Firestone Hot Springs too hot to handle

I'm going to edit a conclusion onto this one and close it out, since Dorian is inactive and I would like to use it as a trade thread.

Lane clung to Dorian's ruff as they sank, making sure that he received a good, thorough soaking. She released her grip once she felt his hind legs kicking against her. Still, just for good measure, she pushed down on his head with her forepaw as she surfaced, hoping to get in one last little "dunk." 

As she broke the surface, the young woman accidentally breathed in some of the acrid water. She began coughing. Scrabbling against the ledge of the pool, she pulled half of her body out of the water, continuing to cough. If Dorian didn't stop her, she would pull her whole body out of the pool to settle on the ledge.

Once she had control of her breath, Lane turned to Dorian with a weak smile. She was exhausted, both from the wrestling session with Dorian and from the fight to reclaim her lungs from the poolwater. She stood and shook off. 

"I'll be seeing you, Dorian. I'll have to drop into Castle-Leoki sometime. You know.. next time I need a gentleman for something."

...

After she bid Dorian farewell, Lane trotted back in the direction which she came, hoping to make it to some neutral territory with treecover by sunset. As she walked, she contemplated. Sinking to the bottom of that hot pool had reminded her of something from one of mama and papa's lessons: infection sinks toward the center of the body, toward a natural heat source. What if the hot spring could be used as an alternate heat source-- one that was hotter than the body's internal temperature? Would that reverse the progress of the infection? If so, that would be a game changer. 

Imagining the possibilities occupied Lane's mind long after she left the hot springs behind. She would be back, and next time would be in the name of science.