Exploring the rock, Looking for a place to call home.

[Feuer]

Feuer didn't believe in accumulating things so he really didn't need a place to call home. He was thinking, It would be nice to find a place where I could relax and be with others I am comfortable with. This place is desolate and there is little vegetation. Not everyone would want to be here. I'll scout around and see what I can find.

He walked across the hard rock, heading for a hill at the edge of the hard slab of rock that had once flowed from the volcano. Seeing a small creek flowing from the trees at the base of the hill, he followed its path away from the volcano. The stream led through the trees to a large opening in the side of the hill. Feuer followed the creek into the opening and found a cave had been formed by the water flow from a large pond in a dark cavern inside the hill. After exploring the cavern and finding no other opening he lay next to the pond where he could see the opening and slept.

[Ashyacan]

Nearby Ashyacan was having the time of his life (again). Leaping in and out of the occasional molten rivers he yipped for joy, finding emense pleasure at joining and leaving the fire he called home. As he did this, his body became caked with molten rock, to the point where his mere two-foot-tall (and nine inches) self had grown to near six feet. Noticing this, he sighed; big forms were always clunky to him.

Noticing the creek for the first time, Ash decided to take advantage of the situation; rather than run off all that extra magma, he'd just cool it off.

He wouldn't have been suprised if the sudden hissing noise upon the completion of his bellyflop startled anyone. It was, after all, pretty loud...

[Feuer]

One of the nice things about laying next to a quiet stream was that Feuer could sense a disturbance in the water even if it was far off. As he woke from his nap Feuer knew something was going on downstream. Not wanting this cave to be discovered he quickly got up and moved to the mouth of the opening hoping to be able to distract anyone from coming through the trees. He turned and faced the cave opening and focused on communication with a far away friend. Feuer's deep thought was interrupted by the appearance of a creature next to him. The creature had no defineable form. It appeared to be a shimmering mass of energy. The form moved quickly to the cave in the hillside and went inside and moved all over inside the cave and then came back out. It moved to Feuer and a voice could be heard telling Feuer the place was secure and no one would find it. Feuer didn't say anything but he bowed to the creature with great respect and closed his eyes. The creature vanished just as it had come. All of this had taken place in less than two minutes. He opened his eyes, stood and turned and followed the edge of the stream to the opening in the trees. He heard the hissing noise.

There he saw Ashyacan washing himself. Feuer walked toward him and smiling he said, "Ash I hope you're having great fun. My gosh you look taller than usual. What have you been doing."

[Ice]

Ice wandered over the Volcano's base as a shortcut as she traveled the lands. Two other Faltors voices traveled to her over the soft breeze, but she thought nothing of it as she continued to follow the bank of a stream as it wound around the mountain.

[Ashyacan]

"Oh, it's nothing. Just a spot of molten buildup, that's all..."

Ash grunted as he tried biting off some of the harder-to-reach solidifying rock. This was the most uncomfortable part of his play. "Still, I'm not surprised to see you here, but I am curious; anything of interest in the area? I've only recently come here myself."

[Feuer]

Feuer responded to Ash. "I'll give you a complete report on what I find here the next time we meet in the Clan Base. This is an interesting place and I think we can put it to good use for fun and for more serious things. The presence of the fire belching volcano and the flowing lava will keep many creatures away. I have much more exploring to do here.

Smiling, Feuer continued, "You look like you've been having fun. I walked through a small amount of molten lava on the way here but it looks like you found the mother lode. Lava flows constantly here."

[Ashyacan]

Ash snickered. "If you want to call it a mother lode I won't stop you, but it's really just a wide stream. Actually, it's not to far from here if you wish to check it out."

As Ash climbed from the water (with pebbles falling from his fur) he suddenly turned serious; "Feurer, I heard someone else nearby, and I know not who it is. Keep your senses sharp; this isn't our new home, so it's open to anyone and anything. Remember that."

[Feuer]

"I'll be careful Ash." I know that the spells that have been cast will protect this area from discovery. I just want to explore the area more before I show my discovery to Ash.

"I'll make sure you are aware of everything i find and I'll be careful to be alert. Our own brethren, the other Faltors, wander this place openly"

[Ice]

Ice continued to stroll down the line of the stream, her eyes traveling over both sides, her paws taking her towards the voices. By pricking her ears, she identified one as the familiar voice of Feuer, though the other was not as recognisable. Shaking her shaggy black coat, the Thunder Leader continued to walk towards them.

[Feuer]

Feuer saw Ice approaching from downstream, nodded to Ash and turned to acknowledge Ice. He put his paws out on front of himself and leaned back stretching to relax a little. Then he straightened up again and waited.

[Ashyacan]

"Ah! Ice, good to see you again!" Ash smiled. "Feuer, this is Ice, leader of the Thunder Clan. And Ice, this is Feuer, a fellow Fire faltor. I see you've done some exploring, so allow me to ask; how do you like the area?"

[Ice]

"We have met." Ice nodded a greeting to each of the Faltor's in turn. "Yes, I have walked these parts many times, and they fail to dissapoint. A little hot and dry for my liking, but a good spot to gather inofrmation."

[Feuer]

Feuer backed up a pace from Ash and Ice and said, "It's good to see you again Ice." Then he stood in silence in case Ash and Ice wanted to talk, he deferred to them.

[Ice]

Ice nodded to Feuer. "It is." She agreed, looking down into the water of the stream as she stopped walking. Turning back to the two Faltor's she continued. "I suppose it's not unlikely to see two fire members here."

[Feuer]

Feuer couldn't resist. His sense of humor couldn't be held in check. He nodded to Ashyacan then turned to Ice and said, "Ash and I were just discussing the attractiveness of the place for a member of Fire Clan. We were analyzing the fine points of 'Lava Leaping' only the object here is to land in the pool rather than on the higher rocks surrounding the molten pools." Feuer ended with a large grin on his face. "It's quite relaxing and fun at the same time. There is a bit of cleanup to be done afterwards but the rock remains warm and comforting long after it has hardened."