Missing

Walk | Talk | Think

A silent whine caught somewhere in her throat as the anxious white wolf traveled further from her den, dark eyes searching every which way for the small dark shape with green eyes that was her darling daughter. In each direction that she looked she only saw the natural surroundings brightly lit underneath the morning light, no sign of the one she sought anywhere. Her stomach twisted within her gut, her mind already whirling with the possibilities, and not a one of them pleasant.

She thought to have been calling quietly enough, though she supposed in her fear her voice had risen above where it had intended. It drew to it others, in particular Ocena and Midnight. Ocena was the first to arrive, hurrying to join her as she made herself pause in her tracks and draw in a few quick, steeling breaths to help compose herself before her friend could draw near enough to see how truly frightened she was. She was still breathing somewhat rapidly as the small black and white wolf stopped close and questioned what was amiss. "Kestrel," Merci answered, pausing a moment to take another quick breath, "Kestrel is missing. I woke up and she wasn't in the den. She wasn't outside, I don't know where she's gone."

Just giving voice to that alone had been enough to rile the frantic emotions within, and the last words left her lips with a slight wobble to them, Mercianne taking another moment to close her eyes and draw in deep breaths. It would do no good to get worked up. She needed to keep calm, to keep looking, and hope that Kestrel might turn up soon. More help arrived with Midnight, equally concerned regarding what had happened, though Merci hardly trusted her voice to tell the sickening news again. She hoped Ocena might be gracious enough to say it instead.

The sound of tiny paw steps behind her caused her ears to perk and her head to turn suddenly, eagerly anticipating the small form of her daughter finally coming out of hiding to end the desperate search. Instead, it was small Sage, looking shy and uncertain at the other two females who had gathered to assist her. "Sage," she greeted him, her voice rising in a falsely happy tone. She put on a smile for him, one that she could feel lacked the usual sincerity and warmth behind it, doing her best to keep her fears from her son's worry. Leaning forward, she lowered her head until it was level with his and spoke to him in a slightly breathless voice, grateful that it did not outright wobble or shake. "What are you doing? You should be in the den with your brothers." No. That was not right. She should have worded that differently, should not have alluded to his sister's absence. Feeling her expression falter under the unintended slip of the truth, she gave up trying to speak to him and merely reached forward to nuzzle him gently against his side. At least the boys were still here. Now if only Kestrel would come back.