The toad had proven a distraction and carrying too kept her mind off of the walk and seemed only to increase their pace a little more. Chord would cast a glance to his sister as they finally reached the borders, would she try run now or had she finally given up those urges to turn around now they were finally back here, so close to the rest of their litter and their nieces and nephews that all ran around somewhere inside. Would that desire just to see them, just to see how they were finally take over? "I'll call him." He offered, truth be told even he thought that might have a better chance of getting the meeting started off on a somewhat ok footing. Would he ignore it if he heard it was Rhythm, send someone else out instead? Now he'd got his sister this far he wouldn't take that risk. He let nothing of what was about to unfold into his call, it just let his brother know he was here and he wanted him.

They'd reached the border much faster than she would have ever thought, and by now her heart was hammering in her chest. Everything felt wrong again, and she wasn't sure if it was the toad poison or the nerves that made her feel absolutely wretched. Her stomach was flopping and as she dropped the toad on the border she found herself fighting to keep from gagging. She knew that the moment that happened the rest of her stomach contents were coming out. Placing her paw back over the creature, that was actually still alive. Her eyes would find her brother once more, finding somehow she hadn't bolted but at the same time a pleading look would come over her face. She lied, she wasn't really ready for this. "I'll call him."" She'd take a deep breath as her form sunk to the ground, her chest would come to rest on the ground as she simply sunk to the earth. He'd finish his howl, and Rhythm did not feel any better. She wanted to panic and run. "Chord, I don't think I'm ready." Her voice lacked confidence, and she was very close to chickening out of the dare. ""

When the howl from Chord came, he blinked slightly as his head rose up. His brother hardly ever called for him, usually he just walked in and came to find him. Bass had told him that it was okay, so why the howl this time? With a raised brow he stood and made his way towards the call. But when the winds shifted, he picked up the scent of Rhythm with him. Hackles raised, he picked up his pace as his lips curled back, tail raised and slightly tipped towards his spine. Ignoring Chord all together for the moment, his dagger-like gaze cut towards his sister, the one who had left them all. "I thought I had told you to not come back. Or did you just not understand the meaning of being banished?" he spat at her. He didn't notice what she was holding, nor did he really care. She had made her choice, and Bass had told her that she needed to live by it. All the things that had been said that night came rushing back to him, and his harsh gaze faltered. He still loved her, of course he did, but he was not a weakling. He was not going to go back on his word simply because she wanted him too. Bass was no push over, and although this case was special, he was not going to bow or break. However, he would listen. After all, he had stayed here, right? He could have easily told her to eff-off and march away. But he hadn't. "Speech"

Searching for the toad had been a decent distraction though it seemed that had long since worn off. Rhythm was certainly looking rather out of sorts now, her nerves and worries evident even before she confessed that she wasn't feeling ready. He'd nuzzle her gently, hoping to lend her a little support give her a little more encouragement though truth be told even Chord himself wasn't certain what was actually going to happen. Perhaps his sister's worries were rubbing off on him a little, he did feel a little guilty about the fact his crazy plan had caused them. "Tough. We're not turning around yet." He responded, a small grin forced onto his lips as he attempted to bring a little normality and cheer to the moment. The wait felt a little longer than it actually was though soon Bass was finally nearing a rather irate look upon his features as he marched up to them. This wasn't the cheery, reunion he had imagined poor Rhythm hadn't even gotten a chance to say hello and already he was furious, seemingly having no second-thoughts about the punishment he had given to their sister. He was disappointed, the guilt rising further within him. Protectively he'd take a step forwards, keeping close to Rhythm for comfort. He'd never wished to choose sides in this ridiculous sibling battle though at this moment in time truth be told he felt Rhythm needed him more. "Hello Bass, it's lovely to see you too brother." A distraction, an attempt to be civil. He kept his voice calm and light though truth be told he was pretty furious himself that even after this time to adjust and think about things that Bass would still so hastily act in such a hostile manner towards their sister. Her choice had been bad timing though she hadn't done any of this out of spite or with the intention of hurting anyone so why on earth couldn't he just forgive, forget and let her be happy?

Chord was one hundred percent not backing down as she lowered herself to the ground and made her confession. If he held any doubts he was very good at making them invisible to the chocolate Destruction girl. She'd gag quietly as she still struggled to keep her stomach under control while the captured toad had become quite placid. It hadn't moved in some time, and if she were not so worried about seeing Bass she might have been concerned that she'd killed it. She'd grow quiet as they waited their brother, though as the moments ticked by she would find no resolution with her stomach. For a moment she thought she might have gotten lucky, maybe they'd come when Bass was not within his territory. Maybe he didn't even want to answer Chord's call, he could have smelled her and completely ignored them. Then again that hardly sounded like their brother. Of course he would come, with all the fury he had the day he washed his hands of her. It seemed like he wouldn't even notice the eldest of the litter standing over her and his gaze would pierce her very soul. She noticed how close Chord would get to her, but as Bass spoke it didn't even matter. Rhythm would feel her stomach finally take control barely able to turn her head from her paws it would empty its contents onto the grass beside her. Chord seemed to take partial control of the situation as he tried to distract Bass but Rhythm couldn't even talk. With the bile stinging her throat the girl would turn back to her punisher, finding again that she couldn't even look at him. Able to make it to her paws (completely forgetting about the pet she'd brought for her brother) she would turn away from them to stick her head in a nearby bush. Retching and puking what was left in her stomach as she tried to calm down enough to.. what? Bass had obviously, well more than obviously, not had a single regret about his decision and she felt more broken in that moment than she had when he'd originally ripped her from his life. This had all been a very bad idea. A waste of time. She'd try to bring her foggy gaze back to the alpha of Abaven, for the first time seeing him in that role before she thought of the wolf she'd grown up with. No longer did she see the happy brother who she once sought her love and protection from. This was a hardened man, an executioner who held no mercy within his heart. Surely this was not the Bass she'd once known. She'd look back to Chord, unable to say anything. What was the use, she'd only make things worse if she opened her mouth. ""

He did not back down, and he would not. As Chord moved over Rhythm and spoke to him, his hardened gaze turned towards him. "I wish the circumstances were better Chord, but they are not. I can guess that this was your grand idea. Do you have no respect for the rules I set? I know that you are not in my pack, brother, but we aren't pups anymore." His words were softer with him, but then a stench and a gagging sound overtook everything. His nose wrinkled up as he took a step back, a paw raised as he turned his head. His own stomach wasn't strong at this confrontation, and the smell of it made his belly take a flip. Nasty. Still she said nothing, instead standing to her paws and throwing up in a bush. His gaze went skyward, his ears pinning flat to his skull to try and drown out the sound of it all. He was going to wretch at this point. When she stopped, he looked back down and slowly licked his lips, his hard outer shell still remaining. His full focus remained on her, yellow eyes still narrowed. "Rhythm, look at me." Some of the aggression was out of his voice, his shoulders softening some what. "I will not go back on my word, you will still not be allowed back here. You had made a choice, and you are going to stick with it." If she allowed, he tried to hold her gaze, blowing out a sigh as he growled softly. "If you think that I don't regret some of the stuff that I said, you are wrong. You are still my sister, and I acted out of aggression. However," he paused, eyes once more narrowing. "I will not be walked all over. You cannot come here and make sad pouty faces and throw up on my border, just to expect to be welcome in with open arms. We are both at fault here for many things. If you had been open and honest to me about things, than it would have gone a lot better. Sure I'm overprotective, but I love my family. Just because you are not allowed here, doesn't mean you're not my sister. You will always be my family Rhythm, just one who has to live with the choices she made. As do I." His eyes cut from Chord back to their darker sister, shaking his head slowly. "I had thought that you choose to stay with Valentine because I was not strong enough to protect you. I ran right from battle to come and get you again, worsening my wounds as the guilt ate me alive. I was a weak alpha who couldn't protect his own sister. I am changing that, which also means to stand by my decision." Bass paused, he knew that his words were running in circles. But his mind was on fire, trying to get all his thoughts out at once. "But why didn't you just tell me, Rhy? I would have been more open to you staying there! But instead you waited until after I put myself in danger for you, slapping me in the face with the fact you wanted to stay. You made my fear that I was a weak leader more concrete, which is why Abaven is no longer going to hide in the shadows. I guess I have you to thank for that." Stopping again, he looked up at the sky, shutting his eyes as he tried to block everything out. "I suppose I can allow you to meet with Shaye along these borders, but only because me and Motif have been worried about her. You know that she was sneaking over there against our wishes, right?" He asked, looking back down at her. Damn he was speaking a lot, but most of the anger was gone from his voice. Didn't mean that he still wasn't harder though, his voice was not a carefree as it was anymore. He was a father, brother, alpha, and husband. Those were a lot of titles on his shoulders, a lot of expectations that he needed to live up to. "But you will meet just outside of my border, your banishment is still in act. Now then," he sighed, looking at both wolves before him. "Did you just come here to gang up on me, or was there a point in testing my limits?" "Speech"

Little did Chord know that Rhythm being out of sorts wasn't just down to the nerves but a genuine nausea that was overcoming her. All too soon would that be revealed as finally her stomach gave up fighting and the contents were soon emptied. It wasn't a pleasant sight, sound or smell of course though Chord would only feel all the more sorry for her, she'd come here to try and smooth things over and the first thing she did was throw up practically at his feet. That was not exactly part of any happy ending that Chord had ever heard and with Bass's furious state the russet marked Destruction could only assume it wouldn't help her case at all. Whilst Rhythm had nothing to say, Bass apparently had an entire speech to get off of his chest. The rambling words made little sense in many respects to Chord, some of the points he made did of course make sense, Chord had already been sympathetic to both sides of the story but right now truth be told Bass was starting to get on his nerves. He might as well have just told them to clear off, this conversation probably hadn't helped Rhythm to feel any better at all. "So what if it was my idea?" He wouldn't try to stir the mood anymore, his own voice calmer than his brother's, but it was still infuriating this whole mess that the family was in. To make matters worse, from Bass's words, Chord honestly still couldn't understand why on earth they couldn't just make up. "Someone clearly had to get the two of you to see each other again or can you tell me you'd actually have been happy if your last meeting was the last you two would ever have?" Truth be told Rhythm probably wasn't a big fan of this one either, he'd try make it up to her later. "Honestly I don't get it Bass. You've just admitted you acted a little hastily, got the wrong end of the stick. You two clearly needed a better talk that day than the one you ended up with. Did you know she wasn't planning on leaving right away? Her choice wasn't to abandon you at all, and the whole thing was this Valentine fellow's plan anyway, he was the one that invited her to stay after the big fight." If only to prove he wasn't taking sides he'd turn his attention to his sister now. The whole point of this was never to gang up on Bass, just give Rhythm some courage and moral support to try talk to Bass. He stood by his words; they seriously needed a good talk. "Rhythm, I believe I've told you already, but seriously your timing sucks. I completely understand being spontaneous but you need to learn to pick your moments. Yeah you wanted to slowly move from one pack to the other but the fact that there and then you decided to leave is the only thing that matters, it was going to hurt no matter how soon you moved." He'd flick his gaze back to his brother now, apparently he had found the muse for a little speech of his own. "To say you still care about her but she's still banished doesn't make sense though Bass. I may not be some big, fancy leader but I know that you don't banish family from your life and it doesn't make you weak to go back on words you made in a moment of misjudgement. We all make mistakes sometimes but there's got to be a reason the saying is to learn from them and not be stubborn, turn cold and cause misery." If this was how he reacted to his siblings leaving Abaven for relationships, what on earth was he going to when his kids were old enough for all that stuff? Poor things ought to pay some attention to this disaster to prepare themselves for that day. "Also, the plan wasn't ever to gang up on you. In fact I'd have left the talking, or at least most of it to you and Rhythm if the first part of the plan 'keeping stomach contents inside' had actually ran smoothly." Of course it had never been a part of the plan, though once more he'd try to lighten the mood somewhat.

He wanted her to look at him. Taking a deep breath and mentally telling herself not to put her tail between her legs she'd warily find his hardened gaze. His voice and posture softened, though it did little to soothe her worries. Especially with the words that followed. This really was it then, Bass did not want her ever again. She wanted to look away as he bored into her broken hearted gaze, Rhythm might have turned and run as he growled were in not for the words that followed. The regret he confessed gave her hope, but his demeanor would not change, his punishing decision very clearly not being revoked. How did he not see how harsh he was being? How did any of his later words make sense if he never wished her in his home again. He'd assumed so much on that night, she couldn't see how he would even want to stand by such a rash choice. A decision made in anger and haste. She'd feel her own gaze narrow at his words, finally he'd question her decision, finally he would seek out the explanation he should have gotten that terrible night. Really though, what even was the point of an explanation. Why did he want it now, after he'd been so clear she wasn't worthy of being beyond his borders. He'd not thought asking her then would clear everything up. He'd put words in her mouth and believe them as truth, only taking circumstances in account. Out of all of the pieces in this puzzle it was as though she was the one who had fought to leave his pack. "Before I arrived in Imperium that night after the fight I'd never had any intention of staying in Imperium. But when Valentine asked me to stay with him I couldn't say no." She'd take another deep breath. "My decision had nothing to do with your abilities, Bass. I might have asked to leave on down the road, but truthfully I hadn't even considered the thought." Who knows what might have happened if Cascade had never went through with her plot, or if she'd only told Valentine to wait that night. She couldn't dwell on what if though. She'd lick her dry lips, she felt a bit dehydrated after throwing up and talking so much. Now more than ever though she was convinced that Bass's decision was based solely on his pride, and it hurt to know he would so easily let it get between them. "I"m sorry for how I made you feel Bass, I'm sorry you had to go through all of that for me." She'd lose his gaze now, even more ready to go as she heard him offer her access to his borders. He'd just give her a tease, the very smallest sliver of hope to dangle in front of her. She would nod and accept it, but look away again as he mentioned Shaye. If she'd not had the girl.. would she have ever been returned any of her heart? She didn't like that the girl had been dishonest, but she wasn't about to feel bad about seeing her. At least she wasn't the only one who despised the banishment. For however long Bass upheld this rule there would be a hole in their family, and he didn't even seem to care. "...was there a point..." She'd look back up to her brother before her attention was given to Chord, he also had much to say. He'd scold the both of them, and this time Rhythm really would put her tail between her legs. As he finished though he light joke didn't really settle very well with her, "We should just go, Chord." and be thankful for what he's given me. Eventually she might even be able to see Harmony or the other babies she'd helped birth. The girl would turn, enforcing the decision to leave Abaven once more. She'd had enough emotions rolling through her today. -exit rhy?- ""