Firestone Hot Springs Through the Mist

There wasn't a single soul on this earth that couldn't benefit from some form of a spa day. Sakai rolled from resting on his flank to now fully resting on his back, paws extending to the clear sky above. The rocky terrain offered some initially painful, and then relieving, pressure to work into his tense muscles as the wolf squirmed around. All the while, the hot springs that surrounded him offered a subtle coverage of mist that hung rather thick in the chilled air. On top of all of this, the male was lucky enough that his coat color pallet perfectly blended with the surrounding landscape: grey and dull.

This is so damn nice. The loner expressed his gratitude for the newly discovered land with a grunt of approval as he hoisted himself back to his paws, shaking free whatever debris had worked it's way into his pelt. Kai's dull eyes peered through the mist, first this way, then that way. No one else seemed to be here. Although he wasn't sure, as the thick stench of sulfur here would probably cover most scents, and it was best to be wary regardless. After all, he was new in town. Didn't want to tread on anyone's territory unwittingly.

akashingo is bustling with activity, and jawahir has been displaced. with ramesses entertaining his bride to be in the night and tamar to watch over satsu in the day, jawahir was left out of sorts.
they did not like it at first; the roving band of bear-men, the appearance of guards in the catacomb halls—and always someone visiting the wellspring. there was little for jawahir to do but fade in to the background.
so it was that the courtesan went walkabout.
with the sulfur mists dancing among the reeds, jawahir nearly missed the sight of one pale man, looking like a figment to the coyote's mind. pale, pale, and paler still—even those eyes, as they lit with gratitude and pleasure, were nearly white.
beautiful, they thought as they prowled.

Frivolous thoughts of what needed to be done for the day fluttered around Sakai's clouded mind, much like butterflies caught in a strong gust. One minute, an idea was within reach and the next, gone with a misty wind. The gentle soul pawed absent mindedly at the ground below, creating shapes that he knew nothing about. 

"I suppose I could hunt? I'm not hungry now, but would be good to have ready for later." It was a thoughtful suggestion made with about an ounce of certainty. Not often was Kai bored, as there was always someone to run after, in the best kind of way. Or in opposition, run from... in the worst kind of way. Sometimes, one directly in relation to the other. It wasn't his fault he didn't tend to ask an inquiring soul if they were spoken for. Hell, if someone is open to talk well, Kai sure could talk your ear off if you'd want it.

A pretty boy but not super keen to his surroundings, Kai had absolutely no idea he had company nearby. The relaxed male took a moment to recline and attempt to reach an itch under his armpit. "Well-" He mused again, this time with at least ten more ounces of confidence in his puffed out chest. "Let's find a snack."

is that all you hunger for, man of the mist? jawahir calls out to him softly, ambling towards where he stands with his prideful bearing, amused by the display.
the coyote's eyes roam the length of him.
it is best for jawahir to remain aloof, ready to depart should this wolf be antagonistic of their kind. not everyone was open to such carousing, though lately jawahir has been fortunate in that akashingo welcomes them openly.

With no warning, a voice called to him over the the light hissing of the hot springs. Kai's hackles rose but he resisted the urge to jump, and instead merely took a moment to mull over where it came from. First his ears swiveled to the direction of where he heard the newcomer, followed by his head. It was now that the loner could see a small canine in the distance, no doubt inquisitive of his previous thrashing on the stony ground. Luckily for Sakai, he really hardly ever felt truly uncomfortable or shy and laughed a little to himself. He was always meeting others in the most him ways. Showing his cards with his weird mannerisms without knowing there to be an audience. A direct result of hating to be bored, the wolf was kind of a weirdo on his own for his own enjoyment.

"As of now, yes. I think just a snack would do fine. You gave me such a great and mysterious name: Man of the Mist." For a moment, his gaze left his counterpart's as he looked dramatically at the hot springs. "I like the ring of that." Sakai decided with a nod, whilst taking in the stranger before him now that they were closer. A lithe little thing. "And for you, well I'll have to think of something just as nice. But for now, what can I call you?" Sakai closed the gap between the two slowly with a small smile as to show no ill intentions.

the man answered and put-down the idea, or perhaps they were too boyish to read the deeper meaning. no matter, jawahir could work within the limits of the stranger's youth.
i am jawahir. purring their name, while dark eyes watched the wolf's svelte silhouette drift closer. they looked quite solid, jawahir thought.
i come from the south.. some travel that way. a frisk of their tail to indicate where the mesa ruddied the horizon, too far to make out.

Admittedly, Sakai knew very little of proper etiquette... and forget about the inner mechanisms of societal hierarchies. He had been on his own for so long, that kind of knowledge really wasn't necessary for his survival. To him there was nothing better than being polite and non-confrontational, unless backed into a corner and given no choice.

So before him, just stood Jawahir. No real differences between them seemed apparent to the wolf, other than they were much smaller than himself. Coyote or wolf, even dog or whatever you were, if you were pleasant to be around then Kai would never turn down that company.

His oblivious nature held firm. "Jawahir," He tried it out on his tongue and liked the taste of it. "I think I'd prefer that name over anything I could think of. Lovely." The loner offered a small smile and slightly bowed his front end, reaching his paws out in a small stretch. Kai took note of the tail twitch and immediately followed in direction with his eyes, absent mindedly taking a few steps towards Jawahir as he peered for a better view. "I see. Do you like it there?" He mused, sounding almost as if he was talking to himself, but then looking back to Jawahir once again, nearly looking down his own snout at the small figured coyote with a quizzical brow. A lack of social etiquette meant a lack of personal space in most cases with the loner.

distance was no issue for the courtesan. the closer the boy came the more lovely the view. jawahir noted with some amusement just how generous the wolf appeared; tall and strong, broad-backed, stippled with grays as if he had rolled in the remains of a campfire.

it is home, they answer, and a place of many wonders. i could show it to you.
and so much more, they thought, as they basked in the shared warmth of the mist man.

Was Sakai slow to catch on? Well, yes obviously. A complete fool to the wistful eye of another? Absolutely not. There was always that moment of realization when an encounter crosses the threshold of mere pleasantries to something more amorous. He dare not speak for another, but will playfully try to press all the right buttons to uncover shrouded desires.

As they looked upon him, Kai gladly met Jawahir's searching eyes after their offer. He took a long view from delicate face to rump, stroking their body with lifeless eyes before returning to the conversation. Kai cocked his head playfully to the side and let his tongue loll out, as if he were another man all together and that he did not just stare at this guide as a small trinket to be kept.

"I've not had a home in a long time, Jawahir." He warned in almost a fatherly way with a hint of seriousness, but more so just a facade of a goofy character he pulled out of thin air. What he said, however, was true. "But I do love to marvel at wonders. Show me." The grey man lightly nudged his tour guide with his shoulder as he nodded for them to lead the way.