Ocean's Breath Plateau many waters

As kind as Rodyn was to see to their needs before seeking answers, Dutch felt he might die if he did not get some of his own. Yet his throat was too tight to eke out any questions. He swallowed reflexively and managed to speak a short, hoarse agreement: "We have worried, too."

For themselves, of course, but for the rest of their families even more strongly. Dutch did not expect they would find any of Valiant's daughters amongst Moontide, but what of his own children? Simbelmyne? Chakliux and the rest of the seal hunters? They'd been gone for many moons; Dutch wanted to know each night they'd gone without him as intimately as if he'd been present.

There was no easy balm for the sting of lost time. He only hoped for the promise of more time yet to come.

The panther's heart splintered yet again when his own father appeared. Somehow, he had not expected to find Aditya still among the living when he returned. Life had never been so difficult, and it had been easy to conflate his own suffering with the general state of the world. Seeing him, however, and feeling the aging strength in his embrace, filled Dutch with a sort of hope and peace he'd not often experienced in his life.

At last, they were home.

"Come," he said to his own son, who had begun to whimper in his grandfather's arms. He nudged Valiant as well, and guided him along in the wake of the two men.

"He is weak," he said to them as they came to shelter. Valiant grumbled in protest, but had no strength to refute the claim. "He needs a healer," Dutch amended. "His meals won't stay down."

Dutch, too, could do with a check-up; his eye and his shoulder in particular seemed to warrant concern. But he could not think of his vessel right then. He had to know: "Simbelmyne? Our children?" Lantern-like eyes flickered between Rodyn and Aditya's faces, searching for answers.