Rhythm wandered under the trees as the spring weather began to take hold of Abaven and the rest of the world. She could already feel it in her bones, there was a relief from her worsening arthritis. She made it through this winter, but the spring had her considering much more heavily how long she would have left. She needed to spend that time she was allowed with the young generation of her family.

One she especially wished to see was Spirit. He’d been timid and shy at the little lesson with his cousins, and he reminded her so much of his mother. She hoped she might be able to help him blossom as Eulogy was after being reunited with the family. He had nothing to fear being in Abaven, despite their losses Rhythm was sure the pack was stronger than ever and he could learn and grow without worry. Or she’d like to see him get to that place.

The old woman meandered her way closer to Eulogy’s den in hopes that she might catch the boy close by. She didn’t want to put him on the spot by calling for him.

Spirit, although far from what anyone would consider comfortable within Abaven, was slowly beginning to adjust to life back home. Still he stuck close by his mother's side whenever he wasn't alone, as if he wasn't quite sure how to exist without her. In his newest companion, the little strawberry finch that was always close by, he'd found some comfort... she was a familiar face and the shy little bird seemed as fond of him as he was of her. She was no wolf, and he knew he needed to properly integrate with the other wolves within his pack, but he cared for her just the same - perhaps even more than the wolves within Abaven he didn't know, but he'd never rightfully admit that.

His siblings had been on his mind lately. Making amends with them, somehow, seemed important... and yet he was at a loss for how to do just that. He was reminded constantly of how hurt Desolate had looked upon their return, while Gloom and Void for example had seemed mostly happy to see them. Spirit didn't know how to take any of their reactions, or even if he should be allowed to question them. It was he and his mother who had left, despite their reasons for being separated being valid ones; their hurt was real and he understood that.

But what now? He had no idea.

The lanky boy, slowly beginning to fill in again after returning home, found his mind drifting to his siblings as he wandered through the plains. As close as he was to his mother, he was a wolf of few words and even with her, things often went unsaid. How could he begin to deal with everything he worried about? Maybe she could help him, if only he could find his voice. He didn't except to see someone else nearby though, and he found himself flinch as Rhythm came into view, though he regained some semblance of composure and took a few more steps. "O-oh, hello," Spirit nervously greeted her, wishing desperately his tongue didn't feel like a lead weight in his mouth.

Rhythm made herself comfortable, laying her thin form over the newly growing grasses. Having Eulogy so close, and knowing that she was blossoming into a woman she never could have been had they been forced to stay where she was born. She felt a huge relief in her heart to know that her captors, and all that associated with them, were dead. She just had to keep the innocents from her mind, they never existed… they never existed..

Her dark thoughts were interrupted by the sound of paw steps approaching, and her silver marked features upturned towards Spirit as he rounded the bend. She couldn’t see how much she took him aback, but she didn’t miss the hesitation nor the slight stutter in his young voice. ”Hello, Spirit.” She returned warmly, her voice quiet but stable. The old woman shifted lightly, silently inviting him to sit, but giving him the option of rejecting her presence without confrontation as well.

”How are you settling in?” She pressed gently with a soft smile on her features and her sightless gaze roughly pointed in his direction as the sparrow, Feather, landed on her shoulder.

Even among family, Spirit felt completely alien - though how could he not? He was different from his siblings, those that had grown up together in the comfort of their pack, and he didn't even know how they all felt about his return in the first place. There was so much he had to figure out and learn again, and he wasn't quite sure where to begin - it was hard to tell where he was wanted, or where he was needed, so he tended to keep to himself more often that not.

At least... until moments like this came up. Maybe running into family members was a good thing. At the very least, it was forcing him to talk to someone, even if he felt quite uncertain about himself the entire while. Luckily Rhythm didn't seem bothered by his nerves, greeting him warmly. He appreciated her gentleness; even her voice was soft and comforting and he felt some of the anxiety begin to drain away. Not completely, but some, and that was enough to keep him from freezing up entirely.

He was able to finally force a small but genuine smile back at her. Sitting definitely sounded more appealing than standing. Why did he suddenly feel like his legs might give out, anyway? "I-I'm.. t-trying," Spirit started weakly. He was distracted though as a bird landed on Rhythm's shoulder, and he realized that his face had suddenly lit up, like a switch had been flipped. "Is t-that.. your f-friend?" Though he wasn't smiling, his eyes were wide and interested as he slid down near her onto his belly, eyeing the sparrow. He was reminded of his own little bird friend, and he wondered briefly where she might be hiding today.

The boy was so hesitant that Rhythm found herself unconsciously trying not to move very fast. Not that her old joints could move very fast anyway. Despite that Rhythm looked comfortable, her shoulders were relaxed and she was relatively pain free. She looked like she was comfortable. Gentle was a good word to describe her as well, if anyone wore her ’little old lady’ look well it was rhythm. She wouldn’t hurt a fly these days. He hoped he returned her smile but she couldn’t see it or hear it in his voice but she had hope. He wasn’t the only Destruction to be shy and timid, he wouldn’t be the last. Hopefully she might help him get past those qualities.

His answer to her was hesitant but she hadn’t expected much different, he stuttered but told her that he was trying. Rhythm believed him, but trying only went so far, you either were or you weren’t. That lesson would be left for another day as his attention shifted to Feather. Would she be a potential link between them?

Rhythm smiled warmly, ”Yes, her name is Feather.” She told his softly, feeling that familiar pang in her heart. Feather had once served Shaye. The old woman shifted lightly to disrupt her thoughts. ”Do you have a friend like her?” She returned, her voice low like the two of them shared some important secret.

Slow and steady was how Spirit had to go about things - he really knew no other way to go about things. He was nervous and meticulous, and that was the only way he knew how to make sense of the world. Everyone else seemed much more... fast, erratic. He was grateful when other wolves seemed to match his pace, even if he wasn't entirely aware they were doing it - or, likewise, if they were even aware they were slowing down to meet his own hesitant pace. Luckily though he found himself growing a touch more sure of himself as he began to speak of Rhythm's bird, his face visibly lighting up.

"Feather," he repeated, finally letting a faint smile touch his lips. The expression went as quickly as it came, though it was genuine when it did persist. "She's s-so cute," he started. Feather didn't look too unlike his own companion, though they varied drastically in color. "I-I do. H-her name.. is S-Strawberry." She wasn't here with him right now, but he hoped Rhythm believed him anyway. I f-found her.. during the raid," he spoke softly as well, finding some stability as they shared their little secret together.

Rhythm’s life definitely moved at a slower pace these days, but that wasn’t all bad. Now that she was past her prime and far into the golden years it was easier to go slow. To enjoy the moment because her last was right around the corner. The old woman could hear the subtle differences in his voice, the fleeting smile and the slow accomodation to her presence. His energy seemed almost comfortable now.

”Thank you,” she replied softly, only barely even remembering what the bird looked like. To Rhythm she was more of a song than an image in her mind. ”Strawberry sounds lovely.” The silver marked woman told him softly. ”Did you stay back to protect your mom?” Rhythm whispered, proud of him no matter where he was during the raid. ”Feather used to be Shaye’s bird, a long while ago.” The old woman sighed softly, feeling keenly the hole in her heart that her niece left. "She retired with me, and we've been friends since."

Strawberry was lovely, she was right about that. His little bird was a spark of pure joy and freedom in a world that otherwise made him feel... well, it was hard to feel like he was tethered here when he'd rather be flying freely among the treetops as she did. He wanted to be as confident as his siblings, to know where exactly he stood in the world and what his family and pack required of him, but he had a feeling that was a journey he'd be taking much more slowly than most.

"She is!" He finally chirped up, wishing that Rhythm could see her. Or hear her, rather - she did have a lovely voice, no doubt just as her own bird companion did. "I... no," he admitted quietly. Would she berate him for his lack of courage? He truly wanted to be strong and brave, like Desolate who had faced his opponent with such strength, or so he'd heard. "I d-didn't want to.. g-get in the way..." He didn't know anything about healing, and figured he'd be more of a roadblock than anything useful to his mother and the rest of the healers that had been tending to the wounded.

The old woman would do anything for her grandson that she could but she wasn’t sure how to put that into words exactly. Let alone if he’d fully understand them if she tried. Rhythm loved him unconditionally, even if he did feel like his life needed some work. Everyone learned and grew at their own pace, Rhythm couldn’t fault him for that.

Though he seemed vibrant and excited to talk about Strawberry he seemed to sink in on himself as he stuttered lightly and answered her softly. Rhythm offered him a look of sympathy. ”Sometimes keeping back is the best option.” She encouraged him, though she hadn’t expected him to deny her prompt. He didn’t seem like he was clueless to his weakness, so he was headed in the right direction even if he didn’t feel much like that. ”There will always be more raids,” she offered a little somberly. ”Where do you see yourself next time?” He couldn’t change where he was in the past, but he could control where his future would be.

His grandmother's features were kind; so kind, in fact, that he found himself relaxing as she faced him while he spoke. He wished desperately he had done more - than he could've been brave and fought like his brother Desolate, or like Void had - but he wasn't strong, nor was he brave. Spirit knew that. What he did know was that he was kind and cared deeply for his family, even if he had to work on his relationships with them. "I-I'd like to d-do.. what my m-om did," he spoke meekly. "I want to... to h-help those who are hurt." While he didn't know the specifics - jumping into saying he wanted to learn about herbs or healing, for some reason, felt very reckless - he just knew he wanted to help those who'd been hurt, whether physically or otherwise. Spirit hated to see other wolves suffer, no matter from what ailments. Helping them through their pain sounded deeply rewarding to him.