Bitterroot Valley holding rare flowers in a tomb

@Lily surprise!

At some point, he had come to the realization that he would not find Mona; not until she wanted to be found. With this came the decision that he would need a new direction until that day— if it ever came. He knew he would not stop hoping, and perhaps would never stop searching, intermittently. Nathaniel also knew his family needed him. Kind of. Sebastian was wounded and still looking for Aviana, last he had seen him— Aviana, who he realized he desperately wished to see. So he trailed slowly through the Teekons, unwilling to admit he was a bit lost and half-hoping he'd magically stumble upon one of his siblings. It'd happened once already, hadn't it?
Nathaniel was decidedly unimpressed with the valley. He thought his firebird might have been taken with the patches of fuchsia among the rock and shrub; that she was not here to bring that spark only brought bitterness. Perhaps she had taken her spark somewhere it was more deserved, and he would be left dull and lifeless again. These thoughts bordered too close to self-pity for the former soldier's liking, and he cast the girl from his thoughts. She would return to him— or she would not. The dark Rochester shook his coat out as if to physically ward her away from his mind, slowing to a stop. The sun was low in the sky; he would need to find food, and a place to sleep for the night. Distantly, he wondered about Tindómë. Life as a pack wolf had been easier, and to an extent he regretted leaving without a word to Delight. The boy had been... well, kind enough. If a little weird; perhaps he didn't regret not having to talk to him again. He did miss the safety of borders, though.