[ORP] Hanging out in the hot springs (anyone!)

[Annchen]

Vappu wasn’t overly fond of winter, but one of the redeeming factors of the season was taking a soak in the hot springs. The pools of luxurious hot water had survived the summer storm just fine, and the cheetah was currently immersed in the deliciously hot water. Only her head was visible above the water, and the billowing steam obscured the view of her surroundings. Ahh... Other pride members were enjoying the water too, but the steam blurred her vision and it took some effort to figure out who else was in the springs at the moment.

And right now Vappu couldn't be bothered to squint her eyes and try to identify anyone. She'd figure it out soon enough if one of them started to talk. The pride had always felt like a close knit family to her, and the feeling had multiplied during the recent months of rebuilding their home. She was pretty certain she could identify at least three quarters of the pride by voice only.

She lowered her body a notch, allowing the water to come up to just under her nose. This was the good life...

((Feel free to hang out! There is plenty of room in the pool. A stash of soft, dry pelts nearby will make sure that no one catches their death from cold when they leave the water.))  

[magnadearel]

This last trip had been a long run. A long cold run. True he'd kept warm enough racing around and telling whoever he found about the place. But enough was enough. Darnell had returned home determined to take a couple days off. There's no place like home, the male thought as he eased happily into the hot water. He gave a contented sigh. The roguelands had nothing like these and in winter he really missed them. He gave a soft chuckle as he heard a couple more pride members approaching.

















A female's voice came out of the mist. Scolding and laughing. "C'mon Daaaad." There came the sound of a thump and a laugh. "You'll enjoy this and need to get out." Yathy managed to get the crockety leopard to the edge of the hot pool. She gave a grin all around to those already there and promptly set her fur were it wouldn't get wet. "Hey there! How's the water?" The cheery leopard peered through the steam and decided the water looked just right.

Swaygha had no idea why his daughter was dragging him out here. He flicked his ears back when he saw all the mist and was about to bulk when the young leopardess rammed none too gently into him from behind. The male grunted and continued forward. Sway frowned. He wasn't bad tempered. His job as a bouncer made it easier to frown at misbehavior than smile, so he tended to scowl without meaning to. "You really didn't have to drag me all the way out here Yathy." He eyed his exuberant offspring.  

[Annchen]

magnadearel

Vappu could hear yet another body slide down into the warm water, but without more clues than that she couldn't know who it was. The next voice she heard was very familiar, however.

"Yathy!" she called, "And you brought Swaygha along! The water is great."

She could hear grumbling from the older male, and she moved over to make room for the two leopards next to her. The pool was large enough, but it would be nice to chat with Yathy, if she was up for it.

"It's just water, Swaygha," she chirped. "You're acting as if you've never seen water before."  

[magnadearel]

Darnell

The green crier gave a chuckle at the father and daughter leopards. They both sounded to be having good fun with it. He remembered the leopardess from her last silly contest. Just thinking about it made his mouth still pucker! Darnell gave another laugh. "Come to find another way to torture us Yathy? Lucky for us you shouldn't be able to come up with anything with just hot water as your inspiration." His ears perked as the other hidden party spoke up. The voice sounded familiar; was it? "Vappu? That you hiding over there?"



Yathy Swaygha

"In you go old man!" Yathy laughed as she made sure her dad got his feet wet. Knowing he'd get himself in the rest of the way she bounced into the water with a happy sigh. The sound of her name made her look around. "Vappu! It's good to see you... er well hear you." Yathy laughed. "Course I did. Couldn't let him lay around like a grouch all the time can I?"

The taunts of a green male cheetah made her stand up and face him. "Is that a challenge Darnell? We'll just see about that!" Yathy plopped herself next to Vappu with a bit of a splash.


Swaygha grumbled as his paws got wet. The warm water did feel good. He leveled an unseen frown at the cheetahess. "Just water? My dear just water does not make clouds everywhere!" He eased himself further into the hot water. Getting his coat dry after this would be a pain, but for now he wasn't going to worry about it. Sway rolled his eyes as another cheetah spoke up. "Now you've done it sonny. I bet you'll be the first she'll try her new torture on just be sure it works. Glad I'm not you."
 

[Annchen]

magnadearel

Vappu broke down in a fit of giggles and had to sit up straighter to avoid snorting water up her nose. She was sure Yathy could come up with a game for the hot spring. It would probably be a good one too! She took a deep breath, trying to calm down enough to talk properly again.

"I'm not hiding, Darnell," she said with obvious mirth in her voice, "I've just finally found a place where I really blend in. How was your last run?"

She wasn't giggling uncontrollably anymore, but it was evident that she enjoyed the exchange between the two males.

"I'll make a bet," she said with a pearly laughter, "I'll bet you that Yathy can come up with an awesome water game."


"What's this about a game?" Paean asked as he approached the edge of the water. He liked to think that he handled the cold fairly well, at least for a Kaskazi, but warm water was nice. Besides, a cold day like this it was one of the best places to find good company. And he hadn't been wrong, had he? He'd heard plenty of laughter on the way over and he was eager to join the fun, if there was fun to be had.  

[magnadearel]

Darnell

Darnell made a mock groan as the leopardess took up his goading. Now he was in for it. "At least let me soak these old bones first!" He made a melodramatic splash that others may or may not have seen. The green male turned his head toward where he thought the leopard's voice was coming from. "Oh don't I know it gramps! Your daughter will be the death of me! Making me run here and there and everywhere!" He heaved a sigh.

"I'm just tired thinking about it." He turned his attention back to Vappu with a laugh, "oh sure! Encourage her! Pretty normal. It was a long go this time. In this cold, no one really wanted to come all the way out here." That was the problem with winter. Everyone wanted to stay home and sleep. Not that there was anything wrong with that! "Well it'd better be awesome Yappu if she wants to try it on me."



Yathy Swaygha

It didn't take long and she heard the splash that told her, her father had gotten into the pool too. A little encouragement was all he needed sometime. She laughed at his comments. He tried to be the sour leopard all the time, but she knew he wasn't sour.

"Thanks Vap!" Yathy grinned. Oh it would be the best-est water game ever! She already had an inkling of an idea. Once she was done here, she'd go back to her den and work on it. Now though she called out to greet the newcomer. "Hi Paean! I've been called upon to come up with a game for the hot springs." The leopardess was grinning from ear to ear. She loved her job.


Sway chuckled to himself. His daughter was always in the center of a lively bunch. He had a hunch that it was that which was the source of her power. She wanted others to have fun. He listened to the banter between the cheetahs in mild amusement. It was always good to hear stories from the outside. Perhaps he could talk his daughter into setting up a story contest for the Criers that went out.

"Ah its good for young limbs to do the running!" He teased the cheetah. Sway moved over a bit as a lion joined the group now too. "Life is always a game," he greeted the lion.
 

[Annchen]

"Pity, but at least you tried," Vappu said. She knew all about those unfruitful trips where no one seemed to want to come play, "You did tell them about the hot spring, right?"

Talking about work made her long for her own season. After winter comes spring, and she'd probably spend much of her season out and about. Hopefully they'd have excellent parties and games, and lots of visitors. But with Yathy on her team she didn't have to worry about the entertainment at least. The resourceful leopard had never disappointed her!

---

The lion nodded. Life was a game, or it should be. Perhaps not always a fun game, but you had to take the bitter with the sweet.

"Ohhh, that's nice," Paean exclaimed as he entered the water. "And a water game sounds interesting. Any ideas yet?"

He'd never thought about water games for the winter. There was usually plenty of action in the water during the Midsummer Revelry in the summer, but he'd never played games here in the spring. Most people just came here to relax, but it did sound appealing to be able to combine the warm soothing water with fun and games.

"Did you get anything nice from the giving tree this year?" he asked the others. Paean had left a rabbit with an unusually patterned pelt under the tree. A snack and something pretty all wrapped up in one! Paean wasn't very skilled at preserving pelts so he had left it on. Hopefully whoever took it would like the pelt and save it after eating the rabbit.

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Green Ever After

magnadearel

 

[Ctrl F Greenie]

Emva`Kwemvula, a character of an cheetah, stepped in a lively manner towards the steamy hot springs where a good number of others had gathered. She bore a bright beautiful grin and her stride spoke of joy and happiness. Even with everything going on she believed in being positive, there would always be troubles in the midst of many, but if the many dissolve it with their own presence than anything could certainly be beaten. That being said, it was clear she was not involved in any form of politics.

"Hello!" She stated, though a little loud, it was still a shy 'hello'. The newbie, unfortunately caused her to stick out like a sore thumb, she had no friends and had just simply seemed to wander in on the prides stormy crisis.

After her greeting she decidedly moved to a more shadowy part of the hot springs. A few were talking, a couple leopards, a lion and a cheetah, if she had counted the voices correctly. Even two was a crowd to her, this was nearly overwhelming.  

[Talencia]

From somewhere above the group in the hot springs, a joyful bellow echoed.

"GERONIMOOOOOO!"

The voice grew quickly louder, and from the sky fell a furry shape that unerringly plunged deep into the center of the water, where no-one was currently relaxing. As the large body hit the surface of the springs, there was a great explosion of water and laughter. The laughter was immediately lost beneath the surface, though the whole area sloshed and rolled like a storm on the ocean. Water dripped from anything and anyone who had been anywhere near the landing of the cannonball plunge.

Soon a striped face emerged from the depths, blue mane slicked back, bearinga huge grin. "What fun! And it's warm, too!" He paddled in place for a moment, looking around at the faces surrounding him. "Hello! My name is Haddi! Mind if I join you?" His laughing eyes acknowledged that it was rather late to ask such a question, but that he still thought it great fun.  

[Annchen]

"Hello," Paean called as they were joined by yet another. The steam from the hot water must throw the sound somehow, because he could swear he heard something from above.

SPLASH!

Paean was completely soaked. He'd heard the call, but the huge furry cannonball had still managed to take him by surprise. He just stared, mouth slightly ajar.

"Dude," he said. "Dude!"


Vappu shook her head. How did she get water in her ears? Augh! but water in her ears or not, she was more curious than angry. Okay. This was new. Big happy lion crashing the party. She grinned, mostly because he looked so happy.

"I believe you just did," she said and laughed.


"Dude, that was awesome!" Paean finally said.

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Green Ever After

magnadearel

Talencia

 

[Ctrl F Greenie]

Em scampered back as something hurled itself from high in the sky, it was dark, large and furry. What on Earth! Her thoughts rang out just in time to be met with a drenching, the water from the hot spring SOAKED the cheetahs pelt and she sputtered a little before her eyes expanded abnormally to take in the sight before her.

"Wh-What?" The water MUST have clouded her vision, were those wings? She was completely flabbergasted in an obvious way and stayed to more of the shadows, nerves taking control of any bravery she had mustered to speak to the others.

Em let herself step away a little further and then gently let her rump hit the ground.  

[magnadearel]

Darnell

"Mmmmmm. They'll come when they are ready." He gave a laugh, "what? Tell them about this wonderful hot spring and loose my place? Maybe I did and maybe I didn't." His voice was laughing as he said it, but it really was a good idea. He'd have to remember to mention it next winter. Hearing the lion, he gave a snicker. "Don't you know Yathy never reveals her games half finished." Not unless you were the (un)lucky one who she tested it out upon, or talked your ear off explaining it.

A new voice made his ears perk. "Hello to you too! Come to enjoy the water? Don't hesitate to jump in! I've room by me if you care to sit here." Darnell offered. He was sitting a bit apart from the main group, and hoped the newcomer would join him. It was getting crowded by the easy entrance. He wasn't quite sure where the next addition came from. The voice had sounded like it was above, but he chalked it up to the steam distortion.



Yathy Swaygha

She gave a laugh. "Oh I might have an idea of something." Yathy gave a wink to the lion. Darnell though had it right. She didn't like speaking about half finished game ideas. It wasn't that she was worried about anyone stealing the idea. Oh no. When she talked about ideas that weren't ready it seemed they vanished. She could never finish it afterward.

"I got some nice sweet fruit. What about you Paean?" She turned her head to greet another cheetah. "Hello to you too! Oh!" The leopardess gave a start of surprise as a bright lion with wings landed in the water. "Not at all, Haddi. You... you did come from up there didn't you?" She pointed up into the sky a bit in disbelief. That was.... odd. And those looked like wings.


Sway gave contented sigh as the warm water relaxed his muscles. It would be interesting to see what Yathy came up this time. He gave her a smile. Not paying attention the wave of water swamped the leopard and he came up sputtering. "What? Who? Where? No jumping in the hot springs!" He looked around with a frown for the culprit. Sway stared at the bright striped lion as water dripped from his muzzle.
 

[Talencia]

Haddi paddled in place and grinned at everyone around him, especially the male with the almost-single-word vocabulary. "I know, right?!" he exclaimed back to Paean. "I just invented an awesome game. I think I'll call it Falling Star." He gave a crooked grin at the narcissistic name. "Thank you for the welcome!" he continued, giving all the females a wink, including the shrinking violet of a cheetah. The cranky old leopard he merely ignored. Falling Star didn't have any rules yet, so such things couldn't be enforced!

He moved towards an unoccupied spot along the edge until he could get his paws under him. Once he was able to stand, he spread his bright green wings and fluttered them, sending yet more water spraying across anyone nearby. He gave the pretty leopardess a wink and finally answered her question. "Why yes I did! Handy things, wings, eh?" He tucked them back along his sides again, not mindful of the water that lapped over them and his back still. "So whereabouts am I, anyway?" He peered at each of them, even the grumpy oldster, as if considering what might have brought them together, other than the lovely warm water.  

[Annchen]

"Falling star," Paean parroted back, looking very impressed.

The purple cheetah smiled in return to the flirty wink. He was very... friendly. Vappu wasn't thrilled to be splashed again, even if it was just a few drops from Haddi's enthusiastic wing flapping. She wiped some water from her face with the back of her paw. Friendly and a bit... a lot... of everything.

"This pride is called Sikukku," Vappu said, eyeing the God with a mixture of curiosity and hesitation, "We've got a party for every season."

"Winter pool party," Paean filled in and spread his paws, "Have you ever seen one of those before?"

He seemed to have recovered enough to be able to use more than one word, but the lion still looked star struck. There was no fear or hesitation, just wonder and admiration. What a cool dude, this God!

"Hey..." he said, "Could you like... drop someone from up there, or would they just turn into mush hitting the water?"

Vappu gave him a sharp look.

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Green Ever After

magnadearel

Talencia

 

[Ctrl F Greenie]

Em was still disgruntled when the full force of the Gods flashy personality hit. It began with a wink, than another round of water. She would never hate a God, but this would be the closest to dislike she could muster. Although she felt this within she didn't dare show it, didn't dare to mutter a word of anything let alone a hello. Yet here was a group of individuals holding a conversation with him.

Sure that she had finally hit the shadows and become a silent dweller in the celebration. Taking advantage of this she took to a nearby hot spring and found a cozy place to sit in. Once she had her place she was chipper again, a smile played at her lips as she began to relax.