Floribama Shore Cast Reveals 5-Hour Search Mission for Gus After He Ran Away Screaming (Exclusive)

The latest season of MTV's "Floribama Shore" moved to a new, snowy location, but that didn't mean the partying... or the drama... chilled out.

Chatting with TooFab, Jeremiah Buoni, Codi Butts, Aimee Hall, Kirk Medas, Nilsa Prowant, Candace Rice and Gus Smyrnios discussed reuniting for their annual trip -- this time to Montana -- where COVID restrictions and weather-permitting socializing brought the gang a new sense of comradery.

"I feel like a lot of people were able to get closer because we only had each other," explained Nilsa. "But there were still some huge fights in the house."

Codi added, "It definitely was a big difference this year because we could escape some of the problems that you have or the conflicts that you run into with each other in the house -- like go to a bar, forget about it, time heals a lot of things -- then after you get back from the bar, you can look at each of them and go, 'Oh, man, that was some bulls---. we can squash it,' but this time you couldn't do that. So, you had to either like address the problem or it was just still going to be a problem."

Echoing that sentiment, Jeremiah said, "I feel like a lot of relationships were strengthened this time around too, especially because the fact that we were quarantined to our house and any issues that we had with each other, it wasn't lingering for two weeks at a time. No, it was being taken care of the day that it happened. So I feel like that made things a lot better for us as far as being able to personally trust each other a lot more and being able to be open with each other a lot more."

And though the winter climate brought a new set of challenges for the usually sun-soaked cast as well, the gang said they made the best of it.

"I don't do snow," quipped Candace. "I very much like a bikini, crop tops, booty shorts. Like I don't do any weather under like 75 degrees."

Jeremiah chimed in, "I'm pretty sure she wore each piece of those clothing in the snow, by the way."

"I did, yes. I was definitely in my bikini in Montana," Candace assured everyone. "It was just something very different for me. I was like, 'Wow,' like it's slushy on the ground. It was crazy."

With the news of Nilsa's pregnancy, the group said they were extremely excited to add a baby to their TV family. Even Nilsa's one-time paramour, Gus, took it in stride.

"My reaction was just like everybody else's," he proclaimed. "I was happy for her. I mean, I know we have history and everything, but, I mean that was a couple of years ago. Like our friendship has developed a lot more where there's not any awkward tension between us."

Speaking of Gus, he and Jeremiah weren't on the best of terms at the end of Season 3 and things appear to be just as shaky for the upcoming one.

"What shocked me the most was Jeremiah and Gus' fight," said Aimee. "I knew there was always tension there, but I honestly didn't know they were actually going to get into a physical fight. So that really just blew my mind."

"It was a matter of time," Kirk said laughing. "I was just counting down."

Gus was also the center of another dramatic storyline, as he was seen running away from the group in the teaser trailer, yelling, "Y'all get the f--- away from me!"

"I'm a very hot mess. I need some help," he joked about the incident, which happened to include a search party going out to look for him.

"So it was me, Jeremiah, Codi and Kirk," Nilsa said of the group who jumped in a van to find Gus.

Jeremiah added, "And then Amy and Candace were waiting for Gus' parents or somebody to call the house. So it was basically -- everybody was out and also production as well. I mean, we had security guards in a van, we had camera crew in another, literally just going over the entire town, looking for this kid, just spread out across the state."

"We were in the car for five hours looking for him," Nilsa explained.

As for their former cast mate Kortni, the crew agreed that her decision to leave the show to focus on her mental health was a great move.

"Yeah, I talk to her once a week," said Aimee. "She's doing really good. She's in good health and we're all very happy for her."

Kirk added, "The best thing she ever did was honestly step down from this. Cause her mental health was through the roof when she was doing this. Now she's like the happiest I've ever seen. She has a glow to her. I FaceTimed with her the other day, she just seems genuinely happy. And that's all we want."

MTV'S "Floribama Shores" premieres Thursday, February 25 at 9PM ET/PT. It moves to its regular time slot at 8PM ET/PT on Thursday, March 4.