---

Weeks passed. The expedition traveled in a loose band that separated, reconnected, split off, circled back. Nate was more confident in his tracking, now, and even managed to find folks on purpose now and again.

But it was cold everywhere. Dark, everywhere.

Whiteout blizzards gave way to freezing rain and hail at times, and still, when he reached saltwater Nate couldn't say their odds were any better here. Scarce hunting; more stragglers with mouths that needed feeding.

Fire was the only respite, and he supposed he was grateful to have found more than one. But spewing pink intoxication into the wind, the Strand's didn't offer any kind of shelter fit for him, at the very least.

He busied himself now walking the coast, kicking a seaweed-covered rock down the shore while an ear kept turned to the treeline. Mostly the rain-wind tugged him forward, South. It tousled his fur into a salt-tacky mess. Sand stuck to his paws from baiting the quiet waves that lapped on icy beachfront.

One of Ko-Ga's feathers and pulled loose in the gales, swept beyond his grasp. Now there was gap in the decoration tucked behind one ear which he decided he didn't care to fix.

It was still Nate. But he was leaner. Less kept up. Tired lines sunk bright eyes. These were the hard, battle weary days. Where you mostly had to survive, and not think so hard about whether hope was a useful thing or not.

Wind brought him something else. Nate paused, turning to tilt nose into the splatter of half-frozen drizzle that weeping clouds spilled in quiet intervals. Ears pricked.

Ȟákac'enyu!

And a stranger?

But they were always finding strangers. Nate's curiosity paired brightly with the promise of a familiar face. He lifted a howl against downcast heavens.