Anoixi knew this was a bad idea. Obviously it was. The volcano that was still spewing smoke and ash and occasionally fire was so close here. It rumbled audibly in the distance, the glow of it's rage just visible through the cloying smoke and ash that hung heavy in the air. But if Ixi was anything it was endlessly curious and dang it if he wasn't just dying to know what it was like at the places closer to the source of the calamity. He’d skirted around the lands as much as he could, moving slowly and methodically. He knew he needed to do his best to avoid expending too much energy, at least until he’d arrived at his destination…. Wherever that was.

The boy had decided to walk until he found something that interested him. He’d finally decided he’d arrived when he spotted raised pools through the trees, just barely visible through steam. Anoixi moved through the trees carefully, noting the bare branches that by all rights should have been budding this time of year. But then there wasn’t exactly any sun for the trees to bask in. The ground was caked in ash and as he walked it puffed up into the air with each paw step. He tried to keep his breathing minimal, he didn’t exactly want to breathe in the stale ash he himself was releasing into the air.

The closer he got the more the steam blocked his view and he had to walk even slower. Another sound joined the ominous grumblings of the volcano, a sort of wet gurgling, something he’d never heard before. He was used to the sounds of gentle lapping or the crashing of the sea against the shore, but this… well, it was different. This he couldn’t even begin to picture the way the water was moving. Anoixi could feel the heat building in the air as well, notable as the continent had become so cold following the disappearance of the sun and he moved even slower, scared he’d not see a hazard right in his path, the heat filling his head with images of bubbling lava pits ready to swallow him up.

Finally the stone walls he’d seen appeared before him, many stone cauldrons that worked their way up the landscape. The lowest one was close enough the boy could wander over to it, and peer over its walls to see why there was so much steam rising from behind its lip. A pool or roiling water met his gaze and a strong sulfuric smell assaulted his senses. Anoixi reeled back, nose wrinkling against the scent.

WC:437

"Talk"

Void wasn’t one to break the rules, and after his tumble into the cold water a few weeks ago the boy didn’t go near the ocean. However, he was on the mainland due to the meeting and he found himself outside of the packs borders. As soon as he noticed Void had hesitated enough that he’d almost turned around. However, the fearless boy decided he would much rather continue forward in exploration.

The volcano was not kind to the land around him, and his big puppy paws carried him further into the destruction left in its wake. Before long the young boy was faced with the fall of steam. He thought fog at first, but as he got closer Void realized the vapor was warm. H enjoyed the odd sensation and continued. Void had very little sense of self preservation and his curiosity easily took ahold of him.

He continued forward, but it was slow going. Just because he wasn’t afraid didn’t mean he wasn't careful. He didn’t want to die, but he wasn’t scared to either. Eventually his slow pace would bring him to the faint scent of the stranger. The young Destruction didn’t have much interaction with those outside of Abaven yet and he didn’t hesitate to approach. ”What’s it doing?” He asked innocently as his star spangled form avoided the pools with caution.

wc:230

Anoixi parctically jumped when a high voice broke through the, well he couldn't call it silence, but he certainly hadn't been expecting a voice to reach him here. The boy turned his head to find a young pup at his side. Brilliant blue and violet eyes peered up at him with a curiosity Anoixi couldn't help but feel was similar to the wonder he'd often felt as a child. The boy at his side had a pack scent but as the Wreckage boy lifted his gaze to scan for others he realized the kid was alone... well alone with him not that that made him feel any better, in any case Anoixi being this close to the volcano was one thing but a pup being here? Well that just made his anxiety spike.

"It's uh... boiling."

He said awkwardly, unsure how to deal with the sudden apperance of the speckled boy.

"Probably because it's so close to the volcano, the lava underground must be close to the surface here than usual."

It was speculation of course, he didn't know much about this area yet, if these pools were normally hot or not. But really he was distracted.

"I'm sorry,"

he started, not really sure why he felt the need to appologize,

"but does anyone know you're here?"

So he was worried, the heat from the steam alone would likely become oppressive for him soon but for a pup he had no idea how much they'd be able to take, not to mention the whole... giant fire mountain being uncomfortably close thing.

WC: 261

"Talk"

Void didn’t often get scared, he didn’t startle easily and surprise was hardly in his vocabulary. He didn’t react as the stranger startled, but did offer a smile as the other turned towards him. He didn’t go out on his own very often, but with the lack of adult supervision he wandered more often. Either way the yearling explained what was going on with the springs. They were boiling. Not that Void knew what that meant but at least he had a word to describe his observations. It was also very hot, so water that was very hot and bubbling.. boiling.

”Oh,” he answered, taking his eyes off his teacher and putting them back to the water. The stranger continued, but not about the weird boiling water and the lava beneath to cause such a spectacle. He apologized and asked if anyone knew where he was. He was six months old, but he was incredibly tall. ”Mmhmm.” He answered without great enthusiasm. He’d said “hi” to uncle Rhyme on his way over the border of the territory. Whether Rhyme registered that the pup had gone exploring was another question.

”The volcano is why the stars left. right?” He asked curiously, no one explicitly told him but he could make connections. He was most interested in the stars in the sky and lands around them. This was odd though, and even if it was on the ground he liked the steam and how the water bubbled.

wc:251

Anoixi blinked once, twice, and felt his anxiety rising as he realized the pup was ignoring his question. The young Wreckage took a few shallow breaths, his mind whirling. Finally he managed to get his thoughts under control and his breathing returned to a more regular rythmn. The boy smelled of a pack, it would be easy enough to track down where he belonged and Ixi was determined to make sure he was returned to his home.

The boy asked another question and Anoixi couldn't see any harm in answering, he could understand that as a child it was a lot to learn, and if he wasn't being given all the answers he could be frustrated.

"Yeah, I think it's the ash. It's making a big cloud in the sky, so it looks dark and like the night sky. But the stars are still there behind the ash. It will clear eventually and the same stars will still be there."

He was pretty sure at least.

"That's also why it's so cold, the sun can't break through the ash to warm the ground and the cold can't escape through the ash so it's just bouncing back towards the ground."

He looked at the boy again, he got the feeling that until the pup's curosity was satiated he'd keep hanging around and Ixi wouldn't get a chance to return him to where he belonged.

"Anything else you're curious about?"

WC: 238 (1417/1500)

"Talk"

Void didn’t often get lost, he had to be trying really hard before he had trouble getting back home. He always made it back though. The young pup had no fear, not of the unknown not of his death. He was usually observant, but he couldn’t notice the anxiety that built in the stranger because of his non answer. The older boy focused on his question though, and Void perked his ears to listen to his explanation.

”I miss looking at them.” He commented as he was given the instruction on the stars behind the ash clouds. The stranger went on to explain the coldness as well. Void didn’t know true warmth, and hopefully the next summer would show him that the world wasn’t always so cold. He sighed heavily and looked back up to the ashen and steamy sky. Finally the young Destruction pup would decide on his question.

”What’s your name?” He asked with a curious tilt of his head and perked speckled ears.