Firestone Hot Springs drunk with vivid flame

His voice faded into the wind. His head lowered. He had time to kill. No doubt navigating that mountain would take some time... Now it was just a matter of how to occupy his own time. Kero turned his gaze to the hot springs and wandered through them, balancing on the delicate ledges as he realized he was some kind of picky about which pool he wished to soak in. He explored them all and found himself doubling back. Some pool near the edge of this place. Some pool where the warm steam was frequented by a cool autumn breeze.

He found a spot where Kero was sure he would not be overlooked. He eased himself into the waters and lay sphinx like in the shallows of the pool. The waves lapped at his shoulders, but he did not lower his head. He knew that in doing so he would surely fall asleep. That was not something he could afford to do alone in these wilds and definitely not while he was expecting a visitor.

Kero was near about convinced he'd soaked enough when FitzDutiful arrived. Thinking it as good a time as ever, he rose from the water and gave his pelt a quick shake before the neighboring alpha drew too close to his splash radius. "FitzD! A pleasure as always." He stepped out of the water and gave the wolf a good sniff of greeting before he sank into a bow of a stretch. He'd traveled quite a distance in getting here. The water helped relax his muscles, but a good stretch would keep them loose and nimble.

He did not correct the wolf in thinking he'd traveled from the Spine. It was evidence to him that he'd not communicated with Zaria about his encounter with her and similarly, he did not wish to boast the Spine's, now Spire's, new location. It was a security measure mostly. The less knew of their move the fewer wolves would be prone to seek them. He felt their secrecy kept his family safer at night, through truthfully the Spire was something of a fortress. It needed little protection. Its treacherous slopes were a security system of their own.

"Was traveling this way. Thought I might pay a friend a visit. See how things were going." He'd been in quite a state of disarray last time. Kero hoped his friend was doing better. "It's been what? A month or two? How are things since the last time we met?"