Firestone Hot Springs A Regular Spring Day

Setting: Clear skies, 60 degrees, 4:00 pm

The Akita mix is padding through an area he’s never quite seen before. His eyes behold a pleasant enough sight and the pools of too clear, too hot water catch his interested, curious eye. Sidling over to a moderately big pool of steaming water, his eyes watch the colors of the sun reflect into the liquid. The shadows dancing beneath the waves distract him. He even stands there idiotically watching them before he ultimately decides to dip a toe into it. It is a moderately cold day today and damn, is that water pleasant. The downside is that when he actually decides to get out, he probably be ten times colder due to the fact he’d be soaking wet.

So he remains on the edge of the pool, flopping his body down on the side and hangs his front paws into the water. Now he basks in the glory of the sun, paws feeling absolutely godly as the water slips around them snuggly. His brindle fur looking glorious with the suns rays bathing him in bright yellow and his tail curls neatly onto his hips. For a moment he slows himself to relax and close his eyes. Unbeknownst to him a certain she wolf by the name of @Valencia stalks about.

It was chilly out today, Lenny noted as she headed out of the territory proper for the first time in... well, in weeks. Since Matty's death. But the pack was doing better and she felt more comfortable leaving now, stretching her legs and getting out. It wasn't really something Lenny loved to do - she was more of a homebody - but she did enjoy it from time to time. 

The place she'd come to was warmer, steam rising from the springs. How odd, she thought, padding up to the edge and lowering her muzzle to touch her nose to it. 

Odder still was the creature that occupied the pool. Stripes were even odder than spots on a wolf, and this guy was huge. Lenny rarely met wolves bigger than she was, but... well, here they were, with this weird, striking wolf-something basking in the warmth the pools provided. 

"Never seen a wolf with stripes before," she called with a small smile.

Borderline asleep, the male shuffled through his scrambled thoughts. Thoughts of his pack and previous life he can’t seem to shake. It’s impossible it seems. No matter what he does, no matter how he tries to convince himself, no matter how much he thinks of it, he can’t get the anger seeping through his mind and body out. So he decides to attempt and sleep the pain away. 

Of course it works until a voice of someone he didn’t even know shares his presence speaks. The voice is distinctly feminine and when he opens his eyes he’s met with a truly interesting wolf. Brows furrowing for a brief moment and a pouty frown showcases on his maw before he wipes his face clean to a more neutral expression. Or perhaps only slightly neutral. Confusion is swirling in his glowing golden eyes and he wonders how she snuck up on him. Then he corrects himself by remembering that he’d been napping. So it’s his own fault if anything.

He lazily shakes himself off without standing and doesn’t even attempt to raise from his comfortable position. Body language lined with confidence, he stays in place. Paws still swinging proudly in the heated pools, he gazes over to the black she-wolf. She’s tall no doubt, long legged, and agile. Most likely skilled at running, unless she doesn’t know how to use those deer legs of hers. His eyes follow the line of her body, shamelessly taking in her appearance as well. All black with an interesting splotch of white fur in the middle of her chest. Like the North Star he briefly compares. 

Finally, realizing he should respond, he does so only a stunning eight seconds late. “Have you, now?” He asks almost teasingly, a smile forming on his maw as he peers at her through squinted lids, the sun shining directly onto him. “Can’t say I’ve seen one like you yet, dear.”

That was odd. Lenny's appearance was so ordinary and plain where she was from, so it was odd that he had never seen someone like her. Heck, if he went to Neverwinter, he'd see Kyr, too - basically her doppelganger with a white throat. But she didn't mention her sister, yet; not with him scanning her over like that and taking so long to respond. That didn't feel quite right.

"Hm. That's a first," she commented, heading over to touch the water with her forepaw. "There's plenty of us in my family - dark fur and a white patch. But none of us have stripes and a curly tail." 

Silver eyes scanned him over again, appraising his massive size. This was certainly one of the biggest wolves she'd ever seen. "What're you doing out here all on your own?" she questioned, tipping her head to the side. "Does the water feel good?" It felt odd on her paw, but maybe fully submerged would be different.

His eyes follow the motion of her paw as she dips it into the clear water. Then he slide his gaze back up to her face. “Hm, it looks fine on you.” He compliments.  “You’re right, I’m the only one like this. Or at least I assume.” He says the last part with a shrug.

When she asks him what he’s doing out here his face falls slightly. His mind instantly going back to the slaughter of his pack. His eyes are distant and dull or only a second before he blinks slowly, shooting back to reality well enough to produce words once more.

He hums thoughtfully, allowing his starry hues to meet her own. His features more neutral than anything.  “A lot of shit happened with my old pack. So now I’m here.” Then a smirk lights up his face despite his previous words. “It does.” He chuckles lightly.

It was a nice compliment, and Lenny offered him a smile and a gracious dip of her head in thanks. Lenny was too trusting, perhaps, but she didn't really sense anything off about the guy - he was intimidatingly large, but other than that he seemed alright. 

"I'm sorry about that," she replied, even though he didn't seem too torn up over the whole thing. That was a little... concerning. But he said the water felt good, and so she set her paws in, getting used to the feeling. 

After a moment, it did feel nice, warming her tense muscles and letting her relax a bit. "Mind if I join you?" she asked, tail wagging a bit.

He chuckles at the polite smile that faces her features, the curt dip of her head to accompany it. She seems sweet enough, yet, his initial experience with that female dog he’d met causes a fire to swell within his breast–not a good one either. He ignores the feeling, knowing that this female hasn’t done anything to spite him yet.

Then, as she apologizes for his loss, he shakes his head somberly. “I appreciate that.” He says monotonously back.
When the raven furred she-wolf asks to join him he nods his head down to the water. “I’d be honored.”

Watching her, he tilts his head. “What pack are you from?” He asks, genuinely curious.