Vail was perfect, the birth had been perfect, spending time with her family had been perfect. Even though she loved every minute with them she still felt incomplete. Rhythm needed to get back to Valentine. Her tail was mostly healed by now, enough that the splint was no longer needed. Still it was slightly swollen and very much sore. She still didn't like to move it a whole lot. The appendage would hang limply behind her as she loped back to her home, where she realized her heart really did reside. she'd given it wholly to Valentine, and being too far away had become painful. She felt like a love struck yearling with how sappy her thoughts liked to become when they focused on the slate colored alpha. Those same thoughts would drive her forward though, the spring air felt good over her chocolatey fur. The warmth of the sun was slowly descending upon them again and she had stopped more than once to smell the flowers. Quickly though, as the closer she got to Imperium the more she just wanted to snuggle with Valentine. She'd hurry her paws along, finding the familiar path towards the borders. She wondered for a moment if she should call out for him, but she also half expected him to be standing there as she finally crossed over the borders. ""

He was drawn to her like a moth to flame. The pull was inexplicable; the King didn't know what made him go to the border or if it was merely chance, but he arrived just in time see her step across the border. Instantly he was at her side and seeking to pepper her cheek and neck in kisses. In his excitement Valentine's tail beat up a breeze behind him. He breathed in the smell of her, the sweet, intoxicating aroma that he'd missed dearly. She currently stank of Abaven, and he was most certainly going to have to do something about that. Between kisses he finally managed, "Missed you." ""

As she half expected or by some coincidental miracle Valentine would be there as she crossed over the threshold. He was at her side in the moment, his kisses and affections scattered eagerly down the curve of her neck. She leaned into him greedily, wanting all of his affections as they reunited. Rhythm would lean into his touch, nuzzling under his jaw as she whined happily. She'd return his kisses, her salmon tongue flicking out to caress the muzzle above her. She'd grin widely as he finally offered verbal sentiment, "I missed you!" She'd offer softly in return as she leaned into his form more heavily. She knew quite well her meager weight held no effect on his massive build. She wished she could wag her tail to show how happy she was to once again be in his presence. Her bright smile and expression would have to do, as well as the kisses and eager whines that slipped past her lips. ""

"I missed you!" Following this statement she leaned into him and in response he draped the right side of his neck around the right side of her's and rested his jaw on the back of her neck in the closest thing he could get to a hug. He really had missed her. Her weight was comfortable against his chest and while he was reluctant to part, after a few moments Valentine released her and stepped back so he could see her face. She'd gone to Abaven for a reason and while he had no emotional connection to any of the members of that pack, Rhythm did. And if it meant something to her then he wanted to hear about it. "How is your sister?" Obviously if she was here and happy than her sister was well. ""

Valen didn't hesitate to return her embrace, she'd sigh contentedly as she leaned into him. Nuzzling his fur lovingly until he pulled away, Rhythm would have sat there in his embrace all day if he'd have allowed her. All too soon he'd shift she their eyes would meet once more. She loved the smile that lingered there, and wouldn't begin to try and hide her own. She loved being home with her family, but having Valen here waiting on her assured her that she wanted to be by his side. After they reunited though he'd surprise her slightly with a question of Motif's well being. Her grin would brighten, and she wanted so bad to wag her tail. "Her and the baby are well, she only had one this time." While Shaye was her only other daughter she was not the only pup she'd birthed. A strong reminder to Rhythm how bad such a happy day could go. "Vail is the most gorgeous creature I've ever seen," the chocolate Destruction was obviously enamored with her new niece. "But you are most certainly a close second," she'd add on with a wink and hopefully a stolen kiss. ""

He was only the second most gorgeous creature she'd ever seen? Her kiss nearly went unnoticed and if not for the thoughtless, almost instinctual, lean in on his part, it might have gone unappreciated. Pretending to be wounded, his expression morphed into one of hurt pride. Vanity was a sin he embraced completely. He was pretty and he knew it. "A close second?" The brute harrumphed. "Alright, I'll accept that, but only because I'm up against a baby." Babies had an unfair advantage. The whole “newborn” thing was pretty hard to beat. Even for someone as devilishly good-looking as Valentine. Vail, eh? Interesting, unisex kind of name. Made it hard to guess. Vail. Hm. He was betting it was a girl. The “this time” went completely unnoticed. Valentine surmised that Shaye was an only child, but not even with his newly acquired information did he put two and two together. "Boy or girl?" ""

He was quite obviously hurt by her statement, but she wasn't about to take him seriously as he leaned in for her kiss. She'd smile amusedly as he answered, giving up the battle as Vail was only a tiny baby and newborns were impossible to compete with. Not that Vail was going to lose any of her beauty as she grew older. It would certainly be an interesting trip to watch her grow up. Thankfully as she continued Valentine didn't open that can of worms as he questioned if the tiny child were male or female. "She's a little girl, and the most amazing part is.. She's pink!" Rhythm's first encounter with an albino wolf would be Vail, the child was completely precious. "How's it been here though, hopefully you didn't miss me too much." She'd smile as she tried to close the distance between them again, aiming to push her head up under his chin and off him her affections. It felt more than good to be back in his arms again. ""

...Pink? Like the color of a tongue? Okay, now he was a little offended for real. How on earth could he lose a beauty contest to a pink creature? That was like losing to Dione, the horned and hairy snotball. The weeks since The Incident seemed to have done some good. There was a lightness between them that only time could provide. He'd missed her and she'd missed him; the reunion providing further relieve to the wound that had been created. Valentine had been grateful for the time apart and then he'd begun to miss her. It felt good to have Rhythm back again. "I missed you terribly," he admitted in a low voice as Rhythm pushed up under his chin. In response Valentine tipped his chin down in the hopes of resting it on top of her head. "It's been rather quiet here, really." Boringly so. He needed to fix that. "Time passed slowly." ""

Vail would be forgotten in favor of thoughts of him, and she easily relaxed into him as he placed his chin easily on her head. She'd smile softly and close her eyes blissfully at his touch as well as his words. She'd had a lot to keep her busy in Abaven, but that hadn't stopped her from thinking about or missing him too. The more time that passed the more confident she grew around him, and the closer she felt. "Quiet?" she'd ask for a little clarification, it didn't seem like Imperium was ever boring. "Guess I'm gonna have to make some noise for you, huh?" She'd chuckle softly as she mumbled into his neck. From here it was easy for her to start kissing the fur nearest her muzzle. Her long salmon colored tongue would peek from her dark lips as she attempted to groom his lower neck and chest. Her tail flopped happily on the dirt as she did so, now that she was back in his presence she'd more acutely realize how much she'd missed his presence. ""