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Tidal Terror walked up the beach with a heavy heart. She had to leave the sand bar, and her tribe, for a journey to find something she wasn't totally sure existed. Furthermore, Parrot Head was not around for her to speak to before leaving. She hated running off without touching base with the tribe leader, but she couldn't wait. Her legs wouldn't let her, and more than that, she wondered if the terrible dreams would continue the longer she did not try to find the obelisk.

She passed familiar faces, greeting them as she went along. Squeeze, Nobody's Fault, to name some of the usual group.

Among the bright and many of the tribe, she was looking for one kin in particular. Fortunately, he was easy to find among the many colorful flanks, as he was a stark gray-to-white. "Spectral Escape!" she called.

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The buck shook sand out of his mane as he awoke to the sound of the loudest totoma's voice. Another night he curled up alone, and woke up alone. Sure, he could have shmoozed among other tribe members for some company, but no one had the kind of spark he found in Parrot Head.

For a moment, he wondered if Tidal Terror might have news on the acha's return.

"Tide!" he responded before a long yawn left his chest. "What can I do for you this lovely morning?"

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"It is indeed a very lovely morning! Not a cloud in the sky!" Tidal Terror agreed, shuffling her hooves. "I hope you rested well!"

She took a breath. She never did well with small-talk. "I have something to ask of you!"

Her logic was such: Parrot Head could get him to do whatever she wanted. Hopefully the buck would extend her that courtesy, too. "I need to leave for a bit. Can you help me with something while I'm gone?"

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He stretched, working out the kinks in his legs, as Tidal Terror spoke at him. "Straight to the point as always, huh, Tide? What do you need? Actually, why are you leaving?" Spectral Escape looked up at her. And why are you talking to me about it?

The totoma was one for routine, and usually didn't feel a need to report her comings and goings, especially to a layabout like himself.

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"Yes... Straight to the point... That's me..." Tidal Terror muttered to herself. Oh. But if that was so well-known, then... "So it wouldn't be too forward to say that I had a dream? About an obelisk? And when I dream, I usually cannot touch things, but this time I could! I touched the obelisk! And I swear it was in the swamp! And I...have not rested well since. I do not wish to go, but I believe I should. I think I should be able to find it..." she barreled on and on.

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"Okay, Tide! Okay! That's...that's a lot. Wait, you dreamed about the obelisk? I suppose totoma could do that. I wonder if the kids here ever dreamed of something like that." Spectral Escape trotted about, keeping a casual outlook. "So you're going to go find it, huh?" Interesting. Tidal Terror never struck him as the type to literally follow her dreams.

"So where do I come in?"

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"I need someone to take on my duties while I am gone, and so..." Tidal Terror halted her thoughts. "Wait, you have dreamt of the obelisk?" She looked down at him, as if for the first time.

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"Oh, yeah. It's a pretty normal thing." But he never felt the need to go find it. Interesting. "I guess you have a calling; the swamp works in mysterious ways, after all! In case you didn't know already. So. You want me to do your work for you? What if the boss gets back while you're gone?" Spectral Escape was trying to nudge her a little, to get her off of being so serious at the moment.

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"Tell her where I have gone and why, and that I am sorry to have left before seeing her." Tidal Terror replied with a curt nod.

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"...I see." So he wasn't getting out of this one. "Anything for you, Tide." That's what Parrot Head would want, he supposed. And when the swamp called, one answers. "Good luck out there!"

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She exhaled a shaking breath as she felt the weight of her decision. There was no going back on it now. "I thank you."

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"Just remember me the next time you catch some extra fish!" Spectral Escape said, gave a playful toss of his head, and went to update whoever would want to splash in the surf today.

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Tidal Terror laughed at that. She looked to the water, observing some of her pets as they had their own fun in the sun. It took so much effort to keep Headstrong from following her. The only thing she knew would follow her would be Snapjaw, and likely for the better. She didn't trust it to behave while she was gone. Her pets were upset that she was going, or at least she could tell from her otter and bird, and it hurt her to leave them behind. But after that dream...she wasn't sure what would happen next. They would be safe here. And the beach would be safe from Snapjaw.

And maybe...if she worked hard enough, to do whatever she needed to, the tribe would be safe from disaster.