Ros seemed to be in a trance, seeing him but not really seeing him - at least not until he shifted and she got an eyeful of the form he could take. Mesec made sure to keep his head low and as un-menacing as possible as she managed to contain her freak-out pretty well, all things considered.

He paused in his, well, sniffing when another figure joined them - introducing himself as Tilney, apparently one of the Moon Doctors. Mesec didn’t fail to note how the antlered stallion looked at him, which really wasn’t surprising. He was a horse-sized wolf-creature, after all. “Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you.” His voice was quiet and calm, hoping to reassure the healer, and he moved to continue the search when more interruptions came.

First their king, pinning Mesec with his gaze and speaking in a disbelieving tone. “Uh yeah… hi.. King Tembovu.” Mesec paused in his sniffing long enough to acknowledge the latest arrival to the search party, ducking his large, fuzzy head in a greeting. He didn’t want to waste time with explanations just yet, however, they were after all there to conduct a search.

But then, of course, Erthë showed up. Mesec surprised himself with feeling a little annoyed - he intended to talk to the pale girl after they returned to the Edge but here she was, changing the topic of conversation to him and not to the one they were seeking. Mauja could be dying and every moment was precious, they didn’t have time for this right now.

Still, his head and tail drooped at her words and he stole one of those precious moments in the hopes that she wouldn’t continue to slow them down - turning around to face them. “I’m sorry, Erthë. I didn’t have control then… I’ll explain everything to you all, I promise.” His silver gaze flickered to Tembovu, to Roskuld, with a weight of sadness that changed to determination when he focused on his sister. “But after we find Mauja.” With that, he turned away from them and resumed his search - wishing it was as easy for his mind to turn away from her words as it was for his body.

He continued sniffing at the ground in all directions - feeling ridiculous but remembering seeing wolves do this sort of thing when they were hunting. And it felt… right? while he was in this form? Like the furry, large body had instincts he had not known about when the shifts were uncontrollable.

It was faint, almost entirely erased, but it was there. Embarrassingly, his tail started to wag of its own accord as his mind recognized the scent he had known since foal hood. Quickly gaining control over his own body - hopefully before anyone saw - Mesec turned his silver eyes to the group and confirmed his find. “He’s here. This way!” Mesec shouted barked at his searching companions and picked up the pace into a gentle lope while keeping his dark nose close the surface. Twice he slowed, picking up the scent again and changing direction. It wasn’t a trail exactly - he did not think he was picking up on where Mauja had been but rather were he was as the scent grew just a little stronger through the cracks in the glacier.

He moved carefully, thankful for his padded feet on the snow-covered ice, but even still his body lurched forward when his front paw slammed through some layers of snow and his face connected with the snow before it before he could scramble back. Wincing with pain, he examined the hole his leg had made and discovered that it just kept going. “Careful… there’s some sort of hole beneath the snow here.” He warned his companions - whichever of them were keeping up with him now (surely Ros, at the very least) - but his gaze stayed on the dark abyss that small hole formed.

A small hole that held stronger wisps of Mauja’s scent. Still chilled and still stale, as though it had not been active in some time, but Mesec wouldn’t let himself worry about why it might not be fresh. He refused to entertain thoughts of what they would find beneath the snow. Instead, he moved into action. With his back paws firmly placed on what he hoped was solid ground, he started to dig. “The scent is stronger here. Help me, but be careful!” He begged of those with him, not knowing how large the hole was and not wanting to see anyone else fall into it.

His great paws and claws burned from the ice and snow but he kept digging, allowing the sunlight to illuminate the icy chamber of the glacier, his heart beating faster and faster with each passing moment.

Please be alive, please be alive.

His frantic digging paused when enough sunlight reached into the glacier to illuminate a figure lying at the bottom - he felt his breath catch at the sight as well, as though his body was stilling in solidarity with the motionless figure below. “MAUJA!” Mesec shouted into the cavern, as though his voice enough would be enough to wake him. Fear and concern boiled together with him as he moved once more, this time calling the shadows around him and in a pop of darkness he disappeared from the top of the hole…

… and appeared at the bottom. He glanced upward to where the sun was shining briefly, hoping that the others stayed safely there, but quickly turned his attention to Mauja - his silver speckled muzzle reaching to nudge his friend gently and disturb the layer of snow that had fallen over him like a blanket.

Please be alive.