| Who | Riohra, Tanit |
|---|---|
| What | Learning to swim with friends! |
| Where | DolphinCraft Hall - Training Beach |
DolphinCraft Hall - Training Beach
The training beach has been set into a secluded ocean cove well away from the shipping lanes running to and from Rubicon River Hold. The beachfront is long with shaggy softwoods and waving palms scattered over the outskirts, gradually giving way to a pristine expanse of white sands. Several small wooden open air classrooms are built on the inland side of the beach. A single long pier reaches into the depths with a large dolphin bell set prominently at the end. Most of the cove has been dredged deep to allow plenty of room for the pods coming in and out, but a section has been left shallow for swimming and teaching. A well-worn path of beach sand leads to the courtyard in the southeast.
The training bay is still quiet as Rukbat peeks over the horizon lighting up the waters. Though it is early, there are some already at work in the training bay. Tanit, moves through the water focused on the task at hand. Underwater? She is grace in motion, above it however - well this is what practice is for.
Riohra walks in from the area where dragons land and drop off cargo, seems the Tall hunter has hitched a ride. He is in his swim trunks but carries a towel and bag over his shoulder. Walking to the pier he looks around for someone in charge or at least someone he will recognize.
Tanit will move up to the dock as her last lap completes for a rest, grinning as she sees the hunter's familiar face. "Rio, thank you for the sketches by the way." She calls as she pulls herself up on the dock. "What brings you out this way, you disappeared after the hatching."
Riohra turns and grins "You're welcome, and I could ask you the same thing! I didn't know you were a dolphineer" he walks over and will sit on the dock with her while she rests. "Sorry for bailing, it was just kinda weird ya know. I saw S'van and Catwin right after and said good bye" see he didnt just vanish into the night.
"The knot is a new thing for me." Tanit grins, "I made up my mind about it at the hatching." Long finely scarred fingers rake through her hair, slicking it back. "I imagine it isn't all too different from the reason I left when I did. Everyone else was moving forward to a different part of their lives." She studies him more fully now. "You here for another swimming lesson? The Journeymen will be out soon, but I can get you started if you'd like. I need to practice my surface swimming anyway."
Riohra grins and nods "yeah finaly got over my fear of deep water, well maybe not over it but less traumatized by it." He looks out at the water of the bay and will add "figured i better learn out to swim and not look like a flailing canine out there." Turning to look over at her with a teasing grin says "And good for you for finding your own path. Where do we start Apprentice?"
Tanit grins, walking over to where the training equipment is stowed. "I didn't know you had a fear of the water." She pulls out a pair of highly boyant boards, handing one to Riohra, before diving back in with hers. When she surfaces, it's with a wild smile. "These are kick boards. You hold on to it like this, and it helps with practicing balance and your kick. Much of your momentum underwater comes from your kick." She demonstrates how to use the object properly, before adjusting hers so she can sit atop it, half out of the water and watch Rio.
Riohra eyes the board and there is a quick moment the youngman contemplates another use for the board, but he will jump in the water making sure to submerge and then surface. He puts his upper body on the board and then will kick with his legs, he is rather awkward but seems to have the right idea. "I got dragged under a boat, that is how my back got all the scars" He turns so she can see that in deed his back is covered by many scars of different sizes but the ones he is talking about are the long and thick knoted ones that will cover most of his shoulders and mid back.
"Sharding hell." Tanit answers, with feeling. "I just figured you had gotten the wrong end of a feline. I could see how that would make anyone afraid of the water." She grins. "Not exactly what we were going for, but that is a good start. I'd recommend practicing kicking at least 30 minutes a day, or for a few hours a few days a week if that is all you can manage."
Riohra nods and is actually sweating as he is using muscle groups that have never been singled out like this before. His words are steady though as he gives her a little grin " Oh that happened too, those big cats don't like it when you surprise them" he starts to get the hang of it but he is by no means kicking fast just not looking like a flailing hatchling dragon. "How…long are you here for?" he will puff at Tanit.
"Until they clear me and can assign me to a Journeyman, since I didn't start as early as many of the apprentices I'm behind in somethings. Surface swimming is one of them." She watches, and then holds up a hand. "Go ahead and rest for a few moments. When you are in the water, what is the thing that panics you the most? When your face goes under?"
Riohra will lay on the board like a beached shipfish, "it used to just be getting near the open ocean. Now it is more if I start to sink or can't break the surface fast enough." he grins over at the diver turned dolphineer "does that mean no more oysters? Because I have to admit now that I am at Fort I miss some of the different foods from Half moon"
Tanit nods, thinking about it. "Have you ever practiced floating?" "It's a little different from treading water in that you aren't actively kicking, but I used it all the time back home when I needed a breather. I wouldn't completely rely on it, but It might help you learn to relax in the water. You are already doing great though."
Riohra thinks a moment saying "like when your in the baths floating? because I usually end up dunking my own head" he says with a chuckle. Looking over the calm water of the bay says "Water isn't really where i am most comfortable, but this is turning out a lot better than I hoped" He grins over at Tanit "So thank you for being here."
Tanit grins. "Yeah, actually." The praise earns a look from the diver. "I am not really doing much. I just love the water, it can be a scary place but also," She searches for the words. "I guess it is kind of the way riders must feel about flying. It's a different world that I love showing to others, whether that be in the hue of a pearl or the sweetness of fresh caught oysters."
Riohra nods and grins "same with my forests and jungles, what a wonderful world we live in. so many amazing things to see and do" he puts his arms out to float still on his stomach and balancing on the board. "And you being here is nice because it is a familiar face in what would be a rather terrifying event for me at the moment."
Tanit laughs, "I'd love to see it sometime, that green world you live in day to day." The second statement turns her ears the faintest pink. "If not me, it have been N'talya or maybe journeyman Kalen. I'm happy I could be of some help though. I still have a lot to learn before I can even think about going back to Half Moon."
Riohra doesn't see the blush, or at least plays it off like he doesn't, "Any time you can pull your self away from the water let me know, the forests of the Southern continent are amazing right now." At the mention of the other dolphineers says "Yeah me and Kalen we don't get a long right now, and last time I ask N'talya for a swimming lesson she pushed me off the pier. I mean it worked but still I would like to keep my pride." He grins happly showing there is no hard feelings anywhere.
"It will have to wait until I'm assigned a journeyman I think, but I'd be willing to take you up on it." The diver dips below the water, swimming the board back to the dock. "Why not? He seems nice enough." She laughs at pride, "I think mine went down the drain years ago."
Riohra kicks all the way back to the dock getting as much practice in as he can. "Kalen is a nice guy, but well I may have hustled him at darts to the tune of personal favors. Like Kelani's turnday gift of dolphin meet and greets." he laughs still kicking and waiting for the next set of instructions.
Tanit bursts into laughter, a full throaty sound. "That explains why you were willing to help me with my little hussle. I didn't know Kelani liked dolphins so much." The board is pushed up on the docks, and Tanit lays back in the water letting herself float. "Ok." Straightening and treading water now, she's training too after all. "Next you are going to take your weight off the board, and hold it out fully, with just your hands, stretched all the way in front of you. I also want you to alternate your breathing while turning your head left and right. Eventually you will time it with the arm strokes but we will just work on kicking for now until your legs become gelatin."
Riohra nods and grins "she has never met them so I figured what better way to have a sixteenth turnday." He stretchs out and starts to kick, though the head motion is rather silly on him as he is just shaking his head in the water not really breaking surface for the air.
Tanit grunts, Swimming over to stop him. "No, don't just bury your face and hold your breath. Swimming also is about breathing properly. Your nose and mouth need to break the surface so you can get air. Usually when doing a front stroke, you go with whichever arm you are doing the stroke with." She demonstrates for a few strokes then resumes treading water. "Try again."
Riohra will frown but nods and after a few tries will get a rhythm down, maybe not as fluid as Tanit's but still it is the beginnings of something better than it was. He will loose concentration on his kicking sometimes as he over thinks the head motion so his feet will splash wildly for a few moments before he remembers to focus on both.
Tanit says, "Take it slow." Tanit calls out, "The motions will become automatic with practice, but you need to keep pracicing this every day between lessons." She'll even practice along side him, matching his pace. "Don't panic, and just focus on the movement, we don't have to worry about your speed yet."
Riohra does slow down, and by doing that the panic while not fully gone does subside. After a few moments he has a good motion going, he may not be a pretty but he isnt trying to drown himself either. He will go like this for a while even as the muscles in his legs start to cry out and his kicking becomes even more lopside than it was.
Tanit slows, "Ok rest time, much better." Tanit grins accompanying the hunter back to the dock, and only pulling herself out of the water after ensuring he is able to do so himself. "So did you and Kass go back to Fort then?"
Riohra doesnt so much as pull himself out as he does flop like a freshly landed fish. He is panting on his back legs all akimbo saying "No.. Well yes.. but not at first. took her to Ierne and the masters there said she could transfer to Fort so now we are together again." he smiles happily but will add "I though swiming was supposed to be fun and relaxing, dragon washing was easier than this"
Tanit laughs, sea-green eyes sparkling with mischief. "Who said anything ever worth doing is easy? It does get easier, the more you practice and the more your body adjusts to the movement." There is a handwave at mention of dragon washing. "Depends on the dragon?"
Riohra nods at that but right now he can't really move much, "Very true, but if you dont mind I am going to lay here and die" so dramatic, he is smiling happily though as he adds "I did it" softly to himself.
"So dramatic." Tanit stretches, working out the aches in tired muscles. "You did." She looks up at the sky. "Come on, I'll treat you to breakfast." Getting up to walk in the direction of the hall.
Riohra looks up and nods, it will take him a few trys to stand but his wobbly legs will hold once he gets moving if not a tad stiffly. he grabs his bag and towel saying "how is the food here?" he will ask as they head back towards the hall.
Title for the win.