Sierra Hills It was a big big world

Aquene hadn’t been able to get a blink of rest over the past couple days. She was always on her paws, never wanting to slow down, always wanting to keep on going. Nash had to force her to sit, eat, take breaks… She’d run herself ragged if it meant finding her daughter again. They had made their way east and north towards Fool’s Gold Chasm, their search would at least reach there. Realistically, she could not and would not stop until she found her. She’d never felt such raw and unaltered panic such as this before, and it had been burning ever since she found her scent trail disappearing near the borders.

She hadn’t stopped nor had they run into anyone else.. at least, not yet. Her eyes widened at the scent that poured through the air. It was a wolf, but there was sickness with it. For a moment, just a moment, she found her brain distracted as she made her way towards the person. “Sir?” She called out as her head tilted to the side and the boy came into view. “Is everything okay?” She already knew the answer to that, but she was going to ask that question anyway.

Her brain was racing. She ought to find some prairie crocus. Luckily they’d be able to locate some on the hill, and something for the chills because she could see the shivers as they wracked his body. Maybe he'd seen her daughter and if she helped him, he could point her to her.

Aquene was difficult to wrangle on the best of days, but with Kateri missing it was difficult for Nash to get her to stop for even a few minutes to eat and drink, let alone actually rest. They searched relentlessly, and even Nash would let them go longer between breaks if they didn't have Lynx with them. The pup wasn't used to travel, let alone the kind of toll mountaineering took. Part of the reason the guardian had agreed to let him accompany them was because he knew watching out for him would be one of the few things that could get Aquene to rest. Could get him to rest. Kateri might not be his child, but he loved Aquene and would therefore care for the younger girl as if she were his own.

Nash knew they had to be getting close to this newfound pack called Fools Gold Chasm, based on where Sawyer had described it and for a moment he thought they'd found them when Aquene stopped. When he smelled the sickness coming off the stranger, he murmured for Lynx to keep his distance before slowly approaching with the shaman. "What do you need me to get?" he murmured, knowing that even with her daughter missing the woman wasn't about to leave someone who needed help. "I'll take Lynx with me."

The young Vuesain still couldn't believe he convinced not only his father, but also Aquene and Nash to let him come help in the search of Kateri. He didn't want to sit around anymore while another one of his family members went missing in the brutal winter. No, Lynx was going to do something about it, so he made sure to plead his case with his father. It was made easier when Leo was allowed to go too, though he went with father and Chan while he went with Nash and Aquene to the eastern side of the mountain. To lands he's never seen up close. If it weren't for the sickening feeling of Kateri being lost, he would be giddy with excitement.

The trip was tougher than he expected for his lanky legs and giant paws he was still growing into. With him still learning his balance, Lynx had to take things slower than the experienced adults, but Nash made sure to have them take many breaks along the way. He wasn't exactly sure where they were going aside from knowing they were going to another neighboring pack called Fool's Chase Em or something like that.

As they seemed to be getting close, the scent of another came across the breeze. Before he could do anything, Nash told him keep his distance from the stranger. Nodding, he stayed back in the shadows where he was left as Nash approached Aquene's side. The stranger didn't smell right, so he wasn't too keen on getting any closer anyway.

But I put it out of my mind Long enough to call it courage To live without a lifeline

There was a selfish part of Aquene that wanted to abandon the man and continue the search for her daughter, but her more dominant generous and compassionate side stayed her paws from moving away from him, instead carrying her towards his side as she noted the thick mucus from his nose and his somber disposition. Being both sick and a loner was an unfortunate string of events, she knew from experience both in treating loners who had come by her father or uncle’s borders and in herself when she had caught a nasty cold shortly before arriving at the mountains almost a year ago. “I would agree with that assessment.” She hummed. Thankfully, she had herbs for this… she would just have to replace them for when they found Kateri, in case she was ill as well.

“Some food would do him some good, and I’ll need more Lavender. I have some here with me in case Kateri was ill when we found her that I can use, but I’ll need to replace it.” She explained, pulling one of the long green stems with the purple flowers that had been dried out for Nash to reference. She turned her attention back to her patient with a soft hum. “I am, yes. I’m from a pack on the mountain.” She explained because a certain bedside manner required a little bit of sharing. “I can help… though it won’t be a permanent fix. You’ll need rest and likely more herbs to treat you through the next few days.” She wished she could help more, or even bring him back to the Cove for treatment but she was on a mission of her own that meant she didn’t have time.

“Here, this is Lavender. Hold it up to your nose and breathe in it’s aroma. It will help with your congestion.” She encouraged as she took another look at her stock and considered what else might help. She briefly pressed her maw against his forehead to feel whether or not he had a fever.

Nash listened to the stranger cough and try to talk and his ears flattened in sympathy. He sounded awful. He was glad they'd stumbled upon him; he knew Aquene was too caring to abandon him, even if she was desperate in her search. Helping him wouldn't take too long anyway, Nash hoped.

The dark man paid close attention when his love showed him the lavender. He gave it a quick sniff so he would be able to identify it later when he helped her restock. He then sniffed the air and, to his great pleasure, there seemed to be a carcass nearby, meaning he wouldn't have to try to hunt. "Help me bring some of this over," he told Lynx, following the scent to the downed elk around a clump of trees. The ill man's nose must really be stuffed up if he hadn't smelled this easily available food this close. Either that, or moving was really that difficult. He genuinely hoped none of them caught whatever he had, and hoped even more that he hadn't been in contact with Kateri - as much as hearing word of her would help them. Bad enough that she was missing; finding her this sick would probably devastate Aquene just as much as it would please her to have found her daughter at all. He refused to think of a worse alternative. They would find her.

Staying back in the shadows like he was told, he watched as Aquene and Nash went to the stranger to try to assist him. Seeing how sick the stranger was, Lynx wasn't in any mood to get any closer, so he was happy to stay back and not possibly catch whatever illness ailed the man. As the Vuesain stood, the breeze brought over the scent of a dead carcass nearby and as he was peering through the trees to try to spot it, Nash came back to him, asking him to help him carry it over. Nodding, the monochrome boy followed the guardian as he led the way over to the elk carcass.

Carrying it over wasn't easy, but with the two of them they managed to do it as he let Nash lead the way of where to leave it. Lynx just wanted to be careful not to get too close to the sick guy.