~:Spring 3rd, 391 AV:~
"Here! Like this!" Indigo easily flipped up into a handstand, walking a few steps, before settling down with a flourish. Lacerta eyed the acrobat skeptically, not believing she could do it herself. The two were sitting in a mostly empty street in Lhavit, and it was early morning, the Eth taking on her horned and taller form. The two had met barely a season ago, but for some reason had taken a liking to each other- the elder Ethaefal, and the younger, bouncier, human. Indigo had dark, nearly black hair, and eyes that were oddly deep, signs of some distance Vantha heritage. The shade of those orbs was were the girl had gotten her name, partially because it fit, and partially because it sounded nice. It certainly fitted the Lhavitan. Indigo was average height, of maybe 5'6", but thin, and lean. You could mistake her for weak- but would be wrong. Her entire body was sinewy, the muscles stronger than thought at first sight. It was what she needed, taking up tumbling and the like, for her own and other's amusement.
Now, Indigo was attempting to teach her elder friend some acrobatic tricks of her own, ignoring the fact that Lacerta was hopeless at that kind of thing. "I can't do a handstand" she stated bluntly, after having watched her friend's performance. "Can't I start with something... um... easier?" Honestly, she hadn't wanted to do this in the first place, but Indigo had insisted, so... here she was. You couldn't ignore Indigo when she wanted to be heard. Said acrobat frowned playfully, teasing "Awww, wittle Lacerta doesn't wanna do a handstand?" Her tone sobered slightly, and she considered the options for a moment. "We'll start with rolls! Just various kinds of somersaults, and how not to hurt yourself on the stone..." she nodded, while the Eth stared at her friend in amazement. Never in her life had she been addressed in that way. Not that she found it rude or anything, but... what?? It just didn't fit with her name in there. Maybe 'Indigo', or anyone else's name, but 'Lacerta'? It just didn't seem to work. Shaking her head, the sailor stood up from her cross legged position, ready to take whatever odd thing Indigo threw her way.
"Ok! Lets start with a basic roll... starting from your knees, for now" The tumbler knelt, one leg up, the other on the ground. Lacerta copied the position, determined to get this right from the start. "Put your hands in front of you" Indigo placed her hands on the gritty stone, now on all fours, still with one leg bent. Again, the Eth followed, feeling more foolish by the minute. At least no one was around to watch her make a mess of this..."Push off with both legs, and roll!" was the finish, and Indigo pushed off into a perfect somersault, landing in a sitting position. "Now you try!" The composer glanced at the ground with a wary eye. Somehow she doubted this would be a comfortable event. Seeing her hesitation, the acrobat berated her friend. "Cmon! Just do it! Really, it's sooo easy!" Lacerta, not wanting Indigo to continue with the 'encouragement', took a chance, and pushed forward with both legs, knees straightening, and sending the Eth into a roll.
Her head clipped the stone streets, causing a bright flask of pain, and landing hard on her but caused a dull throb as well. Now in the same position as her friend, the sailor leaned forward and groaned, clutching the top of her skull. that had hurt! She glared at Indigo, who shrugged innocently. "I guess I forgot to remind you not to let you head touch the ground?" Despite the excuse, Lacerta still glared at the tumbler, blaming the pain on the her. Still, the pain was one of those that went away quickly, as long as she was patient with it.
Just as she'd predicted, the feeling soon died away, leaving the Eth with an odd sense of determination. She'd decided... she would master this roll if it was the last thing she'd do. An odd goal, true, but a goal none-the-less. Without Indigo having to say another word, she returned to the starting position, about to start again without hesitation, before the girl called "Wait!" The composer glanced at her friend, eyebrows raised in question. "This is an awkward move on hard surfaces... but you want to roll on your head, and make a smooth landing to the ground, so you don't fall on your but. Make sense?" It seemed Indigo was genuinely worried about the Eth, something which gave the elder a strange sense of satisfaction. Taking the advice to heart, she pushed off again, rolling on top of her head, at one point having nearly all her weight either there, or on her hands. It hurt, but much less than last time, and trying to not completely fall on her but helped with that too.
Rubbing the top of her scalp to relieve the slightly pain, Lacerta returned to her crossed legs with a wide grin. "Ok... that was better!" she commented, to no one in particular, though her expression was quickly reflected on Indigo's face. So far so good. At least she hadn't cracked her head, or broken a bone, like she'd worried about with the hand stand. The acrobat rubbed her hands together in a malicious-seeming manner, joy obvious all over. "Well... what next?" she asked, though it was obviously a rhetorical question.
x
