His ventures around Boreas had brought about some interesting encounters so far. Though his mind was muddled and his psyche seemed to be far different than a year ago, he still kept his one goal in mind and refused to let it go. He had an iron grip on it, and he'd see it to fruition no matter what the cost. While he thought about his plans, he slipped towards the hot springs that lay in the east, the crimson male avoiding all the pack boundaries that had cropped up in the surrounding areas. How long had all these packs been here? Abaven and Armada he'd been aware of, but the one at the volcano he hadn't a clue who resided there. No matter...as long as they didn't interfere with his time at the Springs, he didn't care. He found a pool whose sides were decorated with crystals and flickering fireflies. Avoiding those, he slipped into the hot water and almost immediately felt relief in his muscles and the water washed away the ooze from his body. How long had it been since he had relaxed? While he wasn't completely in a relaxed state, at least his body could rest and recover for the day before he ventured out again. "Ignis"||"Blödhgarm"

Hazel tipped her head to the side as the breeze brought whispers to her ears. She listened intently for several long moments, her expression attentive, and then she smiled. "Come, Barnabas." As though led by the nose Hazel wove her way through the heated pools. Barnabas, usually the one to lead, fell back to Hazel's shoulder as the witch followed something that escaped his senses. She moved as though in a dream state; her pace languid and expression soft; but her ears swiveled constantly and betrayed the fact that she was listening keenly to something.

The whispers grew to an indistinguishable roar as she honed in on the source and then in an instant they were gone and her ears were left ringing with the sudden emptiness. Hazel stilled and listened, ears straining, as she tried to suss out why she had been abandoned. A splash was her reward. She zeroed in on the sound and this time when she investigated her nose picked up a familiar scent. Hazel smiled. Her toes found the end of the pool Ignis was in and she stopped. "Fancy meeting you again."

"Speech"

"Talk" Walk Yes...it had been quite a long time since he had truly relaxed. But even while he wished for nothing but the sound of the bubbling hot springs, he couldn't shake the voices that plagued his mind. His demon was constantly emerging, urging him to do things he had never dreamed of doing in the past. Already he had killed one or two strangers...they were unknown to him of course, and nobody he recognized. Both times it had happened while he had been blacked out. But as of late, he wasn't sure anymore. Since meeting with his dead uncle, he was keenly aware what was happening and so the crimson male had opted to succumb to his ancestral demons instead of continuing to try to fight them. It was simply easier that way, after all. Focused on trying to force himself to relax, a quiet sigh swept past his lips shortly before a voice would jerk his head up. Ears swiveled with his head, and crimson gaze found a familiar form. The witch that had helped him when his tail was practically falling off after his battle with Acere. It seemed they would keep running into each other, and it was only from his last run-in with her did he notice she was blind. Still, that didn't change his thoughts about her. "It seems fate keeps bringing us together. Unless perhaps it's a coincidence?" He wasn't sure he believed in coincidences...but fate? Definitely. Maybe there was a reason the two of them kept coming together...

Utterly comfortable with herself, Hazel lay down at the pool's edge and hung her front paws over so that her toes grazed the warm surface. She didn't know Ignis from Adam, but the draw of his power was irresistible. Hazel couldn't help it; she was drawn to strength and where others might have focused on his flaws all she felt was potential. He was a diamond in the rough - she was certain of it.

Reaching out Hazel dipped a paw in the water and began to swirl it around playfully. Her tone nonchalant, she replied, "Oh, there is no such thing as coincidence - of that I am sure. Just energy. Always fighting; always pushing and pulling them apart or together." She stopped swirling the water to dip her paw in fully and was quiet for a moment as she reveled in the warmth. "Strength - real strength - draws things to it like a dropped stone to earth."

Hazel submerged both front legs as she leaned in with a smirk, not caring if she was invading Ignis's space, and asked in a soft voice, "Tell me, Ignis, why I am here?" She hadn't the slightest idea, but was certain he would know the answer. And if he didn't, well, then she would be on her way because she couldn't help him if he couldn't help himself.

"Speech"