"My brother could be dead!"

Kipo's mouth fell open in shock. She can't believe she forgot about that. She guiltily wondered how long Wirt's been worried about this, and how she never noticed.

Wirt was still curled up on himself, shaking and sniffling, so Kipo shuffled closer. She gently put a hand on his shoulder.

"Wirt...?"

It took a couple seconds for Wirt to answer, but when he did, his voice was hoarse, and Kipo could barely make out what he was saying. "S-Sorry."

"No, don't be," Kipo assured him. "I think you're right, to be honest. We SHOULD be looking for your brother..."

Wirt's head snapped up, and Kipo quickly added: "Not that he's definitely in danger or anything! I'm sure he's fine."

Kipo paused for a second, thinking about what she had to say. "I'm sorry for completely forgetting about your brother, Wirt, and I'm sorry for not realizing how much this was affecting you. I guess I was too caught up in the realization that there's someone else around to really think about anything else... But that changes now!"

Wirt watched as Kipo stood up, and hard, resolute look on her face. "Don't worry, Wirt, because we are going to find your brother, no matter what!"

Kipo waited, but Wirt only stared up at her, blinking. He didn't look nearly as cheered up as she would've hoped.

"Kipo... how are we supposed to do that?" he asked, quietly. He'd already given up, Kipo realized. "We can't even leave this forest, and it's freezing cold here. There's no way-."

"We can't think that, Wirt!" Kipo cried. "There's no point in us telling ourselves your brother is dead if we don't know for sure. Even if it's just a tiny chance that he's alive, it's better to try than to give up, right?"

Wirt thought about that for a second, and then sighed, wiping his tearstained eyes with his glove. "I guess," his voice was still coated in misery. Kipo sighed. That'd have to do for now.

"Here," Kipo offered, turning to the forest. "I'm almost certain that he's not in the clearing, but it's better to check. So I'll go climb this tree, and survey the plains. It's efficient!"

Wirt looked to Kipo, than at the gigantic tree that practically dwarfed them. "...Is that a good idea? Kipo, I can't climb that-."

"Don't worry, Wirt, I can," Kipo said. "Back in my burrow-"

"Your what-?"

"I liked climbing the walls with my dad, so I think I'm pretty good at it. I mean, that was with two people and safety equipment, but the Number One thing that got me to the top was confidence."

Kipo turned back to Wirt, her hands on her hips. She had successfully surveyed the wall, and now she was sure she could do it. It would, probably, be easier with her jaguar, but Kipo wasn't sure she could control it, and Wirt seemed a little unstable anyway. She didn't want to scare him anymore than he already was.

"I'll be right back," Kipo promised, taking off her gloves. It would be hard to climb with them. "Just wait there! Don't go anywhere!"

"Kipo, I-," Wirt once again stared up at the tree. It covered the sun. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yep!"

Wirt looked nervous. "Well... alright. I, uh, don't think I can stop you, anyway."

Kipo stepped up to the tree. "I'll be alright, Wirt. If I start to feel like I can do it, I'll come right down, I promise!"

"Okay."

Kipo gave him one last nodded, and completely turned to the tree. Her dad told her to make a route in her mind before she started climbing, to plot her course and to pick the holds she would have to use.

Her father... Kipo felt closer to him than ever before. Was Wirt right? Did they really have a way home?

Kipo shook out her thoughts. Focus on finding Wirt's brother. FOCUS!

Kipo reached out, grabbing a branch slightly above her head. It was far too large for Kipo to wrap her entire hand around, so Kipo used the branch near her foot for leverage. The she was climbing.

The route Kipo had picked out for herself turned out to be good, other than some minor problems, and before long, Kipo was climbing quickly, having found a good rhythm to set herself in. Kipo only looked back once, and by that point, she could barely make out Wirt's awed face. She grinned, giving him a reassuring wave before turning back to the tree, continuing at her task.

A little further up, Kipo was surprised to find a flurry of movement on a branch above her, making loose bark and leaves rain down at her. Kipo winced, covering her face as the debris bounced off her and to the ground way, way down below. She paused, frowning at it.

"What's that?" Kipo mumbled to herself. "A bird or something? Wait... I recognize that brown... REGAL! I didn't know you climbed trees!"

A friendly face popped out from above the tree and barked. Kipo laughed, and reached up to pat her friend on the back.

"I thought you were asleep!" Kipo grinned. "I hope I didn't wake you up."

Regal barked again, licking and biting at Kipo's fingers. Kipo quickly took them away after giving Regal one last pat. It wouldn't really be a good idea to mess up her grip strength thirty five meters in the air.

"Well, since you're awake, do you want to climb with me, Regal?" Kipo asked cheerfully. "Do you, huh? Do you? Aw, you're so cute. Come on!"

Kipo raised her hand to the branch Regal was on, and then paused as Regal shot up the tree in excitement. It only took a couple seconds for him to race back down to her, and then race back up.

"Oh, we're doing this again," Kipo smiled softly to herself, shaking her head. "Alright, let's go!"

With newfound determination, Kipo pulled herself up, continuing up the tree, and following her overenergetic friend.

Kipo looked back at the plains, spread out before her like never before. She could see everything from here, including the pile of Long Necks and The House, which looked like islands in the rolling sea of yellow.

Yes, Kipo decided, this was the place to stop.

With a huff, Kipo pulled herself up to sit up on a branch before turning around to call up to her friend, who was still climbing up and down the tree in a blur, despite Kipo stopping. He used his tail to swing himself from branch to branch, which were so tightly packed here that they might as well be a ladder for him. Kipo grinned, watching the dog-snake work. It would probably be best to finally put him out of his misery.

"Regal!" she called to him, waving. "This place is good! You can stop climbing now!"

Regal paused, hanging by his tail a little bit above Kipo. Then he climbed down, slower, and situated himself by her side. He looked up at her, panting and cocking his head. Kipo laughed.

"I know what you're looking for, you sly boy," Kipo teased. Regal barked, and Kipo giggled, patting him gently on the head. "You're too cute. Good job, Regal."

Kipo turned her attention to the plains, and her patting turned to absentminded scratches behind the ears. Regal didn't seem to mind.

"It's... so big," Kipo whispered to herself. "I mean, I knew it was, when I was down there, but now... I can really see it. I can see everything up here."

Kipo stared down at the plains, suddenly shivering. It was a lot colder up here than it had been down there, and Kipo knew that she shouldn't stay up here too long. After all, climbing might be a little difficult with cold fingers.

Kipo frowned, now studying the clearing with a sharp eye.

"I can see everything," Kipo sighed to herself. "Except any other person."

Kipo bit her lip, rubbing her hands together. Regal whined at the lost of contact, but Kipo barely noticed. "I don't think he's here, Regal... I hope he's alright."

Kipo shook herself, trying to shake off the climbing feeling of fear. Despite her earlier speech, Kipo, like Wirt, was fearing for the worst.

Regal made a noise next to her, and Kipo leaned over, scratching in between his ears again.

"I don't even know anything about Wirt's brother," Kipo told Regal. "Is he good at surviving outdoors? Is he the impulsive type? Is he mature? I don't even know what age he is! I don't even know what his NAME is!"

Regal barked next to her, and Kipo jumped, looking over to him. Regal blinked up at her, and Kipo sucked in a nervous breath, laughing nervously.

"Right," she said. "It's like I was saying! Panicking helps no one."

Kipo leaned over the side of her branch, just slightly. "I just hope he's alright. If he's not here, then where?"

Kipo blinked, and then slowly looked over her shoulder. "Could he..."

The mysterious pink fog twinkled behind her malevolently, and Kipo turned around quickly. "I haven't see anything yet," she reminded herself. "I don't know anything."

Taking another deep breath, Kipo clapped her hands, startling Regal.

"Oops, sorry," Kipo apologized quickly. She turned to look down the tree again. "I think it's time to go down again, Regal. You know, relay to Wirt what we have learned."

Regal tilted his head at her.

"Oh, yeah," Kipo remembered. "I'll introduce you to Wirt when we get down there. Let's go!"

Regal suddenly jumped up, and Kipo watched as he hurtled down the tree. A couple seconds later, there was a scream. Kipo paused, right in the middle of moving off the branch.

"Oh yeah," she said. "I forgot about that..."

Kipo sent a grimace down the tree. "Uh... I'm coming, Wirt! Just wait!"

Kipo started down the tree as quickly as she could, trying not to giggle to herself.

"Kipo!"

Kipo paused, looking down the tree at her friend. "H-Hey, Wirt!"

Wirt looked relieved. "You're alright! Er... are you alright?"

Kipo thought about taking her hand off the tree to wave, but decided against it. "I'm...good! Just a little tired! It's is... really cold!"

Kipo turned back to her task, but she could feel Wirt's worry from behind her.

"Uh... alright," Wirt sounded nervous. "Wait, Kipo, look out-!"

Kipo grinned as Regal licked the side of her face before rushing down again. Wirt let out a yell.

"K-Kipo! It... Are you alright?!" Wirt cried. Kipo laughed.

"It's fine, Wirt, that little guy is only Regal," Kipo told him cheerfully. "It's alright. I'm almost down now, so please don't distract me!"

"...Okay."

Kipo looked down at the ground below. It wasn't too far now, but a fall from this height still would hurt. Kipo needed to... hurry...

"Uh... Kipo?"

Kipo ignored him, trying to focus. Her right hand, latched onto a branch by her head, wasn't moving.

"Kipo?!"

Kipo's right hand wasn't moving either. No... that wasn't it, she wasn't moving! What was going on?! Why wasn't she moving?! Was it the cold? Was it her own fear?

Kipo's hands were shaking now, and she couldn't decide whether she wanted to hold on tighter or let go. Now all of Kipo was shaking. Her body was both too hot and too cold. She felt exhausted and fired up at the same time. She needed-

"KIPO!"

Kipo started, and her grip slipped.

Kipo cried out as she feel from the tree, but her yell was suddenly cut off when the force of the ground on her back winded her. Almost immediately, Wirt was on her and worried.

"Kipo! Kipo, are you ok? Oh, god, I am so sorry-"

"I...m alright."

"Huh?"

Kipo took a couple deep breathes in, yet her voice was just as hoarse. "I... Help me up."

"Huh?"

"Help me up."

"Oh, right!" Wirt stuck his hand out. "H-Here."

Kipo grabbed it (slowly, of course. Everything was incredible painful right now), and Wirt gradually pulled her up. Once she was on her feet, Kipo immediately knelt down again. She was still having problems breathing.

"Kipo?!"

"I'm alright," Kipo assured him. She took a deep breath. "Wow. I cannot believe I survived that. And on top of that, I'm completely unscathed!"

Kipo stood up, throwing her hands out in victory. Then, almost immediately, she knelt down again.

"Ooooowwww."

Wirt grimaced at her. "Uh, Kipo? You don't look that unscathed."

"I... think I'll be fine," Kipo winced. "Let's...uh... let's go back to The House."

"That's probably a good idea," Wirt agreed. "Uh... can I, uh.... Help you?"

"Yes please!"

Wirt stepped forward, and eventually they situated themselves to where Kipo was leaning on Wirt.

"Thanks."

"Y-Yeah. No problem."

Suddenly, something knocked lightly off of Kipo's leg, just enough for her to notice, but not enough to knock her over. Kipo looked down, and grinned.

"Yes, you can come, too, you adorable boy," Kipo told him. She reached down, and Wirt knelt down enough to let Kipo pet him. Regal thanked them with an appreciative warble.

Kipo grinned at him, and her and Wirt pulled themselves up again.

"Alright," Kipo said, pointing with the arm that wasn't holding onto Wirt. "Onward."

And so, began the long walk back to The House. It didn't take as long as they thought for Kipo to recover, and at least a couple minutes in, she was back walking by herself. Then she started talking.

It wasn't anything too important, and surely not what Wirt wanted to talk about, just descriptions of the plains from above.

"It looked so cool, it was really cool," Kipo told him. "You should have seen it..."

"I'm sure it was," Wirt agreed. He wanted to say something else, and, based on everything Kipo knew about him, Kipo doubted he was going to come out and say it.

Well. That left it to her to say it, huh?

Kipo really didn't want to do this, but...

"Wirt," Kipo said. It seemed he heard something more serious in her tone, because he suddenly seemed to be paying more attention than before. "I-I didn't see your brother up there. I'm sorry."

At first, Wirt didn't answer. And then "It's okay. I... I thought so."

"You did?"

Wirt nodded, staring at the ground again. "I don't think he's here."

"Wirt-."

"Not here in this place," Wirt corrected. "Maybe he's somewhere else. Maybe he's dead. I don't know."

Kipo couldn't find anything to say to that.