Firestone Hot Springs chimes

For @Scarlett !

While his wandering paws generally led him upwards from Stavanger Bay and along the coastline (sometimes before veering off and heading into the forests that lined the beach), today the aspiring Outrider decided to scout inland. While winter made travel a little harder, it didn't deter Atreyu from pushing through the freezing fields and snow banks, intent on exploring past the dark forest he had visited a few days ago. He wasn't exactly sure what he would find past it — he couldn't remember if he had ever actually journeyed that deep into the heart of the Wilds — but he hoped he wouldn't stumble upon claimed lands. He should've asked Thistle what territories she knew were claimed before heading off.

Shaking off the thoughts (he would deal with the possibility of pack wolves when got there), Atreyu turned his head into the wind, breathing in as he tested for foreign scents. A strange, almost moist sort of smell wafted into his nose and, curious, the boy began to follow it. It didn't take long before the snow began to thin upon the ground, disappearing completely as he wandered further towards the fascinating smell.

Coming to a halt upon a small hill, Atreyu gazed in wonder at the scene before him. Tiny pools dotted the rocky area, steam gently rising from each one. They reminded him or rock pools but...heated? The entire place felt like it had removed itself from winter, a little haven for the wolves who preferred the summer months. Being one of those wolves, the Iota grinned in delight before leaping onto a nearby rock, balancing precariously on it as he leant forward, eagerly touching his nose to one of the steaming pools.

OMG. I am looking forward to this thread. It will be fun.

With all the worry of Néa's disappearance and the stress of being in heat Scarlett decided she deserved a full day at the hot springs she stumbled upon before. The small female would do well with a good soak. Néa was still on her mind constantly but even Scarlett's hope was slowly dying out. She always liked to stay positive but after a long period of time there was this realization settling in that the girl might not return to her ever again. Scarlett felt she failed as a caretaker and adoptive mom. How would she be if she had her own kids? Then her mind would continue on the topic of being in heat.

The young female always was a late bloomer, at the age of being 2 years and 9 months she got her first heat. It was probably because she felt so at home in her pack, she was caring for the youngsters, plenty of food and most of all, it was safe. But she did not have a mate to share her heat with. For a female that craved to have her own litter one day it was more than though. Although now, Scarlett just pushed all those thoughts away. She would get a day of rest and delicious warm water that would soothe not only her muscles but also her mind. She didn't hesitate to lower herself in one of the pools.

The only downside of his area was that the moist air had a habit of masking the scent of approaching wolves. Scarlett had her eyes closed by now, her ears fallen back in utter relaxation. Her body almost fully submerged in the heated water as her head was pillowed against a rock. Slowly her right ear popped up at a new sound. Once she opened her blood red eyes she saw a young male standing quite close to her. Her white body, along with the steam that came from the water must have camouflaged her quite well. The male was younger than her, the small female observed. She actually found that the younger one looked rather cute with his fur sticking out. It seemed that the white, or was is cream, furred male had the same problem as her with the color of their fur, always some dirt to be seen on it.

"Hello," she greeted politely and in a quiet tone, a soft smile tugged on her lips. Must be quite a sight to see. A girl with eyes like her looking at the male from the water. "First time?," she wondered, letting out a soft chuckle. Scarlett stayed in the water though, she wasn't going to move from this amazing spot. It was shallow enough for her to lay down and deep enough for the water to cover her back. Plus she had this small table made from rock that she could rest her head on.

Time for some skinny dipping ^_^

The scent rising from the pools was almost acidic. As damp as it was, it still burnt Atreyu's nose as he breathed it in. He pulled away with a slight snort, eyes still locked onto the steaming surface of the water with fascination. He had never encountered such a thing! Turning to inspect the other pools, the boy suddenly realised he was not alone. He gave a soft bark in fright as he was met with the sight of a pair of red eyes peering out at him from amongst the steam that hung about the area. The white-furred head the eyes belonged to then greeted him, yet Atreyu didn't acknowledge the stranger quite yet, surprised as he was to find another resting in the pools.

Heart thrumming, the boy studied the pool she was laying in, her body seemingly submerged in the water with her head propped up on a rock. Watching him. Had she been watching him this entire time? With a slight frown, Atreyu quickly stepped off the rock he had been perching on, moving to a wider one before fixing a narrowed stare upon the girl once more. He couldn't help but meet her own gaze, having never happened upon a wolf with blood-coloured eyes. What was she, part demon? "How long have you been there for?" he demanded. And why hadn't he been able to smell her?

The red eyed female looked at the other male she startled. Now the girl felt bad for doing so. Scaring him was the least of her intention at all. Scarlett slowly raised her head and shook it. The water rippling as her body moved. Still the female stayed in a laying position. She sleepily licked her lips before replying. "Sorry for startling you, that wasn't my intention," she spoke softly. The warm water made her a bit more drowsy than she would normally be with strangers. "Not that long to be honest. Why are you asking?" She shifted her position a bit to be more comfortable on the rocky grounds she laid against.

"I am Scarlett, what should I call you?," the female asked with a friendly smile tugged on her lips. This male didn't seem to be vicious. Scarlett wouldn't mind a nice conversation while her fur was cleaned and her muscles were pampered. Living on a glacier was though at times. What the female didn't realize was that her red eyes were the main thing that had startled the stranger. Being in Teekon for almost 2 months made Scarlett less conscious of her looks. Before she always averted her eyes because she was called a monster by her old pack. Here at Duskfire she was fully accepted and most of the strangers she met didn't seem to phased by her eye color. The kind female tipped her head. "If you want to join me you can?," she offered.

"I wasn't startled," the boy shot back defensively, his suddenly averted gaze giving away the lie. He pretended to study the rock he was standing on, bending down to absent-mindedly prod his nose against the warm surface, though he kept his right ear trained on the girl as she answered. He gave a shrug without looking up, continuing to examine his perch, tracing a small crack that ran along the rock with his muzzle. He honestly wasn't that concerned that she had been watching him. He hadn't really been doing anything out of the ordinary but the fact that a stranger had been so close and he hadn't even detected her made him wary. One could never be so sure among foreigners.

Atreyu finally lifted his head as the red-eyed stranger introduced herself with a polite smile. A fitting name. He hesitated a moment before dipping his muzzle and offering his own name, "Atreyu." Her offer for him to join her in the pool caused him to pause and study the pool she lay in again. He crept closer slightly, considering it. He wasn't exactly fond of bathing — despite the fact that he jumped into the ocean whenever he had the chance. This water was different, though. Reaching out a filthy paw, the boy touched the surface of one of the pools close to Scarlett, flinching slightly as he submerged it into the warm water. "What is this place?" he asked uncertainly, his former defensiveness fading away into pure curiosity.

Scarlett let out a hint of an amused smile when the younger one returned he hadn't been startled. The white lady bowed her head respectfully. "Excuse me for my accusations then," she returned. This would be a relaxing day. She didn't know this wolf across from her and rather not have him jump her in attack because she offended him. She never wished to even make him feel offended. Her white coat had been returned to its original color by now. Her curious red eyes watched the male. Eventually the male returned her his name. "Nice to meet you."

The female laid her head on the rock again when the male didn't show much interest, or at least she thought. She watched from the rock how the male tested the water with one paw. At his question she raised her head. "This is a hot spring," she returned. "Now to explain this you need to understand how the earth we live on works. I had a very wise elder once in my old pack. She told me about how the ground which we step on is actually one layer. Under it is a different one, and under that one another different one. All the way at the bottom there is a hot center that can melt through anything. Sometimes one of those layers have cracks, making the heat and gasses slowly creep to the surface. The gasses is the strong scent you can smell. Thanks to that heat of the center this shallow pool of water is warmed," she spoke in a gentle tone. She was used to give lessons to the youngsters of her pack.

A smile tugged on her lips. "It is really nice to warm yourself, and to have sore muscles get soothed thanks to the heat." Scarlett was going to stop talking now. She didn't want to come over as a know-it-all. Nature interested her so the female was always eager to learn more about the grounds they lived on.

It seemed he got more than he bargained for when he asked the female about the curious springs. He stared unblinkingly as she suddenly launched into a long-winded explanation, one Atreyu struggled to keep up with. His mind whirred as he contemplated her words, trying to construct a clearer picture of what she was talking about in his head. So, the ground was made of layers? He glanced downwards at the stony earth beneath him, wiggling his toes as the apparent gasses heated the stone he was standing upon. He wasn't a naturalist, nor did he really know anything about the way the world worked at all, but he found her explanation hard to believe.

"So you're saying there's like, a giant fire underneath the ground?" he asked, squinting at her in confusion. A giant fire that could melt anything...but then wouldn't the ground melt as well? Atreyu let out an amused snort. This was why he dealt with things he could see and touch such as prey and the ocean; trying to figure out how it all worked was complicated. It was better to leave that stuff to nerds — he looked up again at the half-soaked female, a smirk crawling across his features — nerds like this Scarlett chick.

Scarlett did tend to talk a lot at certain moments. When she tried to hide something or when she had a topic she was excited about. The female was far from nervous at the moment so it was the latter that happened. She liked to know about the earth. It seemed that the male wasn't convinced. Scarlett nodded slowly and licked her lips. "That is what I am saying. Some spiritual wolves think---" The female stopped talking because she felt like she was bothering the other wolf with her information. She casted her red eyes down before resting her head back onto the rock. Yet, she didn't close her eyes. She wanted to know where the male was going.

"So what pack are you from?," she asked. He had a familiar scent in his fur but she couldn't place where she scented it before. Scarlett knew this was some sort of the middle ground he could be from any of the pack's close by. She wasn't from a pack near by but frankly she liked the traveling. She had yet to find a hot spring closer to Duskfire. It seemed unlikely because her home was at a Glacier. On the other hand that would make her soaking sessions extra special.

The stranger went to continue but then stopped, causing Atreyu's ears to swivel forward, worried he had somehow missed the rest of the sentence. Instead, she simply rested her head back onto the rock, looking like she was about to go to sleep but he could still see her odd eyes in amongst the steam. Spiritual wolves? Perhaps some thought differently about what caused these hot springs. Atreyu himself wasn't very spiritual or religious, but he fancied the idea of some fiery behemoth lurking beneath their feet, warming the little pools here. He grinned at the thought, wondering about what sort of monster had created the ocean before Scarlett spoke again.

Looking up, the boy then turned his muzzle in the direction he had come from. "Stavanger Bay," he replied, deeming this girl friendly enough to at least let her know where he was from. "It's along the coast." His nose wiggled as he tried to pick up her own scent, though the steam (and gases) that hung about the area masked most other scents. He could detect something, though, a strange fragrance that emanated from her coat that Atreyu had never smelt before. Being a yearling, he had no concept of what females and heat was. The scent was intriguing, but he didn't question it (out loud, at least). "Where are you from?" he shot back with a tilt of his head.

The red eyes female quirked up her lips when she was told where the youngster was from. She instantly remembered where she know the hint of his scent from. Her nose was used to the strong gasses by now but his scent was still faint. "I know where it is!," she returned and once more lifted her head. Her ears popped up with interest. Scarlett knew were Stavanger Bay was. She had even seen the sea. She had to as a naturalist. Or at least, she wanted to. She had never seen waters so big and with such a weird taste. "I've been at your pack's borders!," she returned. "I was walking past and I ran into tiny Levi. I told him to go back on Stavanger grounds but then his brother Charon came up and tried to defend him. All very adorable. In the end Charon helped him home, I think," she hummed. They had been adorable to see.

The pale female then remembered that she had met Charon again, all grown into his teenage hood. "Later on I ran into Charon again while trying to discover the sequoia trees. I gave him a lesson about it since he wants to become a naturalist too!," she explained. She maybe was a bit of a nerd for nature. Just a bit. "I am from Duskfire Glacier, over the mountain ridge, through the valley, then you will then see a Glacier caught by sunshine. At dusk it looks like the ice is on fire, hence the name," Scarlett explained. "It is very beautiful and pleasant to live there."

Apparently she knew of his home. Atreyu quirked an ear as she suddenly lifted her head, speaking with enthusiasm about encountering a boy called Levi and his brother...Charon. The Iota's pale eyes darkened as he heard the name, the tip of his tail flicking in annoyance as he remembered his spat with the freckled boy. Thankfully, an older pack mate had been there to settle the dispute but Atreyu still harboured ill-feelings towards the irritating kid (even though he himself had been an utter brat, too, not that he'd admit to that).

So, he had a brother — was he just as exasperating? The boy furrowed his brow slightly as she continued about how Charon wanted to become a Naturalist. Too bad. Atreyu had kinda hoped he wanted to become a warrior; he wouldn't mind beating the snot out of him. All in the name of practice, of course.

Letting his attention shift back to Scarlett, he pricked his ears again as she explained her own home. He glanced over at the distant mountains that provided a sort of protective wall around the Wilds. He had never thought about what was beyond them. He kept his curious gaze on the towering peaks for a few moments longer before turning back to the girl, tilting his head. "A glacier?" he said questioningly.

Scarlett noticed that the young wolf wasn't really talkative as she was. She liked to chit chat about things. It gave her more insight in another wolf. Most males didn't care for chit chat Scarlett realized. She too had found Charon insufferable at their first meeting. The second meeting was far more pleasant probably because the dotted wolf saw some interest in her. Scarlett did had some knowledge about nature if she had to say so herself.

Scarlett slowly nodded. "Yes, a Glacier," she returned. It wasn't all ice and snow after all. That is what most wolves thought it was. It was far more than that, after all. The meltwater lake at the bottom was the main source of life around the lake. Blessing them with green pine forests and maple trees. "It is not all ice and cold lands, though," she explained. "Or do you not know what a glacier is?"

"'Course I know what a glacier is," Atreyu retorted, offended that she had even suggested that he didn't know. Though, in truth, he only had a scarce idea of what they really were. He recalled vague explanations by his mother when he and his siblings were pups as the tribe wandered by particularly icy patches of shoreline. However, what he knew of glaciers was entirely different to what Scarlett was thinking of. In Atreyu's mind, the Duskfire wolves lived on a large shelf of ice floating in the ocean, and he wondered how the white female had actually managed to make it to the mainland. Perhaps they had built a bridge somehow, or had struck a deal with the local killer whales to transport them to and fro in exchange for tasty treats from further inland.

Amused, Atreyu let a grin flash across his features before he turned his gaze back down to the steaming pools before him. "Must still be cold, living on a glacier," he muttered absent-mindedly, lowering himself to the ground slightly before reaching out a paw again to touch the surface of a pool close to the girl. That must be why she was here at the hot springs. He was still hesitant about the springs, even though Scarlett had been soaking in them for a while now and she seemed fine. Pale eyes stared at the water for a few uncertain moments before the youth suddenly reared up and slammed both forepaws into the pool, splashing warm water everywhere. It had been deeper than he expected, and the boy found the entire front half of his body completely submerged. He quickly scrambled back from the pool, coughing and spluttering while shaking his now drenched head.

Red eyes kept their stare on the other male. Scarlett then shrugged lightly. "Well excuse me," she spoke once more. How could she know what the male knew and what not. He didn't know about the fire under the ground so maybe he also didn't know about glaciers. She knew it was true, of the fire underground. Volcanos would often spit it out, at least so she heard. For now the pale female was very pleased with these heated pools. If only they had them in their territory. Scarlett would probably do less of her duties to have a soak. Scarlett still hadn't rested her eyes, though she wanted to. "Hmm? It is not that cold. It is not all Glacier," she pointed out. "Sure you need to be surefooted walking on it but at the bottom there is a lake of meltwater and around that lake is a thick pine forest. The grounds are not that cold to walk on and soft enough for den building,' she returned.

Scarlett did not know that she disturbed the image Atreyu had in his mind about a glacier. For now she was enjoying her soak. The albino was just about to rest her eyes when the male made a stumble. A splash of warm water hit her face. The female immediately spluttered and shook out her head. Some water had tickled in her ear and she did not like that. A grunt came from her, to then see the male stumble back. "Are you okay?,' she asked instead of blaming him for being clumsy. Scarlett shook out her head again to get the water from her ear.

He had frowned at her further explanation of her home on the glacier, speaking of lakes and pine forests. What kind of floating chunk of ice was this? To Atreyu, it seemed to be more of a floating island. Perhaps he would have to visit this place sometime. For the meantime, though, he would entertain himself right here at the springs.

Water flew in all directions as the boy had thrown his paws in, unknowingly splashing Scarlett as well — not that there was any avoiding the debris from his cannonball. He didn't think to apologise to the girl, especially now that he suddenly found himself half-drenched and choking on the warm water. Her concern was met with more coughs from the boy before he recovered and let out a laugh. "Oh, it is warm!" he spluttered, eyes alight as he started forward again. Well, he was wet now, may as well have his annual bath now.

Clumsily, Atreyu waded into the pool near Scarlett, gasping as the warm water enveloped him. Steam rose all around him, masking the girl's face as he settled down at her eye-level, unconcerned that he had disturbed her peaceful soak. His ears remained upright as he rested his head on the equally warm rock, frowning slightly as he adjusted himself in the pool. It was an unusual feeling, being submerged in calm, warm water. He was used to the tumultuous, often freezing waves of the ocean. "Do you come here often?" he asked, looking up at Scarlett's blood-coloured eyes.

'Annual' bath. Hahah. I laughed.

The soaking female shook out her head once more to get the water out of her ear. Her red eyes then fell on the younger male that was now half drenched. A hint of a smile turned on her muzzle when the boy laughed. It was nice to hear that type of sound. Scarlett licked her lips. "Well yes, which is why I am soaking here," she chuckled in return. Did the male really think she would just lay in cold water? That wouldn't be very pleasurable even for a northerner like her. Her red eyes followed the male finally stepping into the warm pool. It wasn't boiling hot but it could be hot if one wasn't used to hot water.

Scarlett head was lifted when the male placed his head on the same rock. "It is my second time here,' she replied. "I stumbled upon these grounds a few weeks before. Today, or well, yesterday night I decided that I could use the warmness of these pools once more." Scarlett didn't mind an occasional 'spa' day. Eventually she rested her head once more on the warm rock. Her red eyes falling into those of the young male. "And are you liking your warm soak so far?," she wondered with a hint of a smile on her lips.

:D

Atreyu really hadn't expected the water to be this warm. Of course, it was steaming and the moisture in the air curled the tips of his fur, yet he presumed it would be a little cooler. Even after Scarlett's apt explanation of how the pools came to be, the boy couldn't wrap his mind around it. The whole place was just so unnatural to him. Nevertheless, he was quite enjoying himself, letting his ears fall back slightly as he relaxed, letting the water rinse the sand and dirt from his pelt that only the heavens knew how long had been there.

He lazily looked up at his company as she spoke, not bothering to lift his head. She had been here before then? He wondered how many else had stumbled across them, too, especially now in the midst of winter. The yearling could actually feel his toes unfreeze as they soaked in the warmth. Returning her gaze with a wide-toothed grin, Atreyu gave a shrug. "It's alright," he responded, though his relaxed posture said that he was thoroughly content with the bath. Perhaps he would have to take one more often. With a quirk of his ear, he added after noting the girl's own fur (that wasn't soaked) was quite plush and pristine, "so this is how some wolves keep their fur so clean."

Scarlett hummed softly when the other male looked so relaxed too. She rejoined her head by Atreyu not he rock. The albino female wasn't the one to keep her coat very clean. Normally she wasn't very white herself. Recently she started to keep up her fun more but before she came to Teekon she did everything to not look white at all. She would smell of horrible things. But now she had grown into adulthood. She was accepting her coat color more and more this current day.

Scarlett chuckled when the young male's revelations. "And being groomed by others helps too," she added. Her eyes slowly closed, weird that she could share this pool with a mere stranger. But somehow it felt okay. Both wolves were relaxed at they soaked in some warmth in these winter times.

Scarlett's added statement was met with a quiet hum of agreement from Atreyu, as content as he was just to relax in the pools without another word. Though, when he fully comprehended her words, he snapped one eye open and gave a quizzical stare. "You're not going to start grooming me, are you?" he said dubiously, though let out a laugh afterwards. It was perfectly natural for wolves to preen each other, though it was almost strictly among pack mates, and Atreyu didn't know how he would feel about it with a wolf from another pack.

Pulling his head away just in case, the boy yawned widely, ending with a rough shake of his head. Any longer in these pools and he was sure he would sleep through the rest of the winter. Slowly, he got to his feet, reluctant to leave the warm water. It fell from his raggedy coat, now a fresh cream colour that surely would not last long. Leaving his toes to soak for another few minutes, he canted his head in the white wolf's direction. "I should probably head back now, don't want to fall asleep and, y'know, be kidnapped by some demon," he laughed, nodding towards her peculiar, ruby-coloured eyes.

Thank you <3

Scarlett closed her eyes. She was kinda enjoying the younger male's company. The light female lifted her head and opened her eyes once Atreyu made a hilarious comment. "I wasn't even thinking of that but how you mention it...," she teased with a hint of a smile. "Nah just kidding. I keep that for the the youngsters of our pack." The albino laughed softly. She wouldn't even think of grooming a stranger. Though Atreyu could use a grooming even after his soak.

Scarlett watched the male get up. She was still going to soak for a bit more before returning to the Glacier. Her ears flopped back at his comment. It made her insecure. "Uh. Yeah," she mumbled. She was called a demon by her old pack. And now this male was talking about being kidnapped by one. Ouch, that was unintentionally hurting her. "Safe travels,' she wished, showing none of her pain. A gentle smile tugged on her lips and then rested her head back on the rock.