Pools of Interest

Right down there, Lolath said, dipping her left wing to arc around in a wide circle.  Where the canyon bends.  The air is warmer, rising in a thin column.  Could be the springs?

Siona shrugged and gave the hand signal for the others to follow.  Might as well check it out, anyway, she said.  

The canyon did, indeed, make a turn to the left, where it widened out significantly.  The river level was higher than just beyond the turn, too, as evidenced by the spill of water over a tumble of rocks and boulders.  This way would clearly be impassable by boat, which was interesting to note.  

Even more interesting was the ledge just above the river level.  Siona counted five large pools, roughly circular in shape, colored in vivid teals and oranges.  As Lolath beat her wings, the scent of sulphur came back and had the quartzrider wrinkling her nose.  

Gaveth, I think we've found something, Lolath said, calling to her Cobalt leader.  She continued her turn into a spiraling descent to land next to one of the smaller pools.  Smaller only by comparison, Siona realized.  Even that pool was large enough to bathe Lolath.  The largest could have easily held two queens.  Interesting, indeed.

Gaveth had temporarily forgotten his earlier tension in sheer enjoyment of navigating the canyon and examining the rock face. There were enough potential openings to be promising, but nothing that called to either them enough to land anywhere.

So Lolath's message caught him still aloft and interested, and he did some fancy maneuvering to move in her direction. It wasn't showing off, not truly - when one was clearly the best, one simply did. Others could be impressed or not, as they had eyes.

Regardless of the implications of the day, Sidran could take a moment to grin at the rock solidity of her partner's self-regard. Gaveth chose to ignore her amusement and rather enjoy the pride that layered alongside it, and so was in a markedly better mood as they circled over Lolath's find. This will work. It looks exactly the right kind of warm.

It was fairly effusive praise, from the cobalt. He deigned to circle in for a landing himself, and Sidran had no problem dismounting despite knowing it she'd be back up in a moment. Without volition, she unknowingly echoed the quartzrider's expression. "Gaveth's certainly pleased with it," she said, wondering if their noses would adjust to the smell, and then wondering if dragonhide would hold on to it the way stone and smoke lingered after Fall. "Promising for heat inside the rock, too. And you said Lolath wasn't good at this."

A light tease, though of course Siona hadn't said that in any way. Regardless, good news was good news, and they'd all take would they could get, at this moment.

Later was for taking everything else.

Siona snorted quietly.  "It doesn't smell great, but I bet it's warm enough to bathe in, if it wouldn't scald us."

It is not too hot, see? Lolath said, having stepped into the smallest pool while the riders were talking.  The water steamed as it came up to her knees, but the quartz seemed to not mind the heat at all.  

"Lolath!" Siona cried, startled "What are you-? Get out of there!  You have your harness on!"

I will not get my harness wet.  The water feels nice.  I think you would enjoy it.  The scent is... different.  But not unpleasant.  Not entirely. The quartz walked carefully through the vividly colored water, careful not to splash up toward her belly and the leather straps of her harness.  Gaveth, would you like to join us?

Siona looked back at Sidran, shaking her head.  "Apparently it's bath time.  Lolath says that it isn't too hot.  She seems to think that we'd find the temperature comfortable.  Maybe she's got something?  This could be a bathing area, if nothing else.  I confess, I'd rather bathe in warm water than an icy river."

Gaveth felt tempted, and Sidran only thought for a moment before encouraging him. It wouldn't hurt to take just a few minutes, after everything that had already happened that morning.

As Gaveth followed - just as careful if not as graceful - Sidran smiled. "I'll take warm and smelly over cold and fast." Smile tipped into a quick grin as she actually heard the words she'd said, but she decided not to make a joke. "And one thing in our favor, that. The dragons'll have a favorite place right off, and hot springs up here hopefully mean heat through the rock."

They were going to make it work regardless, but this promising piece could make it that much easier.

Siona nodded, then turned and looked at Gaveth and Lolath in the water. The quartz and cobalt seemed to be fully enjoying their time, and it was nice to just relax and look around for a bit.

"Look there," she said, pointing to a place where, sometime in the past, the water had swirled enough to create a large, semi-circular depression in the cliff wall. "It's not a full cave, but we could maybe set up a Lower Cavern-type facility there. Build firepits and such for cooking, hollow out alcoves for sleeping. It could work, for those without a need for full weyrs. It's sheltered at least."

This will do, Gaveth said, turning his head to look where his rider's attention had gone. He rarely concerned himself with the needs of non-riders - or anyone not his rider, at that - but he vaguely understood such people were important for taking care of rider needs.

For her part, Sidran was nodding, taking a few steps closer to better take in the depression. "All of our food will smell like this," she said lightly, "But there are certainly worse things." They should probably check that there was a way down for whomever they found for lower cavern folk. Or not, depending on how they planned to get them...Her smile turned wry, and she dismissed the latter thought. They weren't going to prove Eastern right by doing any such thing.

"Depending on what else we find, H'den and Allie's group can come down here to start setting up. Productive first find, Siona. Glad you're in my group." Very purposefully not 'on my team' - it wasn't time for that. Yet.

Survival first.