It was a bit of a trek from The Hallows but Iolaire was no stranger to travel. She'd brought Meadow with her and on the way they'd collected the little Raider girl straggler, Siduri. Together the trio made their way to the hot springs and Iolaire was prepared to tell them exactly why they were going there.

She was old and the trials of life seemed to have made her age more quickly. Her bones rattled and ached and creaked like old shutters. Those very bones were the reason for the long walk. A soak, some relaxation and a bit of teaching. Sounded like a good day to Io.

While coming close to the springs, they happened upon a small pup, Bancha by name. He was a Valta child and, since The Hallows and Valta were allied by blood, they collected the boy and promised to escort him back to Valta after.

Steam bubbled up from the various pools and Iolaire directed them to one pool in particular where the temperature wasn't too hot, but warm enough to give her what she needed. The old wolf sank down into the heated water with a sigh of pleasure, then directed her gold and green eyes to the trio. "Now, who can tell me the benefits of hot springs?" She wanted to gauge their knowledge and see where their minds went.

"Io"

Spending time with new wolves was one of Sid's favorite things. She'd been going to The Hallows to hopefully catch a glimpse of Briar when Iolaire and Meadow intercepted her. The pastel child had thought about making up an excuse and going to The Hallows anyway, but receiving a lesson in healing had caught her interest and so she went along with the older wolves.

When they neared the springs, a boy joined their trio, turning them into a quartet. As Iolaire submerged herself in the water, she questioned them and Siduri's eyes lit up. "Ooo, me, me! Pick me!" She didn't wait to be chosen at all, not that anyone needed to be chosen. "The water makes you stink so you can keep bugs away!" It was her first thought so of course it was the first thing that she blurted out. She felt like a dummy afterwards though. That hadn't been the right answer.

What had started off as a quiet, peaceful trip for lessons with auntie Io had turned into something a little more exciting. While Meadow would usually be nervous with the appearance of so many new faces, this was different. They were just pups, and Io was willing to handle the talking. It took some of the stress out of it. Collecting strays on their way north, Meadow sticks close to her aunt's side. Basking in her company on the nice warm summer days. The hot springs were nice too, and she's happy to visit. Quick to hop gracefully into a vacant pool of water and rest her chin on the edge to listen to her aunt talk, she ponders the question. "It's nice for tense muscles," she ventured quietly.

He'd been out playing, minding his business when the group of girls approached him. An older woman says she knows his family after he introduces himself and admits that he hadn't realized he'd wandered outside of Valta borders. See, Bancha was too anxious to ever purposefully break a rule. The idea of upsetting either of his fathers would send him into a panic attack if Io hadn't reassured him that nothing bad would happen with her around.

So he follows them, a bounce to his step until they stop before the bubbling, steaming, warm pools of water. His seafoam eyes grow wide, a sound of amazement escaping his lips. This place was so cool! Building up, up, up, the pools seemed to go on for ages! Some were big, some were small, and some even smelled funny. His nose wrinkles when he leans in to sniff at one. Gross! But not all of them were stinky. No, some were just right.

Dipping a toe into the pool beside Iolaire's, Bancha is surprised at how comfortable it feels. "I w-won't drown?" He mumbles, uncertainty in his eyes as he looks over to the older woman before being once more reassured that nothing bad would happen to him. Carefully, he takes his time to move his body into the pool until his own chin is resting upon the ledge. From here, he can hardly see through the plumes of steam. At least he could still hear!

Patiently waiting his turn as he practices paddling his rear paws in the depths of the water, he looks from Sid to Meadow and back to Io. "Uh, it can help clear your thoughts?" Bancha offers though he isn't sure that answer is true.

BANCHA

The old wolf listened to her students give their thoughts on why the hot springs would be good. Siduri brought a laugh from the old bat and she shook her head. "Stinky yes, but the bugs will get you anyway, my dear." Meadow suggested that it was good for tense muscles and the tri-colored fae nodded. "It definitely is nice for sore muscles." Bancha followed up with a hot spring clearing your thoughts. Again, Io chuckled. "Relaxation is very good for the mind, yes."

After assuring Bancha that he wouldn't drown, Iolaire continued to speak. "The heat of a hot spring can soothe the muscles and it can help with stiff joints, but there are things in the water, things that you can't see, that can help your body." One paw slid through the water, nimble digits parting to let the water slid through and back into the pool. "There are minerals in the water. Do any of you know what minerals are or what they do?"

"Iolaire"

Siduri looked at the water as Iolaire spoke of minerals. She was the only one not submerged in the liquid. Instead she lay on her belly on the edge of the pool where the other three floated about. "I do know about minerals," the girl spoke confidently. "You need minerals to grow and to help you stay strong." Her head gave a little tilt to the side as she contemplated something. "I wonder if my mom didn't get enough minerals and that's why she got sick." Sid shook the thought from her head and looked to Io. "What else do minerals do?

Bancha talking about clearing thoughts... that made sense to Meadow too. She did other things to clear her thoughts, but the water and the hot springs probably could help some people. Her aunt confirms her suspicions, and Meadow offers a little smile. Being right felt nice, okay. Straightening up nervously for a moment as she makes sure Bancha is still above water-- okay, phew. He hadn't drowned after all. Minearals! Meadow has seen minerals in her books, and read about some of them. After giving the pups some space to answer, Meadow perks up. "There are minerals that are good for our bodies, and our coats, and sometimes for other stuff like cooking and crafting. Like salt!" She chirped excitedly. She's seen pictures of even prettier minerals, too. Gaze alight, excited, Meadow rests her chin on the warm rock as she listens to her aunt teach. "Speech"

Bancha is... overwhelmed. Though he's in good spirits, happy to kick and play in the warm water, it's still a lot of info to take in for a pup! Siduri and Meadow knew so much already too that he wasn't sure he even knew another answer!

Turning his gaze down to the water, he can tell its both murky and clear at the same time. If that were even possible. At times, he can see his paws kicking back and forth as he grips onto the edge with his front paws. Then at times, he can't see them at all. Mostly when his kick paws scratch at the rock or end up touching the bottom and stirring dust around. Were these the minerals that Io was talking about? But she said they couldn't be seen... How did they know then if they couldn't be seen? Where did that knowledge come from? So many questions!

Tilting his face back, away from the steam, so he could get a clear breath of air, he finally realizes its his turn to answer. "Oh! Uh, actually I'm not sure what a mineral is," Bancha cants his head, face scrunching as he leans his chin against the rough stone. "Papa says to eat fish because it has minerals, but I never thought to ask," he turns his teal eyes to Io, hoping he doesn't sound too dumb.

BANCHA

Iolaire listened once more as each young wolf shared their thoughts on the matter. Bancha seemed to have a bit of trouble, but that was to be expected with how young he was. Still, she nodded to each of them. "Your mother may very well benefit from including more minerals in her diet." Green and gold eyes flicked to Bancha. "She can do this by adding a healthy portion of fish to her diet." He had been correct, thanks to his father.

Meadow spoke of other benefits and Iolaire was proud of the girl for not only having the knowledge but speaking up enough to share it. "Minerals are good for your skin and coat. The minerals in these springs can help your blood flow more easily." The old wolf gave a lazy little smile as her muscles and joints began to relax thanks to the heated pool. "So if you ever want to visit the hot springs, you now know many reasons as to why this is a great idea." Wicked little thing that she was, Iolaire was happy to give the kids a good argument if they ever wanted to take a little trip. Surely their parents couldn't turn them down with benefits like that, eh?

"Iolaire"

Siduri nodded over and over, accepting Iolaire's word as law. It never crossed her mind that the old woman might have lied to them all. Thankfully she didn't. Fish. Sid made a mental note to catch her mother some fish. If Modesty ate fish all the time, she'd never be sick again. Sid was sure of it.

Iolaire spoke of more benefits and then Siduri's little mental antennae went off. She caught the hint that the old lady was laying out there. "Ahhh..." Sid already knew that she would tell her mom and dad that they needed to visit the hot springs to help their blood and fix their furs and have nice, not itchy skin and all the things!

Bancha smiled happily as Iolaire agreed and confirmed that fish did indeed have beneficial minerals! How crazy was it that those same minerals could be in the water! Wait, would that not make sense... Fish lived in water so they got the minerals from there? His eyes go wide as he looks down into the heated pool. All he could see were paws and tails, no fish. Hm, maybe she didn't mean just this water, but all water had minerals. There were so many more questions to be asked! But it looked like she wanted to relax now... Maybe he could ask her more later! It sounded as if she was giving them an excuse to travel more often anyway.

"Thank you, Miss Iolaire, for the lesson," Bancha says after he's clamed his excitement for a moment and rests his chin on the outside edge of the pool. The warm waters really were nice. Glancing around at his surroundings, he notices how there are no plants that grow close to the springs. Trees and bushes seem to keep their distance. Even grass and flowers don't grow as close to the rockery as he thought they would. Dirt path leaves from all edges of the pool into many different directions. As afraid as he was of leaving home and scaring his parents, Bancha began to wonder what else was out there...

BANCHA

Siduri's mom was sick, and Meadow could only puzzle over what could be wrong. Was she contagious? She didn't much look like it, and the girl had been hanging around the Hallows so much, someone probably would have noticed if that was the case, too. Her tail wags a bit, slowed down by the water. Fish allegedly had a lot of minerals, that was probably good to know. Meadow isn't the biggest fan of fish, but maybe if it's good for her... maybe. Maybe she'd do it. Flaky meat is still weird. It's true, though, she thinks about all the good things in the water. This is certainly better than eating fish. Meadow comfortably settles in the water, relaxing, allowing herself to enjoy the peace and the quiet, and her time with her aunt. It was a good day. She was pretty sure she liked this traveling thing, there was a whole world outside the Hallows. Meadow was glad she'd been able to see it, today. "They're warm like this even in winter, right? One of my books says that it has to do with the volcano." She likes the heat, basking in it. A very, very good day. "Speech"