Ravensblood Forest pius unus moonus bush

The search continued into the night, then the following day, and the day after that, and so on and so forth. Neither Meerkat or @Phox would give up easily, if at all. Most of the time, they stuck together, though occasionally they divided and conquered. Now was one such time, as she headed toward the coast. Maybe she should check Wheeling Gull Isle?

Long before she reached the shoreline, Meerkat slowed to a stop. She was extremely tired from the search efforts. She noticed a tremor in her legs and took a seat to rest, though found herself jumping back onto all fours a moment later as a touch of queasiness rapidly escalated into vomiting. She coughed and spat after she emptied her stomach's sparse contents.

Wiping her mouth, the yearling looked around the dark forest for some source of water. Meerkat moved slowly now, panting, feeling shaky and weak.

Ever since his arrival, the physician kept close to the shores for some source of familiarity -- even though his home was no longer. No temporary shelter was taken here, however, as the sandstone man was quick to nit-pick anything that didn't closely resemble his previous hearth. 

He could remember it like the back of his hand forever -- wide, rounded, and carved out from the earth like a mouth. Decorated with grass, soil and vines intertwined with the forest that sat next to their shores -- and inside was his workplace, his craftmanship. One corner; an organization of herbs and barks he'd experiment with a make into a variety of pastes -- and the other corner a layer of bedding that either held resting patients or elated children that had come to converse or show off their collection of seashells and trinkets.

There were days where he'd wonder how those village children had been faring. Whether they'd been eating properly and staying out of trouble as instructed. Did they wonder where he'd gone as well -- or was the same look of disdain planted on their face like their parents as he was cast out?

Pale paws left prints in the sand beneath Mateo that day, with nothing more to do than trail the beach and continue feeling homesick as he'd been doing all week, though something compelled those tired dark eyes to set his sights on the forest that day -- so off he went.

Into the forest in search of herbs to forage and keep his mind busy, but the sound of something splattering nearby was quick to catch the clay draped man's attention. A dark leather nose picked up the acidic scent of vomit nearby, and curiosity drew him closer to investigate.

Thankfully, she didn't have to go far before she happened across a small stream winding through the woods. Meerkat bent and drank, rinsing the sour taste from her mouth. The water cooled and soothed her stomach too. After she drank her fill, she wiped her mouth, sighed and dropped to her haunches to ascertain herself.

She still felt a little shaky, though the water had gone a long way to settle her stomach. Meerkat knew she should find something to eat but there wasn't really time. Every minute counted. Prevost was only a baby still, hardly capable of looking after herself for long. She was in danger of exposure, predation and myriad other threats, out there all by herself.

Slowly, she rose onto her feet to resume looking. She'd only gone a few steps when a figure appeared a little ways downstream. Meerkat turned and actually gasped audibly, her heart leaping into her throat. The resemblance to both Niamh and Primrose was uncanny. But, of course, the details were all wrong and she quickly realized this wasn't anyone she knew. Neema and Prim were both dead and gone.

Meerkat swallowed, heart sinking as she swiveled a little to properly face the stranger. "Hello," she greeted before quickly asking, "Have you seen a wolf pup wandering around here by herself, by any chance? Her name is Prevost."

Head emerging out of the bushes, the painted man's gaze would trail towards the sight of two things -- the puddle of vomit nearby, and a young girl adorned in dull golds and tans like the sands he knew so well. Her body was turned away for the present to be preoccupied with water instead.

Mateo had half the mind to walk slowly away incase the she-wolf who'd spot him wasn't too keen on suprise guest, but another side of him -- the one that cared too much -- wanted to question whether the girl was sick in some way.

When the girl eventually noticed him, the skittish man jumped at her audible suprise -- but instead of being told off about it, the golden girl would greet him with quick inquiry. As you can guess, his own 'Hello' in return was cut shortand he was insteadfaced with the question: "Have you seen a wolf pup wandering around here by herself, by any chance? Her name is Prevost."

"My apologies, I'm afraid I haven't... He answered while shaking his head, a lith of worry crossing his features at the thought of a young child wandering alone in these parts. Pups should be supervised closely, as those who wander off for too long usually do not last long. "This Prevost...they are your child?" The woman looked a bit young to be a mother, but one could never know.

Meerkat knew she was being a little unmannerly, especially for an ambassador, though she couldn't feel bad about that, not with Prevost's safety at stake. Unfortunately, the stranger hadn't spotted her. The yearling wasn't particularly surprised, though she sagged a little.

"No," she replied to his question, "she's—she's my sister." They had never so much as met, yet it was still true. Meerkat sucked in a breath when she realized she couldn't even really describe her. She really ought to get that information from Phox, if he knew, Mou or Maegi if he didn't.

Speaking of them, the yearling remembered to say, "We're sort of headquartered on the nearby plateau, I think it's called Blacktail? It's a straight shot from here, um..." Meerkat rotated a little to orient herself, "to the southeast."

Facing her family's lookalike again, "So if you do see or hear anything, that's where you can find us..." She trailed off for a beat before finally thinking to say, "I'm Meerkat, by the way."

While she waited for his own introduction, the yearling realized she felt a little lightheaded after all that talking. She could feel a headache getting started too. She let out a breath and sank to her haunches, waiting for the wooziness to pass.