Splishing and a Splashing [Hwyn]

[Okara]

Fall 48, 516 Bright afternoon sunlight dappled the ground as Okara walked beneath the changing colors of the Silverwood. The leaves above her were the delicious yellows and reds of Fall, making the island look like it was on fire when Syna illuminated the colors fiercely from above. A few leaves had begun to fall and crunched crisply beneath her boots. The air was still warm despite a cool breeze and she inhaled the deep scent of Fall the breeze carried with it, an odor of earthy decay that she adored. The crunch crunch of leaves beneath her boots ceased as she stood in place, taking in the view before her. Two bells from the city through the Silverwood lay Silver Lake, calm and serene as always. Despite the breeze ruffling Okara’s hair the Lake’s surface was completely calm and mirror still. Okara heard a splash and turned to see two young Konti girls playing in the water. She smiled softly. Zulrav may not be able to disturb Silver Lake’s surface but the Konti certainly could. Okara watched the young girls play for a few moments, thinking of her own childhood spent exploring the water in and around the island. Feeling nostalgia for her youth, Okara impulsively pulled off her boots and approached the lake shore. She tossed her boots on the shore where they would not get wet or lost. She stepped one foot into the water and wriggled her toes in the fine sand beneath her feet. She placed her other foot forward and the water slowly rose around her legs with each step. Once the waters reached her belly she bent down and immersed her body beneath the lake surface. A few ripples marked her entrance into the water but they soon smoothed into a glass like stillness. Beneath the surface Okara kicked her way deeper into the lake where she had more room to move around. Her gills came alive at the contact of water and fluttered gently as she pushed forward. Okara ceased her kicks as a school of brightly colored fish swam towards her. Her hair and loose clothing billowed around her as she stayed still to watch the fish swim past. She reached out a finger and gently touched an orange fin which sent the fish zipping away fearfully. She grinned, unable to laugh underwater without breath, and a few powerful kicks sent her floating through the water again. She pulled one shoulder back and pushed the other forward until she was slowly spinning as she moved forward, watching the sky and the lake bottom exchange places in front of her. Her gaze caught a pale coral structure clinging to rocks along the bottom of the lake and she propelled herself towards it to investigate. Her hands reached down to grab a nearby rock and hold herself in place as she examined the coral. It was milky white and bumpy. After a moment or two she realized the bumps were in fact small seahorses also a pale white color clinging to the rocky coral. She marveled at the creature’s clever camouflage and the young girl in her heart melted at the adorable tails wrapped around the coral. She felt the urge to take one home as a pet but she knew it would never be happy away from its home and brethren. Better to leave it alone where others could enjoy making the same discovery that she had. She wondered if anywhere else in the world had freshwater creatures as unique and gorgeous as the Silver Lake did. Times like this made her feel truly blessed to be a daughter of Avalis and Laviku living on Mura. Okara pushed herself away from the rock and she could see other Konti swimming in the distance. It was a lovely day, many wanted to enjoy the sights and sounds of Silver Lake. Determining she had spent enough time swimming in circles staring at the marvels of Avalis, she slowly made her way back towards shore. Her head broke the surface of the water and her gills lay still as her mouth sucked in air. Finding the lake bottom beneath her feet, she stood up and trudged through the water. She stopped in front of her boots, water dripping heavily from the clothes clinging to her body. She bent over and began twisting her hair to wring out excess lake water. She shivered momentarily as the breeze picked up and chilled her wet skin. She regretted getting out of the comfortable water.