Tired aching paws traced the familiar path to the hot springs with ease as if she had never left. She had been up to the springs in years but her aching joints begged her for relief, the cold water not cutting it. She wasnt that old yet the years spent as a loner had caused her aging to speed up, or at the very least feel like it had been. As she neared the springs her coal nose took in the unforgettable scent. Taking a death breath Moonshadow closed her eyes and was taken back. Back to her first trip up there with Tagg, where he had thrown her in the water, where he opened up to her, where he said he loved her for the first time. Her heart skipped a beat at the memory and when her silver pools reopened, they were wet and threatening to overflow. A sad smile crossed her jet black maw as equally dark paws continued on.
Coming to the edge of the water Moonshadow slowed her pace and gingerly stepped into the pool. Warm water was a welcomed sensation that coaxed her in further. First to her ankles, then to her elbows, then finally to her belly. She stopped there knowing that if she went any further she would surely freeze when she got out. She stood motionless in the warm water of the springs, soothing her aching joints and trying to sooth her aching heart.