Adventure Is Out There!
Natha shook her coat out once more for good measure after emerging from the ocean. She was glad to be back on the mainland and vowed to never go swimming in the ocean again if she could help it. Of course with her curiosity such a promise might be difficult to keep. She looked to see if Tamsyn was good and then she gazed out at the mountain before her and grinned. "Well, we'll certainly be getting a work out today. I think the waterfall is on the south side of the mountain."
Natha started climbing over the slate gray stones as she worked her way to the south side of the mountain. She wanted to get up a bit higher too. She wasn't quite sure where this waterfall started but she figured if they approached somewhere in the middle they'd see it one way or another. Though the loner she had talked to stated that it was hard to miss. Her ears flicked forward. Come to think of it she could hear the distant roar of water.
Knight
Tamsyn stepped out of the water once they had finished their swim back to shore and gave herself a good shake to dry off as much as she could before they started the next leg of their trek. Luckily her fur was on the thinner, more sleek side so it didn’t trap water too badly. She looked up toward the mountain ahead of them and chuckled at the deceleration that they would be getting a good workout in. She was already feeling like she had gotten quite a bit of exercise today, but she was too invested in his expedition to turn back now!
Following along behind Natha as they made their way to where the waterfall should be was strangely relaxing. Tam had grown to love the feeling of letting her mind go blank while she takes in the scenery and lets her muscles work out her anxious energy. She quietly followed behind until the sound of rushing water made her ears perk with curiosity. ”Sounds like we’re getting close,” she commented, peering ahead of them for any sign of their goal. She was still so impressed that so many interesting places could be this close together. It felt like there had been nothing like this to explore in her old home and now she was constantly finding something different to investigate.
Natha continued to scramble over the gray rock, moving carefully as she travelled. It certainly seemed like the mountain ranges in this part of the land were steep and rugged. She nodded as Tam stated that they were getting closer. Panting the cat suddenly gasped as she saw the waterfall. It stretched out, pouring from some source way above her and then plummeting all the way down to the base of the mountain. "Holy! The waterfall is almost the height of the whole bloody mountain!" She finished pushing her way through the thick foilage so she could get a better view."I wonder if we can get down to that basin?"
With her head poking out of the foliage she took a moment to notice the weather. A cool breeze was coming down from the north and she wondered for a moment if it was because of the altitude or if it was the changing seasons. Fall was right around the corner and it was only going to get colder.
As if her mentioning that they were nearing the waterfall could will it into being, it suddenly came into view and was so dramatic that it made her jaw drop. She laughed lightly at how absurdly tall this waterfall was as she looked up toward the top of the mountain, squinting as she tried to see where it even began. She pushed her way out though the foliage with Natha, feeling that cool breeze rustle her fur. Her mint eyes dipped down toward the pool where the water was crashing into when the question came up over whether they could get down to it. ”I’m sure we can. If we can climb in and out of a dormant volcano, I feel like getting down to the basin of a waterfall seems doable.” She started making her way toward the water, noticing how chilly the air was here. She was certain a lot of it was simply just being at a higher elevation in the north, but as she got closer to the water’s edge there was also quite a bit of cold spray from the waterfall in the air to deal with as well. Tamsyn happened to look up and smiled as she noticed the way the sun was shining though that thin mist of water. She motioned with her muzzle for Natha to look up, pointing out the faint rainbow that had formed in the afternoon sun.
Natha nodded. "Yea, I feel like this should be no sweat. So Tamsyn, are you new to Boreas or have you lived here all your life?" Natha figured some cordial conversation might make the climb down go a little faster. She started working her way down, as usual she found going down harder than going up. She did take a moment to take in the weather. It looked good. The sky was clear and blue with only a few wisps of cirrus clouds moving in. They should have a whole day of good weather as far as she could tell though tomorrow might be another story. Either way she was enjoying the cooler breeze, especially as they climbed. Such a work out was making her warm.
Eventually the duo reached the base of the waterfall and there was a stone basin, carved by the brute force of the water's fall. It was clear and cool and she bent her head lapping greedily at it. "Ah, that hits the spot." She flopped down to take a quick break. "Where to next? If we head back north I've heard there's a beach with black sand. Or if we go northeast there's the Mile-High Woods. They have trees there that even a wolf could climb."
Natha pulled her attention for a moment when her exploring companion asked if she was new to Boreas. It was honestly the first time she had heard the name of this continent, but she was happy to have a name for the lands she had chosen to explore. ”I’m still fairly new. I’ve only been in Boreas for a few weeks I think. I guess that’s why I’m so excited about exploring more of it,” she replied while they continued to make their way down the incline to the basin below. ”How about you?”
Once they got down to the water’s edge, Tamsyn joined in to get a drink of the crisp, clear water. It was incredibly cold, but it was also incredibly refreshing after the hike they had just endured. Natha summed it up best when she declared that the water hit the spot. Tam smiled and nodded in agreement, settling down near the feline with a sigh to let her paws rest. She hummed thoughtfully as she considered the options that were presented. Both sounded preposterously fantastical in her mind, but maybe they shouldn’t after the island they had just visited. It was easier to imagine really big trees than it was to picture a beach with black sand so that is where her curiosity pulled her to. ”Lets go find this black sand beach... I wonder if I lay in it if I’ll be able to camouflage into it!”
Natha contemplated the question for a moment. She wasn't quite sure how to answer. She'd been to Boreas before but that was a long time ago. She'd left for a few years and now found herself back. She decided just to stick with when she arrived the second time as so much had changed. "Let's see, I've been here for about two seasons now. So not terribly long but long enough to meet up with loners and get ideas for where to travel." Her eyes lingered on the sky for a moment as she took in the angle of the cirrus clouds. They often proceeded fronts and judging from the direction of the streaks a cold front would be moving in from the north over the next few days. Appropriate considering fall was around the corner.
Natha grinned. "The beach it is! And I bet you'd be able to, your coat is dark enough."
-exit to the beach (highfives)-