They had moved fast, Nash pushing a relentless pace. Each moment he was away from home his skin itched. He knew Jessamy would be a pawful for her mother - that the loss of their grandchildren on top of everything... Magg was meant to be helping her, but her own birthing had been bad enough.

At least Eclypse was there. Every time he thought about it he felt a flash of comfort knowing his own mother's experience was there to help - only to remember that it wasn't, that she wasn't; that was the whole purpose of this trip.

He didn't speak much as they traveled, occupied by his own thoughts. It was why he'd wanted to come alone. He needed to think. And now they were finally at the borders and Nash had to swallow his turbulent sea of emotions, trap it beneath the ice of apathy, and call for his brother.

Historically, Chan had been quick to respond to border calls, so it was a bit of a surprise when a young man arrived first. Nash's brows rose slightly at the wary gaze, but then he had arrived and stood with his tail raised in according with his posture. The yearling was a stranger to him. It was good to be wary. At the mention of 'da', however, Nash's expression softened slightly. This was his nephew. For a moment he mourned that he hadn't gotten to know his brother's children, but that moment was quickly swallowed by the rest of the grief still within him.

"I'm Nash," he said, voice a little kinder than his summons had been, "your uncle. This is my son, Matos. It's very good to finally meet you; I'm sorry it's only because I've come to bring news to my brother." he wished he could stay, get to know his family better, but... it was for the best that he return to the Cove as soon as possible. Hopefully Chan would arrive shortly.

Though his countenance had been softened by the unexpected arrival of a nephew he had yet to properly meet, when his brother arrived Nash couldn't help the subtle sweeping back of his ears. Everything he'd been fighting against rose in his chest at just what he was here to say - news to deliver, and with it a scolding of a sort. This was his older brother, yes, and Nash would always love him, but he was angry. So angry. He had to grit his teeth to avoid snapping at him and his blithe comment.

Instead he let his gaze roam over the trio of Falls wolves before him, glanced at his son, and took a deep breath. He forced himself to stand tall, to act his station, to speak with confidence, and when he did open his mouth his voice was quiet but not soft, although he managed to reign in most of the rage that bubbled within him - rage that merely served to mask his grief, until he could no longer fuel it.

"They returned, yes," he said evenly. "Aquene had to amputate Magg's leg. Ally returned to the Backwater with Eros, and we learned that Archer died climbing the mountain. Nori had to bury him, and went to tell his father." Better to get it all out in one even flow. If he kept stopping and starting he might falter or his temper would flare again. "Aquene and I lost a pup. But more than any of that, I came to tell you that our mother passed away."

Cruel of him, perhaps, to lay her death at the end of so much tragedy when her death was the pebble that started this particular landslide - or had it been Sephrina's, a momentary lapse of attention that set the Cove on the path to doom, the same sort of lapse that lost Sari, that led to Magg's attack and second disappearance? What more might be gone when he'd returned home? He had not been plagued by his old nightmares in a long time, but now he felt the fear seize him. He needed to finish this and go home. He never should have left.