Nomads Pass Next time I'll think twice

Calling anyone from SC but a special tag for @Nash and @Aquene <3

Oh, he messed up. He messed up BIG time. The eldest Eastfall-Slayer child had only meant to explore for a few hours then return home. No one would be the wiser and then maybe he'd have somewhere cool to show the new kids. Only fate had something else in mind for the inky child. While exploring some caverns the tunnels began to all look the same and young Matos quickly became lost. He tried everything from following his own scent backwards to leaving marks on the walls, but everything became too convoluted and confusing. He became trapped unable to find his way out. An unknown number of days and nights went by before dual-colored eyes finally saw the sky again. But when they did, the pup was so relieved but had no idea where he was. Large cliffs rose around him that were surprisingly void of very much snow. The once healthy pup emerged from the cave's mouth, looked around him then all but collapsed to the ground. His now very thin frame winced at the impact. That didnt matter to Mat though, all he had been focused on was getting out and getting home. Dispair and guilt racked the boy as tears began to flow down his dirty face. All he wanted to do was go home. He missed his dad, his mom, his grandma, even his sisters. Why had he tried to go explore on his own? Tried to be cool to the new kids? Why hadn't he listened? Would he ever make it back?

Nash had avoided the rockier parts of the mountain, the cliff faces on particular. He knew there were caves but had no interest in them and therefore didn't stop to think they might hold allure for the children. While his father hadn't died on this side of the lake, Tagg had fallen and been buried in terrain like this and Nash had zero intention of following that fate.

Today was different though. He'd tried everywhere else and after hearing about Mona's adventure to an overlook in the middle of the night, he realized his kids didn't share the same aversions he did. He got up in the morning, told his wife where he was going, and headed off, keeping an ear out for anyone behind him as he set toward the cliffs. If either of his daughters were to follow he would not send them back. He wasn't surprised to find Magg quickly at his side.

"We're going to bring your brother home," he said. "We're going to bring all of them home."

Magg of course followed along, determined that Matos would make it home safely just as @Galen had. Part of her wanted to find @Feyre and Star as well, but admittedly the drive there was to make her friend happier. It wouldn't be much fair, if her siblings came home and his didn't. She chased after her father's trail, catching up with him swiftly and falling into step with his serious, somber mood.

He always sounded so determined, so sure. Was he though? Magg couldn't help but think, what did he know that she didn't which made him so sure? Aleister hadn't made it, and the longer her brother was gone, the more she couldn't avoid wondering...

She tried to be like him. Quiet but active, confident despite being scared.

Their search had taken them outside of the valley, and even as she was focused on finding sign of one of their lost, she also thought of @Adora and everything new she would have to tell her when she got back. Then, the monotony shifted, and Magg smelled something. Something really stinky, but also really familiar.

She took off like a shot, hollering a single word as she rocketed after her brother.

"MAAAAAATOOOOOOOOS!"

The cliffs were playing tricks on him. Taunting him with false voices. What sounded like a long-drawn-out call of his name echoed around him. He wasn't anywhere near home, how could someone be calling him? Another sob fell from his inky maw as all the Eastfall-Slayer boy wanted to do was go home. But then, one then two familiar scents came across his nose on a slight breeze. Dad? Magg? Through blurry vision Matos began to search around him, desperately looking for his father and sister. The youngster hoped with all his being that this wasnt just his mind playing tricks on him from the lack of food and water. This was another miracle that the pup needed to survive the pridicament he had gotten himself into.