Ty had been wandering in the dark of night on his own, simply looking for peace and tranquility. During the day, he'd usually run into someone else, and end up spending the day with them. But during the night, very few people were out, and he could explore, if the moon was bright enough. Today was one of those nights, he was restless, immersed in thought, not tired in the slightest, and ready to see what he could find in the deep nooks and crannys, places he hadn't explored before. His wounds were healed over enough that he could maneuver much better then before, his large limp was now turned to a slight discomfort, to which he had to give credit to Anya, she had done a wonderful job with his wounds. But he'd tell her that again later, tonight was a night to explore!
And today, he hit the jackpot, he had been venturing deep in the woods, and ended up finding a hot spring, surrounded by a few fireflies, which kept the spot lit. He grinned joyously at his discovery, it had been a while since he had taken a dip into hot water, and from the steam coming up from the water, this was perfect for how he felt. Without a second thought, he slowly lowered himself into the water, the warmth caressing and messaging his aching joints, along with soothing his healing wounds. He exhaled softly as he put his whole body into the water, sitting down in his luperci form, a few sighs of relief echoed out from his lungs as he situated himself. He found himself completely relaxed here, clear of all thoughts and worries, his troubles, albeit very scarce, were now melting into the water. It was almost as he was meditating, getting lost in the heat and flow of the water, only hearing the sound of the crickets and the owls nearby.
Anya had been searching for herbs. A simple enough task if you think about it....herbs were more potent at night, for some reason. In any case, Anya had her nose to the ground, and was not paying much attention to her surroundings. She noticed that the air began to get a bit humid, and shook her head, but continued on her blind search.
So when she plunged into the warm water, Anya gasped loudly and slipped underneath. Her head broke the surface within a few seconds, and she spluttered and coughed up water, muttering to herself about streams and springs being dropped in the middle of nowhere. She had not yet noticed Ty, and swan gingerly to the edge of the pool, still snorting water out of her nose. The herbs that she had been holding in her mouth....well, they were now perfuming the air around the pool, soaking in the hot water.
Ty opened one eye when he heard the splash, he had heard the person's approach from quite a distance away. Ty was always aware of his surroundings, and always suspected an ambush. However, by the sound of this newcomer's footsteps, he was not going to ambush Ty, and was simply passing through. However, he couldn't help but chuckle when the person fell into the water. Course, he kept it to himself until he could see the person go by. He could now smell what that person was out for, herbs, he smelled it now sizzling in the hot spring, and further making the place a place to relax.
Finally his eyes caught who had been swimming through the hot spring, and he again made a small snicker. Anya mustn't have been watching where she was going, and fallen in. He then chuckled louder, audiably, so she could hear, and he asked her "Taking a midnight dip are we?"
Anya shook her coat off as best she could...and promptly fell back in. Ty's voice startled her and back in she went. Not that the water wasn't unpleasant; Anya just resented the fact that the pool had been dropped in the middle of nowhere.
"Well, I had intended to look for herbs...and got a midnight bath instead. What's up with you? How are the wounds?" The last question was that of a healer, and a customary one in her mind.
Anya lowered her eyes as Ty laughed, but joined in. Man, she really had been absorbed with herbs to have not noticed the spring. Maybe herbs weren't the best thing to focus on sometimes.
Ty again laughed when she fell back in, he hadn't meant to startle her, but in his defense, she should be more aware of her surroundings. To answer her question, he placed both of his arms up on the sides and stared up at the night sky, his eyes darting around to all the little balls of light in the sky. "Well, I was just taking a midnight stroll when I found this wonderful little hot spring, and decided I might as well take a dip." He said with a smile. "I might tell others about it, perhaps this can become a great hangout spot." He chuckled as he sank a little more into the water, relaxing even more.
However, she then asked him about the wounds, a typical question nowadays. It had been a while since he fought that puma, but it still had left it's mark on him, still echoed through his mind, but not in the way that most would imagine. Ty remembered the fight vividly, and remembered many of the critical moves that resulted in his victory. Somewhere deep down, he enjoyed that fight a little too much, and it bothered him, he'd always enjoyed a fight, but was that a good thing? Ty had been contemplating that in his head for a long time now, but he snapped out of it and answered her questions. "Well, my wounds are much better now, especially the paw, it feels as good as new. However, I know a few of these are going to scar, a few tooth wounds on my paw will remain, along with this scratch on my chest, the cougar really dug me there."
Anya agreed with Ty; the pool did indeed make a good spot to relax, hang out, and watch the fireflies court each other in earnest. She could feel sore muscles relaxing, and a thorn that had been stuck in her paw pad began to work its way loose. Anya sighed. She really needed the relaxation.
"Sorry for stumbling on this. I should have been watching where I was going." Anya grinned sheepishly. "Your decision was well placed. The warm water feels amazing, even if I do smell a bit like wet dog." Anya laughed, and wrinkled her nose in jest.
"Bah, privacy is nice, but I'm not going to just turn away another." He smiled lightly as he relaxed even more. "Besides, stuff like this needs to be shared." He added as he sunk into the water, so only his neck poked up from it. "And hey, we both will smell like wet dog, even so, the smell of those herbs will cover it, whatever they were, they smell lovely."
He then stopped himself, thinking about what he just said. "Come to think of it, looking for herbs at this hour is very odd, the dark wouldn't help at all..." He looked to her with confusion, cocking his head as he spoke. Anya baffled him sometimes, her actions always were confusing and irrational at best, but perhaps that what was likable about her. she was quirky, and easy to get along with. Nevertheless, he asked "What were you going out at night looking for herbs?"
The pup wondered around the midnight forests, her small body limping absent-mindedly along the narrow path. Her leg was slowly healing thanks to Anya's treatments, but it still wouldnt be the same, it hadent been set right, but stretching it out from daily walking would get it back into tip top shape. however it wasnt her leg that bothered her tonight, it was Da Vinci's sudden departure that was unerving the pup.
Da Vinci had taken her in, she had grown alittle close to the silver male in the past month, and his leaving had hurt, she still didnt know why, after all he was her guardian, she lived with him, but now it was just her and Anya alone in the once-warm cabin. She continued down the path until she came to a meadow, her sence of smell told her Anya was nearby, she looked up and gasped, the meadow was filled with little blinking lights, it was the first time the pup had seen fire flies, it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen,
Rendall made her way accross the meadow, Anya's scent becoming more stronger, the pup tried to not let the unique light display distract her, she needed to tell Anya the grave news...or at least seek out comfort from her. but another scent in the air made the pups hair stand on end, she didnt know if Ty had known of his father's leaving, and she didnt want to be the bearer of bad news, but she continued till she found the two wolves relaxing in a spring together. "Um....Anya?" the pup didnt want to ruin their moment, but she couldnt go to anyone else, she couldnt find Pendzez anywhere either. "Um i'm sorry to interupt, but i really need to talk to you....." she kept her eyes low from Ty's she souldnt bring herself to tell him anything.
Anya smiled at Ty's confusion. It was extremely entertaining to watch him try to figure her out.
"The herbs are more potent when collected at night. I don't know why, but I learned that from the shaman that followed my father...and it seems to be true. The herbs that I used on you and Rendall were collected at night, and you two are both healing nicely."
Anya's eyes began to droop. The scent of lavender in the water was calming her nicely. But she heard a rustling behind her and turned to meet Rendall's eyes.
Rendall looked so sad, and Anya automatically knew why. Her mind was still reeling from Da Vinci's sudden departure, but Da Vinci was his own wolf; he could do whatever he pleased, and nobody would be able to stop him.
Anya beckoned to the poor pup with her nose, knowing that Rendall sought comfort over anything else.
Ty suddenly heard another voice to find rendall out as well, this concerned Ty much more then having Anya out this late. Anya was a full grown wolf, fully capable of handling herself, but rendall was a pup, why was she out this late? Her somber face and sad expression showed Ty that she was certainly distraught about something, but it seemed Rendall wanted Anya about it more then Ty. So, Ty didn't bother to ask, it wasn't his business, and the last time he interfered all he got was a stubborn look from the person he was trying to comfort.
Seeing that Anya was already going to talk to her, Ty returned to relaxing in the spring, his body sinking again into the water up to his neck as he took a deep breath of relief, the lavender scent really calming his nerves and spirits. The kindhearted warrior began to realize just how relaxing hot water really was. It contoured and caressed every part of his body, it's soothing heat releasing all of it's tension. Ty was again lost in the trance of relaxation, once more was he the slave of the peace he felt, letting it take his mind wherever it wanted to go, melting him of all woes, at least now.
Rendall could tell by Anyas expression that she knew what happened, but from Ty's look it seemed that he didnt, though it was his right to know what his father did, but she wasnt in the mood for answering questions, she montioned for Anya to fallow her back into the field, she didnt want to go back to the empty cold cabin that had his fresh scent all over it. once they were in the field she turned to anya "what do we do now? I mean i still dont know why he left, was i not important enough to come with?" she sighed and tried to calm herself and looked down at her slowly healing leg. " I'm so confused I cant find anyone, and i really dont want to go back to that cabin just yet."
Xeris, in lupus form, was wandering about in the woods. She couldn't sleep. There was too much on her mind. The recent scare with the mountain lion, she feared, would be something she'd never be able to forget. And then of course, there were other thoughts; thoughts about her feelings for a certain someone... In other words, the white wolf just needed some time to be alone and think until she tired herself out and was able to get some rest.
She was not, however, expecting to come across several of her friends near a small hot spring. Cocking her head to one side, Xeris approached slowly to be sure that what she saw was real; she'd never seen a genuine natural hot spring before. "Um, hi guys," she said rather quietly. "The rest of you can't sleep either?" Xeris smiled a little bit before she suddenly saw the expression on little Rendall's face. The pup looked worried and upset about something. Xeris considered Rendall to be a little sister to her now, and she felt compelled to help the little blue pup. "Rendall, what's wrong?"
The clearly upset pup practically jumped at the sound of Xeris' voice, she turned her gaze to the white wolf and tried to smile "um, i cant really explain right now, but ill inform you as soon as i can." she made an obvious switch between Xeris and Ty, " i..just need to get a few things squared away first." she then turned back to Anya for her answer to this little problem. the child didnt want to share this with the whole world yet, alot happened in the past few days and she didnt want to a. be crowded with questions she didnt know the answer to and b. didnt want to put more stress on already stressing people.
She smiled at Xeris " Dont worry yourself though, everything will be ok, we just ran into alittle...snag at Da Vinci's place."
"Apparantly nobody sleeps anymore...." Ty joked as Xeris also came into view, seeing that he really couldn't stop them from being around. He enjoyed the three ladies company, but was still trying to relax. However, he overhead that there was a snag at his father's home. Or should it be said, his old home. Ty had heard his father had left suddenly, but it still sounded weird to him, why did his father just pack up and leave? Was it his fault? did something happen? Ty wouldn't deny that he was worried for the old man, but he refused to let that get him down. Despite all the respect and love he had for his father, Ty was his own man, and would lead his own life here.
At least, that's what Ty told himself.
Ty then called out to rendall. "Speaking of DaVinci's place...do you know if anyone has claim to it? Because if they don't, I think I should have it. Being his closet relative here...." He sighed, knowing his sister pretty much left as well. "It just seems right to me, but i wouldn't want to take it away from anyone else."
Anya smiled as she heard Xeris, and layed her head over Rendall's. "I already know what you are upset about hun. But don't trouble yourself over it. DaVinci is his own wolf, free to do as he pleases. Who are we to hold him back? Perhaps you can stay with me, in the burrow I found, or maybe Ty will take you in. Come, let us go back to the spring."
Anya made the note that the pup needed company, so she invited Rendall to come. The spring would help the little pup to relax a bit.
Anya smiled ruefully at Ty's comment about sleep. "Sleep comes when I need it. And only then. NIghtmares trouble me, so I wander to exhaust myself."
Xeris watched as Anya left the spring to speak to Rendall privately. Something about DaVinci's place. Xeris did remember hearing that DaVinci had gone. She hoped everything was going all right for her little friend and would be willing to help in any way possible. She then turned to Ty. "Yeah, sleep's a little hard for me right now. A lot going on," she mumbled rather awkwardly, not really wanting to talk about the contents of her busy mind at this exact moment. "I haven't heard anything about DaVinci's old house," she said, changing the subject, "Then again, I'm not quite at a high enough rank to have a house for myself anyway. But that's all right with me. Besides, not like I'm sleeping that much, right?" She smiled a little as she spoke the last sentence.
The white wolf then looked down at the hot spring at her feet. She could see the steam rising from it, warm against the cool night air. In thinking about it, she supposed that the hot water would be rather relaxing; it would give her something to take her mind off of things. Surrounded by her friends it was easy for Xeris to relax a little. "Mind if I join you?" she asked Ty politely.
the pup crawled over to the spring when she heard Ty's comment about Da vinci's house, " Well i've been staying in it for a while ever since he left, however being a pup i cannot have a house on my own, so ill just take wat i have there and then your welcome to it."
the blue child didnt want him to feel uncomfortable with her moving out, she needed to get away from that place anyways, so she figured she could go live with Anya for a while at least till she was old enough for a place on her own. which was quite a ways away. she laughed lightly at herself and then put her paws slowly into the warm water, it stung her leg alittle but it felt pretty good to everything else, she curled up between the females and relaxed to her best ability and allowed the strange soothing smells tickle her nose
"Sure Xeris, you're always welcome." Ty said with a grin as he pulled his hand out of the water and motioned for her to come in. "The water is amazgng." He added as he sunk back into the warm, comforting water. He looked around at the people here in the hot spring, good company to keep, they were all very friendly ladies. Ladies, Ty realized again he was the only male around, but it wasn't a big deal, he'd already made friends with all the males at the Valley.
When Ty heard that Rendall was going to move out of the house he might have claim to, he shrugged lightly and responded kindly. "Well...you can still live with me if I get the house, I'm certainly not going to kick you out of the house, but if you want to move out that's fine too." He said. "I'm not going to force you out of the house of course, anyone is welcome to stay if I get it, but I'll have to talk to Jefferson about that." He then nodded and resumed trying to relax, closing his eyes and leaning his head back.
Anya sighed loudly, grinning as the hot water relaxed her muscles. She sat shoulder deep in the water, and layed her head on the edge of the bank. Watching Ty, she saw his eyes light up with a realization, and look around himself. Curious, she looked around also, but only saw the females accompanying him....maybe that was it. She gave a mental shrug, and set her head down again.
Anya thought about the spring, the herbs that she would have to go collect again now that they were in the water, and how Rendall was still limping. Anya could tell that Rendall's leg was still bothering her, but she knew there wasn't much she could do to help the pup. In order for the leg to be set straight, they would have had to rebreak the fracture, and that would cause too much pain.
"Xeris, are you ok? You look like your mind is full of crickets that won't shut up."
Xeris smiled at Ty's friendly response. "Thank you," she said as she slipped into the water. She shifted to Optime form once she had submerged up to her neck, and leaned her head back, staring upward at the sky. The water felt wonderful, its warmth contrasting sharply with the coolness of the night air and relaxing Xeris' tired body and mind. She could see a few stars through the treetops, and she looked up at them, interested. It was a beautiful night, now that she stopped to think about it.
The white wolf suddenly snapped back to reality at the sound of Anya's voice. She turned her head to face her friend and gave a bit of a smile. "Heh, that's one way to think about it," she replied. "I've just got a lot to think about, that's all. A-and it's late, and I'm tired, and..." Her voice trailed off. These were her friends, she knew she could trust them, but she just didn't want to admit her feelings quite yet. She looked down at the water and closed her golden eyes gently. Maybe the others knew. Maybe they could tell. Hopefully they'd understand...
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