Hardly a day passed where she wasn't playing with or seeing Rhythm in some way, but she hadn't seen the other girl all yesterday and today, and when she went to her den in search of her she would find it empty, the scent of her stale like she hadn't been there for a little while. Perplexed, she went looking for her mother. Motif and Rhythm where as inseparable as she herself and Rhythm had become, thus the simple logic was to assume that Rhythm and Motif where together – and that was why she couldn't find her. So she would make her way to Motif's den, and stroll easily inside, only to find this too was empty, so she would howl for her mother, or Rhythm, or Bass or someone because she was starting to feel a little afraid and lonely. She didn't know Bass well, but he was sweet, and if she couldn't find the two other of the most important people in her life, then Bass was the next person to go for. She would have called Shai but, he didn't really spend much time with Rhythm and Motif, so he might not know where they where, and.. she really wanted to go Salamander hunting with Rhythm again! Honestly, she didn't know why the older girl was making this so difficult, she was normally easy to find and eager to play with her, and if Rhythm didn't play with her, she didn't know who would! Because she didn't really know anyone else here yet, and still felt a little like an outsider. "Speech"

The next day had come, and she was forced to remember Rhythm once more, as she got up to do the chores of her day and would find herself once again alone, there would be no barrier to stop the heartbreak from tearing her apart from the inside. She would collapse by the Abaven stream, mentally cursing Rhythm's name, mentally begging her for forgiveness, and was a general wasted mess when the little howl sounded out through the air and stilled her aching heart. She stood up, the pain pushing away as she cocked her head, listening intently for any sounds of distress in her little girls howl. When she caught nothing to worry her, her heart that had started to hammer with fear in her chest began to slow, and then clench as she realized this was the moment that she had to tell Shaye what had happened. Slowly, painfully, she made her way over to her little girl, plastering a watery smile across her lips as she reached her girl. Shaye would look up at her, tilt her head in confusion and all she would say was “Your eyes are leaking, just like Rhythm's did.. did you stub your foot too mumma?” and Motif collapsed on the earth, scooping her girl up into her arms and cradling her, rocking back and forth as she held the girl as close to her heart as she possibly could. ""

 

Her call summoned her Mother to her, and she lifted her head up to look at the taller woman, wagging her tail lightly behind her as she gazed upwards with love at the woman who had birthed her, and the woman who she shared with Shai and loved dearly. She opened her maw to ask about Rhythm, then noticed her mothers watery face and eyes, closed her maw again and tilted her head in confusion. She remained that way for a moment, then opened her mouth again and asked “Your eyes are leaking, just like Rhythm's did.. did you stub your foot too mumma?” she was also going to give the same advice to her mother as she had given to Rhythm – that the pain didn't last long and she would be all fine after again, advice that once had come from Shai and now seemed to be Shaye's line to say – she was proud to be the bearer of wisdom that once had come from her wise and sweet father. Before she could get the words out, her mother collapsed on the earth, and Shaye's ears went back in alarm and worry. Motif must have stubbed her foot real good! Again, before she could speak, Motif was scooping her up and drawing her close, squeezing her against her mothers chest so that the little girl flailed and gasped. “Muuuuum!” she whinnied, exasperated, through also not quite pulling away, in case this helped her mother get over the stubbed toe faster. After a few moment Motif loosened her grip and looked Shaye in the eyes. Shaye had the feeling that serious stuff was about to be said, so she said down patiently and looked right back at her mother, her head tilted and her ears all floppy, and ready to listen. “Listen, Shaye, about Rhythm... she... she decided to go away from here and live somewhere else, with other people. Its... its sort of complicated at the moment, but you might not be able to see her for a little while, okay?” her mother told her. Shaye looked at her mother in surprise and alarm, not see Rhythm! But that wasn't possible! But she looked at her mothers serious face again and bit back her protest, instead, dejectedly, she said. “Okay mumma, I guess I can wait a day or two to see her again, but i'm going to need someone to play with, can I go find dad now?” she asked "Speech"

As she held her little girl tightly too her, she could hear her whine in protest at being smothered, and after a moment she loosened her grip. She then looked down at her daughter, and a little part of her was proud to see Shaye looking intensively back, clearly she knew what Motif was about to say was serious and that she had to listen. Through Motif took a couple moments to collect herself and pick her words carefully.. she might have told Rhythm, in the heat of the moment, that she would tell Shaye that Rhythm thought she just wasn't important enough to be an incentive for Rhythm to say, but of course she would murder anyone who dared say such a thing to her sweet and innocent girl. No, she would do this as gently as she could to Shaye, try and make it look like nothing was wrong. “Listen, Shaye, about Rhythm... she... she decided to go away from here and live somewhere else, in a place called Imperium, with other people. Its... its sort of complicated at the moment, but you might not be able to see her for a little while, okay?” there was a lot of pauses and hesitations in her speech, but Shaye didn't seem to notice. Instead Shaye's face crumbled, and Motif's heart plummeted, expecting her daughter to kick up a fuss and demand to see Rhythm – honestly, Motif had no idea how to handle that should it come, so when Shaye answered, sounding somewhat mature about the situation, through needing someone else to play with, Motif's heart squeezed with love. She bent down and gave her girl a little kiss on the forehead and nodded her head. “I think that's a wonderful idea, go find your father” she agreed gently, maybe Shai would make everything alright for their little girl, like he had done such a good job of making Motif feel better. ""