Come down, come down sweet reverence

Jynn worked her way from Eastern Boreas back into Auster and then southward. It had been a long journey but she'd gotten a decent night's sleep the night before and was more than ready to go on a little adventure. Today her paws took her through the greening landscape to a strange mountain that rested near the ocean. It was a massive mouth of sharp, ebony rock raising up into a jagged crown. Within the crown was a lake of muted aqua water unlike anything else. Or so she'd heard. Now she just had to find out for herself. Steam seemed to rise from various parts of the side of the mountain and even at its base she caught the scent of brimstone. It had been water right? Not lava? She swallowed. This could get dangerous.

Location: Brimstone Lake

Duchess had been scouting lands before her and the band branched off from The Hallows and went to Boreas. They were trying to stock up well for their own travel, but also trying to keep the pack stores in order before they branched off. They certainly weren't demanding or expecting supplies directly from the pack stores themselves, so she had spent a lot of time scouting the lands of Auster.

She had noticed the familiar figure from the distance, and had immediately found her paws after her. She came from behind the woman but carefully, calling out quietly from a safe distance so she wouldn't scare her, "It's nice to see you again." She greeted kindly, looking down into the boiling water under them, feeling the danger as Jynn did too.

"Duchess"

Come down, come down sweet reverence

Jynn continued her ascent up the mountain, her nose wrinkling against the strong smell of sulphur and burning air. The cry of gulls caught her attention for a moment as they soared over head and away into the sky. It would be so nice to be able to fly and reach the top of the mountain in far less time than walking up it step by step.

Soon Jynn arrived at the top where she could peer down into the boiling lake. Foul smelling steam rose up from its surface. She heard the sound of approaching paw steps and turned to see Duchess. "Hey there! Good to see you again as well. How's your spring going so far?"

Duchess had known of the volcanic mountain her whole life, but she had never ventured up to the top of it. She too noticed the sounds of the gulls above them, must have meant they were pretty high in the air. But she could relate to the uncomfortable atmosphere here. The smell alone was nearly unmanageable, but the fumes from the brimstone made her skin tingle. She honestly didn't know if it was just her or the mountain.

Jynn asked her about the spring and Duchess smiled gently, "Anything is better than the Ice Age." It was true, especially down here in Auster where they had never seen snow before. She was used to the tropical weather here, and the cold did a lot to her and the land. "Prey and herbs have started to come back though, the pack has been doing well on supplies." She wrinkled her nose too, turning and offering the trip down together, "Don't want to stay here long though, mind coming down with me?"

"Duchess"

Come down, come down sweet reverence

Jynn nodded eagerly as Duchess voiced her opinion on the age of ice and snow they'd had recently. "Agreed a thousand times over." She wasn't well suited for the cold and much preferred warmer temperatures when she could get them. Even a sweltering desert was more tolerable than a frozen plain. Jynn reached out with her paw and poked at the dead remains of a bush. Ok, this place was kind of depressing. She peered down into the boiling lake again for a brief moment before turning back to Duchess who suggested they head back down. She nodded. "I would enjoy that, this place is making my nose burn."

Duchess too could agree with Jynn's lifestyle and being used to more temperate terrains. She was born and grew up here in Auster, so the Ice Age had been a difficult transition in her life. Though maybe for the better if she was going to start traveling with Indigo and the band.

She looked back to her comrade as she joined her and she started to carefully trek down the volcanic side of the lake and back onto level ground. She was happy to get out of the burning and harmful fumes, and she would probably never come back out here unless she absolutely had to.

"Duchess"