Dixon barely notices that Cae has disappeared from behind him. He is too caught up in his own whirlwind of thoughts, wondering if she would be as happy here as he hoped she would, wondering if she would take flight again and leave him like she had left Lyden. He tries to keep those thoughts at bay, but they linger in the back of his mind like a pesky insect he just cannot shake.

When he finally does notice that she is gone, he is nearly to the center of the Lagoon. He whirls around, panic flashing in his dark eyes, his heart sinking heavy like a stone inside his chest. Where could she have possibly gone? "Cae?" He calls out, dark eyes glancing frantically around for any sign of her. "Cae!" He shouts again. The only response is of a nearby flock of birds and the gentle murmuring of the stream. He curses under his breath - how could he have let this happen? The warnings he had imparted on her rang through his mind. His brothers were savages, looking to spread their genes any way they could, even if that meant taking advantage of an innocent mare like Cae. Another curse bursts past his sooty lips. He begins retracing his steps, following Cae's scent back the way they came, calling out for her every so often. He keeps himself calm, despite the tidal wave of bad thoughts that flood his mind. She's a strong, independent woman - she can take care of herself perfectly fine, that he knows very well. Still, he can't help but worry.

He reaches the Lagoon's border with no trace of her, aside from her scent which still lingers. However, it has become difficult to track, amongst the stench of the Lagoon and the other men and women that reside here. Retracing his steps once more, Dixon begins to head back into the Lagoon's center, praying that he might run into Cae on the way back, although part of him hopes she was smart enough to leave before anyone - or anything - got to her.