A little over a week had passed since he and Jynx had set off from the notch for the last time. They'd bid farewell to the rest of the pack, perhaps not in the most personal of ways but he hated goodbyes like that anyway. Now with his mate the former leader was back to being a rogue again. Perhaps this was the life he'd always been meant to lead and for now he wasn't sure he cared much. The only things he had to worry about was the woman at his side and his children that we're in the wind.

It had been sad almost heartbreaking to leave little Milon behind under that tree. He felt that in his heart more as the miles between him and the grave grew. He worried that now they had left the notch their children would never find them. He knew how big the lore was. Elyan and Arwyn still lost in it's vastness, their absence was taking its toll on the former leaders. Emrys felt the distance between him and his mate which further broke him. They were either tense around each other or completely silent and on a few rare occasions they bickered. It was something that had at first been so foreign between them to the point that Emrys was worried for them.

They had traveled west nearly hugging the base of the mountain in their search for the children to no avail. He followed the advice given to him by Lachesis even though there were some days that seemed impossible. Their journey eventually brought them to a meadow in which Emrys stopped to look around. He had yet to check this place though he could see there weren't really many hiding places now with the snow on the ground and the trees bare. “Perhaps we should stop for a rest Jynx,” he suggested a tiredness in his voice. The pale man would have thought that having the responsibilities of a pack lifted from him he wouldn't feel so tired and worry so much but he was and he did. “We can have a look around and see if there are any signs they've passed through here.” It was a suggestion that he hoped would get her attention.

As a leader, a father, and husband Emrys felt he'd failed in all areas. He felt he'd let everyone down and often tried to not think about it but during the moments of silence between he and his mate he couldn't keep the thoughts at bay. Had he been a better father and husband Jynx would have her children home with her. Had he been a better Leader he wouldn't be sending his subordinates out into the winter to fend for themselves. He did worry about Nauja, Tyne, and Ambrosia and hoped they were getting by okay and that they would have better luck than he and Jynx were having.

There still wasn't any sign of Elyan or Arwyn still he tried to stay positive by telling himself they’d only been looking for a short time. They hadn't made it that far from the notch. Facts we're facts though he was growing tired and he knew Jynx was too. She'd had a short temper with him for weeks now and he couldn't blame her. He was the one that was supposed to be watching the children while she was away but he wasn't all sympathy with her. She was supposed to he watching Elyan while he was away looking for their daughter. Still the former leader tried to be gentle with her and understanding but she was doing none of the sort with him despite the fact he too had lost his children.

He tried again with her as they entered the meadow suggesting they rest for a time and have a look around. Yet again he was met with her short temper and he'd about had enough of it. He still loved her as much as he did the day he'd asked her to be his mate but he could tell she was being stubborn about the whole thing. He stepped in front of her with his tail raised over his back. “We are going to rest here because we both need it,” he said sternly to her. Emrys understood the desire to not want to stop in their search. “What good are you going to be to the children when we do find them if you wear yourself into the ground?” They had both grown thinner over the past week and having lived on his own for most of his life he knew that wasn't a good way to start their winter outside of a pack. “Then we will have a look around here. Just because the snow is untouched by any paws but ours doesn't mean they aren't taking shelter somewhere.” He stood firmly in her path his icy gaze never leaving her. He could be just as stubborn as she could.

It didn't matter how much he felt he might have failed everyone that was important to him at that point. What mattered was the woman whose path he was blocking, she was all he had left and he would be damned if she killed herself looking for their children. He loved them just as much and he wanted to keep looking just as much but one of them had to keep a level head or they would both perish in the wilds of the lore. It was quite clear that Jynx was not going to be the level headed off the pair. They were barely making it, and traveling for days without much to eat besides snow. They couldn't go in much longer like this, he knew that and now all he had to do was make her see it too.

Even when her yellow eyes narrowed at him he didn't back down but stood rooted to the spot. He had trouble finding an argument to counter her words he felt the same way but he knew that resting was the best thing for he and Jynx.
“And what kind of mother will you be if you kill yourself so that you won't be in their lives when we do find them. Do you want me to have to tell them their mother is dead?” He finally found an argument that he hoped would still something in her. He huffed when she declared that she was moving on. “Confounded woman the hell you are,” he stated before turning and going after her to block her path again. “You can either rest now of your own volition and let me find something substantial for you to eat or deal with the consequences.” He figured pinning her to the snow would be sufficient to make her stop though there would most likely be a price to pay for that action, he was willing to pay it.

“And you think I would? I also can't stand the thought of seeing the looks on their faces when I tell them their mother is dead because she didn't take care of herself while searching for them.” he nearly growled the words as they slipped from his maw. Anything she could say were things that Emrys had already thought. Those days before the end of the notch had been filled with those things. As much as he wanted to find his children he had to believe they could take care of themselves and that one day he and Jynx would find them alive and well.

Their mother on the other paw seemed to have lost her mind. He knew his wife well so he fully expected her to show her displeasure at his actions. “I was hoping it wouldn't come to this but if that is the way you want to play it love we can certainly go there,” he got out just before her shoulder collided with his chest with an, “Umph.” The pale wolf ignore the warning she gave and turned to try and force her to the ground. She was going to stay put one way or another and at this point Emrys didn't care how.