If your characters want to depart at this point, you have my and Jefferson's permission. XD
In a way, despite the news and mood that he had brought upon them, it was still somewhat... nice to see them all together. His single green eye glanced silently among them, drinking up each and every emotion and reaction that they'd thrown back at him. Pepe's timing couldn't have been have worse; the boy could have been thrown off his feet from such a blow, had it been materialized. Jefferson watched him carefully, despite still knowing very little about the boy, and noted his reaction as he compared it to DaVinci's. The subleader managed to keep his temper and emotions in line, one way or another, but the silver-furred Savant was bristling at all ends. The Patriarch found no immediate words of response; he hadn't seen her body, he hadn't heard any rumors, he just... knew. When she'd suddenly disappeared, he'd known. All it took was a couple days' absence of the former Matriarch to cue him such knowledge--the woman had been so dedicated to her lands that she could not bear it on her own soul to be gone for so long. That, and nor had she found her way to meet with them, even at Jefferson's calling. The sound of his howl would have sent her running, blind or not, and she would have somehow beaten them all there. That was just how the woman had worked.
Whinifred mumbled something, but the Patriarch hardly had the interest in whatever it was she'd said. "Later, when everyone's calmed down." The one-eyed brute replied, a slight gentleness within his stern voice due only to the sheer emotions that flooded through them all. His eye then turned to DaVinci, shaking his head. "She never came home," he said simply. Surely, the subleader would know everything behind that statement... every reason as to why it was the complete truth. It was then that the fur at his legs was somehow ruffled, drawing his attention away as Pendzez posed the next question. The Patriarch bent down on a knee and scooped up the girl in his arm, again balancing her fragile little frame there without the use of his other arm, still caught in its sling over his chest and stomach.
"I don't believe so," he said grimly, straightening back up and turning his green-eyed gaze to the white-furred male. "I doubt she's related to Iskata's incident at all. She's this one's mother... I don't know where she is." He glanced down at Addison briefly, frowning and shaking his head a little in a silent scolding for wandering outdoors despite her illness. A sigh and a second later, he turned to his packmates again and nodded his head in a gentle dismissal. They were all handling tragedy--there was no reason to keep them there. "That's the news... If you need to go, go."