His little adventure in the Crypt hadn't put the boy off roaming. Frankly, it only incentivized it further. Finding a whole ass lion down there? Sick as hell. Maybe there would be more trouble out here for him. Björn could only hope. From somewhere high above, the boy was dully aware that his father's owl was keeping an eye on him. Gods, how much longer would he have to take a babysitter places? It was getting old, feeling like he was being watched all the time. Though he had half a mind to go underground and lose his tail entirely, the boy thought better of it. Underground was dark. He'd concede to being halfass watched by a bird that would rather be asleep if he got to be somewhere cool. Wandering south, Björn doesn't make it all that far before finding the hot springs. Gaze curious, careful, as he walks beside one of the pools. Dipping a paw in, finding it piss-warm instead of refreshing. Scowling for a moment, ears flicking back. "What the fuck?" Wrinkling his nose. It didn't seem to actually be piss, but... ew. Nope, no thanks. He'd keep looking for something fun, because this wasn't it. BJÖRN Ragnarök awaits.

The mainland felt better. Better than being stuck on that Abraxas forsaken isle. Water, water everywhere. Everywhere that she looked. All she had seen since birth had been water. Having had enough of it, Calliope was thankful to not go back for a long while. Save for that she wanted to visit her siblings at some point, she was content for now to wander. Aimlessly, homelessly, without a care to be anywhere but there.

Moving east, gliding, eyes hazy, unsure where she were even going. No true direction, just walking. Walking until she grew tired. Her muscles sore, her mind tired. Eyes flutter, lids kissing her cheeks as she lets out a mouth widening yawn. Her tongue curls forward, gracing her tongue as she pauses and stretches her nearly full grown body. Once she stands, her pale gaze glances around.

Rising before her, pools of water fall, cresting over ledges into other pools, steam rises, tendrils grasping for the cloudy sky above. Her head cants. A sudden rush of warmth washes over her face, enticing her forth. Mm, a nice bath did sound nice. As much as she says she doesn't care about her appearance, she knows she does deep down. Moving gracefully, Calliope climbs into the first pool she sees. Sliding down until her chin rests upon the edge, her entire body hidden, she closes her eyes and releases a sigh.

The tepid water is pleasant on her muscles. Allowing the sinew and bone to relax and release tension. She is enjoying the spa treatment until a 'blech' sort of noise breaks her serenity. Narrowed glare searches through the steam to find the culprit. There. A familiar obsidian form with budding antlers. Her face scrunches as she raises her lips in a snarl. "Boy, the fuck are you doing disturbing my peace?" Calliope hisses, her ears pinning as she keeps her place hidden in the depths of the spring.

"Speech"

Björn's movements are careful, not wanting to fall in. Tracing the rocky ring, carefully balancing. Testing himself, and then-- ah. Her. Her voice. Fuck, Björn heard that voice in his nightmares some nights. Music to his fucking ears. Gaze raking across the tepid pools, one by one, until they fall on her. Relaxing within the pools, or at least she had been, until Björn had so brazenly interrupted. A brassy chuckle from the harbinger's throat, head hanging low, predatory as he moves forward. The mineral-rich scent of the water hanging heavily in his nose. Stepping carefully down to her level, standing across one of the shallow pools with a glimmer in his eye. Reaching out to splash her weakly, wagging his tail. Brassy. "It's almost like you aren't happy to see me." The boy tossed his head. A little wink, a little dare. BJÖRN Ragnarök awaits.

Her pale gaze meets his own. Breath catching for a moment before she lets out a cackle that nearly allows too much water into her mouth. His words, that wink, his smiling dare, ah what a cocky little boy. "Does it appear that I would ever be happy to see anyone?" Calliope raises a brow, her body still resting beneath the surface. Her relaxing spa treatment isn't finished. There are a few beats of silence, stretching and pulling between them, water bubbling and steam flowing. She won't give him too much, won't allow him the desire he yearns for. Instead, she wants to play a game with him.

"Do you know how to tell when someone is lying?" Calliope poses the question, pale gaze still intent on him, lips turning up into an impish grin.

"Speech"

A little catch of her breath, Björn can see it on her lips. Fuck, he can taste it in the air between them. Swallowing subtly, why did his shoulders ache like this? Moments later, the tension shattered by her laugh. Cold as it sounds, there's a searing heat behind Björn's grin. It reaches his eyes, runs beneath the surface. Each step is purposeful, commanding as he moves around the pool. Mapping the edge with confident, steady paws. Steps he'd be able to re-trace later. It's warm, Björn unsure he likes the way it feels on his skin. Still, it's not the environmental heat he's particularly worried about. "Lucky that I'm not just anyone then." The boy comes to sit beside her instead, remaining on the rocky surface. Close to her shoulder, though he wouldn't touch her. No, Björn knows better. When someone is lying? One eyebrow lifting, curious as he peered down at the girl. "I don't need to know. My people deal in the suspension of disbelief." A smirk, he thinks he's clever. He thinks he's smart. Though the boy is an ass, also wants to play. He wants her, and he'll risk looking over-eager for it. "How do you know?" Björn questions, after only a moment's pause. Tone light, gazing out over the steam as it rose. Several pools spread out before him, and several from the direction he'd come as well. There was more to this place than he'd originally thought. Reaching another lazy paw into the warm water, letting it rest there. Maybe it did feel alright. BJÖRN Ragnarök awaits.

His teasing words are rewarded by a giggle. Not just anyone. Yeah, right. She purses her lips in his direction, an imaginary kiss to lull him to sleep later. Two could play this game. A game of cat and mouse, where they're both unsure of whose the cat and whose the mouse. She then watches him prowl over to where she rests and sits above her, looking down at her with that piercing gaze. His words barely scratch at her, it's not the answer she cares for.

Perhaps she should have listened to her mother's history and religion lessons better. But what good would it have done? Why not create her own religion? Be her own god? Decide her own fate? Who said she had to listen to Abraxas or anyone else for that matter. And why did he believe himself so clever? She can tell by the smirk on his lips. Disbelief was for fools. A huff from her nose causes a ripple across the still surface. She twists slightly, resting her shoulder against the rocky wall. Eyes still upon him, unwavering as he finally gives her what she wants.

"Watch their faces," Calliope starts, her eyes unblinking. "When they lie, they have a tell. Their eyes blink too fast, their cheek twitches, tongue licks at their lips," she lets her own tongue reach out to glide across her lips. "The ones who are exceptionally bad will shift their weight, twitch their tails, tense at unreasonable times," this time, she lifts a paw from the watery depths to trace it tendering down his leg until it rests atop his own paw, water running in rivulets over their fur. "And do you know what you should do if you ever catch someone lying?" This time her expression shifts, eyes gaining a gleam that is both dangerous and daring as her paw tenses and nails dig into his own.

"Speech"

A giggle. Music to his ears. Björn tipped his head, rolled his shoulders back. Dangerous smirk playing on his lips as he takes her in. There's divinity in him, coursing through his blood. It lives in the woods, it thrives in the waters. All of the places wild things are, the gods are too. Björn himself, could be touched by it. Held by it. The harbinger, gifted as he is, has been touched by them. Some day he would delusion himself, he'd be the god of grays. Some day. Today, he is just a young man who believes. Settling in for what the angel from his nightmares has to offer, Björn lays on the warm, damp rock beside her. Comfortable. Unblinking, she gazes into his eyes. The boy relaxes, settles. His own blinking slow, deliberate. Gaze raking over her lips, her teeth, her tongue. Though his heart races, Björn tries to keep his jaw relaxed. She's not under his skin. No, this is something far worse, though he wouldn't know how to put words to it until he's much older. Electricity as she touches him, a growl building in Björn's throat. Head spinning, slowly. Her paw catching in his. Björn's free paw lifts, a claw of his own tracing tenderly across her jaw for the barest moment. Just a taste. Björn tilts his head forward, leaning down, only a breath away. Cat? Mouse? He can't tell anymore. Dangerous games are the best one, and he'd be happy to play with her. Voice low, an edge sharp within it. "What is it you do, hmm?" Commanding, though the bite of her nails into his paw is enough to make Björn's head spin. Delicious and terrible, all at once. Björn's grip closed around the girl's, other paw closing in on top. Clasping, holding with the same intensity. Danger. Danger. BJÖRN Ragnarök awaits.

He's dangerously close. Their breath intermingles as pale gazes lock on each other. Tingling pain from claws digging into skin. She enjoys it. Even his claw that delicately moves along her chin, it causes her to purr almost identical to that of a cat. When his husky voice speaks out to her, she grins in response. Reaching up slightly so that they are practically nose to nose, her tongue flicks out to lick barely at his lips.

"You kill them," she whispers back as her tongue retreats. In the same moment her free paw is reaching up to grab ahold of his neck. Her paws barely touch the ground of the hot spring. Wrenching her captured paw free to grab the other side of his neck, she pulls downward. Using every muscle she can, Calliope tosses him into the water with a chaotic giggle. Once his body is submerged, she releases him from her clutches and leans back to once more rest along the edge of the pool.

"Speech"