They had traveled a fair distance when the time came to rest, he had been proud of his little tyke for keeping up so well. She was obviously tired though and it seemed as soon as they stopped she had dropped with little warning. The adults would settle down in silence, Motif and Rhythm curled together with Shaye snuggled in Rhythm's arms. He was a few feet away, his sleep coming much slower. There were many thought jumbled in his head, too many to let him sleep as he marveled at how far he'd come. Most of all he'd find himself thinking of Gwena, not that he wished to. She had broken him more than he was aware of. Shaye would numb the pain she caused, and now as she slept in the embrace of her aunt he felt the hurt seeping into his heart and his bones. Before he knew it the moon was high over his head, amazed at how much time had passed since they'd stopped here. Bright yellow eyes would watch his sleeping daughter and the women who loved her, his respect growing for the pair. Fear would find him still, he was so unsure of the future he would have with them, of being in a pack. Nothing but Shaye would anchor him to the world and the experience was almost maddening. His whole life had been turned upside down, but for Shaye anything was worth it. Walking through hell if need be. "yoruban" "english"

Motif was also pleased with how far they had come, they made good travel back home, and she could see that her excitable, darling child was exhausted. She nestled herself into Rhythm arms to sleep and she would almost have felt jealous – missing Shaye as much as she had – if the pair hadn't looked so darn gorgeous. She found herself kissing them both on the forehead as she watched them sleep before settling down herself. At first she simply watched the pair, watched the rise and fall of their chests, these two precious lives. But she knew in reality, that she was simply putting off the inevitable, and eventually her eyes would roam to the male that captivated her. He looked as gorgeous and irresistible in the moonlight as he had first looked the day they had met. She found heat rising to her cheeks as memories of that night came to her. Of his body bathed in the odd sprays of moonlight that found its way into the grapevine, of how she had responded to the sight of them, and, of course, how it had looked and felt to be joined together. Heat was definitely rising to her cheeks now and she found herself rising off the earth and shaking out her head as she sat up. She found she really needed to get up, to walk this off or she would never get to sleep. She didn't know how on earth she was going to live beside Shai like this, share a daughter with him, like this, as.. as some sort of strange acquaintances. As she moved to rise she would realize that he was still awake and her body would still, her eyes roaming first his body then settling on his face, his eyes, his muzzle, before closing her own eyes, afraid that they would be showing too much of the turmoil inside of her. “Cant sleep?” she asked softly. "Speech"

Many hours had passed though they were still quite a ways from the birth of the sun he was unsure any sleep would come to him that night. Which was just as well really, he felt unsure of these new places and being able to keep watch through the night would do some good to comfort the giant. He would be surprised at the sudden movement of Motif however, he'd been quite sure that she had fallen asleep with her sister and their child. They seemed to realize the state of the other at about the same time, her form lifting from the earth as his head swiveled to watch her, making sure the movement was not hostile. He didn't want to leave his eyes linger upon her for too long, the sight of her still bringing about pain within him. Even with his aching heart he could hardly deny the beauty and lure she still held firmly. There was a reason he'd not been able to resist her all those moons ago. Her sweet voice would grab his attention back to her, features swiveled towards her as he averted his gaze. Still so unsure how he should act around her without the aid of his.. their daughter. He didn't know Motif, she was still a stranger to him, but she was the mother of the only wolf that mattered to him anymore and he knew that eventually he'd have to figure it out. They were going to be in each others lives for a long time. He didn't feel ready though, what did she expect from him, what did she want from him? Not that his distressed mind could even comprehend those question. "I guess not," he would answer her, out of habit he'd try and find her eyes as he spoke with her. "It's all very different." he'd offer a simple explanation even though the truth was so much deeper. "yoruban" "english"

Shai's eyes would find her, her movement catching his attention before his eyes flitted away again, and she felt annoyance begin to bridle beneath her chest. Could he hardly bare to look at it her? Did he think that what she had done was so terrible that it had changed his view of her forever? Well, that brute better know also that it took two to make a child... reeling in her annoyance before it could show on her face she realized that it had worked just as well as a cold bath to cool her inner fires. His soft voice would whisper through the darkness and find her as he answered her questions. She found room for a sad smile on her lips as she allowed herself to look at him again, attempting to hold onto that anger that had burned out the desire in her veins, to keep it in place so that the desire had no room to enter, only to realize that even in her anger she loved him. His eyes would find hers, and both their golden hues would connect, and it truly was a struggle to not be captivated with him. How was she ever to live in the same pack as him, when all she wanted to do was steal him away to be hers forever. “Yes, I can see how it would be, take your time” she said gently, finally tearing away her gaze to move her attention to the form of her sleeping child. For Shaye, she would find a way to make this work – even if she had 10 cold baths a day and limited her interaction with the strange exotic beast she brought home with her. Oh dear, whatever was Bass going to say... "Speech"

Neither wolf would be granted the knowledge of the other's thoughts. Shai would continue to be unaware of any emotion she harbored towards him but a kind of hesitant kindness. Such behavior was likely the best to have given him at the time, there was a nice neutrality between them that would occasionally be disturbed by the deep sadness that held so tightly to his damaged heart. Not a negative thought would enter his mind about the chocolate woman. Their eyes would meet, the electricity of the moment so intense even his emotionally muddled self found notice. He'd feel more alive, more awake as he looked into her gaze, the feeling almost frightening. He couldn't disconnect his gaze as she finally replied, the same tender voice offering him an understanding. He might have been captured there forever, thoughts of Gwena and the Southern Lands far from his mind as her bright eyes brought him clarity. Her gaze would shift then taking his with as their eyes came to rest on the sleeping for of the innocent Shaye. She was perfect, and he was still completely at a loss at how he could create something so flawless. Especially out of what could have been considered the biggest mistake of his life. "I will do anything for her," the man would reply in deep yet quiet tones as he watched her little chest rise and fall with each little breath. "I don't regret her." He'd also offer, unsure for a moment why he was so easily confessing his thoughts to her. He didn't wish to infect her with the darkness that gripped his soul. If he let it out how could he be sure Shaye would not catch it? "yoruban" "english"

Motif was beginning to realize just how little she knew of Shai, how much of a stranger he was to her. In the light of an exotic stranger, a first night stand she had come to build up an expectation, an opinion of him that was unreachable for any mortal, and yet here she was seeing his confusion, his halting speech of English as realized that he was just another wolf, even if he did resemble some god of mescaline beauty and sex... he was still a confused male with realistic thoughts fears and worries. She sighed, wishing that her feelings of attractions could end with this realization but also realizing that it was just the beginning of how much she could feel for this male. She had always been a wolf who when she loved, she loved fast or she loved deep, and now this male was beginning to mold from one kind of love to another, as immovable as she loved her family, she loved this strange, confused, man. His speech tore her from her sobering thoughts and she realised his eyes had followed hers to the sleeping beauty. She never could have expected such devotion from him to this creation of theirs, but there it was plain on his face and in his tone – he would travel to the ends of the earth for their girl, and this would be a fact that only further plant the seeds of love for him – her life was Shaye also, and seeing her mean so much in the eyes of this boy.. it seems fate was a bitch, determined to make her love so wholly, so completely with all of her soul a man that might never love her back. Maybe Shai caught some part of her soul in her eyes, because he would softly voice something else, that would catch her by surprise, through she couldn't wholly untangle the meaning from his words. Did he mean that he could never call Shaye a mistake, or could he mean more? That the act itself did not turn him from Motif, or... she could simply be reading too much into it. ”I don't, either..” she would reply, just as softly. There. Let him sus out the meaning of that, as she had his words, a slight, mischievous smile was starting to tug one side of her lips upwards. "Speech"

Shai had not let himself dwell on the woman who had stolen him for that one night, rather he'd done his best to forget about her completely. Gwena had been the love that had taken him, but with the revelation of his daughter she found herself unable to stay by his side. He wondered what he might have done had she grown pregnant with the spawn of another man. Even now he was unsure if he would have been able to depart from her. He still hurt more than he would have liked to admit, more than even he would admit to himself Gwena had broken him. He would be completely in the dark to what Motif felt for him, let alone being able to find himself returning those feelings. He wasn't ready yet, there was too much healing to be done for him to notice that he needed her. That Shaye needed a complete family, not parents sleeping in different dens. These thoughts would not touch on him as he found himself talking quietly with the mother of his child. The only words she would offer in return was an agreement, but the way she trailed off he could have sworn she meant more. He would not think so deeply though. He would find a sigh leaving him, the uncertainty beneath plain as day. "I almost had a wife." he would say softly, why he wasn't sure. Maybe to show her where he'd come from, why it was he was with them now. "She left when she met Shaye," The words were sorrowful in their quiet depths as he continued to gaze at their tiny child. "yoruban" "english"

The night air was still and silent, cool without being cold and silver blue in the shine of moonlight. It made a good setting for the strange conversation that went on between these familiar acquaintances, parents and strangers both. Motif's thoughts where a little less innocent, and perhaps even more selfish then the troublesome ones that went through Shai's head, and she would be caught utterly off guard when he spoke his next words. Her eyes moved back to him, flaring in her surprise. She remembered the scent that had been on him, a scent of a woman but had been uncertain what it had meant, what she had meant to him – it could well be this woman he meant, or it could be another. He would continue on, his words giving a little stab to her heart as she finally understood. He had been in love, and even a one night stand with a stranger had not gotten in the way of that, but the child of a stranger? Meeting little Shaye had been the end of that. A small part of her felt anger that anyone could see Shaye and not wholly and completely love her, but she could also understand something of what this stranger woman must have been feeling. She also knew that Shai was not hers, how could he be? Motif wasn't the woman he loved, she was the woman fate had thrown him with, and perhaps Motif had helped fate along a little. She sighed softly, regretfully and let go of her little hidden hope of hidden love and turned it instead into the category of forbidden. “I'm... sorry.. I didn't realize. Where you... happy together?” she asked very softly, as through letting less of her voice out could hidden her own inner turmoil. She looked across to the sleeping wolves once more, half wishing she could go blurry her nose into the safety and warmth of Rhythm's body, knowing her sister could help ease the aches of her heart. "Speech"

The night was beautiful, the brightness of the moon illuminating their forms perfectly. Though he could have easily seen the surprise on her face he couldn't bring himself to look at her for fear of the emotions showing so clearly in his gaze. He was laying himself out for her to see and yet he could not allow her to see the truths in his sunny gaze. His senses were still remarkably clear despite his pain and he wouldn't miss the emotions that were visible within her sigh before gentle words were offered to him. He'd take his chance to risk a glance at her, wondering now what kind of emotions she might be harboring behind her quiet lyrics. He wasn't going to say that it had been her fault, and he would not accept her apology either. He had chosen Shaye. "not happy enough i suppose." he would offer, for the first time feeling tears burn in his eyes as he looked away again. He would have never cried in front of his daughter. Glancing back to her form he'd find himself standing, turning slightly he'd slowly move away. Waving his tail softly he would find himself inviting Motif along, finding her presence comforting. Leaving Shaye to Rhythm's sleeping care he'd duck under the heavily flowered limbs of the fruit trees. Stopping to hold them up should Mo have chosen to follow him. "yoruban" "english"

It had never been, nor ever would be her intention to have interfered with his life so thoroughly. So stuck in her own turmoil she had been that she had never stopped to think how her actions might have effected him, and yet, it was clear that he had no regrets in knowing Shaye. Could he then have been upset with her if she had kept this precious life a secret from him? Her head hurt trying to work out what might have been best, and besides, the past was done and over now. He admit it must not have been happy enough, and she couldn't bring herself to speak again after that, through she was tempted to point out that she had been asking him not her but there was no point adding salt to his wounds. She would see also the emotion going on in his own eyes, and would shove her sorry-for-herself emotions in a closet and securely lock the door. Even as she did so Shai was rising and turning away from her and she was all prepared to watch him leave, longing and regretfully, but instead he would indicate for her to follow. Thinking that perhaps he was worried there conversation might disturb their little one she rose and started to follow after him. She was not far behind him and ducked under the fruit trees as he clearly held them up for her. In doing so she came closer to him then she had been in a long time, and would shiver at the feel of his hot body beside her, the feeling of his vast presence and larger form. She could feel her emotions buckling behind the locked door in her head and she fought to keep herself under control. "Speech"

He truly did not blame Motif for the events that had occurred in his life, he would take full responsibilities for his own actions, he knew what he had been doing when he done them. In loving Motif for a night and in taking Shaye as his own. Knowing that his love had not been enough for Gwena would tear him apart though, his only regret was losing her so thoroughly. Motif would remain silent as he quietly answered her question, he would be thankful of her not pressing the issue. White marked ears would swivel back as he heard her soft foot falls behind him, easily finding her way to his side as he lifted the heavy branches for her. He had no idea where he was going, but he knew he couldn't be near Shaye while he felt like this. Bright eyes would watch as she slipped past, seeing a quick shiver as he let her take the lead. He wasn't cold, but he ad rather thick fur it was possible the coolness of the night was taking a toll on her. His mind would desperately grasp for thoughts that were not of his broken pieces. "Are you cold?" His husky voice would sound quietly as he walked probably too closely behind her. "yoruban" "english"

She finished passing him and would find herself in the lead. It took a serious effort of will not to flaunt her ass as him as he got a good view of its perfect proportions. Despite her force of will, her tail did give a soft, seductive swish behind her as he padded forward to keep time with her. She could still sense and feel him near her, he didn't seem to worried about personal space and her mind couldn't help but wonder time and time again to their first encounter. He knew her hormones where raging widely out of proportions and she struggled to find the part of her that was a mother, a dotting sister, a responsible Alpha... but being a seductress had always been a part of her wilder nature, and he brought all of that out of her in a full flood of emotions that was wild and hard for her to control. When he spoke next his voice was husky and she wondered if she was getting through to him, with the slight strut that had fallen into her stride, and the hypnotic sway of her tail that timed perfectly with the soft tred of her paws on the dark earth. If he couldn't tell by now that she ached for him, then he truly was blind, and unaware, lost in other places and times. “Its a chilly night” she replied, not answering the question, unable to outright lie to this perfect creature, even as she did all in her power to wrap him around her little finger. Her voice itself was oddly quite, forcing down the purr that wanted to accompany it it sounded instead lonely, and confused, perhaps that was the part of the day-to-day Motif slowly falling further into the crevices of her soul. "Speech"

Her lithe form held his gaze easily, her perfume shifting thoughts of Gwena further from his mind. Unintentionally he would get caught up in her rhythmic movements, unaware of the effort put into them as she longed to reminisce on their last night alone. She would slow his advance as she wound his thoughts around her beautiful curves. Still though he would not make a connection to her more intimate ideas, his mind easily captivated but his desires not easy sought after. He was in too sorry a state to love anyone properly, though he tried his hardest for their little daughter. He hadn't considered what it might mean to shaye and motif if they were a real family, as he was still held tightly by the future that was taken from him. Motif's reply would not answer his question, but it would jolt his mind slightly to her now rather clear advances. A soft sigh would leave his lips as he shook his head slightly, the feathers on his neck flailing behind him as he cleared his mind. The brute would try to find her eyes, he wanted to convey the seriousness in his words. "Motif," He would whisper now, like he wanted to share with her the most precious of secrets. "I can't be with you.. like that right now. Maybe in the future when I can give you a heart that isn't so broken." A sadness would grip at his features and swim in the depths of his golden eyes before he was able to tear his gaze away from her. The urge to embrace her had been too great, the need to hold her too tempting. "yoruban" "english"

The seductress would be caught up in her game, in the movements of her body as she glided through the cool midnight air. She knew that the blue glow would light up the silver shines in her dark coat until she was a halo of shades, knew how to move her body to highlight these shines and perfections, to sway her tail to the beat of her heart. The Motif that everyone else knew and love was falling further and further into the crevices as her bad side let lose and gave the motions her all. Shai would direct her intention to the fact that this wasn't right with a soft sigh that seemed to resonate from his very soul. She turned to give him her attention, trying not to let his own beauty distract her, through that became less and less of a problem the more he spoke. Shame would be the largest emotion to flood her, shame at the way she was treating the situation, letting her body act even after he had told her he had almost had a wife. What she was doing was disrespectful to that memory, and reality slapped her in the face like a bitch. She loved how he said her name, but that was just a soft whisper in her head, a voice receding into the distance. “Your.. your right, this isn't right” she conceded, holding her body so still that the soft movements of her breath where accented against its stark difference. “I don't know what it is about you, Shai.. but you make me lose my mind” she muttered, even knowing that he could understand her now. But it was undoubtedly true, she could barely control herself around him, she wanted him with everything she had, wanted to give him her body and have him take her soul, if that be to heaven or the fiery pits of hell so be it, because, damn, it would be worth the ride. "Speech"

She knew how to move in the moonlight so she accentuated the perfection of her body, fur, eyes.. he could have lost himself in her but knew that no good would come of such an encounter. He could not touch her now, not like this. She would seem to realize her actions, falling still as she offered him her attention. Her words echoing those sentiments, though she would offer an excuse for them. He would have not had any idea of what he did to her, but as she said it he would realize the truth within those words. White marked ears would cling to his head as he thought about what it was she said. Unsure how to react his eyes would continue to stare at the moon lit petals that bloomed all around them. What could he say? Apologize maybe? The giant would take a deep breath, not quite sure what he was doing but stepping forward. The silver marked man would slip his head around her neck as he went to embrace her. It was no lover's hold, but a more desperate need for a shoulder to cry on. Closing his eyes he'd release the breath in a soft sigh, finding he wanted nothing more than to hold her to his chest. "Someday." He felt like he might have been back in the southern lands in that moment, telling his daughter that her mother would again return someday as he whispered to the chocolate beauty. She would only need to have patience. "yoruban" "english"

The shadows of the night seemed to stretch longer with the ache that was growing in her heart. She had a grip on herself now, but the Motif that was born of realism and lived in day to day life also looked at the situation with a grimmer view, and the fire that brought colors, shines and silvers to her golden orbs seemed to dim. She had let herself act the fool, and even well a part of her still longed to continue playing the part, his words had taken her from that path and she looked at him seriously now. Her breathing was the gentlest movements in her breath and her eyes didn't waver from his face – not even to trail down his pleasing body, if he wanted her attention he had certainly gotten it. Thoughts of sleep had long left her now, and she doubted she would ever settle back down to sleep this night. Despite her attention he would still catch her unawares as he stepped forward to embrace her, and she would tremble gently at the unexpected feel of him against her, his beloved touch. Her body still reacted to him, through she let it do nothing more then tremble. Her bone-deep want for this man confused and somewhat frightened her, she felt that she was destined for him but their paths had mucked up somewhere along the way, and she had no idea if they could ever get it back on track. When he didn't release the embrace she let herself relax into his chest, his larger form felt protective and right around her, and for the first time they would have an embrace fill of support and understanding. someday he would whisper, and for that she would have no response. She let him hold her without taking anything further from the embrace, she was learning quickly that what she had for him was not lust, and desire, well... not just those things, but that they where born of a soul-deep love for him, and if what she needed for him to return any of those feelings was time, that she could do no less then grant it to him. “Take as much time as you need” she finally whispered, closing her eyes and letting herself feel like she loved and belonged... even if was too early in time to allow herself to feel such things with him. "Speech"

He hadn't expected her to so easily fall into his embrace, a pleasant surprise the decorated wolf would let his eyes close to just enjoy her presence. To have someone who he knew wanted him, in at least one way made him feel that much more connected to this new world. His sole purpose in life right now was Shai, his second priority had to be himself and healing his broken heart. Only when Shaye was old enough to care for herself and his emotions had been healed would he let himself start to think of Motif as anything more than just the unintended mother of his child. He wouldn't miss the slight tremble in her form, sure now that she was not distraught from the cold as he had earlier asked. She would whisper her allowance of time, the prerequisite seemingly such an easy thing to ask. He would sigh, feeling himself fall into her. The stress he held on his shoulder felt like he might be holding up the world, but as she whispered those words he couldn't help but feel okay. Like everything might work out. "Shaye first," the words would eventually fall from his lips, but he would refrain from withdrawing. Eventually they would need to get back to the two sleeping wolves, and if they were smart at least try and sleep for a while. As far as he knew they still had a bit of a journey. "yoruban" "english"

Motif knew without searching into her heart that she would wait for him, she was beginning to realize that not only was he the one, but he was the only one. Had he stayed behind on his island and she had lived her life in Abaven she had no doubt that she would have spent her life alone, partner-less. Telling him to take as long as he needed was perhaps not an easy thing to offer him, but she could do no less. The cool, soft midnight air was a contrast to the storm of emotions that had over come her in strides throughout their short time together, and she felt wasted now and empty, tired despite her earlier buzz of energy – or perhaps because of it. The pair held on for longer then what was normal between two friend – but then, what Shai and Motif where could hardly be classified, they where strangers and lovers, parents and broken. Shaye's name would be spoken, the reminder of what brought these two wolves together now, on this journey. She was reluctant to pull away from him, but would do so now, with her sweet daughter at the forefront of her mind. “We should go back to her” she said softly. "Speech"