HotSpringin

The unexpected winter had been cold and miserable, and every creature on the islands was tired of it- even the night pack. Sure, the longer nights gave them more time for hunting, and the thick snow allowed them to track their prey better, but the cold that crept into every crack in their dens was not worth it. 

Sirius shivered as he woke up from his sleep, the cold stone underneath his belly having grown cold over the night even with the body heat of his skin warming the stone. Rolling over with a deep groan, he lazily opened his eyes. Where had the other members of the pack gone?

That was partially answered by the appearance of Silver, who poked his head into the den. Already he had been covered in snow, and Sirius was unable to tell if he had been out for five hours or five seconds. “Morning.” Sirius lazily climbed to his feet, shaking himself to try and chase off the lingering cold. “Wheres Comet?”

Silver huffed, shaking his own feathers and sending snow scattering across the cave floor, causing Sirius to recoil back and let out a low hiss. “He sent me to come get you, actually. We found a new place closer to the volcano that he wanted us to check out.” 

“Alright.” Sirius shrugged, following after Silver as they both headed across the snow, the only sound being the soft sound as they walked. It wasn’t long before Comet came into view, waiting for them at the end of the treeline. Silently he fell into place at the start of their small group, flicking his tail in a silent order. 

Slowly they trenched through the snow, Comet seemingly knowing the path without a word. As they approached the volcano, things seemed somewhat warmer- there was much less snow around. There were multiple animal tracks scattered around the path, both reptile and mammal. Sirius tilted his head, confused. “Where are we going?” He barked, causing Comet to pause for a moment. “Are we hunting?”

“No.” Comet spoke, continuing again as Silver and Sirius ran to keep up with him. “I heard rumors of this place from a pack of raptors passing by. Many creatures are flocking here in order to avoid the cold. It should be just around this bend.”

And indeed, it was. Sirius stared as the area came into view. It was a large, stony area with multiple hot steaming pools scattered across it. The air smelled strange, but it was something Sirius was more than willing to deal with in exchange for the warmth that washed over his scales. All across the hot springs multiple creatures were lazing about, from large dinosaurs to small mammals. Some chose to jump into the water itself, while others simply chose to lay on the warm stone. 

“This place is amazing.” Silver mused, tail sweeping across the stone as he stepped forward. “A temporary place of safety- anyone who tries to start a fight here is going to get swarmed. Best for us to lay low and not cause a scene.”

“Then thats what we should do.” Comet nodded towards a smaller pool a bit away from other occupied ones, strolling over to it and dipping his tail in the water. Seemingly finding it acceptable, he then wadded into the shallow water. 

“It seems safe, then?” Silver asked, giving the water a suspicious look and making a face. He seemed reluctant to actually venture into it however, instead just settling on the edge of the pool. Likely didn’t want to get his feathers wet. 

Sirius cautiously made his way into the water, but all that vanished once he touched it. The water was so warm, it felt like fresh sun on his scales. Letting out a soft groan Sirius slid down into the water, gathering himself and sitting in the pool. The water came up to his neck like this, lapping at his head when he looked downward. Curious, Sirius tried to lap at the water only to spit in disgust. Got it, don’t drink the water. 

“Silver!” Comet called, rising from his water to approach his old friend. “Why don’t you come on in? The water’s great.” 

Silver sniffed, hitting Comet with a glare. “And you know what happens to my feathers when I get wet! And then I would have to walk back to the den with wet, frozen feathers. Not happening.”

“This is payback for all the protection your feathers gave you from the snow, then!” Sirius laughed, smiling at the fake scowl Silver sent his way. Here in the hot springs, their spirits were higher than ever, as were the spirits of those around them. They would eventually have to leave the water and make their way back to the base, but for a few minutes of warmth and cheer? It was very much worth it.