Walk | Talk | Think She was growing quite desperate in her search. Kestrel had been missing for weeks now, without any signs of her disappearance popping up anywhere. No one around the Cove had seen nor heard anything the night she had gone missing, but why should they have? Of all the pups in Mercianne's large litter, Kestrel had been the quietest. In fact, she had been nothing but silent. It had taken her brother, Crow, for them to realize that her quietness had not been by choice but by nature; she had been born a mute, devoid of the ability to talk or laugh or yip or howl. Even to scream out in terror in the middle of the night. If only she'd had her voice, Merci had wondered, beside herself with grief. If only her daughter had been whole and sound she might have been able to at least warn those around her of what was happening, to sound the alarm when no one was awake to hear the quiet scuffle. Despite the lack of evidence, Merci was convinced that her daughter had been taken. It was the only thing that she could think to explain her disappearance. She had never shown signs of wishing to leave or venture off, and even when she had it had never been very far. She had been respectful of her mother's wishes and the boundaries she had set up for her children, never causing her any unneeded stress. At least until now. Her searches at the beginning had been in the immediate area, hoping to find the girl holed up somewhere either lost or waiting for help. But each day since had lessened that hope and brought the cold reality close in on its heels. There was a very real chance she might not find her daughter in the way she remembered her. There was a very real chance that by the time she found her, she might already be gone. Giving into the despair that those thoughts brought with it, however, would only have crushed her. She needed to cling tightly to the hope of finding her again, of being able to have her daughter back, and so she did. Her travels this day brought her clear of the Cove, her boys told to stay there unless they could all agree to go somewhere else together as a group, at least while she was away. Considering what had happened to their sister, she hoped they would heed her warning and continued to think of them as she skirted the edge of the glistening waters. It was not quite winter yet, but the chill in the air told her that it would be a cold one, which only made her search for her daughter all the more important. What was it that Oracle had said? Sleeping in the snow? The creamy white she-wolf made herself pause and close her dark brown eyes, purposefully drawing in deep, calming breaths as she repeated to herself, I will find her. Kestrel is okay, and I will find her. It took a minute or so before she could open her eyes again and stare out across the waters without feeling her heart ready to skitter its way clear out of her chest. Her gaze followed the lines of the trees where they peeked out from beneath the waters, leaves littering the surface in places while the evergreens remained heartily defiant. Had she not been preoccupied, she might have considered how beautiful the location was, how lovely the trees situated within the water would look once winter rolled in in earnest, but instead she found herself staring out across toward the other side of the flooded wood, wondering if perhaps she was merely on the wrong side to find her missing Kestrel.

It had been weeks since Knight had caught the last scent of Mercianne's daughter. He had been able to catch it at the cove, mingled with the scent of another in an obvious sign and struggle. Kestrel had indeed been kidnapped, but he did not want to voice that to Mercianne. He knew how fragile the white wolf was, and giving her that knowledge would surely plunge her into a darker world. He had searched for Kestrel nonstop, and though his tracking skills were of the best around, even he seemed to be having some trouble...though he figured it was due to the fact that he was still unfamiliar with the lands and the wolves within Alacritis. But soon enough he would learn, just as he was now. It hadn't taken him long to familiarize himself with the scents of Mercianne's children. Should something ever happen to them, he would be able to track them with ease now that their scents were etched into his mind. Just like their mothers before them, engraved into his mind so that it would never be forgotten. Since the day he had met Mercianne, he treasured her scent, stored it within the confines of his mind to hold forever. And though he was afraid to get close for fear of getting hurt, he knew that sooner or later his feelings for her would be known whether he wanted them to or not. Forest green eyes would blink away a fallen snowflake, and though winter was not quite here, it would seem that the weather had other ideas. Pressing on, he followed the scent he had been tracking from the cove. The scent of Mercianne leading into these submerged woods, and he knew that she was still on the hunt for her daughter. He admired the fact that she would not give up in her endeavor. And why should she? There was hope that her daughter was still alive, and not even he would rest until she was found. Quietly, his mismatched paws brought him forward towards the creamy white form of the fae he had been falling for. She seemed to be standing rather still, her form cast in the direction of the waters ahead of them. No doubt thinking about her only daughter, as that was her only thoughts the last few weeks. It had been almost a season since Kestrel went missing after all, and Knight's heart sunk at the thought...he promised himself that he would find Kestrel for her, and still he had no trace of her. What was he supposed to tell her? That he was trying and failing? He couldn't stand to see her hurting so much, and he only wished that he could do something, anything. And so it was with hesitant steps that he would approach, a soft sigh passing inky lips as he made his way to her left side. "I...I'm sorry..." he told her quietly. More like a statement and apology that was necessary. But for what? He was sure that she would be confused by his apology. But honestly, he felt like he was failing in a promise that he had not yet voiced to her. For weeks he had left on his search, not wanting to tell her. Why? He felt that he wouldn't be able to handle telling her everyday that he had yet to find a sign of her daughter should she ask. Knight wanted to do all he could to help Merci, and it seemed that he couldn't do anything as simple as this...why was it so hard? It was something he couldn't quite understand. But even so, he would keep trying. He had to...for her sake. Speech Thought Others

Walk | Talk | Think Staring out across the waters, still lost in thought, Mercianne drew in a breath and with it came a familiar scent. It was not the one she sought - in truth she did not expect to find her daughter so easily and unexpectedly - though the effect it had on her was soothing. It seemed almost overnight that Knight Cloud had become a permanent fixture in her life, quietly slipping into it and making a place for himself there. He had helped her during their first meeting, slowly peeling away her defenses until she had opened up to him about her family and even went out of his way to assist her in catching a meal so that she could return to them swiftly. Since then he had been sticking close to the Cove and helping her with the children, acting as something like a mentor to them and even providing a sense of stability that she had grown to cling to. She tried not to think too deeply about the growing sense of need she felt with him, the desire to keep him close by for longer than he typically stayed, fearful of what those assessments might reveal, but there was still no denying that she felt better having him around. With a calming exhale, the creamy white wolf turned her head to glance at the male as he approached the last few steps, her expression soft though unsmiling. He hardly seemed in any better state than she did, visibly weighed down by whatever it was that was obviously bothering him considerably. She could not quite determine what that might have been, even with all the help he had been selflessly offering her, though his apology seemed to reveal a little of it. He was sad for her. For the loss she had suffered and continued to suffer, the painful lack of knowing in what state her daughter was in and where she could be found. Again, he was being selfless, and though having him inadvertently remind her of what she already knew was somewhat painful she managed to draw her expression into a half-hearted, somewhat bittersweet smile before it quickly smoothed away under a worrisome frown. I'm sorry too. On a sudden impulse, she stepped forward with the intention of butting her head with gentle gratitude against Knight's shoulder, though it changed somewhere halfway through the gesture into an impromptu nuzzle as she lingered there. "Thank you for being here," she murmured softly into his mottled brown fur, dark brown eyes closing in a moment of stolen peace. It had been suspected during their initial meeting that their seemingly accidental acquaintanceship had been set in motion by an unseen hand; in that moment she was inclined to believe that he had been placed in her life to help her get through this painful and exhausting ordeal. All the other sources of stability, all the others that she had once depended on, had vanished. Only he remained. But that seemed like a heavy burden to reveal to him on top of knowing that Kestrel was alone and missing somewhere out in the world, and so Merci kept it to herself, drawing herself with reluctance away from his shoulder so that she could stand on her own before him again and meet his green eyes. "I feel like we should be getting close now." Her words were as much a statement as a question seeking assurance, and revolved around her missing daughter despite their ambiguity. She did not feel certain of anything anymore. But her family was far too important to her to simply abandon her searching, regardless of her own rational thoughts that stemmed from her situation.

Green eyes would remain downcast towards the ground. He felt that he had failed her, failed in a promise that he was determined to keep no matter what the costs were. He was failing her and there was no thoughts otherwise. He wasn't about to give up though, not when so much depended on him to fulfill the promises and the quest he had set out on. Knight was a man of his word, and not once did he ever break a promise once it was made. And he wasn't about to start with Mercianne. He promised that he would find her daughter, no matter how long it took him. No matter whether it took him days, weeks, months, years even. He would continue searching until he stopped breathing. The only thing that would keep him from searching was if he was dead or if his limbs were torn off. Even then he would find a way to bring her home. Nothing would stop him. He'd flinch slightly when he felt her touch him, and slowly turned his head to place his muzzle over her delicate head. Breathing in her sweet scent, he listened quietly to the words that would soon meet him. He would gently lick the top of her head, gentle green gaze on her softer brown one as he placed his forehead against hers. "I'll always be here, Mercianne. Come hell or high water, I won't leave unless you say otherwise." He reassured her, unsure whether or not he should say more or in which ways he would be here. Especially not knowing that lied in store for the future. After all, it was still unclear as to whether or not Merci's former mate would return. They had children together, yet he had vanished without a word. Mercianne had never mentioned anything about him, but Knight wasn't going to press her about it. He would rather keep old wounds closed, and for the sake of the children he hoped it would remain that way. He found it strange for him to think that way. He had yet to meet the children after all, and on top of that he had only just met the delicate woman. Still something seemed to writhe in the pits of his stomach, but he was unable to place his paw on it. All he knew was that there was something, some unknown hand that was beginning to deal in his favor...or so he hoped. He wanted to help her, wanted to ensure that she was happy. And he would do it in any way he could, whether it was him holding her close or someone else in his place, he would make sure she was happy either way. That's all he wanted for her, and he hoped that soon Kestrel would be found so that her happiness could return. It seemed to him that it had been sometime since she had a smile that was real and genuine. A smile that was unforced to the realities of the situations at hand. He was quite surprised actually, that she hadn't somehow in some way broken down with the forces that seemed to turn against her. But he was here, and he was going to stay to be the support she needed...and unknowingly the support he needed as well. When she pulled away, his green eyes would meet her own, and his ears lifted forward to catch the words that drifted so close between them. Her words prickling his fur. It seemed to him like she was not going to give up, and a small smile lifted his lips. Good. He needed her to be strong, and with an affirmative nod he confirmed her words. "I won't give up. And I am sure somewhere out there she is looking for you too. Kestrel seems the smart girl, she will come home soon." Speech Thought Others

Walk | Talk | Think His reassurance surprised her. She had anticipated perhaps a returned nuzzle if not a little nudge of encouragement, but he had done more. A kiss to the top of her head and then resting his against hers, she had felt protected, loved even, as if her happiness truly meant something to him more than just another good deed to add to his list of kind acts. It had been...comforting, in its own way, and stirred in her a stronger sense of friendship and compassion than she had felt in some time. It was very much unlike what she had felt with Awaken, feelings that had sprung suddenly and strongly and caught her within them with dizzying speed, and so she did not make any initial comparisons. This was much slower, much softer, sneaking much like a predator upon prey. It had not fully captured her yet, still creeping determinedly her way, but she was beginning to sense it, to know, somehow, that Knight was important in her life. And it was considerably reassuring to feel in that moment that she was to him too. The smile upon his face as she drew away mixed with what she was feeling allowed a small yet sincere one to materialize upon her face, her lips curving gently to match his own. And it only strengthened when he mentioned Kestrel's cleverness. "She is," Mercianne answered, her tone gentle but the nod of her head certain. She did not give herself time to think that she still referred to her daughter in the present, or the fact that sometime in the future she might not be able to anymore. "If she's well, she'll be looking for us too. We've never been away from each other this long. I don't doubt that she'll be scared." Only just she could see her daughter jump in her mind at something that might have frightened her, but knowing the strong will the girl had, she added, "But she won't stop. She's always been brave, more so than a few of her brothers." And surely they were taking this roughly too. Crow, in particular, had always been the closest to the girl, not the least bit bothered by her quietness or her tendency to do first and think second. Reminded of the boys that still remained, she felt the need to return to them, to cling to those that she still had in order to prevent this horrible experience from happening all over again. But out in the open as they were, without even the facade of the Snow Rogues to hide behind anymore - where had the rest of them gone? - Mercianne was starting to feel more and more vulnerable and defenseless. Too many strangers could happen upon them at any time, too many new faces in too many different directions that she could not defend all at once. With a somewhat worrisome frown settling across her soft features, she asked of Knight, "Do you think we're still safe? At the Cove?"