Seeing Chord again had reminded her of the ease in which she and Rhythm had once lived together and gotten along. Well it was nice to be reminded of family, the hole left where her Rhythm had once been flared up again like an old wound aching in the cold weather. She shook it away as she went looking for Shai. The father of her daughter had been in Abaven for a while now, and her and Shai had found a sort of balance to live together. She was still in love with him – that would never change, but she gave the other boy all the space he needed, knowing he had lost things in deciding to return with her here to live with his daughter and her mother. She went by his den first, and finding it empty decided to remain outside and wait for him, hoping he hadn't gone too far or would be too long. Remembering another time she had once waited outside his den brought a sad smile to her lips. The reason why would still haunt her, but Shai's response and the way he had cared for her, that would just another reason to love and trust the giant brute. "Speech"

 

The tall white marked man had left his den early that morning, the sun hadn't even begun to show as he found his way out into the darkness. He wanted to get up and about before the deer started moving. His paws would take him far, and as the sun rose above the sky he would take to his hunt. Though he'd put forth the effort as the ungulates returned to their thickets Shai would realize his defeat. Sighing softly and shrugging off the failure the big brute would return to Abaven.

His head was held low as he loped back over the border, his decorated tail would hang lifelessly at his hips. He barely looked where he was going, the layout of the territory had been memorized many times over. Thoughts of Shai's failed hunt played over and over, further pre occupying his mind. He wouldn't notice Motif's scent until he was almost upon her. Rounding the corner his den would come into sight, along with the mother of his child.

His whole form would perk at the sight of her, a soft grin appearing on his face as he tried to find her similarly sun lit gaze. He still wasn't 100% sure where it was he stood with her, but he couldn't help but nuzzle her cheek briefly. After the day he'd had so far he needed a little affection. "Hey you," he'd offer quietly as he remembered briefly the last time Motif had met him at his den. She'd been an absolute mess. Now though, it seemed like life had started to turn brighter for her.

She passed the time watching the specks of birds that flocked together high above the earth. She watched their slow journey as they moved further and further away – they where just another aspect that spoke of the coming winter and Shaye's quick progress to adulthood. She felt like this year was early leaping away, leaving Motif far behind. To her Shaye was still just a tiny sweet little girl, innocent to the world. Of course, that illusion in her head was shattered every time she saw her daughter, who already stood at her height and soon would be towering above her, saw the age growing in her eyes as she began to understand everything around her, as she learnt of hate and grudges from a mother now desperate to teach her forgiveness and love. She herself was preoccupied when Shai finally returned to his den, getting to her paws in surprise when he rounded the corner, and shaking the fog of thought and memory from her head as he moved towards her and gently nuzzled her cheek. She leaned into the embrace and smiled a little at his words. “Hey you” she whispered back. She took a deep breath of him, he smelled of grass and fresh air and she wondered where he had been off adventuring to. “Long day?” she asked him, his scent by his den had been hours old at least. "Speech"

 

Motif looked to be just as preoccupied as he was, she seemed to mentally shake herself as he drew more near, though she didn't hesitate to push into his touch. He'd sigh contentedly as he came to rest beside her, haunches coiling and his tail swept around behind her as she greeted him back. Taking in his next breath he'd draw in her scent and wallow in her essence, the sweet scent of pine and lavender would fill his nose, and he almost lost his thoughts again in her as he let himself lean into her shoulder. She seemed to notice his unease as well with her next statement, Shai would sigh again though there was obvious burden in this exhale. "Rough day hunting. If you couldn't tell, I didn't catch anything." He thought himself a decent hunter, but even the best had off days it seemed. "You look rather bright," He'd observe, not being able to resist the urge to touch her cheek again. Motif's thoughts might have been on Shaye earlier but Mo was the only wolf that was on his mind.

Everything about Shai always brought her back to their first meeting, to the rush of it, every time she leaned into his embrace she thought, if just for a moment, that they where lovers. It lasted only half a second each time, before she was brought back to reality again. Shai was the father of her daughter, true, and he was a friend, but she had already decided that any relationship she had with him had to be more then physical, more then the rush she felt with him and it was for that that she waited and attempted to build upon. That didn't mean any of it was easy, nor did it lesson the crazy attraction she had to this mysterious Titan. He would lean his head against her shoulder and her head swam with his intoxicating musk. His velvet, soft tones, surprisingly gentle from the giant creature would pull her down from emotion and back to thought and reality. His sigh was haggard and she knew his day hadn't been easy. She couldn't help but laugh softly as he admitted to catch no prey despite a day spent hunting, it happened to the best of them, even this infallible giant. He pointed out that she looked happy and would touch her cheek. She looked up at him from beneath her lashes, able to hold back most of her emotions but incapable from locking away the slight flirtations that came only naturally to her in his presence. “Well, I was wondering if you wanted to spend the evening with me?” she asked him softly, through it was clear from her steady tone she didn't mean that kind of spend, and nor had she done anything to imply she would be so forward. "Speech"

 

The first time they met crossed his mind more now then it did after it happened. While he'd lived in the south with his tribe he'd done the bets he could to forget her and their night together. He'd had Gwena and Skah and life had been so much different. The day Shaye entered his life though everything changed, she was the wolf who was number one on his mind. Now that they were here though, Shaye had more than just him to watch her. She'd slowly make her way to a mature and intelligent young woman. With her independence on the rise Shai had been more likely to think about Motif. She much more often crossed his mind now a days, and as time went on he wondered more seriously what they could be to one another. If they could ever be more than the parents of their child.

As he offered the events of his day he couldn't help but feel his lips curls more at her laugh. It was a care free sound that he had not heard from her in far too long. She seemed to have turned 180 degrees since the last time they'd spent any time at his den. He'd catch her gaze as he complimented her, watching him through her lashes She would simultaneously release nervous butterflies into his stomach. She further surprised him with an invitation. He'd tilt his head curiously, his bone decorated ears perked fully towards her. What did she have in mind? "Of course, you can have me whenever you want." He was tempted to end the statement with a wink, but he wasn't about to be quite so forward either.

Despite how much time had passed, she wasn't certain how well Shai was adjusting to life within Abaven. It wasn't that long ago that he didn't know a single word in her language and it had actually been Shaye that had crossed the language barrio. Well Motif put a lot of it down to her young age and learning everything around there that had allowed her to adoptive both languages with such ease, she couldn't help but wonder if perhaps her daughter might have a natural ear for languages. Regardless, it was little Shaye who had made this communication possible and Shai who had really put in the effort to learn her language to fit in here, she could only hope that was paying off. Her playful words would be taken well by Shai, who returned them in kind. At his own speech, which could so easily have held a deeper meaning, she felt a sly grin start to whisper against the corners of her lips. She pulled herself together again quickly however, already having a set plan that evening that actually didn't involve any wooing or physical activity with the man of her dreams. “Excellent” then she took a breath to steady her emotions, and began to explain herself. “I was wondering if you wouldn't mind coming along as moral support and peace keeper, - and probably to dump a lake full of icy water over my head if I seem to need it – at a meeting with Rhythm. This has all gone on too long, and I know how much she means to Shaye, and every part of my soul misses my sister” she explained, her voice getting softer and softer as she spoke, until likely Shai would have had to lean closer to her to catch all of her speech. "Speech"

 

Motif would waste no time in explaining as he gave his answer, she seemed eager and as she explained he wouldn't help but perk. Was she really ready to reconcile with her sister? Would Rhythm even be consolable? He wasn't sure but it was obvious that Motif wanted to give it a try. He certainly would never want to put doubts in her mind so his expression would only change from curious to eager. Shai nodded solemnly, she seemed more serious about the more humorous parts than he wanted to accept. "I'm sure she misses you too," His words were just as soft as he nudged her neck softly. "When do you want to go?" He had no idea what might happen, but he was bigger than both of them and felt confident he could break up a cat fight if needed.