It had been hard to part ways with Rhythm, so clearly lost at the moment. He'd feel bad for her, for Bass too of course he was the one physically battered and broken after all. It was right to leave her now though, she had needed to see Motif and he needed to see his brother, see how he was doing. The wounds were one thing but if he knew Bass at all Chord was certain all of this would be taking an emotional toll on him. Normally he would wait and call for the man at the borders, he was polite of course though not quite certain if walking to the borders was the greatest healing method for injuries he would venture into the lands carefully. It was probably a little late to think about Bass straining himself, the trip from the battlefield, to Imperium and then to Abaven had surely not been the greatest plan for recovery. He still wished that Bass had let he and Motif accompany him on those journeys however, perhaps things wouldn't be in quite the same mess. "Bass?" He called out softly to his brother as he neared the den he hoped belonged to his brother. It smelt like him at least, but given the wonderful time the family was going through Chord wouldn't have been surprised to see someone else poke their head out and question who he was and why he was here looking for Bass.

The soft call of his brothers voice seemed to be like that of a dream. He was laying on top of the den, the coldness of the stone helping numb the still strong pain in his shoulder. Golden eyes popped open as he scooted closer to the ledge, having before been out of sight from his tan dusted brother. "Brother," he said softly, his voice rough still. His paws hung over the ledge of the top of his den, a weak smile being offered for his free formed brother. He could smell the stench of Rhythm on Chord, and his nose wrinkled slightly. "So you went and saw her, did you? Did she tell you the whole story or just about how I banished her?" Bass' voice was soft, the regret clear in his words. He was still very much hurt from it all, but he had said some rather unkind things to her, things that had been haunting him.

Sighing and flopping over to his right side, he took all the pressure off his stupid left shoulder that still stung like a bitch. Damn that masked fool... But the emotional pain of it all had more of an effect on him, it was just that the physical was a constant reminder of it all. He lifted his head so that he could see Chord properly, tossing a sheepish grin at him. "Also sorry for wandering off... my head wasn't clear and I should have waited. Perhaps it would have gone better if I had... But I wasn't going to come home without her, not until she decided to stay with them." Pain was clear in Bass, his eyes dull as he let out another sigh. What a mess this all was. And to think, it all would have been better if Rhythm had reacted differently. He should have too, but if only she had said something to him before. At least then he would be physically in one piece.

Rather than inside the den he tried his best to peer into, Bass would suddenly appear from on top of it, greeting him though not shifting. Chord wouldn't make him of course and wouldn't instead set himself down on the ground as he looked up, simply glad at least that he had found the right den. It wasn't purely to see Rhythm that he had found himself upon Imperium's borders but there was no way he was choosing sides in this fight, he wouldn't lie to either Rhythm or Bass about his actions. "That, and that she wanted to stay." Chord answered. She'd been too upset to go into the full details of the conversation, he even had no idea quite how harshly Bass had actually reacted. He would realise one mistake without a single prompt at least. He shouldn't have gone to the borders alone. Chord would allow a small grin to cross his own lips at the apology. "Yeah. That was a stupid move. You look awful." His tone was light and playful as he spoke, not really meaning any offence by the teasing words. But even from down here Bass truly didn't look in the best of conditions, though the man surely knew that anyway. "So, are you going to banish me now?" Chord questioned after a moment of silence. There wasn't anger or spite in his voice, merely the same playful tone he'd used already. "I never stay after all." Though he meant well by the comparison, he perhaps could have chosen a better way to get his point across but too late, this would be the tactic for now.

His head slowly nodded when he said that Rhy had chosen to stay, his heart clenching painfully in his chest. "After I fought for her, Chord. After I put my life on the line to see her safe and sound she turns around and decides to stay," his words were slightly gruff, he was still quite miffed about the whole thing. "If she had wanted to go, she should have said something before. You know, if she had come to me at any time before that claim, I would have let her go in peace. Well..." he paused, his golden eyes rolling slightly. Chord knew as best as he did that he would have given her a little hell, but it wouldn't have been as harsh as what he had said to her. "But the way that she did it, it just felt like a slap in the face. I'm all battered and bruised and what do I have to show for it? A missing sister who I said some pretty nasty things to?" Bass let out a sigh, one of his paws lifting and running down his brown marked muzzle in frustration. He had little hopes of even aligning with Imperium at the moment, but it was just only after that heated conversation.

When Chord teased him about looking awful, a small smirk showed on his maw. "The scars of a warrior, right?" he said, teasing right back. It was half-hearted, although he was pleased that his brother was trying to brighten the mood. "You should know by know that I don't always act rashly," there had been many times, in fact. Bass had let himself be ruled by his own emotions again and again, and knew that he needed to change that. At least he had gotten a bit better about jumping blind, he had a pack behind him now that depended on him. Children that would watch him fail, a wife that would be there no matter what. It wasn't just him against the world anymore.

When Chord spoke next, even though he had meant it to be light and teasing, a warning growl slipped from his mouth. It was a little too soon to make jokes about that, his head was still bounding about all of that. He probably needed to go and talk to her once this blew over -- and if it ever did blow over. He was still cut deeply by her actions, but he wasn't about to mope around and bawl his eyes out. Tonight he was still allowed to be mad though, the pain was still fresh. His tan brother said that he would never stay, and his pale ears laying flat against his head. "I know you won't. I was able to tame Motif's wanderlust, but I know that you will never be satisfied, dearest brother."

Chord could sort of see his brother's point, or at least understand part of the reason of the hurt behind it all. Of course he was sad Rhythm had gone, but the way it had all happened was part of the problem. It was somewhat out of the blue unlike his own choice to dot around all over the lands never settling anywhere. "I kind of get the impression it wasn't exactly the way the offer for her to move to Imperium was meant to have been made." Chord pointed out. He hadn't actually met Valentine though didn't think Rhythm would have actually chosen to stay with him had he been quite as violent and aggressive as this masked fellow that had come to challenge Bass for his sister in the first place. "She probably thought she had more time to bring it up, maybe didn't even know she was ready to leave until it all happened. Look, I'm not picking sides here Bass, it really sucks how it all happened but you don't have to lose her for good." He wasn't sure if it'd calm him at all, change his mind in anyway upon the matter but Chord had to try. He hated seeing his family like this, hated the idea that one of them would be pushed aside so easily. Were Motif and Harmony siding with Bass or stuck in the middle of it all like him? Though the first attempt to lighten the mood had gone down well enough, the second playful attempt to make a point had only added to the tension. Chord would frown slightly at the growl and response he received. Though his brother was hurt, perhaps emotionally more the physically Chord couldn't help but find his own displeasure at the choice of words. Knowing his brother was upset he'd restrain himself from commenting in anyway upon the matter, choosing a slightly different route now instead. "Look, I know I don't understand romantic love, I won't even pretend to." He began simply, his life certainly hadn't led him anywhere near that path yet. "But believe it or not though I know about family love. No matter where she is, who she is with I know that Rhythm will still love you; I'm in the same position. I come and go but all of you will always be my family. And that's what I meant, you accept whatever stupid plans I make, can't you accept the one stupid one that Rhythm has made?"