Hushed Willows let somebody go

Join me in crying.

How many times had Meerkat told herself that it was pointless to spend her life searching for a lost loved one? Sometimes it had been hard to uphold that promise to herself, though never had she been tested quite like this.

They did search the area, though eventually an exhausted Meerkat quite literally collapsed. As she lay there, breathing, she thought, At least @Swordfish is alive out there, somewhere. They hadn’t found a body, after all. It was cold comfort and she wept herself raw.

Then she picked herself off the ground on shaky legs and went to find @Njord and @Stingray. If they chose to continue the search, she would try to be supportive. But first and foremost, they needed to look out for themselves; for each other; for the tiny hearts she carried inside her. They needed to go somewhere safe, rest and regroup.

Meerkat found them under the willows and croaked, Do you trust me?