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Halcyon
Feb 29, 2020 11:03:32 GMT -6
Post by Renathan on Feb 29, 2020 11:03:32 GMT -6
A little snail goes up your line, leaving a little slime trail.
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Halcyon
Aug 14, 2021 17:57:31 GMT -6
Post by Ashe on Aug 14, 2021 17:57:31 GMT -6
Ashe and Lu had come and gone several times here, never staying too long. Nothing of interest had been happening and Ashe had been busy with other things. Never too busy to spend time with Lu, though. Her common was coming along well, with the constant practice between Ashe and her father, Santiago. Ashe thought she might be a little more clever than her father; he kept that opinion to himself, of course!
Today, Ashe was ready to fish. He had brought his supplies back with him, and Lu trotted along at his side. She was quite a youngster now, a bundle of energy that couldn't be stopped! She roamed all over the place on her own, no matter what Ashe tried to do to slow her down. Right now, she eagerly rushed to the water's edge and sat, peering into the shiny depths. "See anything besides your reflection?" Ashe asked her, finding a good place to set up his base.
Ashe: 0 11/20 Lucrecia: 4.0/ 6.0 *Ashe is using Sever Bond 26
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Halcyon
Aug 14, 2021 18:03:28 GMT -6
Post by Ashe on Aug 14, 2021 18:03:28 GMT -6
"No! Just me. Pretty me,"[/i] She said, with all the confidence of a child with a mirror. She looked at herself first one way and then the other, admiring her scales.
Ashe got his pole out and fixed it up, checking the hook and putting some bait on it, then looking for a good place to cast out. He wanted to wedge the pole between some rocks so he could play with Lu and not have the pole go flying the first time something took a bite. He found a decent place and cast. He watched the line go sailing away, and PLOP! in it went. The bobber kept it afloat, something Ashe could keep his eye on to make sure the fish didn't just take the bait and run with it. Then he wedged it between the rocks, near where Lu was perched. He went and perched there himself.
"Ah, yes, very pretty you," He teased, reaching over to pretend to dump her in the water.
Ashe: 0 12/20 Lucrecia: 4.1/ 6.1 *Ashe is using Sever Bond 27
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Halcyon
Aug 14, 2021 18:07:32 GMT -6
Post by Ashe on Aug 14, 2021 18:07:32 GMT -6
Lucretia let out a startled yelp, her little claws scratching at the rock as she struggled to get a good foothold and save herself from falling into the water. While she loved it dearly, she had never been brave enough to actually go in the water! It called to her, she loved to play in it in the shallows, but the deeper water... What if she sank? There were no older Naniyesh in the cave to teach her otherwise, and her father didn't specialize in it.
Ashe quickly turned his wrist and caught his baby girl before she could really fall. He laughed and cuddled her to his chest, which caused her to squirm in an attempt to salvage any dignity she could. "Why!" She demanded, accusing Ashe with her stubborn gaze. She squirmed some more. "Let go. Down!"[/i] Ashe laughed some more, but he obeyed her and set her down on the sand. She kept staring at him, though!
Ashe: 0 13/20 Lucrecia: 4.2/ 6.2 *Ashe is using Sever Bond 28
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Halcyon
Aug 14, 2021 18:10:27 GMT -6
Post by Ashe on Aug 14, 2021 18:10:27 GMT -6
Then Ashe realized she was waiting for his reply. She had asked him a question and now she wanted an answer for it! Fair enough. "I'm sorry, darling. I was just messing around, I didn't mean anything by it." He looked at her sheepishly, not sure if she had picked up on human expressions and body language yet, but she continued to glare for another few moments before relenting. Ashe didn't know if she had forgiven him, or was just distracted in the way that babies got when they saw something move. She was gazing out at the water now, a curious look on her face. Ashe knew she was a little nervous when it came to water, since she had no one in the cave to show her how to swim. Which gave Ashe an idea. Why not teach here, now? He could do that easily, and he was confident that as soon as she touched the water, she would catch on.
Ashe: 0 14/20 Lucrecia: 4.3/ 6.3 *Ashe is using Sever Bond 29
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Halcyon
Aug 14, 2021 18:14:40 GMT -6
Post by Ashe on Aug 14, 2021 18:14:40 GMT -6
"Hey... Do you want to learn how to swim?" He asked her. His gaze followed hers out to the river, then came back to her as she turned to look at him. He saw a little bit of fear in her eyes. Fear at failure, or fear that she wouldn't live up to her own expectations? "Come on, let's try it," He continued before she could protest. He scooped her up and had her on the sand, away from sharp rocks, and right up to where the waves washed up. He set her down completely on the sand, but he was already stripping himself. Kicking off shoes and socks, taking off his shirt. He left them in a pile and took a few steps himself into the water, splashing as he went. "Come on, Lu! Try it, I'll be right here to help you."
Lu watched him, her head tilted. If Ashe was right there... She had nothing to lose! She walked forward, splashing into the shallows.
Ashe: 0 15/20 Lucrecia: 4.4/ 6.4 *Ashe is using Sever Bond 30
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Halcyon
Sept 1, 2021 13:37:23 GMT -6
Post by Jack on Sept 1, 2021 13:37:23 GMT -6
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Halcyon
Sept 24, 2021 1:33:20 GMT -6
Post by Ashe on Sept 24, 2021 1:33:20 GMT -6
The water wasn't that deep here, but there was still some depth further out. Ashe was glad for this because shallow is what he needed to teach her. Her heritage would probably awaken something in her, he suspected, but since this was her first time near a body of water, she probably didn't know what to do just yet. He urged her forward and her splashing increased as she felt the water on her scales. Her eyes were brightening and she bolted forward, eager to get in more. Ashe had to hustle to keep up wit her!
Lu leaped over the water, and when she came down - she went under. There was an instant jolt of panic, with it being her first time submerged, but she reacted on instinct. Her body moved, her legs kicked, and she was at the surface again. She radiated pure joy, a sense of right, and she immediately went under again.
Ashe: 0 16/20 Lucrecia: 5.0 / 7.0 *Ashe is using Sever Bond 31
Teaching Swim: 1
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Halcyon
Sept 24, 2021 1:56:12 GMT -6
Post by Ashe on Sept 24, 2021 1:56:12 GMT -6
Ashe laughed out loud, watching her enjoy herself. She was like a neptica, leaping out of the water and splashing back in. This was natural for her, anyone could see. Though she was young, the instinct was in her blood, and already she was swimming like a pro. She darted around, faster than the fish they were hunting, and did a couple more jumps. Once, when she landed back in the water, the resulting spray sent up an actual fish. Ashe jumped, startled, and then hurried to catch it before it could land back in the water and escape. It chomped down on his thumb, ready for a fight. Wincing, Ashe hurried to dump it in the pool that he kept his other fish alive in. Soon as its body touched the water again, it released its hold on Ashe, thankfully. He walked back out, through the mud and shallows, to where Lu was.
Ashe: 0 17/20 Lucrecia: 5.1 / 7.1 *Ashe is using Sever Bond 32
Teaching Swim: 2
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Halcyon
Sept 24, 2021 2:10:53 GMT -6
Post by Ashe on Sept 24, 2021 2:10:53 GMT -6
The splashes alerted Ashe first. They didn't sound like a dragon child splashing around for fun, it sounded more...frantic. He quickly scanned the water, his gaze zeroing in on his baby. She was indeed flailing and appeared to be unable to keep her head above water. Ashe rushed to her aid, briefly thinking this was odd. She was a swimmer, she should be fine, surely? He ended up in near waist deep water, the deepest area this time of year, and scooped her up into his arms. She squirmed for a few moments before realizing she was in the air, not the water, then she relaxed. Her little chest heaved as she caught her breath, and it dawned on Ashe why this had happened: she was tired. To put it simply, she was still a baby and that was a lot of swimming for her first time. With practice, she would gain the stamina.
Ashe: 0 18/20 Lucrecia: 5.2 / 7.2 *Ashe is using Sever Bond 33
Teaching Swim: 3
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Halcyon
Sept 24, 2021 2:45:56 GMT -6
Post by Ashe on Sept 24, 2021 2:45:56 GMT -6
Determining that Lu just had to rest, Ashe carried her back to the shore. He found a nice, flat rock still warmed by the sun, and placed her down on it. He sat next to her, watching her breathing slowly returning to normal. "You are amazing, Lu," He told the baby. He stroked her back lovingly and she looked up at him, her head tilted. "You just swam! For the very first time! How did you like it? Was it super fun?" He was beaming at her, encouraging her to practice speaking.
"Fun!" She said, recovered now. She got up on her own legs, shaking off the fatigue. If she were to go back in the water right now, Ashe knew she'd tire quickly, but standing on a warm rock in the sun was helping her recover.
"What you were doing? Was swimming. Say it with me, Swimming! Swim!"
Lu sat on her rear, her tail curling around her cutely. "Swim!" She repeated.
Ashe: 0 19/20 Lucrecia: 5.3 / 7.3 *Ashe is using Sever Bond 34
Teaching Swim: 4
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Halcyon
Sept 24, 2021 3:08:36 GMT -6
Post by Ashe on Sept 24, 2021 3:08:36 GMT -6
"Do you like swimming?" Ashe prompted. Lu gave a vigorous nod and squeaked a quick "Yes!" then tried to head back into the water, as if she was going to start swimming some more. "Hey, whoa, not yet, rest a little bit, would ya?" Ashe grabbed her around the belly and held her off the rock, her legs moving in a full gallop. He chuckled a bit and put her in his lap this time. His pants were still wet from his rescue. "We're resting right now. Maybe in a little bit..." His voice trailed off as he spotted his fishing pole. The line was tugging, like something had taken the bait. Tucking Lucrecia under his arm, he walked over to it and picked it up, keeping her in his elbow as he reeled the fish in. It gave a little bit of a fight, but nothing too bad, and soon enough he had the fish out of the water - and joining its fellows in his pool.
Ashe: 1 0/20 Lucrecia: 5.4 / 7.4 *Ashe is using Sever Bond 35
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Halcyon
Sept 24, 2021 3:14:44 GMT -6
Post by Ashe on Sept 24, 2021 3:14:44 GMT -6
Over the next hour, the pair rested - and caught one more fish. Ashe fed Lucrecia some (already dead) fish, trying to explain to her that he wanted to keep these special ones for his aquarium.
"What's an aquariyum?" Lu asked, not knowing this word.
"It's a place back in the city where fish and other animals that live in the water, live. They're safe, well fed, and have room to swim around together. Sounds nice, doesn't it?"
Lu thought about this for a moment. Something didn't feel quite right about that, about creatures being... Oh, she didn't know the word for it yet, but it sounded almost like danger. "Are they... Happy, there? Do they have fun?" She asked, trying to find a way to ask about something she didn't know beyond the feeling.
"I think so. I can't talk to them like I talk to you... But they seem happy. I hope they'd let me know otherwise."
Ashe: 1 1/20 Lucrecia: 6.0 / 8.0 *Ashe is using Sever Bond 36
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Halcyon
Sept 24, 2021 3:19:53 GMT -6
Post by Ashe on Sept 24, 2021 3:19:53 GMT -6
She was a little appeased at Ashe's response. She knew and trusted Ashe, he wouldn't hurt them, he was sure. She spent some time watching the fish swimming around in their little tide pool, all of the fish she and Ashe had caught together so far. She tried to determine if they were happy, but Ashe was right: They didn't talk to her like he did, and she couldn't know for sure. They weren't trying to escape, that had to mean something...
Another hour passed, during which Lu took a nap. When she woke up, she was desperate to swim. She had dreamed about swimming and now every fiber of her being cried out for it. She peeked over at Ashe, who was busy actively fishing with his pole, and crept away. She had to hop over the rocks on the edge, and then trudge through the mud. She almost got stuck a couple of times before, finally - water!
Ashe: 1 2/20 Lucrecia: 6.1 / 8.1 *Ashe is using Sever Bond 37
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Halcyon
Sept 24, 2021 3:26:51 GMT -6
Post by Ashe on Sept 24, 2021 3:26:51 GMT -6
The water felt so wonderful on her scales! It was like coming home after a long adventure elsewhere. Lu leaped over the surface, landing with a splash about a foot away from her launching position. She giggled to herself and splashed around, having a grand time watching the spray sparkle in the sunlight. Between feeding, sleeping, and resting in general, she was ready for another swim!
Alerted once again by the splashing, Ashe stood up and looked to where Lu had been sleeping. Of course, she wasn't there anymore, which meant she was the source of the splashing. He set the pole down between two rocks to hold it, then he began the search. It ended thirty seconds later, when he saw the splashes and watched her swimming. It seemed she had recovered and she had more confidence, if not more strength, than the last time! He watched her for a few minutes, feeling protective, then he called out to her, "Doing great, Lu! You're a great swimmer!"
Ashe: 1 3/20 Lucrecia: 6.2 / 8.2 *Ashe is using Sever Bond 38
Teaching Swim: 5
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