Stalking away, Valentine was silent until Cascade was far behind them. She'd always been a pain in his ass. Always. Until this point he hadn't minded it, but this time she'd gotten him into serious shit. She could have started a war! It wasn't so much what she had done as how. She'd snuck behind his back. What if she'd brought Abaven and its allies down on him while he'd slept? She had made good points though. He couldn't deny that. Stopping, he turned to face Rhythm. He didn't know what to say, didn't know where to start. The night had been long and his head was swimming with what all had happened. He debated being subtle, debated beating around the bush, but in the end, he was too tired for it. "I want you to stay here with me." Was he being selfish? Yes. Knowing that did little to slow him down. He wanted her to be safe. At the very least, he and Bass could agree on that much. ""

Quite disrupted from her usual existence Rhythm hadn't hesitated at Valen's touch, her dark paws would carry her beside him. Her mind was spinning with all that had happened already, and found that even in his presence she wasn't losing her feeling of unease. She felt a little better, but still.. she had so much to ask, there was too much she didn't know. If Valentine hadn't stopped she was going to. Bright sapphire and amethyst gaze would find his as he turned around to face her, silence consuming them for only a moment as he debated about what to say. What he finally stated came as no real surprise, but to hear it from his lips made the thought more real. Her heart would race and her gaze would dart to the horizon as her features contorted, there were few emotions that were able to catch her up, but with the night she'd had there was little wonder that everything was catching up to her. For the first time she had the urge to embrace the man who stood before her, Rhythm wanted to be the helpless fea that couldn't even stand for herself. That wouldn't handle her emotions by herself when the world got difficult. Everything was going so fast, she could hardly keep up by now. She'd take a deep breath in, taking control of the tears that welled in her eyes and the uncertainty that played on her face. She'd reign in the desire for a comforting affection, sniffling slightly she would look back to Valentine. "I am not that delicate and i can take care of myself." She'd start, heart still racing as sobs threatened her composure. Taking in another deep breath she'd start again. "My family needs me." Her ears were against her skull, her brain and responses all over the place. "Valen, we haven't even said 'i love you' and you want me to live with you?" She'd lose her cool a little bit as her words ended in a rather pitiful whine. "I don't know, everything is going so fast." She'd fall to her haunches, but resisted the needy urge to flop onto the ground and cover her eyes with her paws. There was no definite answer in her words, but obviously an overwhelming need to validate her reasoning for going back with Bass. Still, a small part of her, one that she almost wanted to squish, wanted to stay. The part of her that remembered all the days she'd found herself in flight of Abaven for all the emotions it wrought. The sight of Bass and Wren as they gazed lovingly at each other, thoroughly engrossed in one another's presence. Shai and Motif seemed to do it to, not that Shai was able to notice. The jealous part of her wanted to be selfish, and to stay here in Valentine's presence and seek out that devotion her siblings had. Deep in her heart though she found there was doubt that she'd find that here. Cascade's words had done more than just open Valentine's eyes to the concern of her safety. Her voice didn't come for a long moment, but she knew she had to ask him. Almost warily her eyes would seek his, "Do I.. belong to you?" She could hear her own heartbeat like thunder in her ears as the question was released. Was she just an object to be had? ""

Her eyes welled up with tears - the first he'd seen since finding her with Cascade. She struggled with a reply, her face flipping through a range of emotions, and when she finally spoke he was somewhat prepared for it. She misunderstood him and he nearly interrupted her, the insides of his ears glowing auburn and the heat in his face threatening to set the fur on his cheeks ablaze. Instead he bit his tongue and attempted to close the distance between them, eager to sit before her and make himself better understood. "Of course not," he began, trying to find words that would both do his affection for her and his intentions justice. "I'm not saying stay with me, I'm saying...stay here. I won't keep you from your family, you can come and go as you please like any other member." His ears fell back and he attempted to inch closer. "Please consider it. I..." He struggled with the words, desperately trying to not fuck up what was quite possibly his only chance. "I'm not looking to speed things up. This is insane, I know it is. I just..." I want you to be safe. Cascade's final words rang in his ears. "I thought you cared about her," she'd said. Yes. Yes he did. And she had no idea. "It's selfish of me to ask," he admitted, his expression earnest, "But I am." ""

As she finished her rather scattered answer her eyes would linger on his features as he drew more near. Her dark ears slowly perked forward as he dissipated her last worry first, easily quelling the fears that had reared. Rhythm would keep his cool gaze, too flustered herself to notice any of the frantic emotions within his voice. She'd take a deep breath and focus as he explained himself further, he wanted her close but she would have her freedom to see and go where she pleased. Of course he was not asking her to totally give up the family that she held so dear. She'd feel the warmth of him as he closed the distance further, and she'd once again be tempted to just fall into his chest and wish her problems away. This was obviously her choice. This was not Valentine forcing her to stay in his pack, which by all definition he had every right to do. She wouldn't miss his note of going any faster than they were now, and she felt a relief at that. Their relationship had been so completely care free and with out definition. Would living here change that? She'd finally give in to the need for comfort, he was already so close that as she uttered yet another sigh leaning into his tall chest was simple. "It's selfish of me to ask, but I am." She'd blink into his plush fur, silent as she breathed in his scent. The question would bounce around her mind with her reasons for staying and going. The answer would not come easily. "How am I supposed to tell my siblings?" They were the reason she hesitated, she cared for them more deeply than even she was aware of sometimes. She often put their well being and happiness before her own, much like she did now. Had she been more selfish the decision would have been easy, but they were counting on her. What would happen to her relationship with them if she chose to stay with him? "I.. " her head would shake slightly as she cleared her thoughts, so much to think about. Another sigh would leave her, "I'll stay, because you said please." She'd finally answer, finding a bit of humor in the situation. Despite it all she felt her lips curl into a smile at the thought, her features pushing affectionately into Valentine's neck. ""

She closed what little distance remained between them and nestled into his fur. Tentatively, the giant lowered his head in the hopes of hooking his chin beside her opposing ear and pressing her closer. This simple gesture was the only response he'd get for several seconds. When she finally spoke it was a statement he hadn't expected. "How am I supposed to tell my siblings?" His breath left him (he'd been unknowingly holding it) in a toneless gust that quickly morphed into a breathy chuckle. "...I'll stay, because you said please." A huge weight lifted from him -a weight he hadn't known existed- and he laughed. Without thinking, he lifted his head and attempted to place a quick kiss on her crown before moving to rest his chin as he had before. "We'll do it together," he said in response to her query before offering, "In his current state, I bet I can outrun Bass." Valentine lifted his head and leaned back in the hopes of making eye contact with Rhythm. "Speaking of, I bet he's tearing up my border waiting." He could almost see the alpha tirelessly pacing and bleeding everywhere with a dismayed Ellis hot on his heels. ""

He'd curl over her, pressing her closer to his chest as she slowly answered him. A decision that would do more to change her world than she would even realize. She had no idea how Motif and Bass would react, though she had no doubt there wouldn't be as positive an attitude as she could hope for. She had every intention of being with them as much as she had been previously. Though she had doubts that her time away from Abaven was still as secret as she'd always intended it to be, they wouldn't even notice she was not a full Abaven member anymore. Still, she knew that they would feel betrayed. How was it she was so able to agree to stay when Bass had fought so bravely for her. This was going to be the most difficult task of her life, but as she listened to Valen's laugh and felt the kiss on her head she knew it was worth it. This was the road that was going to lead to her recovery. She wouldn't have ever admitted but the reality was that she was wasting away inside while in Abaven, around every corner was a reminder of the loss they'd suffered. Every new lesson Shaye learned was yet another reminder that her brother's would never experience those things. Though her voice had shown amusement her heart didn't feel the same way, she was scared stiff. Even with the tall brute's words. She'd feel him lean back and her features would turn to seek his face. Her smile had faded a bit, "They're not going to understand." Her voice turned soft and lost its confidence. "Bass is going to feel so betrayed.." Her ears had already fallen. How well could he aid her here? She'd whine softly, "This is going to be so hard." She'd blink back more tears as she stood up, ready to follow him to Bass. Her heart beating faster now than it had all night. ""

Telling her family was going to be hard. There was no sugar coating it. Maybe they wouldn't understand the 'why' of it, but surely they would recognize their sister as a person capable of making her own decisions - and respect it. "They're not going to understand." He sighed. "Maybe not, but they're family. This won't change that." It shouldn't, anyway. It wouldn't be easy to win Bass over, but maybe they could do it together. "I'll try to help where I can," the brute offered, "But feel free to stomp on my toes if I get carried away." That stood for meeting with both Bass and that one super protective sister of hers. "Come on, he's this way." -exit Valen- ""