Firestone Hot Springs I think I could, if only I knew how to begin

early evening, 36 F

She needed a distraction from her busy mind; it seemed to linger often on the prince, and she wasn't sure what to do about it. She could simply express her feelings to him, and she considered it enough times that she had played out scenarios in her head. But she always talked herself out of it, telling herself that she was imaging the spark between them, or she was just overthinking everything. So when she could no longer stand sitting with her thoughts, Arielle had wandered from the Ursus borders.

The warmth had drawn her to the area; she had been able to feel it from a short distance away. Her paws were wet and cold from her hours of scouring the lands outside the mountain for plants or signs of Nyra. So she had been unable to resist wandering a little farther than normal. Plus, she thought maybe she would have better luck in the plant department in a place that seemed untouched by winter.

She was not disappointed when she finally arrived and found many pools of warm, bubbling water. She couldn't even be upset that the only plant life was the occasional patch of stringy grass. She trotted over to a particularly large pool. She might consider swimming if the water didn't smell so terrible and if she wouldn't have to travel home completely soaked. She did find that if she placed her paws on the rocks surrounding the hot spring that it would comfortably heat her paws. She closed her eyes and released a soft sigh, letting the warmth sink into her paw pads.

It seemed that escaping the clutches of the ocean was no easy matter. Despite the distance that he had traveled and the time that had lapsed, he swore that the scent of the salt was still lingering and that its sticky residue was still clinging to his legs (he glanced down at them yet again, and, just as they had earlier that day, they appeared clean and unbothered as ever). At first, the grasslands were a welcome reprieve, seeming a simple and predictable landscape by comparison, but then Sieghard stumbled across the hot springs.

With a high degree of reluctance, he began to approach the outskirts of the pools. The heat emanating from the waters was troubling, and his concern was reflected in his eyes as he carefully inspected the area. Each step forth was hesitant. He moved with the care and subtlety of someone trying to squeeze past a dormant snake, uncertain whether or not the snake would allow passage or strike out. Ugh, he thought as an unfamiliar odor assaulted him, his nose wrinkling, but then it passed. His journey felt daunting, these lands unlike anything he'd ever encountered. He felt like a fish out of water, reduced to ignorance. This not-knowing needled his pride.

He spotted Arielle and contemplated her peaceful figure. For several seconds, Sieghard regarded her with an emotion bordering on disdain. Clearly, she thought that these waters posed no threat - were they actually harmless, like the surf of the ocean had been? What a fool I am. Yet, his best hope of learning quickly was to engage with her and any others with whom he crossed paths, so he made a beeline for her, halting when he was a few yards away. There it was again - that awful smell that came and went in flashes. "These waters smell like some kind of rot!" he exclaimed, his tone almost joking (but he was rather serious about his statement). "You don't seem to mind it, though!" he marveled, raising his brows speculatively.

@Arielle

hi! thank you for joining <3

Her ears heard the steps of the large man long before she felt his presence nearby. So her firelight eyes were already opened and watching him as he spoke. She smiled and released a soft chuckle. The smell is pretty bad, she answered. She could tell he was wary, but she wondered why. He could easily overpower her if he wanted to, so then she should be the one who was on edge. But she knew her pack was close enough that a call would summon them here quickly, and that gave her confidence to converse with the stranger. But my feet were very cold, and the rocks around the water are the perfect antidote. 

She stood and turned to face the giant, careful to keep her gaze from meeting his. I'm Arielle, she offered softly, dipping her head a little. Would you like to warm up here too? she asked. I promise I won't bite as long as you don't. She smiled again, hoping her words would lighten the mood some more.

As Arielle spoke, pleasant with her smiles and tone, Seighard realized that she was a bit younger than he'd initially thought. Is that how she had come to be sitting here, idyllic, appearing not to have a care in the world? The concept of relaxation struck him as somewhat odd - granted, he'd never had much time to relax, usually being drilled or pushed into the next order of business. What would he have sat and reflected upon, anyway? Well... He knew the answer to that, but he dispelled those thoughts. They were too dismal, too distracting. At least his recent journey left him feeling so exhausted at the end of each day that his sleep was fitful and devoid of dreams.

He noticed that her eyes kept away, her gaze never quite meeting his own. Arielle. Alright. No harm in sharing names. "I'm Sieghard... Hmm. Am I so offensive to the eyes?" he asked, well-aware that his reflection was mediocre at best. He remembered to smile as he said it - smiling made it a joke, right? He wasn't quite sure, but he did know that humor was often appreciated, so he would try his best with it.

At her invitation to join in, he cautiously began to slip his paws onto hotter rocks. The heat welled up, sending a strong but delicious tingling through his pads, then his toes, then his ankles; his surprise at how nice it felt shone in his eyes. "I don't bite, either," he added, but with the slightest hesitation. He'd done far worse than that, oh, yes, but not here, not anymore. He nodded his head toward Arielle in silent expression of his thanks. "These lands - are they at peace? How lucky you were to be able to sit here and enjoy this treat by yourself, undisturbed... Until I came along, anyway."

@Arielle

He was the first wolf who had ever commented on her inability to make eye contact. She assumed most everyone else took it for what it was: her acknowledgement that she was more submissive than most. She looked away and down to her paws, suddenly a little uncomfortable. It's, um, how I show respect to those who are more dominant than I am. Had he never lived as part of a pack? She found it a little strange that she had to inform him of the unspoken rules of wolf life. Maybe things were different where he came from. 

Her gaze was pulled to the much larger paws next to hers, as the stranger—Sieghard—accepted her invitation to warm up on the stones. She could practically see the tension leave him as the warmth crept up his legs. See, it feels nice, she pointed out before answering his question. And no, I wouldn't say they are at peace. There was no peace within Ursus right now. Merrick was mad with grief, and they still searched for the Saint's leader so that she could pay for her sins against them with her life. But, that doesn't mean peace can't be found on occasion. She needed some time to clear her mind so that she could hear the bear if the spirit ever chose to talk to her again. 

And I don't mind the company, she softly added.

Quietly, he considered what she'd said. He scanned their surroundings, seeing no sign of anyone else. Wisps and clouds of steam danced in so many directions, wraith-like, contorting in response to the wind's touch, but, otherwise, all appeared still. After a long pause, Sieghard turned so that he could get another look at her. "You may be able to find peace on occasion, but I would advise you to be vigilant." Paying attention to one's surroundings didn't equate being in a constant state of fear - did she know that? Did she have anyone to teach her such lessons? One side of his mouth briefly curled upward in mirth as he recalled the implication that he was more dominant.

"Where I come from, you always look someone in the eyes." He stared, practically challenging her to stare back. "When you look at someone's eyes, it can help you to get a better read on them - you can sometimes get an idea of what they're thinking or how they're feeling, or you can see when their mood shifts. You can't always predict what someone is going to do, or know everything about a situation, but paying attention to the eyes can help... For example, if I'm conversing with you, and I keep glancing in a particular direction, what is drawing my attention over there? Am I keeping a secret - do I have an accomplice lying hidden, awaiting my signal to advance? If you tell me a secret, and I say that I'm going to keep it, does the expression in my eyes match my words, or does it suggest that I'm lying? Even in a fight, sometimes your opponent will look at where they intend to strike next." He stopped, not really having expected to say so much. "Of course, there are great liars in the world; like actors, they can choose from many different masks." Regardless, my advice is still sound.

He shifted his weight where he sat, still enjoying the warmth that permeated, waiting to see how she would react to the unsolicited advice.

@Arielle

Irritation swelled in her chest at his warning to stay vigilant. Why was he treating her like a child? She was always vigilant, and she wondered why he assumed that she hadn't been. He didn't know her or what she did for Ursus and the bear spirit. Was it because she was a woman all alone? Did something about her scream weak woman who needed the help of men to know the ways of the world? She knew how cruel nature could be. She might have told him all of this, but then he went off on a tangent about how she should be looking others in the eyes to know their true intentions. Arielle was already fairly perceptive, and she had rarely needed to stare into the eyes of others to know their moods. She remained quiet as he continued to offer advice she had not asked for, all the while thinking how arrogant he seemed. 

When he was done, she lifted her eyes to him but still kept herself from fully meeting his gaze—partially because it was habit, but also out of spite. You seem to think I know nothing of the world, she said, raising a challenging eyebrow. I am vigilant, the healer continued. I am always vigilant, even if I don't appear to be from the outside. Just because I am currently taking some down time, doesn't mean I'm some damsel in distress who needs to be rescued. This is but one sliver of my time today, and you know nothing about me. Okay, she was fuming now. It wasn't often she got so angry, but she had invited him here in the hopes of a conversation, not a lesson from someone who assumed they knew more than she did based off of one interaction. Your way is not the only right way.

Sieghard snorted. The impulse to roll his eyes was fleeting, but he controlled it, and then it had passed. "You're right. I know nothing about you. So, tell me, how many fights have you been in? How many battles, your pack against another? What's the worst tragedy or misfortune you've ever heard about? What's the worst that you've seen firsthand?" This is the way to get to know you, is it not? Perhaps Arielle had had a terrible, daunting life thus far, young as she seemed. Some of them did, after all. Age didn't discount experience and knowledge, so he scraped the bottom of the barrel, offering up a weak apology - it was the best that he had.

"Apologies if I misjudged." He waited to see if she would answer his barrage of questions. His first impression of her had been that she was very shy and quiet, like an intelligent mouse who didn't pay any mind to the owl descending from overhead, but from her reaction, she did have some fire in her, and that wasn't a bad thing. She would bite and draw blood from whatever talon reached for her.

@Arielle

His apology might have meant more if it wasn't proceeded by the first degree. The questions he asked were personal and painful, and she might have answered some of them if she didn't currently feel so uncomfortable and angry. Being vulnerable about her past was the absolute last thing she wanted to do with him. She suddenly wished she was at home, talking to Aves instead. He never made her feel less than. And the scarred stranger had not said she was in so many words, but his assumption insinuated it. 

She sat up and pulled her paws from the stones. My past is painful and not something I want to talk about with you, especially not to prove myself to you. I don't need to do that. Who was he anyway? Perhaps she was getting too upset, but he had really rubbed her the wrong way. But, I accept your apology. She at least respected the fact that he could hold himself accountable.

"I don't need to do that." "That's fair." "But, I accept your apology." Sensing some of her discomfort, he sighed and shifted his weight again, pulling away slightly so as to give her even more room among the rocks. His invitation hadn't been revoked, so he remained. How sharp the air would feel after departing from this place! Even the hottest summers had never warmed his skin like the water and stones were doing here.

"I've sparked your temper, haven't I? You've got quite the fire in you - hot as these stones underfoot, I'd wager," he said, offering her a small smile in an attempt to make her feel more at ease, as she had done for him when he'd first arrived here. "How do you channel and use that energy? Is there something that you like to throw yourself into, like hunting or sparring?" He asked it in a tone of voice that was calmer. His questions fell more like petals blown by the wind onto the surface of a pond, instead of like arrows fired at a target. He had never been good at any of this - at biting his tongue, or at flavoring his words with honey instead of vinegar. You'd better improve at it, now that you're on your own. How many minutes had it taken before he'd nearly driven away his company this time? Still, he was currently setting a new personal best record for longest conversation.

@Arielle

Her anger started to wane some when his tone got less patronizing and more genuine. 

He commented on her temper, and she couldn't help the little smirk that lifted the corner of her mouth. Yes, you seemed to have pushed all the right buttons. Her temper didn't show itself often, but it was fiery when it did. 

His offer for an outlet was tempting. Her anger may have lessened in intensity, but the aftershocks were still there. Normally I tend to my herbs when I need to clear my mind, she told him. But a spar sounds much better. Arielle stood and faced him. If you're interested.

Herbs. How many different types were there? Three, perhaps - those that healed, those that harmed, and those that killed. That was his best guess; he knew practically nothing of them. A healer had applied a poultice to his back long ago, believing that it would prevent his open wounds from festering, but whether it had really had any effect, Siegfried couldn't say. His back had felt fiery - and then the fire had continued, unabated, with the added stickiness and aroma of the mysterious concoction.

"Oh, I'm interested. I used to spar almost daily, but I've been without an opponent, and shadow-sparring is not to my liking." He stood and began to move around Arielle in a wide circle, stretching his legs, shoulders, and hips mid-stride, feeling the frigid air wrap itself around him. "What about rules? You can decide them, if you like." A memory of his trainer flashed through his mind; he hadn't had a penchant for setting limitations. "Some of the scrapes I've been in, it's a wonder I still have both ears, both eyes, and my nose." He smiled a little at Arielle, thinking he didn't have to worry about her removing a piece of him today. "Glad you and I don't have to worry about rearranging our faces," he added lightly, not wanting to give her the impression that he was seeking such a vicious spar.

@Arielle

Arielle watched him move around her and size her up, her own gaze taking in every bunch and release of his muscles as he walked. He was larger and stronger, that much was obvious, and she knew she would have her work cut out for her. She wasn't doing this with the intention of winning, but with the desire to learn—to be even more useful to Ursus. 

Rules? she repeated in question. I don't suppose we need any rules, other than no serious injuries, she added. I don't want you to go easy on me, she told him with a raise of her eyebrow. Up until now, he had shown he assumed she was meek and ignorant; she was afraid he would keep that mindset while they sparred. I won't learn anything if you do that.

She didn't think it needed to be said that they wouldn't 'rearrange each other's faces' but she supposed it was nice to drawn the line there.

"I won't learn anything if you do that." Sieghard nodded in appreciation of her statement. Her mind was sharp; now it was time to find out if that was also characteristic of her teeth and claws.

Without further ado, he abruptly broke into a sprint, approaching Arielle from an angle instead of head-on. With his jaws gaping wide, he hoped to clamp them down onto her shoulder blade. Despite her insistence for him not to hold back, all he was seeking to do was bite down and exert pressure... In an actual fight, if he had managed to secure a hold, he would have thrashed his head to and fro in an effort to rip and rend flesh, thereby worsening the wound, but the purpose of this was not to incapacitate his opponent. A solid bite without the added violence should serve his purposes.

Regardless of whether or not his bite landed where he had intended, he widened his stance and then threw the weight of his hips in Arielle's direction, hoping to knock her down or at least detract from her initial balance. Through habit, his ears were turned down slightly and his eyes narrowed, both small, defensive measures even though they'd said that they would not maim each other.

(So sorry for the delay! <3 I've always enjoyed our thread, just had some health and work stuff going on recently. Also, please let me know if there's anything that you would like me to change about my post. Others on Wolf told me that when sparring or fighting here, it's up to the roleplayers in the thread as to how they handle it. Dodging/countering/anything is fine with me!). @Arielle

nw! rl is more important! i've enjoyed this thread too <3 
as far as the spar, i'm fine with whatever. i'll just go with the flow. if you want, we could roll for the outcome?

Suddenly he was bounding towards her, and she turned to face him. As he got closer, she sprinted forward herself and leaped to connect with him. She could feel his teeth clamp down on her shoulder, and she aimed to grab the loose fur on the side of his neck. If she was able, she would hold on, even when his hips slammed into her side and threw off her balance.

She fell to the ground, helpless against his much larger form. She kicked up with her her rear legs, trying to move him enough that she could push out from under him and right herself again. If so, she would be ready to launch herself at him again and try to use enough force to get him to the ground.

They played a game of give and take for what felt like hours, and when they tired, they called it quits. She left there knowing she had more fighting skills and potentially a new friend.