Shroud of the Lost bring the rain bring the flood

AW, Nash has a noticeable limp on his rear right hip. I think it's right. I have to double check.

Nash wandered the territory meant to be their new home and couldn't help but feel like the peace they'd so desperately been seeking had fled again. His granddaughter had been gone too long. She was old enough to survive, at least for a little while, but the cold had descended on them again. Snow was not far off; if his years of experience wasn't enough, Nash's hip ached enough to warn him. He'd thought perhaps the ailment had left him when it had ceased bothering him for the summer, but he supposed he should have known the cold would bring it back.

He had more important worries, however, and he couldn't let a silly thing like pain hold him back. He couldn't go as far or as long anymore, but he could still look. Matos and Galen were still gone. His granddaughter was still missing; and now it had been several days since he'd seen Magg and her other pup. At first he'd thought she was just looking further... but Neva's absence made something ill sit in Nash's gut. He tipped his head back and called for them, hoping @Magg might still come to him even if she rarely responded to anyone else anymore.

(This post was last modified: Nov 05, 2024, 12:11 AM by Nash.)

Everything seemed to be falling apart again, and Nori didn't know how to fix it. Galen and Matos were missing, and then one of the twins, and now Magg and both of the girls. There was no trace of them, nothing to track, and Nori wasn't sure what to do. She'd been running around, trying to find any trace of their missing group for what felt like ages now, with no success whatsoever.

Nash's howl sounded not far off, and Nori couldn't help but follow it. He looked worse for wear, and she winced, guilt seeping into her gut. She felt like she'd done something wrong, but she didn't know exactly what.

Maybe, if she'd just left like Magg had wanted, like Eclypse had said, no one would be struggling like this. Maybe there really was no place for her, here.

"Nash," she began, approaching her uncle with her head low and her tail drooping. "I feel like this is my fault." It hadn't been what she meant to say - she'd hoped to suggest he rest, more than anything, but the admission of guilt that had been slowly eating away at her had word vomited out of her mouth without her permission.

She didn't know how to fix it. Maybe if she'd disappeared sooner, this wouldn't be an issue. Not for the first time, she wished it was she who had gotten bit by that snake instead of Archer.

It wasn't long after his call that Nash heard paw steps and his ears twitched, pricking hopefully as he turned to ask Magg where she'd been, had she found Aven yet? Only, it was Nori, instead. His ears turned back slightly at her words. "Why do you say that?" He asked quietly. He didn't like the implication that Magg was gone, that Nori knew she wasn't coming back. Nash didn't want to accept that possibility - that likelihood.

He didn't understand. Why would his eldest daughter have suddenly gone? They were here to be safe, to make a new future. He was trying... So hard. What had he done to fail her this time?

(This post was last modified: Nov 06, 2024, 02:29 AM by Nash.)

She had no proof of it, but Magg's dislike of her had been obvious for so long now that she couldn't help but think it had something to do with her. The fact that all three of them had gone seemed to point to it being an intentional thing, and the fact that there was no trace of them... maybe they didn't want to be found.

Maybe she was just reading too much into it.

Maybe not.

Regardless, the guilt had been eating at her since they'd found out about their disappearance in the first place. Like maybe, if she wasn't there, none of this would've happened.

"If I wasn't here, maybe Magg would still be," she said quietly, looking toward the forest floor. "I don't know if I'm right or wrong, but I do know she... well..." hated me, "...wasn't a fan of me, after... everything. And I don't blame her. But if I hadn't stayed..."

...maybe this family wouldn't be torn apart.