Collecting My Thoughts At The Hot Springs

Checking to make sure nobody was looking Eiichiro cautiously dropped his towel and nudged it to one side. Checking once more he lowered himself leisurely into the scalding water, letting it embrace his bruised and battered body. Gently applying its steaming hands to the wounds he gained all too easily over the past three weeks.

"Ugh". Eiichiro groaned aloud. It had taken him the whole journey pack, plus an extra week to figure out what his grandma had meant. A shout came from the other side of the wall, followed by a splash. Eiichiro just lowered himself further in. There had been tension between the countries lately, but it seemed there was more to it than that... and it took an old lady to figure it all out. "Stupid politics" he spat. His grandma probably knew even more than the Kages knew themselves.

No time to think about that now, he couldn't help it if war broke out. More steam rose from the water, obsecuring his view. It made him feel sleepy watching it drift along the surface and twist around in columns up towards the flaking pine of the beams above.
Eiichiro was thankful for the hot water; the way the mountain could easily spit out ash and destroy everything but instead it supplyed this boiling water in which people could feel warm and relaxed.
An attendant had laid his clothes down on a dry flat rock next to his towel and left a bruch for scrubbing and a bar of sweet smelling soap. Although the waters warmth was comforting it was hard to keep his mind off the topic of war.
Idea's flashed through his mind. There was no doubt Stone would attack Cloud, needless to say, his grandma hadn't said anything specific but considering what had happened in the past it was inevitable. Leaf could also be in danger from invasion but unlike the Stone, Cloud scenario it wasn't a sure thing...Once again Eiichiro couldn't help but groan out loud. A guest in the corridor outside stared at him. Eiichiro light-heartedly gave him the middle finger. Clearing his mind wasn't easy, he reached for the bruh and began to scrub himself, happy to get the dirt off him.

There was an open cut on his shoulder, but luckily it wasn't bleeding. The last thing he wanted was to get blood in the water. He opted not to use the soap, it would only dirty the water and anyway the scrubbing was already making him feel much fresher.
After a while he managed to get the thought of war out of his mind. But the prediction still lingered at the back. Battling of any kind would plunge the five great countries into turmoil, Leaf would be the key player and it was likely a weaker nation might seek an alliance. Eiichiro clamped his eyes shut and forced the thoughts back out his head.
The water seemed to be getting hotter as it caressed his injuries. They had become delicate after the journey and it was good that he could finally give them some rest.

Soon he was forced to get out the water. Instead he lay down on the large flat rock with his towel round his waist, radiating in the warmth of the steam which in turn was radiating off the water.
His room was in this very guest house, directly above this one so it was always heated, and it would be just as hot as it was in here. Plus it would have a warm, clean bed and food. After a moment of deciding he got up and pulled on the fresh clothes the attendant had left, before leaving and heading upstairs to his own room.