The screams were very much audible to her, and Gaia could never ignore such a commotion. Not that she could move any faster if she wanted to, which she very much did. There was a terrible sinking feeling in her chest she couldn't shake and the woman had no idea what might be facing her when she made it to the beach. Of all days she had to choose this one to go to the Prairie. She'd wanted a little alone time and had made her way there with Freewing. She hadn't any goals in mind, and now as she made her way closer to the dens she regretted the decision.

As they heard their family from such a great distance Gaia would urge her cardinal companion to fly ahead and see what might be happening. His bright form would take off from the silver woman's shoulder as she continued her journey. The red bird made his way to the beach, immediately catching sight of Voltage, with purpose the bird would land on the man's shoulder, concerned chirps spouting from his beak.

Gaia would appear on the beach then, her timid form in a rush as she made her way to Glacier and Current's side. Where was Illume? She'd whine softly as she nuzzled into Glacier's neck in obvious confusion. The question had already been asked, she just needed to wait on the answer.

Locha had just returned to the beach when she heard the howl that stopped her in her tracks. The complete and utter urgency and seriousness in her big brother's call made her insides freeze like the ice. Despite the unseasonably warm day, Locha shivered before running as fast as she could down to the waters edge. The scene she saw confused her.

Glacier was there, next to her litter-brother and sister, as well as Gaia and Current. Current alone. It was odd to see one of the sisters without the other. Locha's blue eyes looked to Voltage, his call being the one that she heard first. The tears in her brothers eyes sent her stomach plummeting. Oh no oh no oh no. What was happening?!?

Before the girl could stop running completely, she splashed into the water, her paws sinking in the black sand. A gust of Autumn wind let her hear a snippet of her brothers gasps.
"Illie...gone." Illie was gone?

He would only swim and search for a little longer, the cold already chilling him to the bone. He could only dive so many times, only search so many places before he, himself felt like he was drowning. Every second that went by without finding her the chances of never see his little girl again kept climbing. He turned back to the rock, climbing up onto it, panting heavily. It was all his fault...everything. He should have spent more time with them, should have taught them how to swim better…should not have…coddled them so much. It was all his fault. With a growl he'd turn to look at the beach. Everyone was there...Everyone. Gaia...oh, how could he tell her their little girl was missing? It was then that he felt the familiar weight of Freewing and he'd turn his head to glance at the stark red bird. "Something terrible has happened." He choked before looking back at the beach, at his brother surrounding his terrified daughter, his mate searching for answers. Gale and Locha and Terrae were there...locha would probably be able to search the waters much better than he could. "Freewing, im going to go back to the beach. Can you do a sweep of the territory from the sky?" he asked with as much strength as he could muster before turning to the ocean. He made sure the bird had gotten off of him before he moved back into the water, paddling towards his family. He panted as he emerged from the ocean, his brows pinched and fear in his eyes. "Gaia..." he called, padding through the little crowd that gathered. (Where was everyone?!) He wanted to reach her, to hold her close. "Oh my little cloud, something terrible has happened…" He whimpered before looking at his family. Every second mattered. "Current had fallen in the water and Illume jumped in after her. She got Current to the rock but…she was swept away." He said softly, looking at his brother for the strength he needed. Stormy eyes were so wide in his fear, in his panic. "We need to find her! Gale, run along the beach, any shore you can find. She may have reached land by now..." Hed whimper, turning to look at Locha then. "Please, search the waters….I..I looked as best as I could…but I am not as strong of a swimmer as you are." He wanted to cry, wanted to break down and cry. But there were matters the needed to be handled first. "Terrae, look at Current...she may need treatment. And stay on standby for if…when! For when we find Illie.…" They had to find his daughter…dear God, please say she was okay.… (Posting Order slows things down do don't follow it =P)

Momentarily, the rest of his family hurriedly arrived as the scene turned chaotic, not to mention overwhelmingly worrying and stressing. Voltage paddled back to shore where he explained the gripping story, one that caused the healer to fret and panic. It couldn't be happening; why did he have to guess correctly all the time? Illume gone? Out in the water? At that moment of realisation, his heart plummeted. Had she gone missing on land the search would have been easier, though in the water it's almost near impossible. The ocean was such a powerful and violent force; the child could drown or be pulled out to sea. Even as brilliant as a swimmer Locha was, would she be able to find their neice? He only could pray so, or else the family would forever be emotionally torn apart. They didn't need, or at all want, a tragedy. Inwardly shaking the plaguing thoughts away from his mind, he settled down to his task - checking on his other neice. His nose couldn't pick up the metallic scent of blood, which was good - he didn't need to worry about cleaning wounds and preventing infections. However that didn't mean the girl was safe from harm, as she could have acquired bruises or sprains that could be equally as bad. "Silvius, bring herbs," he whispered the command to his companion, feeling tiny claws slide down from his body and scurrying away towards his den. He turned his gaze to his neice, lowering his body so he could level with her height. "Do you feel any pain?" he gently inquired to the pup, softly nudging her shoulder with his muzzle. Only then did he realise that pain from a head injury diminished rather quickly though that didn't mean the victim had recovered, for they could lose consciousness if left untreated. That was why he quickly added, "Do you remember hurting yourself anywhere today? Did you hit your head or sprain a paw?" He needed to get the full picture - an honest response from the girl. Any injury left out and it could worsen over time. "Speech"

He was curled about Current's form, and he could just about feel the broken heart in the girls chest. His own heart was doubly heavy, both for the missing girl he might never get to give a pony ride to again, and for Voltage and Current. He couldn't imagine what Voltage was going through, to lose his child, and just when he was feeling ready to give them some space. He could imagine how deeply Voltage must blame himself, yet he was uncertain how to fix this. And Current, for current it would be like Glacier losing Voltage. That thought added rocks to the pit in his stomach until he felt he might never find the energy to rise again. It would be in that moment of despair that Gale arrived, and he looked up at his sister with heavy silver eyes, incapable of hiding his pain and stress from her in that moment. “Gale” he murmured softly, through stopped there as he saw others of their siblings arriving. “Terrea” it was another soft sigh, until his eyes shifted to Gaia. The mother nuzzled his side and he turned his head to her to kiss her neck, before he nudged Current into her arms. No doubt mother and daughter needed each other in that moment, and he needed his paws free. Voltage arrived back to shore in that moment, and he let the distraught father take the stage. He nodded his head at his brothers words, through he had more to add. “Locha and Gale, team up and head that way” he nodded his head to the left of the beach “Search the lands and oceans together in whatever you think works best. We can have Freewing as messenger to our two groups, if me and Voltage take the other side” he said, turning his head to Voltage – his brother was in charge of this mission, it was his daughter and his choice of approach, if he agreed then the two teams could go ahead. He agreed completely with Terrea staying on stand by and perhaps looking Current over. He didn't like how limp the girl had felt in his arms. "Speech"

  

Walk | Talk | Think Answering the same call that she did were Terrae and Locha, and both of them seemed to have picked up on the urgency in their elder brother's howl though each appeared just as confused as she did. The sickening sense of dread only worsened when Gaia arrived, who on any given day struck the friendly Elementas girl as timid and quiet and shy. Today, she looked broken, especially when she curled up against Glacier with her young daughter pressed in her direction. What happened? Gale wondered to herself, and as her other elder brother pulled himself dripping from the ocean she thought she knew. The horrible suspicion that clawed icy cold through her insides was confirmed as Voltage informed them what had happened, and her ears tucked completely against her head. How could this be? They were still so little, they could not possibly be taken from them so soon. And she had been so full of life the last time she had seen the little Illume, with her booming laugh and energy to spare. She might not have been the most comfortable around the children, but Gale did not wish this on them, or on her brother and his mate. How long had it been since she disappeared? What were their chances of finding her? Her ears perked as both of her brothers offered her instructions, pairing her up with Locha in a search along the shoreline of their home. Her grey-green eyes traveled quickly to her sister to meet her gaze, to know that she understood too, before she nodded her head to confirm that she would do her role. "Got it." Whatever needed to be done to find the girl, she would do it. Even swimming, which she hated. But running was her strong suit, and with another glance at her sister she stepped away from the group as further directions were given to the others, wasting no time in setting off down the beach at a swift lope with her eyes scanning both the wave-tossed shoreline and the waters just beyond.