Firestone Hot Springs Call me, maybe?

Perchance a join thread? I read somewhere Kaistleoki pack is territorial over the hot springs my toon intends to use for his healing herbs @Ira or @Hieronymous or @Speedy or another Kaistleoki pack member

The sound of clattering bones and banging wooden tools preceded this male long before one ever caught sight of him, the burst watched with skills lashed together with vines dangling from his jaws like macabre purses

The white brute could tell due to natures not so subtle changes that a storm was coming and for a lone wolf this could spell disaster or even death, though at his brutish well fed size freezing to death was very unlikely, falling to his death due to the blinding snowfall if he didn’t find shelter would be possible though.

He followed his nose the scent of sulfuric gasses lead him to a prize worth all his troubles, he finally stumbled upon the hot springs. He had long since known they must be in the Teekon wilds, due to his gods intervention. He set his burden of herb laden skulls down and then he began to burst his mobile cache under large flat stones that were plentiful around here. Once he was happy that his cache would survive the weather he finally turned and grinned at the the pools of steaming water.

Trotting over to the edge of a pool knowing that despite the blizzard on it’s way this was going to be one of the warmest places to be. Now if only he could find a pack to join they could benefit from him as he would from them.

It wasn't often the healer left the safety of Kaistleoki, but with Emrik officially missing, she had been making short trips outside of the territory to try and find any sign of him. It wasn't like him to disappear, and she was worried his not returning meant that he was hurt, trapped, or worse. An icy wind had settled in the last few days, and the skies were dark and spoke of something ominous headed their way; it made dread pool in her stomach. A bad storm would only make things more difficult for her mate if he was still somewhere out here.

The hot springs remained a relatively safe place for her so far—it was close enough to pack territory that she could call for help if needed, and since the pack frequented the area, Speedy liked to think their lingering scent warded off most trouble makers. 

But when the pungent odor that was normal here was also mixed with the scent of a stranger, she grew a little worried. It wasn't often she interacted with stranger outside the borders, but she refused to turn around and leave in case this stranger was injured and needed help. 

The trail led her to the hulking form of the pale stranger as he peered over the edge of one of the pools. Her gaze immediately found his plants, although she hid the confusion she felt when seeing how he preferred to store them, not wanting to offend him. Her healer's gaze moved next over his form to check for injuries; when she could see nothing obvious, she finally settled her warm eyes on his face. A friendly smile curved her lips. It smells terrible, but the water feels very nice. It's good for sore muscles too. She was going to join him at the edge of the pool, but she waited a respectful distance away until she was sure he wasn't going to try and cause problems.

Thank you for joining Vein here, I was going off the storm BWP post too, I hope you don't mind

The white yet dark stained brutishly large and overweight males deep sun golden eyes looked up to see the source of the soul soothing sounds that filtered through his ears and a warm smile graced his lips as he bowed his head respectfully his tail lay relaxed behind him. His voice was a practiced deep timbre “Oh the smell is not so bad, I quite enjoy it. Plus it means one could get sulphur from these waters and that has so many uses in poultices and pastes”  

The smell in the air did block most other scents so in this regard he could not smell her or the pack scent on her, not unless he got closer. Though he doubted she’d want anything to do with a filthy wolf such as he was at the moment. Vein grinned at her, “So it does,” Despite the Snow swirling around the wolves as the storm kicked up a notch, He walked into the pool and laid down before giving himself a good roll dunking his head under too, to get the brownish ceremonial stains from his face as well, He tied not to splash to angelic sounding wolf as he washed up.

Slowly he stood allowing the water to drip from his now mostly clean pelt, it was whiter now then it had been for weeks, even if he’d carry a slight sulphur smell with him for a few days. He stood and trotted to the edge of the far edge of the pool, this again was so as to not splash his new peer. He gave himself a mighty good shake, and then another to get as much water from his pelt as he possibly could before gliding around the pool to get closer to his new companion, with the grime washed off there would be scabs visible on his lower left leg just above the ankle though it did not seem to bother him. The scabs followed the patten of wolves bite marks though the flesh did not seem swollen nor infected, a small patch of missing fur on his neck would still be coated in a gluey paste smelling of sap and perhaps a hint of Creosote leaves hiding perchance  hiding yet another wound. He seemed unconcerned about either though as he scented the air finally confirming to himself that she was indeed female and of a pack.

His rumble was warm as he introduced himself formally “I am Vein, New traveler to these wilds, A Master Healer and Spiritual Shaman, I am at your service Milady, Is there anything at all I can do to serve you?” His words were innocent and yet perhaps felt like a double entendre and his eyes shone with interest as he bowed his head in subservience to her and indeed he shifted in such a way to make his whole body appear more mild and meek toward her, though one could never doubt he could hold his own, if not just sit on another wolf and make them beg for their life. He’d have no clue she had a mate, nor would he care if she wished his companionship, but neither would he force himself upon her, his eyes had shone in merriment, not perverted desire, so the possible double entendre could be glazed over and ignored.  

He waited to hear her pleasant voice grace his ears again, hoping his portable cache would be safe there just a while longer, he had to carry them through until spring when he could plant and tend to his more rare herbs. His collection though vast and various was untethered and needed careful tending, to bad he had no solid place to store them yet.

sorry to keep you waiting!

His words intrigued her and pulled her to stand at his side. Any chance to learn new things, she was always on board. Does it? she asked. I would love to hear about them. She smiled and dipped her head. I am a healer and always looking for new ways to help my packmates. As for him not minding the smell, well, to each their own. 

Then he stepped forward and proceeded to enter the pungent water. Speedy laughed a little but said nothing as he went on to clean the dirt and muck from his fur. The cleanliness of his fur was also not something she had paid much mind to; she was the least likely to judge anyone for things like that. But if he felt the need to clean himself up, then she didn't mind waiting. He managed not to splash her in the process of his odd bath, for which she was grateful. She did mind the smell, although if she needed the water to help someone, then she wouldn't give the discomfort a second thought. 

As he stood and moved towards her, her healer's eyes couldn't help but assess his injuries. Normally, she would ask about them and decide if she thought they needed further tending, but her thought was broken by his deep voice, offering her his name and stating that he, too, was a healer. A shaman, though, was a new term for her, and she was instantly curious. First, though, she would remember her manners. I'm Speedy, healer of Kaistleoki, she told him with a warm smile. Then, curiosity flickered across her face, and she couldn't help but ask: What does a shaman do? Her smile turned shy and she added: I've never heard that word before.

His ears were perked as she spoke of pack-mates but he made sure his facial expression was neutral as she asked how to use these waters in healing, A good healer should already know, but then perhaps she’d never had a good teacher he wouldn’t mind spending more time with this lithe creature.
He could not help but glance down into the water with a little bit of respect in his eyes. He nodded thoughtfully, his eyes moving from the water back to her form and smile gracing his lip again his eyes roamed her brown and white body lingering where the brown touched the whites. She was tiny in comparison to him though he tired not to tower over her it would not due to  intimidate her when he was about to ask her something that may decide his fate in these lands. His rumble was warm yet distracted as he lowered his head to offer his submission “mmm I’ll teach you some of the more helpful tea recipes and ways to hide the taste the sulphur in these waters. Though in the right quantities that to good for the body”

He glanced to his cache hidden for the snow as best as possible in this weather and as best as possible in the short time he had had. Then his sun golden gaze turned to hers as she asked her newest question. He chuckled softly “I am a man of the gods, I live to serve, I live to please”
his tongue slid along his lips and his eyes softened and looked over her face taking in the gorgeous white mark adorning her brow. “I can perform rituals that might invoke the gods to protect those who need it or decimate those whom deserve it”
He paused a moment waiting for any response she might have before adding. “I am in need of a place to call home Milady, A place to grow my rarer herbs, I have collected in my journies from the far reaches of this continent. I could teach you all you wish to know in-turn for your allowing me to join your pack.”  He closed his eyes then and bowed to her, observing ceremony, allowing her to attack  him for any perceived impertinence as he waited for her judgement

She had ignored whatever suggestion was in his tone before, brushing it off as harmless. But now she watched his eyes roam appreciatively along her form. She swallowed nervously, unsure what to do with that attention. No one had looked at her like that in a long time. Emrik had been gone for months. She would normally appreciate the attention, but now she felt mostly guilty. She had a husband. He was just missing. He would come home.

She gathered herself enough to speak again. I would appreciate that, she told him, never dropping her smile. She was grateful to have run into a fellow healer who had something new to teach her.

She had many more questions about his god, and how he was sure he was doing the work of this diety and not just using it as a way to justify things he didn't understand. Even as his gaze roamed her face in the same way it had just moved over the rest of her body, she had more questions. 

But they were put in hold as he suddenly asked for a place to stay. It seemed premature—they hardly knew each other. She couldn't deny the obvious benefit of having another healer, but she couldn't just bring him back to the river without knowing more about him. Hmmm, she said softly as she studied his face. How do I know I can trust you enough to bring you to my home? she asked. We've only just met. We know barely anything about each other. she raised a demanding eyebrow as she waited for him to explain.

referencing the BWP  Sorry this is short I have been trying to come up with more but it’s been a day or two and my writers block for Vein isn’t getting any better. *Kicks writers block, hops around on one foot mumbling incoherently*

The snow hurled itself from the sky swirled around the wolves, though no fluffy white flake ever seemed to touch the surface of any of the hot springs, melting long before it got a chance to kiss the surface

The large brute nodded thoughtfully at her question, He rumbled “That is a valid question, if I know of healing herbs I must also know of dangerous herbs.”
He cleared his throat “Well actually I do know of poisons and the like, for I must know them well in order to treat for them.”
He frowned and sat down his voice slightly deeper then normal as he spoke thoughtfully “Perhaps that is not helping my case”

“We may never get to know each other without an opportunity,  I simply wish for that chance”
He smiled doing his best to keep his eyes from roaming over her body again. Though he had not had his fill of her, he did not want to push any button, he was asking for a great favour and he knew it.

“Is there something I could do to prove to you the virtue of my words?” He tipped his head

“I brought this up quickly so that you might know my intentions, I had hoped to find a place to keep my herbs safe, those rocks just won’t do. Not for long”

he lay his eyes on the pile or rocks now covered by a layer of snow already. “I have many herbs some that can not be found in the whole of these wilds and I need to protect them as one might protect their pups. I’ll share some with you when they take root in the spring and summer, I’ll owe you that much if you could direct me towards a place and a pack to call home.” Slowly he turned his gaze to her, desperate hope in them.