Though storms in Rekes were common and nothing usual, the one that had struck last night had been a beast. Even tucked away in their caves within the mountains, the screaming of the wind could clearly be heard, and occasional lightning strikes made the lights dim briefly. The youngsters had been nervous, and today, with the air cleared and the sun shining, Rocky was hoping to take them outside and cheer them up.

Sky had immediately bounded out the door and into the sky, chirping happily at being freed from the confines of the walls, and Parhelion stepped out the door and immediately became covered in mud. Rocky sighed as he eyed the happy youngster, resigning himself to dunking them in the tub later. Whiteout, however, was more wary of stepping foot outside, bundled up against the cold and staring at the muddy ground with distrust.

"Come on," Rocky coaxed gently, stepping onto the mud in his waterproof boots, "It'll be fine."

Whiteout gave him a look that managed to very clearly articulate their doubt of that statement without saying a word. Still, they hesitantly reached out one booted foot to test the mud, making a face as it squelched, and drawing it back. Rocky relented with a sigh, bending down so Whiteout could scramble onto his back. At least they would be getting some fresh air…

Overhead, Sky's cheerful chirrups changed to something more confused, and the blue aerobic flew down, avoided a muddy Parhelion who tried to tackle them, and landed on Rocky's back next to Whiteout.

"There's someone over there," he pointed with a wing towards a battered-looking stand of trees. Up here in the mountains, they weren't very tall, but they were tall enough to obscure their view.

Rocky blinked and put a hand out to stop Parhelion from immediately sprinting over to investigate.

"There is?"

"Mhm. They looked asleep?"

Rocky frowned worriedly. Sleeping, in this cold and with the storm last night…? He hurried over, telling Parhelion to stay behind him, as Sky leapt from his shoulder to guide them. It wasn't far, but Whiteout made continuous worried noises the walk over there, which Rocky ignored other than another absentminded assurance.

Sky soared between the trees, before landing on a fallen log and pointing to where a green form, almost completely camouflaged with the foliage, lay on the ground. Rocky frowned and grabbed Parhelion again, holding the muddy youngster by the scruff of his neck.

"Hey!" Parhelion protested, but Rocky ignored him.

"Hello? Are you alright?"

There was no response from the prone form, and Rocky's frown deepened. He turned to Whiteout, "I need you to get down for now," and ignored their protests, kneeling to let them off. Sky chittered nervously and inched closer to the aerobic's head, peering at them intently.

"But it's muddy and wet and -" Whiteout muttered pathetically, boots squishing in the mud.

Parhelion stuck his tongue out at her, and Whiteout mirrored the gesture while Rocky ignored them and got closer to the aerobic.

They lay on their side, eyes closed, breathing evenly, but as he got closer he picked out signs that their resting place had not been of their own choosing. The canopy above was broken, freshly shattered branches littering the ground around them, and feathers and mud coated the green aerobic's coat. Whether the storm had tossed them here, or if they had fallen from the sky out of exhaustion, it was clear that this had not been deliberate.

"Parhelion, Whiteout, cut it out," Rocky called, and the two whelps froze where Parhelion was trying to bite Whiteout's tail and Whiteout was shoving mud in his face. "I need you to help me get them on my back."

Sky fluttered to land on a nearby branch, head cocked. "We're taking them back?" he asked, quick on the uptake.

Rocky nodded as he began to try and wriggle under the unconscious body to get it balanced on his back. "We don't know how long they've been out here… they could be sick."

Sky shivered and nodded, jumping in to help the other youngsters get the aerobic balanced. "It is cold."

"No it isn't," Parhelion protested, still coated in mud.

"You're an aquatic," Rocky said blandly, taking a few experimental steps with the weight of the other making his feet sink deeper into the mud. "You don't need sweaters in this weather. We do."

Parhelion made a disgruntled noise, but tilted his head at the aerobic. "Who are they?"

"I don't know. We can ask them when they wake up… which will happen faster if you go run and tell Glow, yeah?"

Perhelion perked up and sprinted off, moving quickly through the mud that bogged Rocky's steps down. Whiteout plodded along beside him, looking disconsolate, while Sky had descended to help balance the aerobic on Rocky's back. Hopefully however long they had spent in the cold wouldn't lead to any lasting damage…

Only time would tell.