It was early and he really should be resting, but Nash couldn't sleep. Everything sounded wrong. Sleep hardly eluded him when he was travelling, but he'd always known he would be back home to the familiar sound of the lake lapping on pebbled shores, wind rustling through the leaves... he sighed and buried his nose between his paws, trying to drive the thoughts away. This was harder than he'd thought. He'd already dreamed of returning, of changing their minds and going home only to find it occupied, strangers in a familiar land that no longer belonged to them.

He knew it wasn't true, but he knew they couldn't go back, either. It was too late. There was no use whining about it now, whether out loud or to himself. There was too much to get done and he couldn't continue sitting here and second guessing his choices. Besides, this one wasn't just on him - they'd all agreed. Except Leo, but Nash wasn't going to force him to stay with the family if he chose not to.

He hoped Eclypse would find them before they got too far.

His niece's voice drew his attention and Nash looked up, ears flicking in her direction as he stood and stretched, yawn gaping his maw. "Of course. Let's step away to not disturb the others." He nodded his head toward the fringes of the group.

Nash and his niece moved away from the group a ways, the leader's thoughts still swirling in a useless cycle of confusion. He was just so tired. What he wouldn't give for a single decent night's rest.

He'd thought Nori wanted to talk to him about Leo's condition, or their travel plans, or perhaps going out to scout. He was surprised when she asked after him and he drew up short, staring at her for a long moment. How to answer? He'd not really talked to anyone about his personal thoughts and feelings, except the night Magg had found him crying at his parents' grave. Since then he'd managed to bottle up whatever remaining emotions he had after letting them out.

"I'm fine," he said, but it barely sounded any more convincing now than it did when he'd said it to his daughter. "How are you?"

Nash was sure his niece saw through his lie, but to his relief she didn't push. He wasn't sure if he could handle an interrogation right now. Instead he returned her small smile and gave her the same courtesy. She did at least seem to be doing better recently, now they were on the move. It was something. He couldn't imagine having been in her position... although he didn't much enjoy being in his current position, either. Not for the last time, he wondered where they would be had Aleister not died. Better than they were now, he was sure. He was a terrible leader. Maybe he should have stayed behind, let his family move on to better things, and kept his bad luck to himself and the mountain.

Nori's voice snapped him back out of his spiral, his ears pricking in interest. "I'm not keen on anybody going off on their own," he said slowly, "but you're right. We need a plan. We've discussed heading Northwest, around the Backwater and up into the unknown land there. Don't go more than two days ahead of us, report back regularly. If you take too long I'm coming to find you." He wouldn't leave another member of his family alone and hurt ever again.

Nori's reassurances did not make Nash feel better. Having experience did not mean one was immune to misfortune. Leo was skilled, and yet he had been hurt so badly. Magg was hardy, and yet-

He raised a brow at her but didn't argue. There was no point; she was right. He needed as many guarding the group as possible, especially with Leo down, and three pups to care for. Nori could handle herself. She would have to. He took a moment to think. He and Aquene hadn't really talked about where they would settle down; they were more focused on getting off the mountain. "...Not a meadow, I think," he said, thinking about Sari and hearing her cries fade into the sky. "Nothing too open. Somewhere close to water, where Aquene can gather her herbs... somewhere mostly flat." All the things the mountain had not been.

Nash took another moment to think, hoping he hadn't left anything out, but he didn't think of anything else pressing. Hopefully anything else was common sense - something he trusted Nori to have. She seemed to understand, focused on him and affirming her understand. Nash's mouth twitched; he hadn't spent a lot of time around rivers; running water always seemed so different than the peaceful stillness of the lake. It wouldn't offer as much security from drought as a lake, either, and it could prove dangerous to pups... but it was better than nothing.

At her question he took another moment to think and shook his head. "We can discuss it again when you check in; I'll have talked to Aquene by then and we might have something more specific. I don't think we can be too picky for right now, though. Let me know about any good spots to stay a night or two as you find them as we go. We're going to need time to rest." He wasn't going to push his pack to the brink of death in their bid to escape it. "And of course, be careful."