Palpable heat rose from the Earth, a strange occurrence she'd yet to come across in her travels. Insatiable curiosity would not allow her to pass up the opportunity to find it's source, and so her paws changed course. It wasn't the first time, and Namid was positive it wouldn't be the last. Being nomadic had it's perks, namely a lack of responsibility and the potential to see all there was to see. A full life wasn't one spent with alpha's breathing rules down her neck, or constantly having to prove her abilities. No. Alone, the tawny girl could be the judge of her own self-worth, and it was beautiful.
Gliding across the terrain, Namid couldn't help but appreciate the feel of soil between her pads. The night sky, the breeze, the adventure, everything was as it should be. Her mother would be so proud. Nearing her destination, the aroma of vapor, and minerals became quite intoxicating. Light headed, and admittedly a little giddy at the prospective of finding something knew, the wanderer pressed on with an increased speed. Luckily it seemed she was all alone, and could enjoy the breathtaking sights in peace.
Fox headed south and west, across the Whitefish River and toward the hot springs. She had been there many times before, but with the cold weather creeping closer and closer, she felt even more of a pull toward them. Granted, it was only the nights that were cold right now, and she still had to push Perry away to keep from overheating at night, but she knew the harsh winter that would soon be upon them. Evening had fallen, taking the sun down with it, and Fox meandered through the unclaimed land with open ears, eyes, and nose.
A few hours into it, she stopped still, sniffing at the air and smelling somebody close by. “Somebody out there?” she asked, her eyes not cooperating in the way she wished them to.
The rising steam did little to conceal the approach of another, as the faint perfume rode in with the breeze. Taking a step back, Namid, took care to err on the side of caution. One could never be too sure whether the new party harbored ill intentions or not, and certain precautions had to be taken. It was already too late to run, and so the girl did the only thing she could. She listened. At first there was only the babbling of the springs, the leaves catching the wind, and then the soft melody of paw-pads touching the Earth. As they grew in intensity, she knew that this stranger would not be passing on, but still she waited.
From the way they padded against the soil so lightly, Namid was already aware that the wolf would be smaller than herself. Unfortunately, that little gem of knowledge meant very little. It seemed most wolves thought in combat only size mattered, but that was only one aspect. They never took into account the fact that bulk made one slow, and intelligence was half the battle. You had to know when to strike, where to strike, and how. Of course the tawny girl had never been in an actual fight herself, only friendly scuffles with cubs living in the packs they would stay with, but she learned by listening. A helpful tool when a situation called for it.
Then the voice came, like a ghost echoing through the mist. “Somebody out there?” A part of her didn't want to answer, after all she was never good with words. That had been her mother's job, but it had to be her's now. "Over here" Her voice trailed off into the fog, as she searched for a form. Why was there so much mist?
"You been here before?" she asked, curious to know if the stranger used this as a frequent haunt. The fireball had been here on occasion, but she wouldn't consider it one of her "favorites" or anything. Maybe winter would change that. A part of her was wondering if she would even be so close by when winter came along. She was itching to move away from the plateau, even if she was willing to wait for Peregrine (no matter how long it took).
For one reason or another, the other lady excused herself. Fox stared blankly after her, watching her disappear into the misty fog. Shrugging, Fox resumed her exploration of the springs.