Stepping Stones (19.05.2012)

[Kiryu]

Kiryu couldn't have believed his luck, his earlier journey into the mountain range had led to his finding of a hot spring, the mountain fog hung thick in the air damaging his visibility, a ice cold wing worked its way through the trees on the mountainside. It wasn't far now, the path up the mountain worn but still standing veered left, He moved onward leaving paw prints in the snow heading for the hot spring.

Ironically he had found it when lost, by using it as a location tool he was able to eventually decipher the way home. However today he wanted nothing more than to relax, the long walk paying off as he reached the clearing of the hot spring.

The snow here had melted slightly, showing deep greens of more hardy plants among the brown muds, in the middle of the clearing there lay a large body of water, almost an oasis in the harsh mountainscape. A set of stepping stones ran down the spring with enough space for a small swim.

Kiryu shook the snow from the foliage off his fur, slowly heading towards the waters edge. He looked around carefully and slowly put his front left paw into the water. It felt so hot he almost yelped, but his body quickly adjusted, he had been too affected by the cold. Moving forward he slowly dropping himself into the waters, the warm water calming and relaxing his body.

[Seirei Hisakata]

Seirei had been flying around the Hrauni peaks, desperate for a couple of hours to get away from his life back in the forest. Tersias' return had both pleased him and strained his emotions. He knew a little spot in the peaks where natural hot springs had formed where a volcano must be lingering underneath the miles of earth.

He found his way there pretty easily, having sometimes bathed in the water when he had had to recover from an injury in the past. As he reached the location, he was slightly surprised to see another there. Besides Mira, of course, he thought he was the only one who ever visited the hot pools. When he landed, he realised it was Kiryu. "Fancy seeing you here, Kiryu, he said. "Come to soak away your sorrows like me?" He sighed when his body entered the hot water. The heat instantly soothed his aches and pains.

[Kiryu]

Kiryu looked up, Seirei was banking towards the hot springs. His muscles tensed uncontrollably, whilst their last meeting was months ago, he remembered the wolf pinning him to the ground, the rage in his eyes. He wasn't here to fight, not many would do so in the mountains.

"Fancy that" he replied. "I ventured here for some R & R" he affirmed warily. He watched Seirei let down his guard, relieving him instantly, allowing him to do the same. "The stress of being a Founder getting to you?" He guessed, looking at Seirei with concern dotted across his face.

[Hayashi Koudo]

As Hayashi trudged along the snowy tops of the mountains, he sensed the presence of other Tialkians. Sure enough, a few a paces further saw Seirei and Kiryu in conversation, the hot springs soothing them.

Hayashi approached subtly as he did not want to disturb them but he did want his presence to be known. Walking by, he pretended as if he hadn't seen them and dipped his toes into the hot spring, easing himself gently in.

Though he was still uncomfortable talking to his once hated enemies, Hayashi knew that the only way to fit into his new place in the tribe was to be trusted among its people. The Tialkians had the power among this land and not even Koatia had found a way to break them. Soon though, he thought. Soon, they will have everything to lose. Koatia will find a way...

Pushing the thought out of his mind, Hayashi turned towards Seirei and Kiryu, catching their gaze and pretending to flinch as if he had not saw them.

[Seirei Hisakata]

Seirei sensed that for some reason Kiryu seemed a little apprehensive around him. He hoped that the fox still did not bear some sort of grudge, after all, his outbreak ... well he could not really control his temper. That was all in the past, however, and Seirei was keen to keep things relaxed.

"You could say that," he chuckled, but not letting on anything further; his worries would stay with him for the time being, no use worrying anyone else. He slid further down into the pool so that his shoulders were covered, but kept his wings out on the rocky side; he would not be able to fly if he got them too wet. A few awkward minutes passed as the two of them just sat there enjoying the water, great wisps of steam condensing in the mountain air. Seirei supposed he had to say something. "Nice place, this, isn't it?" he said, turning his head towards Kiryu. "Even as I founder of this world I still find nice little natural surprises like these dotted about - oh, hello?"

Seirei's ears twitched as he heard a little shuffling behind them. He looked over his shoulder, and there was Hayashi, who flinched when he was called. He was acting even more tentative than Kiryu. Must have that sort of effect on folk ... Seirei thought sadly. He chose to portray a cheery attitude, however. "Come, join us, join us." The tiger had a sort of sad expression on his face, like there was this great burden sitting on his chest. Seirei knew that feeling well. Well enough to be kind first and ask questions later.

[Kiryu]

Seirei seemed troubled, his half-hearted laugh masking something. Kiryu would push it no further, if necessary Seirei would consult him. "It's a true gem in the mountain-scape" he nodded, before diving under the water. Upon resurfacing the cold mountain air assaulted him, briefly stunning him. After regaining his composure, he looked towards Seirei. "How are your family?" His association with Seema brought forth concern, he had been oblivious to before.

Hayashi had slipped into the hot spring, not far from them. "Howdy!" Kiryu called, before noticing his closed body language. Both members of his present company seemed troubled, hoping their time at the hot spring would salve any wounds. "Come over here" he called to Hayashi, a paw darted up from the water, beckoning him towards them.

[Seirei Hisakata]

Hayashi was not being very talkative, so Seirei assumed he would sit with them and that was all, for now at least. One day the tiger's confusion would end and he would realise that he had made the right decision to leave Koatia, even if it would take him a while to be able to socialise as freely as the other Tialkans could.

"As well as they could be," Seirei replied to Kiryu's question. "Tersias misses Seema, obviously because she just moved out. I keep on reminding her we only live a short walk away, but ... you know. Women." Seirei winked at Kiryu, in a they-never-change-do-they kind of way. Eager to change the subject, Seirei said, "Sooo, a little bird told me that you and Seema are close friends now, hmm?" Not that Seirei needed to ask. He had seen the two foxes grow closer with every passing day.

[Kiryu]

"Now which little bird would that be?" Kiryu said coolly, a sly smile spread across his face. The breath from his lips created small wisps of steam the air, ascending slowly. "Do Tersias and Seema get on well?" He laughed. "I still don't know her that well yet." He sighed quietly. She doesn't know you well either. She doesn't know that you're dead, he thought.

[Hayashi Koudo]

Hayashi arose reluctantly at first, worried that he was interrupting their conversation but he soon strolled over to the spring they were soaking in. He slipped beneath the water with both Seirei and Kiryu across from them in a triangle formation. As they spoke of recent gossip, he listened intentively. They speak of each other so fondly, he thought. Such kind words have not passed my ears for so long now... Eager to fit in amongst them, Hayashi spoke a few of his own words.

"Wow, I'd better hurry up and find someone quick before all the girls get taken," Hayashi laughed jokingly. "Everyone seems to have a couple around here." Of course, there was one female who held a special place in his heart but he knew she was out of his reach...

Shaking the thought off, he smiled at them both with a slanted arc of his mouth. He had met Seirei before but he was not familiar with the fox, Kiryu, who had only met briefly during an encounter with Koatia at Coral Bay. He had saved him from some painful injuries and possibly death so he was grateful.

[Seirei Hisakata]

Seirei smiled when he saw that Hayashi was finally ready to join in. He must be trying so hard to fit in with us, Seirei thought. He knew it must be hard, and was pleasantly surprised with his attempt to start a conversation. It was quite relaxing, the three males just talking in the hot spring. Maybe it was because they were free to discuss things without their mates overhearing. It was not every day that the Tialkans could have a guy night.

"Well, Kiryu, Seema's certainly different from my Tersias, but of course they get on well, they're sisters. And I bet you know her better than you think," Seirei grinned at the fox. "I'm not afraid to put it out there: I think you two are good for each other. So what are you waiting for, huh?" Seirei nudged Kiryu playfully on the arm.

Seirei laughed to himself. Since when did I become the matchmaker? I'm hardly the one to talk with my experiences ... "Don't worry Hayashi," Seirei said with a smile to the slightly put-out tiger. "Your turn will come. Maybe there's just a special someone waiting for you out there."

[Kiryu]

Wisps of warm air battled the cold, circling in the sky above them. Seirei's compliment caused a smile to break across his lips, followed by a small sigh. You're still dead! Yet again he had been betrayed by his own thoughts. Withdrawn, he sank into a depression, dipping his head into the hot water

The stark contrast between hot and cold purged his mind of any dark thoughts. Resurfacing, he took a deep breath, feeling instantly refreshed in more ways than one. "Thanks" he said to Seirei, his voice little more than a whisper. "I think you have to be on the side of Tersias' sister. Perhaps you are a little biased no?" He passed Seirei a weak smile.

He turned his attention to Hayashi, "I trust you recovered from our meeting with Koatia?" He was glad to see that the Torakan had been unharmed, mostly. Kiryu's first death on Tialka was due to a mishap involving Koatia, a sandstorm and a lightning strike.

[Hayashi Koudo]

Hayashi paddled his feet around childishly as he listened to them both. He still couldn't shake the thought of Mira from his mind, her sleek silver fur laced with the snow leopard spots...her icy blue eyes, watchful and piercing...

Hayashi nodded in response to Kiryu's question. "To be honest, that's the reason why I'm here," he answered, gazing at the hot steam rising from the springs. "I thought the warm water would soothe some of the injuries." He was right as well. The hot springs did wonders for all the muscles that ached from the electrical trauma he had unwelcomingly received.

Shifting the subject a bit, Hayashi was still intrigued by all the new arrivals. He was used to the faces of the founders and some of the older residents but Kiryu was certainly an interesting species. "Kiryu, what's with the single wing?" he asked inquisitively. "How on earth do you fly? Or is it just for show? Seirei has two huge wings so I can see the physics in that." Hayashi didn't want to seem rude about how he asked but he was curious to how a species could adapt with just one wing.

[Kiryu]

Kiryu laughed a little awkwardly. "When I lost my first wing, I couldn't fly at all" a tone of sadness embedded deep within his voice. "In response, this one continued growing. At first it was quick cumbersome, but when wielded correctly, a wing can be an extension of ones own body." He sighed sadly, looking at the tattered holes within his wing. Thinking of the numerous battles he had been involved in.

"Flying is tricky, but I don't think being able to fly is solely down to creatures with wings, ya know?" He laughed, "I also use a little bit of magic, to make up for my shortcomings....." trying to hide his embarrassment.

[Nat Dynha]

Nat limped her way up the mountain, careful not to put too much pressure on her injured paw. She muttered grumpily to herself as she reached the ridge, but stopped when she saw other company.

"Uh," she said, blushing a bit. She gave the three males an awkward smile as greeting before limping to the water's edge.
Slipping into the water, she felt immediate relief in her paw. Nat gave a small sigh, glad that the water worked well for her sprain.

[Seirei Hisakata]

Seirei blushed beneath his fur when Nat suddenly slipped into the pool, which had been, a moment ago anyway, a purely male-inhabited pool. "Erm, hey Nat. You come to soak away your aches and pains like the rest of us?" he asked politely. What he really wanted to say was Where are your personal boundaries? Wheeeeere? He would just have to look away, while inside his thoughts were freaking out.

He tried to distract his embarrassment by laughing, a little too loudly, at Kiryu's joke. "Haha, I always wondered how you flew so strongly. We shall have to have a race some time. See who's fastest!" Seirei already knew the answer to that, a little smug smile perking up his mouth. He had never met anyone who had outflown him before, but he enjoyed the challenge.

[Hayashi Koudo]

"Hm, interesting..." Hayashi thought, fascinated by the idea of wielding magic as his own. Koatia had given him a taster of what he himself could wield but Hayashi knew that turning towards the dark would only blacken the heart he had already allowed to become corrupted. His combat skills were more than enough to defend himself.

"Greetings," Hayashi nodded bluntly at Nat seen as the others recognised her so well, he would be a little less forward with someone he had barely even spoken to.

She sat nervously in the pool of soothing water and there was a small silence before Kiryu and Seirei began discussing their wing heritage. "You don't just need wings to cover the land though," Hayashi pointed out. "A ground scout that could race through the thick woodland area in a short amount of time. Attention to detail and being thorough is important as well."

Not that Koatia will be easy to out maneuver but the dicussion of flight was definately causing a light rivalry between them.

[Nat Dynha]

The dingo gave small nods to Seirei and Hayashi as they acknowledged her presence. She had been surprised at their presence at the Springs, but she kept to herself.

Not listening to their discussion of flying - she had no wings and thus lacked the ability to fly - she concentrated on healing herself. Not only did she have the sprained paw, but she had apparently bruised her ribs, according to the relief she had felt once the water soaked her fur.

Since she didn't want to take any chances at her health, she lowered her head and immersed herself fully in the water. She kept on the low ground, feeling uncomfortable in the water. (Considering she had power over fire, it was rational enough.)

[Kiryu]

"Evening, Nat," Kiryu called out. She seemed to be distancing herself from the others. Despite this, her presence seemed to have put the others on edge, bringing out a friendly competitive rivalry. Rationalizing the situation in an attempt to avoid letting his ego get involved, "Maybe you could race Hayashi?" Kiryu laughed briefly. The sound echoed throughout the mountainside. There were many factors involved in racing, especially in the air. Good knowledge of terrain and currents could give you an edge, random factors and wind direction would have their impacts. Though you could not forget that Seirei had two wings to his one, Kiryu thought, a smile creeping across his lips.