Firestone Hot Springs Sad Little Snowmen

The fury of the ice cold winter chilled her inner core to the very last bone in her body. She felt the wind flustering in her neck, freezing everything and anything on its path. With no known destination and no known pack the lone wolf in the days before attempting to join Stavanger Bay, was on her way to nature's thermal heat source. It beckoned her to edge closer like a dying man's last breath. It bubbled, it boiled but most of all it offered everything and anything the stiff lone wolf was looking for, warmth.

Little to no snow surrounded the edges of the pool, its warmth melted the last known snow man alive. The useful bold and daring Spectra was rather cautious. She didn't dare to venture forth or try to dive right into a hot spring pool, perhaps fearful of winter's ironic wrath; would she boil like a red lobster being thrown in cooked water? Regardless of her own lack of determination to touch the hot spring, the black wolf decided it was time to thrown something else into the water instead...

I hope you don't mind a (future, it seems) packmate!

In the throes of winter, Aesop was finding it tough to keep warm. His bulk helped, of course, as did moving around as much as he did. He had much to do, much to see, now that he had a safe, (relatively) warm place to return to in the night. This valley was large and well populated, and while he wasn't subject to wanderlust in excess, it was only wise to know the general layout.

That day, Aesop was wandering as he had been, farther and farther south and to the east. He skirted the wide bottom of a tall mountain, cursing the cold and praising the cover of the trees. He traveled through the forest, and was soon rewarded for his patience. The air turned humid, then warm, as he came upon a series of hot, steaming pools. Hot springs. "Hot springs!" he cried, thinking he was alone, tearing across the open space between him and the nearest pool. Overjoyed, he came to a stop and poked a paw in. It seemed safe enough, and so he launched himself into the steaming waters with another joyous shout.

Spectra was known for her wanderlust, especially because she was not bound by the oath of a pack. Moving around meant following the trail of prey, the evidence they left while roaming around the land. But winter was harsh and prey was not easy to come by. Neither was warmth of summer being welcomed until many months from now while she would ascend from yearling into adulthood. That was too much for her mind to grasp already, instead her short attention span was diverted by a rampaging wolf who had no eye for his surroundings anymore.

Aesop -- to her surprise and dismay -- jumped straight into the pool of doom, only a moment's notice after having concluded that no piranha would nibble at his paw immediately. "You buckets full of crazy?" Spectra shouted out loud while being seized by the lightning moments. The first second she stood there, speechless trying to understand what had just happened. The second moment she took a step back just to make sure she was safe. And the third; oh, she prayed that Aesop was still alive, as dark eyes blinked, making sure he hadn't been devoured by the pool of doom. The pool of hot doom.

Had he known he was not alone, Aesop might have been a bit more controlled with his actions. As it was, he was so pleased to finally get to warm up (it was hard to shake the cold from your bones, and he lived alone in his den) that he probably wouldn't have held back for long.

Warm water, almost too hot in contrast to the biting air, enveloped him for a moment before he began to paddle, bringing his head up above the water. Just in time to hear the woman's shout. He blew air and some stubborn drops of water out of his nose, snuffling and shaking his head a bit to get the water out of his eyes. Only then did he look around for the source of the voice. A thin, black-furred wolf who stood not too far away. How hadn't he noticed her? Inwardly, he berated himself. Outwardly, he gave her a nod, his expression neutral. "I'm fine, if you haven't noticed. Water's warm, not deadly. C'mon in, if you'd like. Shit's nice, better than the cold. What's up, you scared?"

The immense brave, never afraid Spectra firmly shook her head when Aesop suggested she was scared. She was a proud and confident creature, no challenge was too great. Yet the moment the Kappa of the Bay confirmed that he was alright and quite enjoying the hot springs, something was holding her back. A soft wince escaped her leathery lips and with a frown she observed the male cautiously. "Y-you're not trying to lure me in , a-are you?" Spectra questioned with a short pause filled with doubts and hesitation.

In the mean time she was just trying to stall time. I"m not scared, I've never been scared! -- her inner voice spoke. Yet here the female who had slain dragons and killed ogres in her dreams stood, scared of a cute little hot spring pool. She felt even more embarrassed when she realized another wolf was in the near vicinity, watching the doubts spread across her entire body. Not only that, he was a potential future pack mate as well.

"I'm not a chicken shit." She said out loud with a newfound confidence. Yet, there was no attempt made to dive in. How's that for a first good impression?

Aesop glanced around at either side of him when she accused him of luring her in. Then he shrugged, answering, "well, yeah, I suppose I am. But that don't mean I mean any harm. Just tryin' to share the wealth." And with that he leaned back a bit, submerging his head up to his nose. He blew a few bubbles, then let his eyes slide shut as he enjoyed the soothing warmth.

Then he all but ignored her for the next few moments, until she spoke again. Then his eyes opened, and he made his way back towards the edge of the pool. "Not chickenshit, eh?" he asked, grinning, "sure seems like it. But go on, continue to freeze, if that's what makes you happy." It was a challenge, certainly. He thought it was funny, how she didn't seem to trust the water despite the fact that he was doing just fine. She had the proof in front of her, so he didn't know what her hold up was.[/align]

Aesop reacted to her like a harbinger of temptation, luring her within the hot spring. That same hot spring that she had dubbed as the pool of doom just a minute ago. But he had a special talent to submerge underneath the water and blow bubbles out of his nose. To the curious midnight-painted wolf it almost appeared to be magical. He was performing his tricks and she could not do anything other than stare in awe.

When he sharply threw her own words back in her face, she raised an eyebrow and suddenly felt cold, very cold. Winter's icy chill suddenly made her shiver. Then, without allowing words to slip from her leathery lips, Spectra jumped into the pool. Ready or not! She thought in the brief flashes of her head, before tumbling down; Here I come!

poopy reply is poopy, sorry <3

Aesop held her in his gaze for a few moments longer, a single brow raised in challenge. She said no more, and so he leaned back into the water again, mostly submerged. This time he blew no bubbles, just let his eyes slide mostly shut as he lay languidly in the warm water.

With half-closed eyes he watched her final moments of indecision, then decision. He perked right up as she began to move, doing his best to clear out of her path before- Splash! He sputtered a bit, shaking the water that had landed there off of his face. "See, girl?" he asked, grinning toothily, "ain't bad at all, huh? Now that you've gone and proven yourself, not chickenshit, what's your name?"

There was no way to back out now, she sprung in with her eyes closed. Like a bomb she fell into the water while being entirely submerged. The temperature of the warm water was welcome and for a moment she didn't want to get out any longer. Live here, hunt here; at least until winter was over and hot temperatures would arise.

"Spectra, and yours?" The midnight wolf said as her head emerged again so that she could breathe some air. Right now she looked like a drowned cat more than anything else, but she didn't care. The comfort through the warm embrace was all that mattered. "Hey man, this is awesome-totally-wicked-cool." She muttered happily while adding; "Do you think I could live in here? At least until summer?"

He laughed when she resurfaced, clearly pleased by what she had found. Aesop paddled around a bit until he found a spot where the rock pool rose steadily and he could sit with much of his body submerged. Now that he didn't have to swim to keep afloat, he could truly appreciate the heat sinking into his bones and loosening his muscles.

"Spectra," he repeated, trying out the name as was his custom. Fitting, he though. "Aesop." Slowly, he drew his tail back and forth in the water, his ears sliding back in content. "s'a fine way to pass the day, that's for sure. But it ain't any place to live. Too wet, I think. You'd catch your death here, if you tried to stay too long. Besides, don't you got a pack to return to, girl?"

Fade out and new thread as pack mates soon :P ?
---
Spectra was anything but a water ballerina as her paws piddled and paddled across the water, trying to remain on the surface. It made her wonder how deep the hot spring was, and even better yet; what was beneath. Her mind wasn't allowed to wander astray for long because soon she heard the voice of her new-found friend.

The name of the Gamma was difficult to pronounce, especially the 'Ae' of sop. Her tongue toyed with the word but she never spoke out loud, instead she coyly wondered; "Hey, mind if I call you 'Sop'?" Her facial features turned into a frown when he spoke about this place being too wet and even the chance of dying here. "Why? There aren't any sharks here, now are there?" And then shaking her head, she added; "No pack life for me -- mate."

Absolutely B)

Aesop watched with contained amusement as she worked at staying afloat. If she seemed to really have difficulties, he'd help her out and pull her somewhere she didn't have to swim. For now, he'd let her struggle.

He seemed contemplative for a moment, when she asked if she could nickname him. Then he shook his head. "Not too fond of it, but I got a feelin' you're gonna keep at it anyway," he told her.

Aesop lost track of exactly how long he and Spectra spent together, but as he emerged from the water, shaking himself free of as much of it as he could, he felt as though it was time well spent. Bracing himself for a cold journey back, he set off towards the forest and the way home.