Firestone Hot Springs baby, you're like lightning in a bottle
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#1
The collie had thought warmth gone from her life, until she'd seen the steam rising in the distance. She'd been surviving the chill well enough, her breed and history considered. But still, the absence of a warm barn or nook to retreat to had taken its toll, and Poppy had come close to being frostbitten one too many times. But still she persisted, for surely the winter would pass as it had the year before. Besides, she'd gone too far to turn back now, or have any hope of finding her way. 

The warmth of the pools melted the snow around them, leaving stone and mud. They certainly smelled odd, but the collie approached eagerly all the same,  slipping into them carefully, sighing at the warmth and allowing her eyes to flutter closed as the water lapped at her underbelly, driving away the persistent cold and shutting out the wind that tore at her pelt like frigid claws, the snow that fell softly still.
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#2
He was getting sick of waiting for his brother to return home. He needed to get back home already, but he knew he couldn't leave before reuniting with Grayday. It meant too much to Shale, and if he was being honest, it meant too much to him as well.

But he couldn't just hang around and stare at the trees. After making his excuses to Shale and Catori, he'd gone out to explore the area, having only passed through on the way there. The first thing he came across managed to hold his attention - the hot springs. He'd seen things like this before, but oftentimes, the water wasn't fit for contact with skin. After a thorough vetting process, he finally decided that it would be okay to take a soak. He just had to find the right pool.

But when he came across the perfect one, it was to find that it was already taken - by a dog!

"What are you doing out in the wilderness?" he asked her, curious and a bit concerned. He'd not met many dogs that would make it in the wild, and this one looked a little to small and skinny. He could see her skin through her wet fur. How cold must she be?
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#3
Her eyes blinked open to fall on a wolf, a man of wood and earth, huge by her standards. This, certainly, was a right and proper wolf; the other one had been too small, and the other's she'd seen only distantly. Poppy squinted at the man through the mist, blinking again when he spoke to her. She'd avoided wolves as a general rule, they were truly wild, and such, she did not know just what they'd be like. Her mother had called them "a bunch of bloodthirsty hooligans", but then again, her mother did tend to be on the dramatic side. 

She didn't reply immediately, weighing first the validity of her mother's words. "living,"  She replied, for certainly, she planned to survive, and for the first time in her short life she felt as if she were living. Life under her master had been lacklustre and dull, and while it would not be incorrect to say that she was naive for sacrificing security for adventure, Poppy merely had a different (and, some might argue, impractical) list of priorities. "are you lot friendly? wolves, I mean? I heard you're vicious." She questioned, a tilt of her head punctuating her question. Might as well address the issue quickly, lest she be eaten.
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#4
His two-toned eyes traced what he could see of her figure, wondering if she'd even come up to his chin if she got out of the water. Pity rose up in his chest - the girl would surely die in this land, so close to wintertime. For the moment, she'd found succor, but when she tried to leave the hotsprings - to hunt or find shelter - the water would freeze on her already-too-thin pelt. She wouldn't be living for long.

"Some of us," the male replied, wading into the water and lapping some up as he went. It didn't taste great, but it felt warm on his throat. "Wolves kill to eat. Dogs don't. If that's what you call vicious, then you're in the wrong neck of the woods. But yeah - some of us are bad. There are bad dogs, aren't there?"

He continued to study the girl, wondering how she'd landed herself this far from civilization. Had she left on purpose, or had she been left behind? It seemed unlikely - humans could be cruel, but they were generally fond of their dogs. Kingfisher had learned that the hard way.
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#5
She watched as he lapped at the water, hesitantly following his example after a moment, finding the water odd tasting but soothing. She watched him as he explained, think a moment before answering. "I suppose."  She pulled her muzzle from the water, regarding the wolf thoughtfully, the epitome of wildness she had a conversation with now. "I kill to eat. but what I mean -" Here she paused, thinking of the tales her siblings told of wolves, mostly echoed from their mother or their own imagination. Vicious, territorial, murderous wolves, who'd kill you, but not as fast as they'd eat you. "what's your name?" She asked, abruptly breaking off her previous thought, unable to quick articulate her thoughts.
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#6
He was heartened to know that she was at least hunting for herself, and not surviving on scraps and berries. He didn't have as much of a bleeding heart as his father and some of his siblings, but Murdock wasn't one to allow a woman to suffer, if he could help it at all. That was one less thing to worry about where this little lady was concerned.

"Murdock," he replied with a quirk of his tail, splashing water at his flanks. Damn - that would bug him later on, but at least he'd live. "What about you, sheepdog? Got a name?"
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#7
He introduced himself with a name she found somewhat refined, half-expecting something wild and odd-sounding. "Poppy," The sheepdog said in turn, with a little shake of her pelt. The cold was creeping through her fur, normally dissuaded by her own constant motion. Still, the pools kept her warm, for now; she wondered idly if he ought to stay here. A thought struck her, and, encouraged by the so-far positive encounter, continued to ask questions to satisfy those that had been humming through her mind. "You live in packs, yeah? do you have a pack?"  Dew would have turned up her nose at such behaviour, believing the practice of living in wild groups reserved for less than reputable dogs, thieving coyotes and murderous wolves.
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#8
"Puppy, huh?" said Murdock, purposefully mispronouncing her name. "You must be pretty cold, yeah? What's your plan for when winter really hits?"

Murdock turned and began grooming his flank, washing out a tiny wound that had begun to ooze. He couldn't quite remember how he'd gotten it, but it would be gone in a few days. He paused, however, to give his attention to Poppy as she asked her question.

"Yes and yes," he replied with a genial smile. "Why? Are you looking for a pack?"
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#9
Her brow wrinkled when he mispronounced her name, maw opening to correct him and then falling closed again. His next question demanded a more pressing answer, anyway. Her ears folded back a bit; it wasn't that she hadn't thought that far, but the matter had been weighing in her mind for a time. Sometimes, when the cold swirled around and the storms crashed on for days, regret snuck in. "I'm not that cold. I'll find a place - a good place, and I'll-"  Her she paused. Her plans had extended as far as finding a good place, hopefully where food and shelter would be ample, but after that - well, what else was there to do but survive?

"what do wolves do?"  Perhaps her wild cousins had found some secret to surviving as they did, something that did not depend on their thick coats or hardier build. Something she could use. She perked up a bit as he revealed he was in a pack. "maybe. yes. but - how do they work? I know packs hunt together, and there's a leader." Was there some way to gain admittance to one? As she continued to speak, she realized rapidly how feeble platform of her courage and optimism was built on; her information was lacking and her plans vague.
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#10
He gave her a distinctly unimpressed look that seemed to run in his family. Obviously, the cold was a danger to her. Murdock simply couldn't believe anything else. Even with his thick, fur coat, he somtimes felt winter's chill rather keenly. For Poppy, living through the winter would surely be a test against life and nature itself.

"Wolves stick together," he replied, for that was the key to surviving into spring. "Our fur is thick. We sleep in the snow, and it covers us like a blanket. Heat is locked in against our skin, so that it doesn't melt the snow that gathers on our fur." But if Poppy tried the same thing, she'd likely die. Shelter would be tantamount to survival for the young dog.

"A pack is just a family," Murdock said with a shrug. "Tell you what, sheepdog. I'll take you back home to my leader - she's a saint and a real sweetheart - and try to get you in. She might allow it, if I promise to pull your weight as well as my own. But in exchange for that, I'd like you to keep me company. I'm too old to be chasing after women, but it'd be nice to have someone to curl up with at night," he explained, his expression growing wistful. "I'll even dig ya a den, since we can't have you gettin' wet in the snow."
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#11
The first piece of advice he gave was not unexpected, but had the sheepdog's ears flick backwards a fraction. She was alone, and obviously, if she sought to survive in (mostly) one piece, she ought to find others. She chewed her lip hesitantly as he continued, ears flickering forward when he said a pack is just a family. The concept of a second family appealed to the sheepdog, quickly imagining a group of interconnected individuals who operated in a much less dysfunctional way than her own family had. 

Her gaze glinted, and her tail beat a little faster when he made his proposal, imagining already just what his pack would look like, her life through the winter if she accepted. For a moment, the wariness in her wondered if the male would be true to his word; if his intentions were good. But he seemed genuine and kind, and the wistfulness on his face as he spoke of company had her believe him. She made her decision quickly, smile spreading across her muzzle,  "yes. I'd like that very much."  Her tail gave another brief quiver, chirping a "thank you!", smile widening. She could be great company, surely, and her gathering excitement had her prepared to spring from the pools and follow Murdock towards his pack that very moment.
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#12
He was surprised that she needed no coercion in order to agree to his proposal, and that her response was so positive as well. Women didn't normally take well to being enlisted as bedwarmers, as far as he knew. Maybe it was a dog thing? Either way, he wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

"Well - okay then," said Murdock, momentarily losing track of the conversation. He'd been prepared to try and convince her, but now that that wasn't necessary, he needed a moment to come up with the next thing that needed to be said. "Well, uh, I'm visiting my brother's family right now, but we'll be heading back toward Easthollow - my pack - sometime next week, in all likelihood. Can you wait that long?"

Her excitement was palpable, so he thought it would be best to make sure. "I'm sure Grayday's pack won't mind if you pal around for a few days."
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#13
The fact that she'd have to wait put a damper on her spirit, but the slight delay could not hinder her excitement for long.  "easthollow"  She echoed, immediately liking the name that had the potential to hold so much promise for her. Oh, her mother would quake if she saw her daughter now, surely. "I can wait here," She said with a quick dip of her head, wiggling backwards a fraction so that her stomach was clear of the water. "or somewhere else."  She added, ears perking up at the knowledge that there was another pack. Led by his brother, no less! A few more questions about packs died on her tongue, unsure if Murdock would be fond of a companion that continued to ask annoying questions.
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#14
Murdock eyed her skeptically for a moment, wondering whether or not it would be a good idea to turn her loose on the wilds. He was worried about losing track of her, but more than that, he was worried she'd go off and die or something. "Why don't you come back to Morningside with me," he suggested, trying not to sound like he doubted her ability to take care of herself. "Where I can keep you warm and we can get a good meal in you. You're not going to be very much fun to have around if you go and die of exposure."

Whoops. He'd said it anyway. Oh well - she'd have to learn that he was a blunt one, if she was going to be around him. "My brother has a litter whose mother was a dog," he said conversationally, making his way out of the spring and shaking the water from his legs. Damn, he was going to regret getting wet in a moment. He began to lead the way back to the plateau, having had just about enough of the wilderness for one day.
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#15
He looked sceptical when she suggested waiting for him, a moment later suggesting she come with him to Morningside. She brightened at the prospect, both at the thought of seeing another pack, and that he obviously liked her enough to have her tag along. Still, she supposed, if he hadn't liked her he never would have made the offer. Besides, warmth and a meal that wasn't rat or squirrel sounded very tempting. She dipped her head in quick agreement, eyes widening a little at his statement but saying, "I'll try not to."

Interest sparked in her gaze as the man mentioned another dog, assuming his brother to be the leader of the pack they were to head to now. Murdock drew himself from the pool, the sheepdog following in his footsteps. For a moment, she basked in the warmth of the pools, but with only a breath of wind the warmth was cruelly stolen from her, fading fast now. Her teeth gave an involuntary chatter before she clamped them together, piping up a moment later, "was a dog? what happened to her?" The sheepdog's enthusiasm had faltered a bit when she noted the was, concern lacing her feature now as she hurried to keep pace alongside Murdock, occasionally slipping a bit nearer in the hope that she might come in range of his body heat.
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#16
Puppy followed along after him as though she was on a leash, something Murdock found endlessly endearing. He could see why people liked dogs; they were very cute. When she shivered, half of him wanted to gesture her closer to his side and half of him just wanted to stop and coo over her. Instead, he simply kept walking, sure that the novelty would wear off soon enough.

"I haven't asked," he replied, ears flipping back. "He's got a new mate, Catori - she's a doll, let me tell you - but it's pretty clear that Lavender isn't any child of hers. But the kid's still young, and I don't want to be insensetive."

That was a first. But this was his family, and he didn't want to mess things up while the relationships were still in the making. "I'm actually just meeting most of them. The brother that runs this pack was lost for a long time, and I've only just found him again."
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#17
Her steps became quick and choppy, the general idea being that lots of movement would dry her limbs and warm them. Giving a little shake, she peered towards the man, ears pressed forward as she listened. Wolves certainly seemed an exciting lot, with mysterious children and complicated relations. Her life had been mundane and simply since embarking on her journey weeks ago, almost suffocating with its predictability. But here she was now, making her way to a pack with her newest and only companion for a while, who just happened to be a wolf. She made a contemplative sound, glancing up as he said his brother had been lost to him at one point. "how'd he get lost?" She asked, the names and relations getting a bit mixed up in her head, but continuing to question the male, hoping he'd tell her more about the life he led. "Where is his pack - Morningside?"
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#18
Murdock let out a puff of laughter at the girl's tippy-toed walk. Something about her demeanor reminded him of a little girl he needed to get home to before too long. It was good to have someone so cheerful around again - it helped ease the discomfort of being away from Stephie.

"Hell if I know," said Murdock with a little sigh. "Kid just wandered off one day, far as I know. Me and Shale - another brother - we're hopin' t'find out when he gets back from his trip. We missed him by a couple of days."

He looked back at Poppy, eyes tracing her lean figure before flickering back to Morningside. "It's that plateau up ahead," he replied, though his mind was elsewhere. "What about you, Puppy? Do you have a family missing you somewhere?"
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#19
Wolves seemed to have extensive relations, and it surprised her that Murdock and his brother - Shale - cared enough to find their brother. She'd know since she'd been young that her own family was not meant to stick together. When they were old enough, other masters would claim them, and they'd leave. She knew her siblings didn't seem especially fond of that idea, but she hadn't found herself minding, much.

Her eyes looked to the plateau, adding sincerely, "it looks beautiful." It did, the raised meadows and forests, as if something had simply pulled it up a bit, away from the rest of the land. Mountains rose around it, and the plateau seemed dreamier the longer she looked at it. "I don't know. I do have a family, but I don't think they miss me much. we knew we'd be separated eventually." She admitted. Truly, she sometimes hoped that they missed her just a little bit; as she missed them from time to time. But the fact of the matter was that her siblings had probably settled into their new homes by now, her mother run off with another dashing suitor and would raise another litter in the spring. And, in time, they would simply begin to forget about each other.
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#20
Murdock shrugged. It was nice enough, but the real beauty was seeing the valley from the cliffs. He'd have to show Poppy when they got there.

He was a little sad to hear about her family, but he guessed that wolves were sometimes that way as well. A lot of the Sameth kids went off and never saw each other again, but sometimes, litter made an effort to stick together or visit, at least. Dogs didn't have that luxury, being owned at all. But Poppy did. That was better than being owned, he supposed.

"What's it like to have a master?" he asked, having always been curious about the relationship between man and dog. Once - and only once - he'd allowed a young girl to pet him in the woods. He'd fallen in love with her right then and there, but when her sired had called her back to him, he'd run off the other way.
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