As he set his armor aside and wriggled from his cloak, he surveyed the springs. At least it seemed the strange, frosty Spring and Summer seasons hadn’t frozen over here. Steam made visibility low, but he was familiar with the conditions, since the Moor could get just as thick with fog. Slowly, he slid into a pool and sank in up to his ears, chin resting on the edge as the heat seeped into him. Getting out would suck, especially once he left the relative shroud of warmth around the springs, but he’d make sure to get as much water from his coat as he could before he threw on his cloak and armor again to move on. It was significantly more comfortable than the last time he’d been here, agonized by an unexpected growth spurt that left his very bones throbbing. He hadn’t had a single twinge of that sort since the spurt had ended, thank gods. Chrystal settled into a tree nearby, keeping watch while Cai let himself drift, though his ears remained alert to any sounds that didn’t mesh with the local fauna and flora. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

Dragging Bug the frog out of his comfort zone of the den was becoming more and more common, as the young wolf sought to venture further into the surrounding lands. He'd spent enough time beyond the confines of the mangrove to understand the lay of the land, but not enough to be comfortable outside the claustrophobic conditions of the thick trees and sucking mud. With his mask firmly settled on his head, and Bug nestled along his nape, he'd set off from home at dawn. Best to move when the shadows still laid long over the land, and the odd contrast would best hide his dappled form. The rising steam of the hot springs stuck out against the frost laden landscape, and he ambled towards it. The humidity would be good for Bug, who was still warming up from the cool night and morning. The enormous frog made soft crooning sounds in his throat that reverberated along the plate of bone on which his sticky little hands were clutching. "We can stop and look around once we get to the springs, Bug." soft, husky vocals assured the amphibian as he walked. Already the steam was beginning to reach out and caress his flanks, enveloping him in a comforting obscurity from prying eyes. Even as the sun rose, having reached the mid-point of its climb to noon-height, the rays couldn't disperse the steam. He felt better away from the wide openness of the plains and valleys, less like he was sticking out from the landscape. Or so he thought, as he entered the treeline that surrounded the edges of the springs. The uncomfortably high screech of an owl rang out as he drew closer to the warmth of the vaguely familiar territory. Verdant gaze drifted upwards, searching for the bird among the branches over his head. Was the alert call for him, or about him? Bug shrank closer to his friend's neck, sinking into the fur around him and gripping tighter to the edges of his mask. Bobbed tail twitching anxiously, the wolf slipped into the spaces between wellsprings, traversing the slick terrain with practiced grace. He thought there was a chunk of driftwood butting up against the edge of one of the pools, but as he slunk closer he realized there was a leathery nose resting on the bank. Roving eyes traced the edges of the other pools, looking for more potential bodies drifting in the water. "Oh," he grunted, taking a half step back. Eyes narrowing behind his muntjac mask, he realized this was a massive wolf in comparison to his own slight form. "I didn't mean to disturb you, my friend." he said in the common tongue, dipping his head respectfully. "We'll do our best to stay out of your hair," he added, though Bug was hardly noticeable hiding between his similarly hued auds. They would simply have to be quieter while they poked around the hot springs, so as not to disturb the large male with a racket. "speech" thinking "others"