as strangers to him - though he supposed he ought to give them a chance, even if his father didn't seem particularly excited about it either. He paused in his wandering, not fully sitting yet but relaxing slightly in her presence as she reclined to her haunches. "What was it like here then? When you were a child, I mean?" Corvus had heard from his own mom and dad, but he couldn't help but feel like their recollections might be different somehow. He knew his father had faced some disappointment growing up, from the loss of his siblings to his own father's disappearance. Corvus couldn't imagine that that would be like, losing any of his siblings or his dad, so he didn't blame him for feeling jaded about things. But did Shaye have a similar outlook? She sounded positive about her time here, and he couldn't help but be curious.

"Talk" "walk" The young man seemed happy to stop for a conversation, offering no objections, through he didn’t take a seat. She let her gaze drift out to the greater view of Abaven, and thought for a moment. What was it like for her? She knew her memories of Abaven where a little rosy coloured now, missing what she had lost. But what had it really been like? “Bass was a pretty strict Alpha, but he was a good guy, too. I have memories of him teaching me the way of the world.” her smile was soft, and sad, knowing almost any name she mentioned from her childhood spoke of a wolf now gone. “Me and my mother butted heads a lot, he tried to balance her out a little, I think. I remember snapshots of my life, like when my Aunt taught me how to catch salamanders by the rapids, teaching Finch the same skill when she had a bad day. She got social anxiety, you see.” she laughed softly, as another memory came unbidden to her. “There was this guy I liked when I was a yearling, he crossed pack territory to see me, back before I knew the rules properly. Bass just about burst a blood vessel when he saw us.” She admitted. Arcus. Would she ever know what happened to him? Her heart hurt, talking about all these wolves, now gone.

After some hesitation Corvus finally reclined to his haunches, deciding that sitting was only polite when someone was talking to you - well, answering a question he'd asked, no less. He was pleased that Shaye was choosing to humor him and tell him about how she remembered Abaven, back when she'd been a member before. He cracked a slight smile as she described Bass; Lark had described his grandfather to him in a similar manner. Strict, but a good father, despite his sudden departure from the pack, and it was good to know others felt the same way about him. He'd heard a bit about his father's siblings too, but those memories seemed tainted too by losing touch with them so early in his life. The nostalgia was audible in her voice, and he felt his heart clench for her, sharing these memories with him. Corvus felt himself smiling slightly at her, the joy in her memories slightly contagious. "What about my mom and dad? Did you know them well at all, back then?" He knew they were family, and they were all aware of one another, but beyond that he had no real idea.

"Talk" "walk" Corvus took a seat after a moment, and looked like he was happy to stay around for a time and chat. He had questions, first about her memories of the pack before, and then about his own parents. What did she remember about them? She let out a soft breath as she considered what to say. She would share with him what she could, delving into times she had left behind. “Your mother and I where best friends when I was a pup. You know her green-yellow feather? I found and gifted that to her. She was a very determined wolf when we were younger, not afraid to back down from a fight. She butted heads with my mother almost as much as I did.” another sad smile, the two had been close once, Motif and Lilliana, but they had taken a wrong turn somewhere, and Lily never forgave her mother. As for Lily and Shaye? Well, the woman was sick, and had ignored all attempts Shaye had made to see her, and leave prey and medicine at her door. She worried greatly that the woman didn’t have much time left. “I mostly saw your father at gatherings and group events, we didn’t cross paths as often as I did with my other cousins.” she admitted, casting her mind back to younger days, trying to remember any interactions she had had with him.

Corvus wondered if he'd asked too much, but he couldn't help but feel curious about what his parents and Abaven had been like when Shaye had been young. It surprised him though when she admitted that she'd been best friends with her mom - wait, really? His eyes widened slightly as he turned to face her a bit better, curiosity visible in his eyes. Shaye hadn't only been her friend, but she'd gifted her his mom's feather she always wore. "Definitely sounds like my mom," he agreed with a gentle chuckle. Even despite her failing health, she still had a fiercely determined spirit, even Corvus could attest to that. Apparently she hadn't been close to his dad though, admitting they only saw one another in passing. Another question came to his mind now, and Corvus decided he ought to ask before he let it stew and felt even worse about these unfamiliar family members coming back so suddenly. "What made you and Rhyme come back?" The question came out suddenly, before he could stop himself, but he was more concerned with answers now than about the consequences of asking something so openly. "And what made you leave in the first place?" It was hard for him to imagine leaving his family behind, but he'd heard stories of so many Destructions who had.

"Talk" "walk" Corvus’s attention seem to snap more clearly onto her, as she admitted how she and Lillie had been childhood best friends. “In fact, my mother had been close friends with her mother, and took Lillie under her wing. They had a falling out, but me and Lillie kept out friendship.” she would go on to explain. She couldn’t remember Lillie’s mothers name - having never met the woman, and didn’t know much more about her friendship with her mother. But she told the younger wolf what she could remember, seeing his interest in the subject. “I left…” Shaye paused, emotion catching up to her, before letting it out again with a sigh. “Well, we left Abaven first because my father got sick, and my mother wanted to take him away to a quiet place to live out the rest of his life. Abaven was a busy place, strict on activity, and often had a lot going on. It was a pack that wasn’t afraid to put a hand into the wars happening in the world. But, well we lived on that island Vail got sick as well, very sick. We got word of a healer that could help her, and we took off to find him. He saved my sisters life, and the last of her sight, and asked for service as assistant healers as payment. We helped him for a few years before we were released and came here. I never intended to become the Alpha of this pack, but nor did I ever want to lose Abaven, I stepped up, not knowing what I was getting myself into. Now that I am the Alpha, I know that I will protect this pack with everything that I have.” she explained to him. “Rhyme’s return happened not to long after mine - but he had never been a part of this pack before now.” it was a lot of explaining to give, and she bared her soul perhaps more then she should have to the young wolf. Maybe he needed it, regardless, the words where out now.

Seeing how poor his mom's health had been lately, hearing Shaye's childhood stories that involved her cheered him up quite a bit. He knew that his parents hadn't been the closest friends when they were younger - the way they joked about it made it seem like they'd moreso been enemies, actually - but he hadn't pressed the topic too much. Truthfully knowing Shaye had been friends with Lillie made his worries about her lessen, if only slightly, though he wasn't quite sure if it'd remain that way after he asked the question that had been weighing on his mind. She explained she'd left because of her father's health, and then Vail's own issues had kept them away. It made sense - he too would abandon Abaven if it meant caring for his own immediate family's health. "I won't lie, it's a little weird having family we've never met just.. show back up in our lives, but I'm glad it's you and Rhyme instead of anyone else." Was that rude to say? The part about their return and subsequent takeover being a bit weird? It was how he felt, though, and it felt like they were being open and honest so he hoped he wasn't being too forward either.

She pushed aside the morose feelings that came from delving into the past. It almost seemed like a different world now, and her a different person. The sweet young healer who had grown up thinking her family was the entire world.

She focused on Corvus, and smiled as he admitted it was strange, that they had turned up, strangers who where family. “My timing was a little off.” she had to admit. How she wished she had gotten to know who Sparrow had become a little better. That loss still hurt, one of the fresher pains of loss.

“I’m glad you’ve come to accept us in the end” she said, offering the young man a smile, pushing past her memories and focusing on the future, which he was a part of. Him and the rest of the pack.

She admitted her timing was off, and he allowed himself another faint grin. He was tempted to say it coulda been worse, but really.. could it? At least she'd returned when the Abraxas guy was leaving the pack and not before. He wondered if Shaye would've fought for her family's pack or not, but he supposed it didn't matter now. Dwelling on the past never did him any good, not when life had been relatively easy for the yearling so far. Corvus simply followed her words with a slow nod. 'I'm glad you've come to accept us in the end,' she said, and Corvus nodded once more. Had he, though? He'd gotten used to it, but complete acceptance was something else entirely, in his mind. Talking to Shaye today had helped him understand some things, and feel overall less uncomfortable with things, but he had some things to work out on his own. He was remarkably stubborn deep down, and knew fully getting used to them being here was a much longer process for him than it needed to be. "I should probably go see how mom and dad are doing," he offered finally, his way of easily sneaking out of a conversation he felt was over, though it was true; he'd been avoiding them and he knew he really ought to make sure nothing was needed of him. "But thanks for chatting with me, Shaye." He flashed her a small grin, his expression more genuine now, before turning and heading toward his parents den. - exit Corvus -